Customer Reviews

Cousins

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As a young child, I read this book. I had to be about 10 or 11 and at the time I enjoyed it. Being an African American girl I identified with the book and remembered reading it a couple of times. A lot of these reviews listed on this book are from an adult point of view, and it is quite unfair to rate it based on an adult understanding. Seeing that most reviewers on Amazon are adults, there will probably be a bias no matter what. Virginia Hamilton knows her audience and that is all that is required. She captured attentions and wrote this book on a juvenile level, which I have found is hard for most adults to do. We're so bent on literary elements that are not even introduced to children until they get to about high school. Think - we do not understand Spongebob, Teletubbies and Yo Gabba Gabba. It's not for us. Adults, do not buy this for yourselves, buy this for your child!

The premise of this novel is intriguing: Cammy lives resentfully in the shadow of her near-perfect older cousin, Patty Ann, until Patty Ann is killed rescuing another child. The trouble is that very little of this novel has anything to do with this premise. There's exactly one interaction between Cammy and Patty Ann before Patty Ann dies. One. We don't really get a feel for the relationship between the cousins at all. There's a lot of rambling about other members of the family that never really comes out to anything related to the main plot. After Patty Ann dies, Cammy is severely troubled, but it's hard to tell exactly why. She doesn't seem to feel guilty about having resented Patty Ann when she was alive. Her feelings seem to have less to do with her cousin at all than simply to be some kind of realization that people actually die. The third cousin in the family, Elodie (tediously called L.O.D. for long passages of the novel), is not so much an actual character as some kind of prop. I don't know why Virginia Hamilton has received such high praise, as I have read four of her novels now and couldn't bring myself to rate any of them higher than three stars. I don't imagine I'll bother with any more of these tedious ramblings of hers that have somehow been labeled quality children's fiction.

This is one of the most immediate, powerful books I've read in a long time. Sad story, but loaded with humor and warmth. Virginia Hamilton is a master, no question!

This book was good it was sad that the cousin that tried so hard to be accepted was lost forever in the end. I feel this book has a lot to say to young readers in terms of relationships. People are not always going to be around forever so it is best to love them where they are at.

I'm sorry to say, I found it rather boring. But this is just one opinion. If you read this book, add your opinion.

I think this book was great, it was sad that Patty Ann drowned trying to save another cousin, this is why we must love each other while we are alive, Cammy thought that Patty Ann was miss perfect, she played the piano, she was good at school, Larry liked her hair: Cammy was just about ready to invite Elodie home after day camp when Elodie nodded toward Patty Ann and Larry. Cammy looked. Larry had his arm across the back of the seat. He was playing with Patty Ann's long, pretty braid, then he twisted and untwisted gently around his hand. Larry was turned toward her, looking down at her face. Patty Ann leaned toward him. Just a little, Elodie and Cammy could see she was grinning, her face from what they could see of it looked dreamy. So everyone like Patty Ann hair, but Cammy didn't. So I think this is a great book, everyone should read it! And it teaches a good lesson.

When the most saddest part of the book came I was so interested I couldn't put the book down.

This story was one of the best stories I have every read. Even though the story is fiction it seems very realistic. The story was sad at points but I loved the book!

I loved this book it was hard for me to put it down, and it was also sad

Cousins I think was a bit dull and trite. The first five pages talk about puttin' love and kisses into fried chicken. The some old guy comes in who likes to go around without his pants. After patty Ann dies it gets really dull. Cammy lies around in bed moaning and sobbing for months and months. She doesn't even go to school! And the part about Elodie's spirit being possesed and Patt Ann's ghost are a bit muc i think.