Tell Me If the Lovers Are Losers [Mass Market Paperback]

Cynthia Voigt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 12, 1987

Life had always been predictable for Ann . . . until she met her college roommates, Niki and Hildy. Niki is always in motion, brash, often vulgar, with a philosophy of "win at any cost." And Hildy's aura of serene wisdom cloaks a most unusual way of looking at things. They became inseparable -- until something happened that changed their lives forever.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Life had always been predictable for Ann . . . until she met her college roommates, Niki and Hildy. Niki is always in motion, brash, often vulgar, with a philosophy of "win at any cost." And Hildy's aura of serene wisdom cloaks a most unusual way of looking at things. They became inseparable -- until something happened that changed their lives forever.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Fawcett (February 12, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0449702359
• ISBN-13: 978-0449702352
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.6 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,798,598 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Cynthia Voigt won the Newbery Medal for Dicey's Song and the Newbery Honor Award for A Solitary Blue, both part of the beloved Tillerman Cycle. She is also the author of many other celebrated books for middle-grade and teen readers, including Izzy, Willy-Nilly and Jackaroo. She was awarded the Margaret A. Edwards Award in 1995 for her work in literature, and the Katahdin Award in 2004. She lives in Maine.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great read, February 29, 2000

By 

SMN (TX, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tell Me If the Lovers Are Losers (Mass Market Paperback)

Although the beginning was slow, this book was captivating once I got into it. It has so many metaphors for life lessons that it keeps you busy thinking. It did have many typos which I feel could have been prevented. However I do not agree with the other reader who said it's all describing volleyball games, so if you don't like the game, it's not a good book. I'm not a big volleyball person, but I thought the description of their games was great. Furthermore, if all you see in this book is three girls who play volleyball, you didn't read it correctly.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for *older* teens and adults, June 5, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Tell Me If the Lovers Are Losers (Mass Market Paperback)

I suspect younger ones will be bored silly, or at least that much of the book will go over their heads. This is one of two books that I can remember (the other was Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451) that my parents requested me to wait until I was older to try to read. I'm glad I listened.

I saw the three roommates as the manifestation of Mind (Ann), Body (Niki) and Spirit (Hildy). Although they are so different that it seems that they won't get along, their differences are complementary rather than necessarily antagonistic.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One I always recommend, October 22, 2010

By 

muzakologist (Knoxville, TN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tell Me If the Lovers Are Losers (Mass Market Paperback)

I read this book in my early 20s and it amazed me, and it continues to do so. I gave copies to all the girls I used to baby-sit for when they reached about 14 or 15.

The introduction tells you that these girls are not contemporary, but from a more innocent time -- during the Kennedy Administration. They are in an all-girls' school, which also allows the focus to be on aspects of growing up female other than boys and dates, although sex is discussed.

Ann, the central character, knows who she is (translating Greek for fun!) but she is very insecure and embarassed about it. Her roommates, Hildy and Niki, are both very secure but very opposite from each other. The thing I like best about the book is that it explores different ways of being a human person, being a woman, having an intellectual life, competing in sports, relating in a group, etc. We follow Ann as she experiences more human variety than ever before and allows herself to choose to change some parts of herself, keep others.

So I love how it models self-discovery, and *thinking* about who are you, and who you might want to be. It's a kind of self-exploration that I have seen very, very rarely in writing for young women.