Customer Reviews

Flipped

5 star:		(204)
4 star:		(92)
3 star:		(25)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

"Some of us get dipped in flat, some in satin, some in gloss . . ." Bryce Loski's grandfather tells him. "But every once in a while you find someone who's iridescent, and when you do, nothing will ever compare."

From the moment the Loski family moves into town, Juli Baker finds herself drawn to their young son, Bryce. Even before his family finishes unloading the moving van, Bryce finds himself running away from her, and so their relationship remains for the next six years. All Bryce sees is the weird girl from across the street that lives in a messy house and climbs way too high up the ancient sycamore tree at the school bus stop. For her part, Juli can't get past Bryce's dreamy blue eyes and the scent of watermelon wafting from his hair.

And then comes the day that everything begins to change.

Told by both Bryce and Juli in alternating first-person chapters, this book is more than a simple romance. It isn't about two people overcoming obstacles in the path to true love. Instead, it details the creation of those obstacles, deftly illustrating how the reality of human perceptions and emotions differs from the ideal notion of love at first sight. In Bryce and Juli, Ms. Van Draanen has created a pair of living, breathing, three-dimensional characters, and the more we learn about the two of them, the less inevitable a happy ending seems to be.

By contrasting the points of view, this "he-said/she-said" story shows the difference between our thoughts and our actions. What we think about what we say and do doesn't matter; it's what people see us saying and doing that counts. However, while Bryce learns that the best of intentions can't necessarily excuse unkind actions, both he and Juli come to realize that they both have to look beneath the surface to see the truth about each other. Perhaps the poor condition of the Baker house-and what it says about their family-doesn't tell the simple story Bryce assumes it does, and perhaps Bryce's beautiful blue eyes aren't a strong enough reason for Juli to pursue him.

This story's initial light, breezy, funny style drew me in immediately. The more I read, the more caught up I became in the emotion of the characters, and the more I began to care about both of them. Fortunately, Ms. Van Draanen remained true to the complexity of her creations, providing an ending that perfectly satisfied, without being simple or pat. With all due respect to her Sammy Keyes books, I certainly hope this isn't the last time we see this sort of work from her.

...I picked up the book and read its back cover -- it seemed like fluffy romance to me. I was about to put it back when I realised that the author was Wendelin Van Draanen. Being a huge Sammy Keyes fan, I decided that even if it WAS fluff, it would be worth a read. And so I bought it.

It took me a chapter or two to get into it, but by the time I finished it (less than two days, if I remember correctly -- I couldn't put it down) I'd fallen in love with Bryce and Juli, Bryce's grandfather Chet, Juli's father, even Juli's brothers. The book has a little romance in it, but not as much as the book's cover made it out to be. It is not a romance by any means; instead, it is a book about growing up -- but the concept is presented in a modern, real, noncondescending way.

The book is downright funny many times, but poignant and serious at others. The chapter when Juli visits her uncle made an impression on me in particular, as well as the chapter when Bryce finally begins to "see" people -- his father, his grandfather, and at last, Juli.

Though the Sammy Keyes books are well-written, Ms. Van Draanen has absolutely proved (to me, at least) that she is much more than a writer who merely entertains. It takes a very talented writer to cause the reader to become involved in the story, to care about the characters. It takes a gifted writer to involve the reader in the story and characters, to show the change the characters go through in the story, and to really make the reader -think-. Ms. Van Draanen is a gifted writer. Bryce's change is not only touching, but believable; Juli is not the know-it-all she seems to be, but a deep and beautiful young woman. And the story makes the reader question his or her own way of living -- a "fakeness" that I have been seeing in people so much more acutely as I grow up.

I cannot recommend this book enough. Wonderful job, Ms. Van Draanen, on a truly wonderful book.

Ever since the first time Juli Baker looked into Bryce Loski's bright blue eyes for the first time when he moved in next door when they were both seven years old, she knew that one day they would be together, and for six years, every time she looked at Bryce, she thought "My Bryce. Still walking around with my first kiss." Unfortunately, Bryce did not feel the same way about Juli. Every time he saw her, he wanted to run. That is until 8th grade, which is when they flipped. Juli suddenly had no feelings left for Bryce. However, for the first time, Bryce took a good look at Juli and from then on, could not quit looking at her. After that, the story takes many twists and turns, until a you are left with a cliffhanger.
When I bought "Flipped" I didn't know what to expect because all of Wendelin Van Draanen's other novels have been mysteries, and I didn't know how her first attempt at another genre would turn out. However, I found "Flipped" to be funny, original and entertaining. I hope Ms. Van Draanen will write a sequal.

Wendelin Van Draanen has given us a book with two points of view. This is not a book from either a boy's or girl's point of view but both. Each chapter tells Julianna's or Bryce's point of view. Julianna thinks Bryce is dreamy. Bryce thinks Julianna is annoying. Until one day....
This book is more than a love story; it is a book about growing up and figuring out who you are. Julianna and Bryce both learn to look beyond the surface to see what really matters and end up discovering themselves along the way.
Julianna learns from those around her. The relationship she builds with her father and Bryce's grandfather Chet help her discover who she is and where she fits in. How she sees the world and her inner strength is expressed through her relationship with her sycamore tree.
Bryce learns from his grandfather and in a strange way his father. He learns to "see" beyond the surface; beyond the outside of a house, beyond the look of a person, beyond a scraggly old tree and see what lies beyond. Through his experiences he sees Julianna, his grandfather, and Julianna's sycamore tree in a whole new light.
This book will make you laugh and make you cry. Wendelin Van Draanen's words bring Julianna and Bryce to life. You feel their emotions and change along with them. I would recommend this book to anyone. So flip down to the library or bookstore and pick up Flipped.

Bryce thinks that Juli Baker is crazy. Not only does she follow him around everywhere, but she raises chickens, climbs trees, and is loud and annoying. He doesn't know how to shake her and to make her lose interest in him!

Juli thinks that Bryce Loski is perfect. He has dreamy blue eyes and he lives next door - what else could a girl want? But when Juli discovers what kind of person Bryce really is, she doesn't know what to do. She likes him, doesn't she?

Bryce makes a terrible mistake, and Juli hates him for it. But when she's gone, he thinks of all the cool things she's done. Bryce discovers what kind of person Juli really is, and he really likes her. How did things flip?

This is a great book, one of the best that I've read in a long time. You get to be a part of Juli's and Bryce's lives, seeing how they feel about each other, and how they deal with their families. Do you think Juli and Bryce get together? Read it and find out!

I am stunned by how much I enjoyed this book. Even now that I've put it away on the shelf, I keep thinking about it and realizing something new and wonderful about it that I hadn't quite seen before. The story is told by two distinct voices and feels absolutely authentic to me. Learning how each of the narrators sees the same events differently was inspiring - as a school counselor, I want more than anything to help my students see that sometimes our interpretation or perception of a situation is not at all what was intended! This book does that perfectly without being too pushy or in-your-face about it. Subtle and heartwarming, touching yet brilliantly clever (I often laughed out loud and also found myself with teary eyes a few times, sometimes simultaneously)! I loved the characters; I felt I had a vivid picture of everyone in my head without the author having to use three paragraphs to describe each person involved in the story. The people were described through their words, their actions, their thoughts. Excellent book! Entertaining, educational, insightful, inspiring, and fun! A must read for young adults and not-so-young adults alike!

This is a darling story of how first love in those awkward teenager years can work. It's sweet, snappily-if-not-eloquently written, and really manages to get inside the heads of its two characters. That's probably the best thing about it--this is a book that cares passionately about its characters, and that can be rare to see. I enjoyed the switching perspectives, and the li'l misadventures of the kids were fun and adorable. Insightful and clever.

Flipped by Wendelin van Draanen is a truly worthwhile read. I just got finished reading it.... As it happens, I had picked up this book several times and always ended up putting it back on the shelf. Last night though, I decided I would give it a try. It was a wonderful story that really involves the reader. I love the way it switches from Juli and Bryce and shows you each scene the way each of them experienced it. Julianna is portrayed in the book as being a little odd, she loves the climb and old mangled sycamore tree, (which could be describes as ugly to others) she raised six chickens and collects their eggs for a profit, and of course, she has been wild over Bryce Loski since she was seven. Bryce, on the other hand, just wants Juli off his back. In the story he does almost everything to get rid of her (including asking Shelly Stalls out, who Juli happens to despise) ... until everything gets flipped. I would really reccomend this book to anyone who enjoys reading. And to those of you, who like me, have picked up Flipped and decided not to read it- my friend, I say you should read this book ;)

"All I ever wanted was Julia Baker to leave me alone; to back off. You know give some space."

Flipped is a realistic fiction book, it's about a girl named Julia that started liking a boy named Bryce when they were seven years old. She would always be chasing him around trying to get a kiss from him. Julia also thought he had the most amazing blue eyes. But Bryce on the other hand never liked Julia. He thought she was the weirdest person there could be . she had chickens in the back yard; she would bring eggs to his house every morning. But seven years later everything changes little by little.

I recommend this book because it's funny how Julia and Bryce tell the same story differently. For example Julia said the first time they met she could tell that they were going to kiss except that Bryce's mom interrupted, while Bryce said that his dad and him thought she was weird; hyper; annoying and nosey. I think people ages 11-18 would enjoy this book. Girls would like this book more then boys would. This book was a page turner because it mad you want to know what would happen next. I enjoyed the writing style of the book because one chapter is Bryce telling the story then the other chapter is Julia telling the same story but different.

This book is wonderful:purely and sinmply wonderful. It is not a corny romance as some may think from the back cover, but the story of finding one's self and looking deeper into people that you thought you knew.
Julianna Baker is thrilled to know that Bryce Loski will be moving in across the street. A new playmate! At eight, loner Juli cannot wait to make friends. However, when she meets Bryce and his brilliant blue eyes, she completely falls head over heels. Unfortunately, Bryce has never returned her feelings and tends to ignore her completely. He finds her hobbies of raising chickens and climbing sycamores too wierd instead of too cool. He ignores and she does anything but until the year of 8th grade when everything flips - Bryce starts to see Juli's life and person as more than it seems while Juli starts to think that Bryce and his baby blues are less than they appear to be.
A great book with an ending that lets you think for yourself and wonder about forgiveness, Flipped by Wendelin Van Drannen will keep you flipping the pages and filled with wonderment that anyone could capture the immotions of the two protagonists. 5 stars. A knock out.