Customer Reviews

A Solitary Blue (The Tillerman Series #3)

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This might very well be my all-time favorite book, and I'm an adult with a college education, not a kid who was force-fed "literature" all through school. Jeff as a character is real and beautiful, and his feelings are relayed throughout the book as universal human emotions of loneliness and longing. I tend to be self-loathing, so I identified with Jeff on that level ("He couldn't think of anything he wanted to do. Ever."). The story is so real that I dream about the characters and wish I could meet them--Brother Thomas working through a crisis of faith by harvesting crabs out of the Chesapeake Bay, the Professor working through a crisis of love by writing a history book. It's so great. I even convinced my aunt and uncle to take me to Crisfield, Maryland, so I could see what Jeff saw and felt. Voigt's descriptions are accurate and clear without boring the reader in the least. This is a book of life.

I just read this book for the first time in several years, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Everyone else has already given a basic summary of its plot, so I won't try for that. However, I greatly appreciated this book.

My favorite part of "Solitary Blue" was the character development. I loved watching Jeff grow and change throughout the book, from what he described as a ghost, even in his own life, to someone actively involved in the world, making friends and finding things that he loved to do. I ached for him when his mother broke his heart and he thought it was his fault, got angry at himself for being so fragile and easy to break, and determined not to be that fragile again (I wanted to shake him and say, "You're SUPPOSED to be easy to break at 12 years old! That's because you're supposed to be able to TRUST your parents to protect and watch over you."). I also enjoyed watching his father grow and develop as a character. At the beginning he came across as almost completely unaware of Jeff, as well as unable to care for him at all. However, as the story progressed he began to open up, to care for his son, and to reach out to him. I was glad to see that it wasn't too late, that despite all of his hurt Jeff was still able to respond to his father and develop that relationship.

His mother, on the other hand, was something else. One of the strong points of this book was that it got me involved enough to feel passionately angry at Melody for her treatment of her son. Perhaps because I have feminist do-gooder tendencies like the ones she claimed, I had no patience for her constant desire to hide behind her beliefs. I'm sorry, it doesn't matter how much good you want to do the world; you don't abandon your child(ren) to do so (if it was so important to her that Jeff learn about social justice issues, why not take him with her?). You don't send them off on a 16 hr. bus ride with no money or food. You don't use and manipulate the people around you for the "greater good of society". All in all, I was thoroughly disgusted with her. In a weird way, that speaks to the strength of the book; I don't generally get so angry with a book character, and the fact that I did means that Voigt knew what she was doing.

As I mentioned, this is a good book and worth reading. It may be for slightly more mature tastes, however; I remember that I thought it rather boring the first time I read it years ago.

A Solitary Blue is based around a boy, named Jeff's, life. When Jeff was young his mother took off and left him with his father. His father was a caring man but he never showed it. He always had his nose in his studies and never really associated with Jeff. Then when Jeff was around the age of 11 he visited his mother for the first time in years. His mom seemed very caring and fun to be with. Jeff didn't want to leave but he did. Jeff tried to get in touch with her but she never wrote or called. Jeff met his fathers friend, Brother Thomas, who brought life to the house. Jeff then visited his mother again but this time she was way different. The whole summer she was gone and only saw him for like 2-3 days. Jeff hated her from that point on. Not really hate but he was very hurt by what she said to him. This whole happening brought Jeff and the Professor(Jeff's father) together. They did more things together and even laughed together. When they moved Jeff made friends and even had a crush. Melody wanted a divorce so she contacted them and she wanted Jeff. But Jeff didn't want to go to her so he stayed with the Professor. When Jeffs great-grandmother died he got her inheritance and her diamond ring. Meoldy was at Jeffs house waiting for him. She said she was moving but she needed money. Jeff knew what she really came for so he gave her the diamond ring. Melody gave him her jade ring. The moral of the srtory was that Jeff found out what the true treasures in life were. He knew it was the little things that count not just money. But that was all Melody thought about. In conclusion I thought this was a really good book. It was interesting and it kept you wanting to read more.

From the first sentence, I had a hard time putting this book. The excellently written plot kept me going. In this novel, Voight tells us an amazing story about a boy named Jeff Greene who struggles with his life with his mother. Jeff at first was blinded by his mother's sweet smile but later comes to see that she was lying to him all along. When Jeff's grandmother dies he inherits his grandmother's diamond ring and his mother becomes jealous. When his emotions kick in and he comes to reality that his mother doesn't love him and pours all of his emotions to her about when she left when he was small and still in first grade. This is a great book to read. I recommend it to teenagers my age and up.

I pretty much enjoyed the whole book. The way Voigt made me feel like I was actually in the book was overwhelming. I was hooked to the book and I was even more hooked to the characters. I felt really sorry for Jeff...at one point I even cried. I really sympathized with him when his mother told him off, that's when I pretty much realized he didn't have a mother or a father that he could count on. I would definately recommend this book to teenagers my age(15)! Even though I had to read this book for school, I surprisingly enjoyed it...and I think you will too!

When he was in the first grade, Jeff Greene's mother Melody abruptly walked out of his life. The last thing she told him was that his father was a difficult man, and that he must do everything in his power not to disturb or upset him.

Little Jeff took his mother's words seriously. As he grew, Jeff became increasingly distant from his father, never even calling him "Dad" but "Professor," just like his students. Quiet Jeff struggled to maintain a perfect home, to take care of himself and blend into the background of his father's life, so that the Professor would be happy and not leave like Melody.

Even after Melody abandoned them, Jeff continued to idealize her. As an adolescent, she invites him to visit her down south, and Jeff is elated. He views his long-absent mother as something of an angel, perfect and wondrous. Happy to simply be in her company, Jeff never considers her ability to hurt him.

When Jeff returns home, nothing is the same. Outwardly, he continues as he did, but on the inside, Melody has damaged his soul beyond repair. Jeff loses control, entering a personal downward spiral he can't seem to stop. It's then that the Professor realizes it's high time he stepped up to the role of father, and let his son know just what he means to him...

At only the age of seven years,Jeff Greene finds a note on the counter in his mothers scrawl revealing that she had left him with his father, The Professor. After years of feeling alone he receives a message from melody(his mom)saying that she wanted him to come visit her in charleston for the summer. By fall he has returned and writes her every month only to find the mail box empty every time he checks until summer comes along again, and he has an oppertunity to visit her once more...but something is different about her...or was he just under an illusion on they're first encounter. This book was the best book i have ever laid eyes on. Read this sad, suspenseful novel. I promise you won't be able to put it down!

Getting into this book was difficult for me,but once I was through the first chapter, I was hooked, and as the novel went on, Voigt drew her line in even more... I was completely caught up in the book, to the point that I threw it across the room when I finished it (upset that there was no more!). There is so much to this book, its about abandonment, belonging, independence, family, friends, the search for identity, growing up, love, overcoming and so much more. Voigt's beautiful yet simplistic style lends itself to being read over and over again. One of my favorite quotes from the book: "It strikes me that love is just the beginning. If you think about it, Jeff. I think we can't help loving, but what matters is what we do about it. What we do with love. Do for it. What love does with us." Enjoy the book.

"A Solitary Blue" was my favorite book from The Tillermans series written by Cynthia Voight.

The book is about a boy Jeff Greene. One day his mother, Melady leaves him with out a word.
There is only a short letter on the table about how unhappy she is. She has a need to save the Earth, to make things better.
At the age of seven the boy is left only with his father (the Proffesor).
Jeff feels very lonly and left alone with his mother gone and a father who doesn't know how to show his feelings.

Then one summer his mother invites him to her house in Charlston.
There he meets his mothers grandmother- Gambo and the two old aunts. At first Jeff feels hurt and doesn't open up but soon his mothers love makes him full of happines and trust.
And that was a mistake. Soon Jeff is forgatten by Melady again and hurt for the rest of his life.

Moving to Crisfild and making friends with the Tillermans is the thing that makes him trust other people and show his feelings again.
But Melady once more shows up in his life. She wonts a divorce with Jeffs father and custady over the boy.
Jeff is frightened of being hurt by his mother once more and with all his might runs away from his once truly loved mother.
Will she always stay in Jeffs life?

This book is realy worth reading.
It's a story that could happen to anyone and distroy his life.
Once you start reading it you will not wont to stop!

"A Solitary Blue" was my favorite book from The Tillermans series written by Cynthia Voight.

The book is about a boy Jeff Greene. One day his mother, Melady leaves him with out a word.
There is only a short letter on the table about how unhappy she is. She has a need to save the Earth, to make things better.
At the age of seven the boy is left only with his father (the Proffesor).
Jeff feels very lonly and left alone with his mother gone and a father who doesn't know how to show his feelings.

Then one summer his mother invites him to her house in Charlston.
There he meets his mothers grandmother- Gambo and the two old aunts. At first Jeff feels hurt and doesn't open up but soon his mothers love makes him full of happines and trust.
And that was a mistake. Soon Jeff is forgatten by Melady again and hurt for the rest of his life.

Moving to Crisfild and making friends with the Tillermans is the thing that makes him trust other people and show his feelings again.
But Melady once more shows up in his life. She wonts a divorce with Jeffs father and custady over the boy.
Jeff is frightened of being hurt by his mother once more and with all his might runs away from his once truly loved mother.
Will she always stay in Jeffs life?

This book is realy worth reading.
It's a story that could happen to anyone and distroy his life.
Once you start reading it you will not wont to stop!