Customer Reviews

Touch

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

 

 

Forgive the pun in the title, but I think the title of the book, "Touch" has a lot of meaning to it, to what the book is about, and to how it feels to read it. Touching.

This is the story of a girl, Maisie (but it could be any girl), who has to deal with issues that every girl must face. The issue of growing up, of watching friends change before your very eyes, of watching your own body change into something you can barely recognize. Because that's what happens. Nobody even really realizes the moment when other boys and girls start to lose their cooties. Suddenly girls/boys aren't icky, they're fascinating. This story is about that. It's about four friends who grow up and realize that they aren't friends but three boys and a girl. And as the four of them struggle to understand that, they take steps and make mistakes that (unfortunately) affect them for the rest of their lives.

I loved the characters. Kevin and Chris, two of Maisie's friends, didn't really have personalities but they had an important role in the novel. The rest of the characters are amazing, even if you hate most of them as Maisie does. Maisie is a girl who could be any ninth-grade girl, dealing with problems that too many people have to face (losing friendship, divorce, and touching). Shakes was also amazing. I'm not sure why I liked him so much, considering what he did. Maybe because Maisie liked him so much. And while Kevin and Chris had, in a way, chosen to separate themselves, Maisie lost Shakes because of circumstances. And it hurt me as much as it hurt Maisie to see him drift away.

This book reads very quickly. It may be some 300-odd pages, but it goes by fast because the pace is constant, never slowing. The story is told as a retelling most of the time, so it feels as if Maisie is sitting down and telling you everything (which, I'm sure, is how it's supposed to read). I was so desperate to know what happens that I had to resist the urge to skip pages just to learn if everything would turn out all right. And in a way, the ending was better than it could have been, but still was very realistic. Given the circumstances, you know from the beginning that there's no way to have a perfect, happy ending. Maisie knows that too.

In the end, it was a quick read, but meaningful with no wasted space. I finished the book and thought about it for some time afterwards, so I know it left an impression. Especially if you're a teenage girl like myself (or maybe even a guy) you'll identify with this book in a lot of ways.

While I agree that this is a timely book and something a lot of girls (and guys) deal with, I was neither shocked nor engrossed by this book. There is way too much exposition and the voice isn't strong enough to pull me along. I found myself skimming huge portions and flipping to the end just to see if I was right about the denouement--which I was.

I think the trouble is that this doesn't sound like a 16-yo girl. It sounds like a highly literate adult trying to sound like a teenager. Don't get me wrong: the voice is always grammatically correct and there are some beautiful passages here. I am not trying to imply that teenagers don't understand grammar or how to write. But there is a difference between reading literary fiction written by a highly skilled adult and literate fiction told in a voice that sounds authentic. Try reading this for a few chapters, and then go pick up Jay Asher's THIRTEEN REASONS WHY or almost anything by Laurie Halse Anderson (except PROM) to understand the difference.

Prose does an excellent job of handling what is likely to be considered a difficult topic to address in young adult literature. Even though the main character is 14 and books featuring 14 year olds are typically read by 10-14 year olds, I wouldn't recommend this to anyone younger than 14.

The aspects of Maisie's life regarding growing up, trying to find independence with two separate sets of parents, and her changing body are explored with tact and honesty, but everything involving `the incident' takes it from about 10mph to 70mph in no time flat. There is a level of ambiguity about the incident that plays up the story overall in an interesting way. However, personally I didn't enjoy reading the book, but I suppose that's not necessarily the point. I commend Prose on her courage in addressing difficult issues like sexual harassment and her honesty regarding all parties surrounding them.

-Lindsey Miller, [...]

The Good: The idea was really interesting. The book had me guessing what happened and what was going to happen. Even though the novel is fast-paced, it still delievered story very nicely.

The Bad: I really do not know what to think of this book. The book was good, but that's the problem. It's good, but not OH MY GOSH YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK good... just good. For me, there was nothing really compelling or extra-ordinary about this book. I didn't care about any of the characters and I felt the writing fell flat. It was just average and sometimes boring.

Overall: It was a nice, quick read that has an interesting plot and valuable message. However, it did not stand out at all and I will most likely never re-read it again.

Grade: B-

I thought the premise of this book sounded good - and still do, but the reality of the book wasn't as good as I hoped. As other reviewers said, Maisie was hard to root for; you automatically feel sympathy for anyone in her situation, but it's hard to keep cheering for a narrator who's consistently rude and disdainful to anyone who tries to help, to say nothing of the lying. The flashback style didn't bother me, but it was pretty unclear at times about what was the lie and what was the truth. In the end, I can say I'm *fairly* sure about which part was the truth as opposed to the lie, but I'm still not 100% certain. To be fair, I'm not crazy about books with unreliable narrators in general.

Definitely an important premise, though - I might recommend it to someone in a similar situation, but it wouldn't be my first choice.

This distressing, sad, but ultimately hopeful novel captured me instantaneously. Maisie's story is unfortunately similar to things we hear of happening at high schools around the country, but what I love about this particular telling is that it captures Maisie as a person, not simply as a victim. Having spent all her life three boys for best friends, Maisie never expected these boys to betray her in this terrible way. Returning from a year out west with her mother, she's come home hoping that her old friends will embrace her once again. But growing up changes things. For one thing, Maisie has boobs now, and the boys suddenly realize that Maisie isn't one of them. Nothing will ever be the same - especially after they touch her on the back of the bus. Francine Prose's non-linear narrative follows Maisie as she works through what happened - "the incident" - with her therapist, deals with her ego-maniacal stepmother, and recalls the reasons she didn't stay with her mom in Wisconsin. Elegantly and tactfully written, Touch absolutely an important, thought-provoking book for teens, as well as a captivating read.

Touch had a fascinating storyline from the start. You were constantly wondering, " What REALLY happened?" Since, Maisie's story was always changing, never really keeping the same details. While that made Touch interesting, it still made for a bit of confusion, because I could never keep what she was saying about the incident in a straight line.

Maisie's character was mostly well developed. Though, her friends and family were another story. Sure you could keep them in line knowing just the basics about them, but you couldn't really say that you understood them as people.

Though, one rewarding quality of this book was Francine Prose's writing. I've heard before that it's good, but I never thought it would be as great as it was in Touch. Throughout, I was amazed at how fast she made the book move to how the story always had anther side, a detail missing that made it all seem put together.

Overall, Touch isn't that best or greatest book I've ever read, but it still provides for a fast read that will leave you wondering what just happened at the end. I suggest this to fans of Jodi Picoult or people just looking for a quick read.

Grade: B-

TOUCH
FRANCINE PROSE
Contemporary YA
HarperTeen

Rating: 5 Enchantments

Maisie is a ninth grader living with her father, her stepmother, Joan, and Josh, her nine-year-old step-brother.

Maisie has always been a bit of a tom-boy and grew up together with her best friends Kevin, Chris and Shakes. Maisie left for her 8th grade year to live with her mother and Geoff, her new step-father. When Maisie returned, she had developed physically and unlike some of her other classmates, she had developed a lot. She finds that her friends don't quite know how to treat her anymore and the awkwardness leaves Maisie feeling unsure how to handle the relationships. Shakes and Maisie still get together and seem to be sorting out their relationship and feelings for each other, but then Chris and Kevin react with jealousy and an incident occurs on the school bus. When the boys are afraid they will be punished, they react by lying about what happened and who did what. Maisie feels betrayed by Chris, Kevin, and Shakes. Her step-mother wants to respond with lawyers and expulsions and Maisie is still sorting out what happened to her friendships, her body, and what really happened on the bus.

The author handled some very touchy subject matter with both honesty and delicacy. This is a great book for teens who are going through changes, whether it be their family structure, their bodies, their friends or other areas of their life. Even though Maisie has some struggles, nightmares and pressure at home and at school, she begins to discover who she is and to choose how much she will let other people's pressure affect her actions. For example when Maisie's step-mother takes her shopping, instead of getting caught up in her stepmother's drama and backhanded compliments, she chooses not to get into it with her stepmother at the store. She simply allows her stepmother to be happy buying two dresses Maisie never intends to wear. My favorite part is when Maisie has a very honest conversation with Shakes to let him know just how she feels about his part in the bus incident and afterwards.

Francine Prose has written eighteen novels including ..Bullyville' and ..After' two young adult novels. She may be contacted at [...].

Kathy Johnson
ENCHANTING REVIEWS
July 2008

Nobody knows what really happened that day on the school bus. Not even Maisie knows the truth of what happened to her anymore. The boys, her former best friends, say one thing. Maisie tells a different story. Who is actually telling the truth? Are either of them telling the truth or only their version of the truth?

I don't have a whole lot to say about Touch. It was a very fascinating story about how the someone can tell what they think is the truth while in reality they don't really know what happened.

As time passed in the book Maisie began to change her story. Certain things made her change her mind about what she wanted to say and she only really found the truth with the help of her therapist and one of the boys who was involved in the incident.

My problem with the book was that I was very confused. The story changed so much I couldn't keep up. Also, the characters weren't very developed. You only really got to see into Maisie's mind and she didn't elaborate very well on her relationships with the other characters.

Overall, it was a good story but not something that really stood out to me or something that I would read again.

Prose is the author of such YA titles as AFTER and BULLYVILLE, and TOUCH is sure to please her previous fans and help create new ones.

TOUCH is the story of trauma and its ability to manipulate the truth. Maisie has three very good friends - Shakes, Chris, and Kevin. They've been friends since preschool, and even though this friendship between one girl and three guys may seem strange to some, it totally works for them. That is, it works until the year Maisie goes to live with her mom and stepdad.

After a bitter divorce that started with Maisie's mother leaving her husband to find a different life, Maisie has lived with her dad and Joan, his new wife. Uncomfortable with her stepmother, Maisie decides to spend her 8th-grade year living with her mother in Wisconsin. As with many such experiments, Maisie learns the grass is not always greener on the other side, and she returns to live with her father when the school year is over.

Things would probably have just gone back to normal, except while living in Wisconsin, Maisie has blossomed as a young woman. She returns feeling the same but looking a bit different. She has boobs. Her three childhood friends have changed a bit, as well. They now have a young man's appreciation for things like boobs. Although they try to resume their friendship as before, it is strained at best.

Maisie and Shakes have always had a special bond. When school starts in the fall, they find themselves boarding the bus first. As the only two people riding for a good twenty minutes, they head to the back seat. Amazingly, they are able to remain seated there even when the seniors climb aboard.

As the weeks pass, Maisie and Shakes stumble across a way to pass the time before the other students are picked up. It begins with experimental kissing and soon turns into twenty-minute make out sessions. They are very careful to time their groping to end just before others begin to board the bus, but one day they are caught. It is quite a shock for everyone, but especially for Chris and Kevin, who never thought about Maisie as girlfriend material.

Once the secret is out, the friendship takes a turn that shocks the entire school community. Maisie has become the subject of cruel gossip and speculation because she seems to have allowed the three boys to stray beyond the bounds of decency. What really happened in the backseat of the bus? Can Maisie really remember things objectively, and can her life ever return to normal?

Francine Prose takes readers into the mind of a confused young girl. Maisie is trying to justify her actions and the decisions that led to those actions. She battles with her angry feelings toward her friends, her parents and stepparents, her fellow classmates, and herself.

Coping with trauma and moving on are the central issues of TOUCH. Teens will no doubt see a bit of themselves and also their peers when they read about Maisie's ordeal.

Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"