Customer Reviews

My So-Called Life Goes On

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

 

 

I'm still uncertain as to why most reviews have been negative about this book.

This book doesn't hold a candle to the series, true. But it's like comparing the metaphorical apples and oranges. The show had brilliant performances,as well as lighting, sound and other visual aspects to bring its story to life. The book has only text; but I think Clark has done a commendable job of envisioning the series through just text.

All of the main characters and many of the supporting characters have moments that fit in nicely with the overall summer story, particularly Brian Krakow. (And let me tell you: If you were heartbroken with the final episode of the series, read the book and see Brian finally get a bone tossed his way.) Everyone gets a piece of the pie, but what's nice is that we get to hear their own individual voice as well. The tv show took an overwhelmingly subjective viewpoint from Angela, while this books delves into all of the kids' minds. Unfortunately the one downfall of the book is that there's not much attention on Patty or Graham, so those looking to see the Chase parental units at work will be starved. But that's ok, because this is about the kids' summer.

I'm also at a loss as to how anyone can compare this with the first book Catherine Clark wrote about the MSCL characters, as the first book is essentially a novelization of the series. hmmm...

But anwyay, if you were angered and unsatisfied at the abrupt end of the show, then I recommend reading the book to provide a more adequate closure. (And if you really, really, REALLY want to see Brian Krakow shine!) :)

After recently re-discovering My So-Called life on Noggin, and then finding out there was a book that followed the characters after the series ended, I was very excited to find it. I immediately searched for the book everywhere, couldn't find it, as it is now out of print. I finally found it at one of my local libraries, and read the entire book in a few hours.

The book was NOTHING like the show. True, the same characters are there, but there is no real life to the book. Angela now seems shallow and even flaky at times. There was not the same depth to any of the characters, or the entire story, as there was in the show.

To me, the ending left me wondering why I wasted my time. I read the book, thinking the whole time that something interesting would happen. The only thing interesting was with Brian. In fact, I feel like most of the book focused on him more than anyone.

All in all, I feel like after reading the book, it took me no farther than the last episode of the series did. Even if you are a huge MSCL fan, I wouldn't bother.

I think Catherine Clark did a good job creating a summer for the MSCL characters, and I actually found what she came up with pretty believable. After all, I think it makes perfect sense that Angela would work at her dad's restaurant, Rayanne would not be able to hold down one steady job, and Sharon would STILL sleep with Kyle, even after promising herself she wouldn't. Okay, so what happens with Brian is a little out there (I won't give it away!) but come on, the poor guy deserves some adventure. All in all, I enjoyed this continuation for the MSCL crew.

I am one of MSCL's biggest fans, and this book completely strays from Angela's complex, almost contridictory yet endearing thoughts. For instance, read the excerpt from the book, Angela would NEVER "rev the engine and honk as she backed out of the driveway" or try to run over Brian Krakow shouting "JEALOUS! " The author would have done better basing the story on MSCL and creating new characters altogether. However if you dearly miss the show and wouldn't mind the dramatic mutation, then it wouldn't be so terrible. But if you simply fell in love with the characters, don't read it, it'll break your heart.

My so called life goes on is a very entertaining book but at times I felt a loss between the characters now and the characters that I fell in love with in the series. Chaterine Clark did not capture the essence of Angela which was most disappointing but there were other things in the book that did not add up either. Like Jordan never called Brian by his real name always by brain and Jordan would never beg anyone to help him... unless it was Angela and about sex!!! Also the route that the characters took were a total 90 degree switch from the series. I mean I was a fan of the show when it first aired back in 94 and I have recently watched the whole series on dvd and when I watched the characters on screen it was almost as if I had found a peice of my heart that had been missing for quite awhile. I think it was more about how Winnie Holzman created the characters and they were so relatable and the things in there series were so real that it was easy to watch and not feel apart from yourself but it was like you could become apart of the show. I enjoyed the book emensly and I know that the book was not like the show because it did not come the heart of the writers but I really did enjoy it and if you have an open mind and just enjoy reading about the characters you will to. BTW the ending was such an unexpecting thing but I have to say that I did enjoy the ending!!!

I picked up this book becuase I truely loved the show My So-Called Life. The first book was good, but this one just didn't match up. It has a very interesting and a some-what disturbing twist to it. But, don't get me wrong, the book was still pretty good. I like to read how some people interpret the next season would have been, but I'm not sure I really like this situation. I often read thier fan fiction online with many different continuation stories there. I suggest you go there. All I can say is that I've re-read the first book one about a thousand times, but not this one.

What's wrong with this book? Where to begin? The best place to begin would be to summarize what was right with the show. "My So-Called Life" touched its viewers with genuine emotion, clever dialogue, brilliant stories, and complex and sympathetic characters. The viewers genuinely cared about these people. This book, however, is a completely different story. There is no real emotion here at all. These characters are cardboard cut-outs of their counterparts from the show. The author has turned them into shallow, self-involved, yahoos. Angela, the introspective and deeply romantic star of the show, is reduced to simply being self-involved and often cruel. The story, such as it is, barely connects to the last episode of the series. We would have expected some emotional, dramatic confrontations in the aftermath of that episode. Don't look for them here. Gone also is Brian and Rickie's developing friendship. What we are left with is the sort of intrique that hasn't been interesting since high school study hall. The "plot" is about who-likes-who, who-slept-with-whom, who-fantasized-about-whom. All of this revolves around love triangles within love triangles which resemble an episode of "Melrose Place." Toward the end, the book degenerates. Give this one a miss!

The book was a quick fix for me. Some of the actions of the characters were unusual, but if you really enjoy MSCL(as I do), then I suggest you get the book.

thank you Catherine Clark for bringing back that great crazy cool bunch of friends. My So Called Life was a great show and your novel based on it--the first one--was great. This is terrific too. It's different and took some getting used to. I kind of missed them not be back at school, because it was so easy to picture Jordan and Angela slinking around the hallways, in the boiler rooms. But a summer book is fun. I won't spoil the ending for other readers but when your third books comes out about my favoirte book friends I'm glad no one is out of the picture, or that nothing is settled yet. But that's too much of a hint. The writer did a great job of bring this crowd back to life in a big way. And some pretty hot things happy during that long hot summer in Pittsburgh. I loved this book

What happened to angela? oh I could not stand her in this book I loved the twist of fate with brian but thats about it. I would love to see this book written again but with more realistic people like in the show