Customer Reviews

Alive and Well in Prague, New York (Laura Geringer Books)

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4 star:		(7)
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Matisse can't help but feel bitter when her mother moves her and her father, who has a debilitating disease, away from their wonderful home in New York City, to Prague, New York, a tiny town in the middle of nowhere. Stuck in a high school whose name she can't even pronounce, without any friends, and nothing to do is miserable for Matisse. People either want to talk about her dad (which Matisse isn't ready to do), or pretend everything is fine (Matisse knows it isn't). But if Matisse wants to make in Prague, she'll have to learn to open up to new things and people, and accept her situation at hand.

Alive and Well in Prague, New York was a very heartfelt read. Grab's smooth, empathetic writing will easily reel in readers by the hordes as she artfully portrays the hurt of everyone knowing your business in a small town, and the joy of true friends. Matisse is smart, practical, and yet very hard headed. Your heart will go out to her as she tries to balance school, friends (or lack thereof), and the situation at home. Grab captures the essence of small town life perfectly; quirky, quintessential, and endearing, Prague will appeal mightily to readers who have ever been curious about small town life, or to those who know exactly what it's like, and can easily commiserate and identify with with Matisse.

There are so many things to love about this book--the clash between cultures that sometimes just a few hundred miles can bring, the array of characters who have lingered with me long after I finished reading, and Matisse's growth throughout the story. But most of all, I appreciate how Grab captures what its like for a teen (or anyone for that matter) to live with a secret that isn't hers to bear, and isn't meant to be a secret at all. Matisse's journey is compelling and will resonate with readers.

Everyone is familiar with the story of a small town girl struggling to fit in a big city, but Daphne Grab's novel takes an opposite spin on that theme and tells the journey of a New York City high school student, Matisse Osgood, who must deal with fish out of water feelings when her family uproots themselves from the city and settles down in small town Prague, New York. The move is prompted my Matisse's father's progressive deterioration to Parkinson's disease. Although the slower pace of small town life should be good for him, his illness is as hard for Matisse to adjust to as her new surroundings.

Grab does an amazing job of writing believable teenagers in this novel. The supporting cast has as much depth as the protagonist and the vivid personalities - filled with warmth, humor and sometimes nastiness - brought back echoes of my own high school classmates. The emotional roller coaster that Matisse is on also comes across as neither sappy nor melodramatic and as a reader I truly empathized with her hardships. She is a fun and lovable heroine and through her trials and challenges, I was desperately hoping that in the end she would come to be Alive and Well in Prague, New York.

Grab's depiction of Matisse's struggle to make sense of her new town, new high school, and her father's Parkinsons Disease is both beautifully written and realistic. I moved around a lot growing up, and Matisse's thoughts mirrored many of my own as I navigated the gauntlet of a new environment. I also identified with Matisse's mixed feelings of pity and embarrassment toward her father's illness, as well as her craving for privacy in a small town. Grab's writing is smooth, subtle and full of emotional resonance. Her insights are deftly woven throughout a story that leaves the reader rooting for Matisse, a smart, sensitive heroine. An outstanding book about accepting people for who they really are, including one's self, Alive and Well in Prague, NY also has plenty of romance and teen angst to satisfy the gamut of young adult readers. A Must Read.

Matisse Osgood is the daughter of two well-known New York City artists. Life is good for Matisse. She's a city girl through and through. Then her father gets diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, and is told that he should avoid working on the sculptures that he loves, for fear that he may fall off of a ladder at some point.

After much consideration, Matisse's parents decide that the best thing for the family is to get out of the city. To remove all reminders of what her father can't have anymore. So off they move to Prague, New York. Yes, it's named after the famous European city. The only problem is that Prague, NY, is nothing like its namesake. Hayrides and pep rallies are the excitement Matisse can expect in her new town.

It takes a while, but finally Matisse finds a friend in loner Violet. They have similar tastes and personalities, and the friendship forms quickly. Other quirky characters in Prague enter Matisse's life. At first, she has a hard time letting anyone in.

Matisse is dealing with her own grief and guilt over her father's diagnosis. Life at home is hard and Matisse has always been reserved when it comes to dealing with private issues.

Through the help of her new friends, her father's acceptance of his diagnosis, and the quaint setting of Prague, NY, Matisse slowly opens up and becomes a better person in her new surroundings.

Ms. Grab writes a tender story of a girl's struggle to accept the life she's had thrust upon her. Matisse's life is thrown upside down with the move and her father's illness, and slowly she learns that there are some things she can control, and others that she has to learn to accept and live with.

Reviewed by: Jaglvr

Matisse Osgood has moved from New York City to Prague, New York. Her father was a sculptor, until he finds out that he has Parkinson's disease. She must make friends and adjust to the change of her surroundings. She also wants to keep her father's sickness a secret.
Matisse finds one good friend in Violet, who is unique like her. She also has her utterly dorky neighbor Hal, who is slowly growing on her. Matisse also has made an enemy in Jennifer, the average mean girl. Jennifer starts making rumors about Matisse's father. Matisse has to let the truth out about her dad.
Alive and Well in Prague, New York is a gorgeous novel about a girl learning about her father's illness and the acceptance that she needs to find. The setting was well set in this passage of the book:
"For the millionth time I considered the terrible irony of moving to Prague, a town named after one of the coolest cities in the world, yet pretty much the most pathetic place I'd been to in my entire life" (pg. 3).
It set up the small town feel, especially with the hay rides and such. The characters were about a million times better. I loved Matisse and Violet's attitude and their wonderful style. They were some of the most awesome fictional characters that I have met in a while. I loved Matisse's love of ABBA. Matisse and Violet are characters that you will love, because they are just one-of-a-kind. I also like the little bit of romance in the novel.
I reccomend this Alive and Well in Prague, New York, if you are looking for a quick and a very cute book about friendship and family. You will love this book.

Daphne Grab's flawless writing immediately drew me into the story of Matisse, a New Yorker who hates the fact she must relocate to the country. I enjoyed how Grab brought all her characters to life, but was especially impressed by her portrayal of Matisse's ill father. It's difficult to put into words why this book touched me so, but this is one I'll be reading again and again.

The one thing that surprised me about this book was how it was marketed for a younger audience than I expected. The print is large, the plot line is basic, and nothing "naughty" happens. But, of course that's not a bad thing. I think it added to the overall warm charm the book had. Each character was whimsical and fun, and even though their actions may have not seemed realistic at some points, they were still fun to read about and you felt as if you knew them well. I also liked how the romantic aspect of the story played out. I loved Hal and I think that him and Matisse make one of the cutest couples I've read about in a while. There's just something so innocent about the high maintenance city girl falling for the hokey farm boy. I adored it! Another thing that really brought the book to life for me was the strong female lead. Even throughout her boy troubles and the issues with her family, Matisse was able to stay sane and competent. I loath books that place females in weak and inferior positions, so for that reason alone, I loved Alive and Well. I'd definitely recommend this book to everyone. It is sure to warm your heart and leave you wanting to read more of Daphne Grab's smooth and clear writing. I'm definitely looking forward to more books from her!

Even as someone for whom high school days are a distant memory, I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful story. Genuine, humourous, touching and well written. Everything a reader appreciates, regardless of age.

Matisse Osgood is the daughter of a painter and a sculptor, so it's no wonder she's named after an artist. But tragedy strikes her family when her father topples from a ladder and gets a concussion. It turns out that he has nerve damage and is diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. That prompts the family to move from New York City to small town Prague, which breaks Matisse's heart because she has to leave behind the city she loves. And moving doesn't seem to help anything at all. Her father is still sick, her mother pretends like nothing is wrong, and Matisse is worried someone will find out her family's secret.

In the process, Matisse manages to make one true friend, Violet. They are similar in so many ways; they both hate Prague and can't wait until they can finally get away from the small town. There's also her friendly neighbor Hal, who seems dorky at first but grows on Matisse. But not everyone is so welcoming. There's the nasty popular girl Jennifer who seems determined to make everyone hate Matisse. The false rumors start to fly, and Matisse still can't deal with her father's sickness; she compares it to a wound. And eventually, all secrets have to come out.

Alive and Well in Prague, New York is a beautiful story about a young girl learning to cope with her father's illness. It was interesting to watch Matisse grow and find out what really mattered to her. In some ways, Prague was stereotyped as other backwards small towns with its hayride and seemingly stupid traditions, but the setting wasn't as important as the characters. I have to say that Matisse and Violet are probably two of my new favorite fictional characters; they have so much style and I'm not just talking about clothes. At first, they only have each other, and they are perfectly content with that; that is something to be admired. They might not seem like it in this small town setting, but they are truly kick-butt heroines. I also appreciated the romance, even though it was only added in at the end.

I recommend Alive and Well in Prague, New York if you like a shorter but meaningful read. There's a lot that can be learned from this novel about family and friendship. Look out for it when it comes out early in June.

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