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Beige
"Castellucci mixes details of the L.A. punk scene with memorable characters and witty dialogue. . . . Consider this pure Nirvana." — Booklist
Exiled from Canada to Los Angeles, Katy can't believe she is spending the summer with her father—punk the Rat—a recovered addict and drummer for the band Suck. Even though Katy feels abandoned by her mom, even though the Rat's place is a mess and he's not like anything she'd call a father, Kathy won't make a fuss. After all, she is a girl who is quiet and polite, a girl who smiles, a girl who is, well, beige. Or is she? From the author of Boy Proof and The Queen of Cool comes an edgy L.A. novel full of humor, heart, and music.
Exiled from Canada to Los Angeles, Katy can't believe she is spending the summer with her father—punk the Rat—a recovered addict and drummer for the band Suck. Even though Katy feels abandoned by her mom, even though the Rat's place is a mess and he's not like anything she'd call a father, Kathy won't make a fuss. After all, she is a girl who is quiet and polite, a girl who smiles, a girl who is, well, beige. Or is she? From the author of Boy Proof and The Queen of Cool comes an edgy L.A. novel full of humor, heart, and music.
307 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
20 people are currently reading
1469 people want to read
About the author
Cecil Castellucci
221 books722 followersCecil Castellucci is an author of young adult novels and comic books. Titles include Boy Proof, The Year of the Beasts (illustrated by Nate Powell), First Day on Earth, Rose Sees Red, Beige, The Queen of Cool The Plain Janes and Janes in Love (illustrated by Jim Rugg), Tin Star Stone in the Sky, Odd Duck (illustrated by Sara Varon) and Star Wars: Moving Target: A Princess Leia Adventure.
Her short stories have been published in various places including Black Clock, The Rattling Wall, Tor.com, Strange Horizons, Apex Magazine and can be found in such anthologies such as After, Teeth, Truth & Dare, The Eternal Kiss, Sideshow and Interfictions 2 and the anthology, which she co-edited, Geektastic.
She is the recipient of the California Book Award Gold Medal for her picture book Grandma's Gloves, illustrated by Julia Denos, the Shuster Award for Best Canadian Comic Book Writer for The Plain Janes and the Sunburst Award for Tin Star. The Year of the Beasts was a finalist for the PEN USA literary award and Odd Duck was Eisner nominated.
She splits her time between the heart and the head and lives north and south of everything. Her hands are small. And she likes you very much.
Her short stories have been published in various places including Black Clock, The Rattling Wall, Tor.com, Strange Horizons, Apex Magazine and can be found in such anthologies such as After, Teeth, Truth & Dare, The Eternal Kiss, Sideshow and Interfictions 2 and the anthology, which she co-edited, Geektastic.
She is the recipient of the California Book Award Gold Medal for her picture book Grandma's Gloves, illustrated by Julia Denos, the Shuster Award for Best Canadian Comic Book Writer for The Plain Janes and the Sunburst Award for Tin Star. The Year of the Beasts was a finalist for the PEN USA literary award and Odd Duck was Eisner nominated.
She splits her time between the heart and the head and lives north and south of everything. Her hands are small. And she likes you very much.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 195 reviews
July 29, 2009
I'd really want to give it 3.5 stars, but I tipped the rating because I liked the setting of the book so much.
"Why does everyone want to be a musician? Music is dangerous. You could end up like Elliott Smith, stabbed right in the heart."
This book combines some of my favorite things - Los Angeles (especially the neighborhoods of Silver Lake, Los Feliz, and Hollywood), punk music, libraries, and French (due to the main character's origins in Montreal).
The story is fairly predictable, but the characterizations were spot-on. Castellucci isn't afraid to delve into the psychology of addiction - almost all of the adult characters in the book are recovering drug addicts, and you can see the very real consequences of life after an intoxicated youth. The Rat's struggles to stay sober seem real; you really cheer for him when you see him making model airplanes or drumming to escape that urge to use.
The teenagers in the story (Beige, Lake, and Garth) all seemed determined to make their own way in the world, not falling into the same traps as the previous generation. I especially liked Lake; her dedication to her craft reminds me of a lot of musicians I know, but her practical approach to making her own success isn't as common. Garth seemed like a shoe-gazing sweetheart. Of course, I'm always partial to characters who are clumsy, but sincere. Beige, the main character, is actually the least engaging despite our hearing her inner monologue. She's a little too whiny about being sent to Los Angeles at the beginning. I can't relate. Los Angeles has its problems, but I couldn't imagine being that negative about such an interesting city.
As others have mentioned, each chapter heading is really a punk song. I liked this - I'm not the biggest punk afficianado, but Castelluci picked some real stand-out classics. Others have complained that they're not underground enough for the scene that she was describing, but I disagree. Beige was a baby in the punk world - how would she know about the very obscure punk songs? It makes sense that the songs used were a little more accessible.
The best part of the whole novel, like I stated in the first line of this review, is the setting. We have a concert at the Sunset Junction street fair(which is coming up soon, despite some neighborhood protests and permit issues); they have breakfast at Millie's every day (and I've totally had the eggs florentine there); Beige meets Garth at the Casbah Cafe (located next door to my favorite crafting store, ReForm School); Beige is dragged to the Hollywood Guitar Center, just down the street from my old apartment; and Lake plays a show at Skooby's Hot Dogs, home of some of the best fries in Los Angeles. Reading the novel was like visiting old friends again - and a reminder of some of the things that I need to do, like properly visit the Elliott Smith memorial.
Overall, a great read. It was recommended for our teen's summer reading club, and I definitely concur. It's a great Los Angeles book, and an interesting view of the punk scene.
"Why does everyone want to be a musician? Music is dangerous. You could end up like Elliott Smith, stabbed right in the heart."
This book combines some of my favorite things - Los Angeles (especially the neighborhoods of Silver Lake, Los Feliz, and Hollywood), punk music, libraries, and French (due to the main character's origins in Montreal).
The story is fairly predictable, but the characterizations were spot-on. Castellucci isn't afraid to delve into the psychology of addiction - almost all of the adult characters in the book are recovering drug addicts, and you can see the very real consequences of life after an intoxicated youth. The Rat's struggles to stay sober seem real; you really cheer for him when you see him making model airplanes or drumming to escape that urge to use.
The teenagers in the story (Beige, Lake, and Garth) all seemed determined to make their own way in the world, not falling into the same traps as the previous generation. I especially liked Lake; her dedication to her craft reminds me of a lot of musicians I know, but her practical approach to making her own success isn't as common. Garth seemed like a shoe-gazing sweetheart. Of course, I'm always partial to characters who are clumsy, but sincere. Beige, the main character, is actually the least engaging despite our hearing her inner monologue. She's a little too whiny about being sent to Los Angeles at the beginning. I can't relate. Los Angeles has its problems, but I couldn't imagine being that negative about such an interesting city.
As others have mentioned, each chapter heading is really a punk song. I liked this - I'm not the biggest punk afficianado, but Castelluci picked some real stand-out classics. Others have complained that they're not underground enough for the scene that she was describing, but I disagree. Beige was a baby in the punk world - how would she know about the very obscure punk songs? It makes sense that the songs used were a little more accessible.
The best part of the whole novel, like I stated in the first line of this review, is the setting. We have a concert at the Sunset Junction street fair(which is coming up soon, despite some neighborhood protests and permit issues); they have breakfast at Millie's every day (and I've totally had the eggs florentine there); Beige meets Garth at the Casbah Cafe (located next door to my favorite crafting store, ReForm School); Beige is dragged to the Hollywood Guitar Center, just down the street from my old apartment; and Lake plays a show at Skooby's Hot Dogs, home of some of the best fries in Los Angeles. Reading the novel was like visiting old friends again - and a reminder of some of the things that I need to do, like properly visit the Elliott Smith memorial.
Overall, a great read. It was recommended for our teen's summer reading club, and I definitely concur. It's a great Los Angeles book, and an interesting view of the punk scene.
January 26, 2009
I picked this book up because the blurb sounded interesting, but the main character and the cussing annoyed me to no end. I don't understand why it was necessary to drop the f-bomb every two pages. The main character(Katy)was excessivly annoying and a bit on the naive side. I'm not saying that to be mean but she acted like a total brat through most of the book. I could get that she wasn't happy about hanging out in LA with her punk rocker dad(Rat) who she hasn't been close to. She's pretty much the opposite of everything her dad and the people he hangs out are, so obviously it would be hard. I think that she was too hard on the Rat considering he was trying so hard. She could've given him more of a chance at the beginning. Katy complains through almost the whole book, not until the end do you start to see her really lighten up. I have to give the author credit for not making Katy go through a huge transformation for the sake of the story. It kept me interested enough to finish the book and I kinda liked the resolution(I thought the manifesto thing was good, probably the best part of the book). I just didn't like almost all of the characters. I understand that I'm probably not this books main audience since I'm not into punk or the music scene so someone who is a fan of these will definitely get more out this books than me.
January 11, 2008
Oooh! I Heart Cecil Castellucci even more. I really dug this book. Just like "Boy Proof," you get a well written interior monologue. But, this time, Castellucci describes a newcomer's viewpoint to a certain L.A. scene. In "Boy Proof," Egg was very much an insider and in-the-know. In "Beige," Katy is a very uptight, repressed Canadienne forced to spend two weeks with her punk rock father in L.A. She has to let loose a new aspect of herself as she adapts to a new situation (not a new theme in YA, but one we all love). Castellucci is very good at writing down the process of how girls acknowledge change within themselves and lack of control over events. (Which is very hard for most girls, as we're brought up to be control freaks who can influence and arrange the world so everyone gets the most out of it.) Another fave theme of Castellucci's is "being a good friend" and that crops up here again. Not bad sexy-sexy daydreaming either.
If I were in a YA Lit class, I might explore Castellucci's style (heavily interior monologue) and a less recent YA writer (Danziger? Blume? --not too sure, as it's been a veddy long time) who focuses more on exterior (plot, action) to induce change/growth in a main character. Might even go a bit farther to include films like "Ferris Buehler's Day Off" (possibly my favorite monologues ever--screw Shakespeare, oh wait, what about Rostand?) and "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." Or, I could compare Castellucci (the novels) to Castellucci (the graphic novel) to contemplate the pros/cons of her strictly prose and her visual collaborations.
Anyhoo, this is a good book. I recommend it to anyone who enjoyed "The Plain Janes."
If I were in a YA Lit class, I might explore Castellucci's style (heavily interior monologue) and a less recent YA writer (Danziger? Blume? --not too sure, as it's been a veddy long time) who focuses more on exterior (plot, action) to induce change/growth in a main character. Might even go a bit farther to include films like "Ferris Buehler's Day Off" (possibly my favorite monologues ever--screw Shakespeare, oh wait, what about Rostand?) and "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." Or, I could compare Castellucci (the novels) to Castellucci (the graphic novel) to contemplate the pros/cons of her strictly prose and her visual collaborations.
Anyhoo, this is a good book. I recommend it to anyone who enjoyed "The Plain Janes."
March 23, 2009
I actually liked this quite a lot, probably I'd give 3 and a half stars, but since a great deal of that is that it takes place in my neighborhood, I'm leaving it at three stars.
What I liked:
1. Obviously! I've never read something set in Silver Lake/Los Feliz before, some really nice touches, like I got all IF THERE IS NO MENTION OF THE ELLIOTT SMITH MEMORIAL I WILL BE UNHAPPY but that got taken care of. (Totally made me go get a pupusa too, dammit!)
2. Family drama, seemed real within the world set up here.
3. I expected a very neatly-wrapped ending with the way things headed. I didn't get it.
4. Can I be friends with Trixie?
What I didn't:
1. There was something about the style where all of a sudden a few days would go by and things had progressed, and I felt a bit cheated. It's really hard to explain, and I know all writers handle passage of time differently, but since this was such a focused look at part of a summer anyways, I thought the reader should get more.
2. All of the I HATE L.A. AND MUSIC stuff at the beginning bordered on obnoxious. I mean, I get it? But also when anything's set up at such an extreme you can already feel it changing. (I guess I should say I'm glad it only changed so much.)
3. I thought a lot of the teen relationship drama sort of started and stopped out of nowhere. I mean, I think that's a fair assessment of how things go then? Still, I wanted to see more dwelling on it or leading up to events or SOMETHING.
What I liked:
1. Obviously! I've never read something set in Silver Lake/Los Feliz before, some really nice touches, like I got all IF THERE IS NO MENTION OF THE ELLIOTT SMITH MEMORIAL I WILL BE UNHAPPY but that got taken care of. (Totally made me go get a pupusa too, dammit!)
2. Family drama, seemed real within the world set up here.
3. I expected a very neatly-wrapped ending with the way things headed. I didn't get it.
4. Can I be friends with Trixie?
What I didn't:
1. There was something about the style where all of a sudden a few days would go by and things had progressed, and I felt a bit cheated. It's really hard to explain, and I know all writers handle passage of time differently, but since this was such a focused look at part of a summer anyways, I thought the reader should get more.
2. All of the I HATE L.A. AND MUSIC stuff at the beginning bordered on obnoxious. I mean, I get it? But also when anything's set up at such an extreme you can already feel it changing. (I guess I should say I'm glad it only changed so much.)
3. I thought a lot of the teen relationship drama sort of started and stopped out of nowhere. I mean, I think that's a fair assessment of how things go then? Still, I wanted to see more dwelling on it or leading up to events or SOMETHING.
July 20, 2015
Would've adored this when I was a teenage girl, but the number of clichés in the writing are a little tough to stomach. I really like the graphic novels Castellucci has written since, so it seems that her writing has improved over time. Or perhaps it just lends itself more to graphic narratives.
January 26, 2015
Made me think of Weetzie Bat and miss LA.
February 28, 2020
Este libro fue una montaña rusa de emociones.
Beige representa a la joven "bien portada" pero con las mismas dudas de un adolescente. Teme, quiere, desea y SE ENOJA aunque estas emociones las guarda y no deja que nadie sepa lo que siente o lo que la hacen sentir.
La vida tan poco típica de su padre y el trabajo tan exhaustivo y complicado de su madre la hacen dividir su vida un verano completo... Viaja desde Montreal para llegar a la ciudad tan ¿pose? que pueden llegar a hacer LOS ANGELES.
Bah, todo es tan irreal cuando se trata de la fama. Sólo los excesos nos salvan de nosotras y nosotros mismos. El escape por no aguantar lo que vivimos o un simple ¿por qué no? nos marca por completo. O al menos por un tiempo.
Me gustó mucho sentir a las adolescentes y adolescentes reales, padres no tan exigentes pero porque alguna vez fueron hijos y el mundo del rock que se escucha en este libro es GRANDIOSA. Deben ir a escuchar estas canciones mientras leen cada capítulo.
Le doy un 3 porque aunque me gustó, sobre todo el final, no dejo de pensar que hay ciertas cosas que no las sentí ajustadas, varios pasajes cayeron en cliché y los primeros capítulos se me hacía bien pesado y algo aburrido porque sin temor a ofender terminó siendo plano. Muy al estilo de libros y series estadounidenses. :c
Pero no es malo, de verdad lo disfrutarán... Sobre todo si les gusta o quieren escuchar música punk o post punk.
Lo recomiendo. ;)
Beige representa a la joven "bien portada" pero con las mismas dudas de un adolescente. Teme, quiere, desea y SE ENOJA aunque estas emociones las guarda y no deja que nadie sepa lo que siente o lo que la hacen sentir.
La vida tan poco típica de su padre y el trabajo tan exhaustivo y complicado de su madre la hacen dividir su vida un verano completo... Viaja desde Montreal para llegar a la ciudad tan ¿pose? que pueden llegar a hacer LOS ANGELES.
Bah, todo es tan irreal cuando se trata de la fama. Sólo los excesos nos salvan de nosotras y nosotros mismos. El escape por no aguantar lo que vivimos o un simple ¿por qué no? nos marca por completo. O al menos por un tiempo.
Me gustó mucho sentir a las adolescentes y adolescentes reales, padres no tan exigentes pero porque alguna vez fueron hijos y el mundo del rock que se escucha en este libro es GRANDIOSA. Deben ir a escuchar estas canciones mientras leen cada capítulo.
Le doy un 3 porque aunque me gustó, sobre todo el final, no dejo de pensar que hay ciertas cosas que no las sentí ajustadas, varios pasajes cayeron en cliché y los primeros capítulos se me hacía bien pesado y algo aburrido porque sin temor a ofender terminó siendo plano. Muy al estilo de libros y series estadounidenses. :c
Pero no es malo, de verdad lo disfrutarán... Sobre todo si les gusta o quieren escuchar música punk o post punk.
Lo recomiendo. ;)
March 28, 2018
Overall this book was decent. The story is about a girl from Montreal Canada that traveled to LA, California to be with her dad for a little while her mom is on vacation. I was not a fan of the man character though because she had an attitude throughout the whole story and was hostile to her dad who tried so hard to create conversation with her. The author could have made the book better by having a better main character. If the character were to be kind to her father then the novel would have been much more enjoyable. I understand she misses her mother and does not want to be around her father and his punk friends, but she can still be kind and genuine to them like a decent human being. If your young kid wanted to read this, I would not recommend it. There is a lot of cursing every other page, so it is not good for an elementary student to read. The combination of music and traveling is a great mix. She is learning about her fathers music life while also learning about the vacation her mom is on.
July 1, 2019
The punk rock aesthetic really carried this book for me. I’m not sure I like Beige even after her “transformation”. The book really lost me when Lake and Beige go on stage and perform together and Beige just naturally knows what to do, despite “not really listening to music” or liking music that much in general. However, there were only 20 or so pages left after that and I powered through it. It’s was a relatively quick read though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 21, 2017
I read this because the author wrote a sci-fi novel I enjoyed.
This is not sci-fi. It's about a girl from Montreal who gets sent to Los Angeles to stay with her punk rock dad for a while. She doesn't fit in and she hates it.
It was sort of predictable, but I enjoyed the trip. I'd actually like to know what happened in the next part of Katy's life.
This is not sci-fi. It's about a girl from Montreal who gets sent to Los Angeles to stay with her punk rock dad for a while. She doesn't fit in and she hates it.
It was sort of predictable, but I enjoyed the trip. I'd actually like to know what happened in the next part of Katy's life.
Read
July 10, 2021An excellent portrayal of a sullen, uncooperative teenager who has been dumped on the parent she barely knows. Can't say I blame her. The grunginess of the apartment and concert site is so well-done that I'm grossed out. I don't like Beige although I sympathize with her and I don't want to read about filthy homes that are so realistic I want to go shower. DNF
November 16, 2025
I got this as an ARC and lost it :( well it's super late but I really enjoyed this book! from the punk scene and play list to the characters. Katey was everything a careful mom who knows what the world holds would produce. The Rat was an enduring mess. Trixie was what Katey needed to tie it all together. Lake and Garth were the best friends for someone not wanting to make friends. well written.
December 11, 2020
The setting was incredibly fascinating but the main character was quite annoying for most of the book - she felt very judgemental, mean, and I wasn't invested completely as I couldn't understand her emotions completely. Still, it was entertaining.
January 19, 2023
When I started this book, I thought I wasn't going to like it. But it didn't take long for me to get drawn into the story. The only real issue I had with it was the ending -- I would have liked some followup for when Beige returned to her mom. Other than that, a good read!
April 5, 2019
3.5 overall
January 29, 2020
It was a quick read and not a bad one. I feel it more of a read that teens would love and connect with.
January 7, 2021
A moving story of finding your own beat and learning to live by it. I loved the slow reconciliation of Beige and the Rat accepting themselves and each other for who they are.
April 12, 2024
seemed tacky but it was actually really good and i loved it
June 9, 2024
This was ok, an easy read and I dug all the punk references
December 28, 2024
such a great book, I felt connected with the character and her life, It came at the time I needed it most, the character development was absolutely incredible
absolutely beige
absolutely beige
July 18, 2021
I absolutely LOVE this book!!! It's one of my FAVORITES!
January 7, 2023
Some books just transport you, the combination of writing about music, the recommended play list and the story itself will do that with this story. The story is about a teenage girl from Montreal going to L.A. to spend a few weeks with her estranged father the legendary and infamous rocker The Rat from the band Suck. Katy feels like she has been exiled, her mother has gone to Peru for her PhD thesis. Katy does not know anyone, does not want to be there and does not know how to communicate her true feelings. Yet even with that this book is full of surprises.Katy gets to know her father, and his band mate Sam Suck, Sam's daughter Lake and her father's girlfriend Trixie. She meets two boys, cool, athletic, Leo and nerdy Garth. Shortly after her arrival Katy thinks "For some people, clutter is ok. They can live amid chaos but not me. For me, piles of things on top of things scattered on things equals me not being able to think straight. A Mess actually hurts me physically." p.13 As soon as a read that I was hooked and knew that I would like Katy if we were to meet in real life.
This book comes with a recommended playlist, by about the third chapters I pulled it together and listened to it while reading the book. It really does enhance the book.
Beige's Exclusive Punk Playlist!
1. No Way - Adolescents
2. Too Drunk to F**k - Dead Kennedys
3. Hanging on the Telephone - Blondie
4. Spellbound - Siouxsie and the Banshees
5. Lexicon Devil - The Germs
6. Body Bag - NoMeansNo
7. S**t from an Old Notebook - The Minutemen
8. In the City - The Jam
9. Tattooed Love Boys - The Pretenders
10. U. Suck A. / We're Fed Up - Scream
11. F**K Armageddon ... This is Hell - Bad Religion
12. Institutionalized - Suicidal Tendencies
13. Los Angeles - X
14. Oh Bondage, Up Yours! - X-Ray Spex
15. Live Fast Die Young - Circle Jerks
But one of the unique features of this book is that instead of chapter titles or numbers each chapter heading is a song and a band. I created a second playlist with those to listen to also:
Los Angeles - X
Amoeba - Adolescents
Rebel Waltz - The Clash
Holiday in Cambodia - Dead Kennedys
California Uber Alles - Dead Kennedys
Blister in the Sun - Violent Femmes
Girl U Want - Devo
Walking in L.A. - Missing Person
Roots Radical - Rancid
This Town - The Go-Go's
Beat on the Brat - The Ramones
Waiting Room - Fugazi
F**K Armageddon ... This is Hell - Bad Religion
Live Fast Die Young - Circle Jerks
Sheena is a Punk Rocker - The Ramones
Search and Destroy - The Stooges
Rock the Casbah - The Clash
I Wanna Be Your Dog - The Stooges
(I'm) Stranded - The Saints
I Don't Wanna Hear it - Minor Threat
Institutionalized - Suicidal Tendencies
Ruby Soho - Rancid
Damaged - Black Flag
Anarchy in the U.K. - The Sex Pistols
Lexicon Devil - The Germs
S**t From An Old Notebook - The Minutemen
We've Got The Neutron Bomb - The Wierdos
The Crew - 7 Seconds
Love Buzz - Nirvana
Six Pack Girl - NOFX
Oh Bondage, Up Yours! - X-Ray Spex
Cherry Bomb - The Runaways
We Got The Beat - The Go-Go's
Mommy's Little Monster - Social Distortion
Blank Generation - Richard Hell
Everything Sucks - The Descendents
U. Suck A. / We're Fed Up - Scream
Sonic Reducer - Dead Boys
Kick Out The Jams - MC5
Group Sex - Circle Jerks
No Way - Adolescents
Sound and Fury - Youth Brigade
Germ Free Adolescents - X-Ray Spex
Spellbound - Siouxsie and the Banshees
Should I Stay Or Should I Go - The Clash
I am already planning on rereading this book at least twice more. The first time I will listen to the chapter song while reading that chapter. The second I will listen to the two albums by the authors, Nerdy Girl Twist Her and Cecil Seaskull Whoever, I can't wait to read her book while listing to her music.
This book comes with a recommended playlist, by about the third chapters I pulled it together and listened to it while reading the book. It really does enhance the book.
Beige's Exclusive Punk Playlist!
1. No Way - Adolescents
2. Too Drunk to F**k - Dead Kennedys
3. Hanging on the Telephone - Blondie
4. Spellbound - Siouxsie and the Banshees
5. Lexicon Devil - The Germs
6. Body Bag - NoMeansNo
7. S**t from an Old Notebook - The Minutemen
8. In the City - The Jam
9. Tattooed Love Boys - The Pretenders
10. U. Suck A. / We're Fed Up - Scream
11. F**K Armageddon ... This is Hell - Bad Religion
12. Institutionalized - Suicidal Tendencies
13. Los Angeles - X
14. Oh Bondage, Up Yours! - X-Ray Spex
15. Live Fast Die Young - Circle Jerks
But one of the unique features of this book is that instead of chapter titles or numbers each chapter heading is a song and a band. I created a second playlist with those to listen to also:
Los Angeles - X
Amoeba - Adolescents
Rebel Waltz - The Clash
Holiday in Cambodia - Dead Kennedys
California Uber Alles - Dead Kennedys
Blister in the Sun - Violent Femmes
Girl U Want - Devo
Walking in L.A. - Missing Person
Roots Radical - Rancid
This Town - The Go-Go's
Beat on the Brat - The Ramones
Waiting Room - Fugazi
F**K Armageddon ... This is Hell - Bad Religion
Live Fast Die Young - Circle Jerks
Sheena is a Punk Rocker - The Ramones
Search and Destroy - The Stooges
Rock the Casbah - The Clash
I Wanna Be Your Dog - The Stooges
(I'm) Stranded - The Saints
I Don't Wanna Hear it - Minor Threat
Institutionalized - Suicidal Tendencies
Ruby Soho - Rancid
Damaged - Black Flag
Anarchy in the U.K. - The Sex Pistols
Lexicon Devil - The Germs
S**t From An Old Notebook - The Minutemen
We've Got The Neutron Bomb - The Wierdos
The Crew - 7 Seconds
Love Buzz - Nirvana
Six Pack Girl - NOFX
Oh Bondage, Up Yours! - X-Ray Spex
Cherry Bomb - The Runaways
We Got The Beat - The Go-Go's
Mommy's Little Monster - Social Distortion
Blank Generation - Richard Hell
Everything Sucks - The Descendents
U. Suck A. / We're Fed Up - Scream
Sonic Reducer - Dead Boys
Kick Out The Jams - MC5
Group Sex - Circle Jerks
No Way - Adolescents
Sound and Fury - Youth Brigade
Germ Free Adolescents - X-Ray Spex
Spellbound - Siouxsie and the Banshees
Should I Stay Or Should I Go - The Clash
I am already planning on rereading this book at least twice more. The first time I will listen to the chapter song while reading that chapter. The second I will listen to the two albums by the authors, Nerdy Girl Twist Her and Cecil Seaskull Whoever, I can't wait to read her book while listing to her music.
September 11, 2010
Katy and her mom are a team. They’ve always done everything together – everything. So when Katy’s mom tells her that she’s going on a research trip without her, Katy can hardly believe it. She really can’t believe it when she learns that she’s being shipped off to L.A for two weeks to stay with her dad.
The Rat aint going to be winning any prizes for Father Of The Year any time soon. He’s barely had anything to do with Katy her whole life. He tried to cross the border into Canada to see her once, but he got kicked out for life for attempting to carry drugs into the country. That’s the kind of guy he was – the sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll type. He may have kicked the drugs and the booze now, but rock ‘n’ roll is something you just can’t kick. For The Rat, rock ‘n’ roll is in his blood. There is no living if you’re living a rockless life. He may still drum for a living, but he’s clean now and The Rat is determined to show Katy that he’s just a normal guy who wants a relationship with his only kid. As normal as any punk rock drummer can be, anyway.
But Katy isn’t having it. No sir. Why would she bother? He got her mom hooked on drugs. He was never there for her, ever. Apart from the fact that he’s the drummer in a pretty successful L.A based punk band, she barely knows anything about this guy. Why does she have to play the father-daughter game now?
Then she finds out that she has to stay for the whole summer, instead of the intended two weeks. Oh man. What a freaking nightmare.
I swear, my heart goes out to The Rat. He really does try and make a good go of it with Katy, but their lives are so different, so disconnected, that bumpy times are unavoidable. Katy could use a bit of a slap around the ears if you ask me. I think her reasons for being so bitter are genuine, I really do, but is all the whining really necessary? In a very fifteen-year-oldesque manner, Katy finds the darkness, the terrible, in absolutely everything. Having said that, I’m actually pretty glad that Beige was written through Katy’s perspective rather than anyone else’s. I identify with her more than any other character – crazy, unbearable whining aside. I enjoyed her journey a whole lot, and towards the end I actually felt a little excited about her triumph. The kid learns to loosen up a little and see life for what it really is – life. This isn’t a happy-go-lucky read, but it certainly left me feeling good.
If you’re into a bit of punk rock, then I think you’ll get an extra kick out of this one. The chapters are titled with awesome rocking song titles and punk rock references pepper the pages of this contemporary read. When the book kicks off, Katy’s affiliation with music or punk rock is zippo. Nada. Zilch. She knows nothing music, and doesn’t want to know anything either. But as her personal journey is carved out in the pages of this story, so is her musical education. At the back of the novel, Castellucci has compiled a playlist of punk rock tracks that Katy – I’m assuming the Katy that emerges at the end, rather than the beginning – gets down and rocks out to. I had a whole lot of fun downloading and listening to her journey, as well as reading the words on the page.
Beige is like any good punk rock song should be – dirty, angry, and straight to the point. Cecil Castellucci will rock your socks off with this one.
The Rat aint going to be winning any prizes for Father Of The Year any time soon. He’s barely had anything to do with Katy her whole life. He tried to cross the border into Canada to see her once, but he got kicked out for life for attempting to carry drugs into the country. That’s the kind of guy he was – the sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll type. He may have kicked the drugs and the booze now, but rock ‘n’ roll is something you just can’t kick. For The Rat, rock ‘n’ roll is in his blood. There is no living if you’re living a rockless life. He may still drum for a living, but he’s clean now and The Rat is determined to show Katy that he’s just a normal guy who wants a relationship with his only kid. As normal as any punk rock drummer can be, anyway.
But Katy isn’t having it. No sir. Why would she bother? He got her mom hooked on drugs. He was never there for her, ever. Apart from the fact that he’s the drummer in a pretty successful L.A based punk band, she barely knows anything about this guy. Why does she have to play the father-daughter game now?
Then she finds out that she has to stay for the whole summer, instead of the intended two weeks. Oh man. What a freaking nightmare.
I swear, my heart goes out to The Rat. He really does try and make a good go of it with Katy, but their lives are so different, so disconnected, that bumpy times are unavoidable. Katy could use a bit of a slap around the ears if you ask me. I think her reasons for being so bitter are genuine, I really do, but is all the whining really necessary? In a very fifteen-year-oldesque manner, Katy finds the darkness, the terrible, in absolutely everything. Having said that, I’m actually pretty glad that Beige was written through Katy’s perspective rather than anyone else’s. I identify with her more than any other character – crazy, unbearable whining aside. I enjoyed her journey a whole lot, and towards the end I actually felt a little excited about her triumph. The kid learns to loosen up a little and see life for what it really is – life. This isn’t a happy-go-lucky read, but it certainly left me feeling good.
If you’re into a bit of punk rock, then I think you’ll get an extra kick out of this one. The chapters are titled with awesome rocking song titles and punk rock references pepper the pages of this contemporary read. When the book kicks off, Katy’s affiliation with music or punk rock is zippo. Nada. Zilch. She knows nothing music, and doesn’t want to know anything either. But as her personal journey is carved out in the pages of this story, so is her musical education. At the back of the novel, Castellucci has compiled a playlist of punk rock tracks that Katy – I’m assuming the Katy that emerges at the end, rather than the beginning – gets down and rocks out to. I had a whole lot of fun downloading and listening to her journey, as well as reading the words on the page.
Beige is like any good punk rock song should be – dirty, angry, and straight to the point. Cecil Castellucci will rock your socks off with this one.
January 20, 2013
Everybody looks for something interesting to read. Beige by Cecil Castellucci is a very entertaining book. It exhibits the process of someone being in an awkward situation and overcoming it by keeping an open mind. Whether is an adult or a young person at some point everyone can relate with this story. Castellucci gives the characters personalities that can be reflected in every human. This is the reason people can identify with many of the character and understand it better.
Beige by Cecil Castellucci is a captivating book. The book is about a young girl being in an unfamiliar environment and how she deals with it. While staying in that environment she just thinks that “There is not thread for [her] to hang on to, which makes [her] zone out.” (Castellucci 39). At some point everyone has felt that way, kind of awkward and uninvited. At the same time people want to make us part of the world but is not where we want to be. Going to the process is what makes the book captivating. While some people can walk away from their problems and move on as fast as they can, there are many other that are just stuck in the situation. The book demonstrates how much can someone handle in a place where it doesn’t fit. Beige is the perfect book for someone trying to find a different and entertaining story.
From the book beige I can relate to the main character. Katie never lived with her father and one day she had to go live with him for a long time exactly what happened to me. She felt about her dad the same way I feel about mine. Just like Katie “I [wanted] to remind him that to me he is just e-mails, phone calls, some letters, and a bunch of awkward presents.” (Castellucci 7). When I read the book I could understand how Katie felt by being with someone she didn’t know. My dad has always been a stranger to me; someone that I talked on the phone with, but that’s it. Like Katie I called that person father, I didn’t mean it. Therefore I didn’t find the book boing, the fact that we can relate to the characters in a book make it interesting.
Many families separate for different reasons. Beige has a real story which deals with a problem that many people are going through, disintegration of the family. Katie’s mom and dad separated. She didn’t know exactly what happened but she knew who left who, it was her “Mom, because she had a reason.” (Castellucci 22). Katie was the reason for her parents’ separation. Like Katie’s mom many mothers get away from their relationship to protect their children. Just like this many families disintegrate because one of the members is not taking the best decision for the family. We can see this problem happening everyday therefore it is a real conflict with which people can entertain themselves because it is something they know about.
In conclusion, Beige is an amazing story. It has the characteristic a reader looks for in a book. Castellucci incorporated the factor that can make a person read the book straight to the end. Beige is realistic, everyone can relate to the story. Despite not everyone has the punk star father Katie had, people can still relate to it because there is always something that bother us about our parents. Beige is a captivating book with which people can relate and entertain themselves.
Beige by Cecil Castellucci is a captivating book. The book is about a young girl being in an unfamiliar environment and how she deals with it. While staying in that environment she just thinks that “There is not thread for [her] to hang on to, which makes [her] zone out.” (Castellucci 39). At some point everyone has felt that way, kind of awkward and uninvited. At the same time people want to make us part of the world but is not where we want to be. Going to the process is what makes the book captivating. While some people can walk away from their problems and move on as fast as they can, there are many other that are just stuck in the situation. The book demonstrates how much can someone handle in a place where it doesn’t fit. Beige is the perfect book for someone trying to find a different and entertaining story.
From the book beige I can relate to the main character. Katie never lived with her father and one day she had to go live with him for a long time exactly what happened to me. She felt about her dad the same way I feel about mine. Just like Katie “I [wanted] to remind him that to me he is just e-mails, phone calls, some letters, and a bunch of awkward presents.” (Castellucci 7). When I read the book I could understand how Katie felt by being with someone she didn’t know. My dad has always been a stranger to me; someone that I talked on the phone with, but that’s it. Like Katie I called that person father, I didn’t mean it. Therefore I didn’t find the book boing, the fact that we can relate to the characters in a book make it interesting.
Many families separate for different reasons. Beige has a real story which deals with a problem that many people are going through, disintegration of the family. Katie’s mom and dad separated. She didn’t know exactly what happened but she knew who left who, it was her “Mom, because she had a reason.” (Castellucci 22). Katie was the reason for her parents’ separation. Like Katie’s mom many mothers get away from their relationship to protect their children. Just like this many families disintegrate because one of the members is not taking the best decision for the family. We can see this problem happening everyday therefore it is a real conflict with which people can entertain themselves because it is something they know about.
In conclusion, Beige is an amazing story. It has the characteristic a reader looks for in a book. Castellucci incorporated the factor that can make a person read the book straight to the end. Beige is realistic, everyone can relate to the story. Despite not everyone has the punk star father Katie had, people can still relate to it because there is always something that bother us about our parents. Beige is a captivating book with which people can relate and entertain themselves.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2011
first saw this book over at That Cover Girl and the cover just spoke to me....I mean look at it. that guitar, that pink on the stark black background. That GUITAR. I have always wanted to be able to play the guitar! and I can a little but my skills are majorly lacking. Then I read the synopsis and as soon as I saw the words The Rat and "aging punk rocker" I was like HEYO. Sold. And people say blogs don't sell books. Pssssh!
Honestly? I fucking loved this book. I like really loved it. I think I even cried and it's not even that sad of a story, but i cried regardless because it's just that good. So Katy is a serious, serious girl. She's quiet and reserved and quite restrained. Then POW she's thrown into the LA punk scene to spend the summer with her dad, aka The rat whilst her mother goes on an archealogical dig in Peru. Imagine this; you like order, you like things to run smoothly, you like your summer to be filled with mall trips and sleepovers with your BFF. Then somehow you end up in an apartment that's full of junk, that smells majorly funky, with your crazy ass dad who doesn't seem to have given a shit about you for the whole of your life. Then you kinda know how Katy feels.
Castellucci makes my toes curl with envy, at her ability to make every character seem truly real. Every single character is extreme and in your face.......all in different ways, from the weird and the kooky, to the calm and utterly cool. They are all well developed and each shone in a way that made me want to believe that they were real, that I could hop on a plane to LA and go sit on the boulevard with them, then head out to go see Suck perform. And the way Castellucci shown us the punk lifestyle from an outsiders perspective was mesmerising. I could almost feel the music pounding up through my feet, almost feel the ghost of sweat tricking down my back, bodies pressing into me.
Lake with her absolute certainty that she would one day be a true punk rocker like her dad Sam Suck. Lake is what you would expect a punk rocker's daughter to be like; she's grungy and totally into the music and much too cool. Whereas katy is her complete polar opposite, even though they share this fundemental thing that makes them most likely to be alike. And man The Rat, I freaking LOVED The Rat, in the fact that he reminded me so much of my own dad. How he was forever trying to make Katy feel comfortable, trying way too hard to win her affections. And he never changes, in the fact that he doesn't change who he is for his daughter, but you can see that he really has the big heart and he wants her to accept him for who he is.
And the music. OH MY GOD THE MUSIC. It spoke to my heart. I love punk rock. Beige is a book that everyone can find something to love, whether it be from the exceptional writing, or the larger than life characters. This is one of those coming of age stories that gets it right, it dwells on personal growth and development and doesn't wrap up in a bright pink box with a shiny bow. It wraps up like real life and I loved it.
Honestly? I fucking loved this book. I like really loved it. I think I even cried and it's not even that sad of a story, but i cried regardless because it's just that good. So Katy is a serious, serious girl. She's quiet and reserved and quite restrained. Then POW she's thrown into the LA punk scene to spend the summer with her dad, aka The rat whilst her mother goes on an archealogical dig in Peru. Imagine this; you like order, you like things to run smoothly, you like your summer to be filled with mall trips and sleepovers with your BFF. Then somehow you end up in an apartment that's full of junk, that smells majorly funky, with your crazy ass dad who doesn't seem to have given a shit about you for the whole of your life. Then you kinda know how Katy feels.
Castellucci makes my toes curl with envy, at her ability to make every character seem truly real. Every single character is extreme and in your face.......all in different ways, from the weird and the kooky, to the calm and utterly cool. They are all well developed and each shone in a way that made me want to believe that they were real, that I could hop on a plane to LA and go sit on the boulevard with them, then head out to go see Suck perform. And the way Castellucci shown us the punk lifestyle from an outsiders perspective was mesmerising. I could almost feel the music pounding up through my feet, almost feel the ghost of sweat tricking down my back, bodies pressing into me.
Lake with her absolute certainty that she would one day be a true punk rocker like her dad Sam Suck. Lake is what you would expect a punk rocker's daughter to be like; she's grungy and totally into the music and much too cool. Whereas katy is her complete polar opposite, even though they share this fundemental thing that makes them most likely to be alike. And man The Rat, I freaking LOVED The Rat, in the fact that he reminded me so much of my own dad. How he was forever trying to make Katy feel comfortable, trying way too hard to win her affections. And he never changes, in the fact that he doesn't change who he is for his daughter, but you can see that he really has the big heart and he wants her to accept him for who he is.
And the music. OH MY GOD THE MUSIC. It spoke to my heart. I love punk rock. Beige is a book that everyone can find something to love, whether it be from the exceptional writing, or the larger than life characters. This is one of those coming of age stories that gets it right, it dwells on personal growth and development and doesn't wrap up in a bright pink box with a shiny bow. It wraps up like real life and I loved it.
August 2, 2010
Katy is sent to Los Angeles to stay with her estranged father, The Rat, drummer for the punk band Suck, while her mother goes off to a dig in Peru. Katy hates everything about LA and her father’s filthy apartment. Katy is nicknamed "Beige" by Lake, the daughter of another member of Suck who is being paid to spend time with Katy. Katy tries to deal with all of this while keeping her polite “nice girl” status. She’s lonely, she and her father have nothing in common and she is desperate to leave. When her mother's return is delayed, Katy learns to deal, loses some of her “beige” ways and learns to like punk a tiny bit.
The chapter titles are all from punk band song titles, giving clues to the action in the chapter. The relationship between Katy and Lake is well-written and the story as they both learn and grow was believable. Castellucci has created characters that the reader comes to genuinely care about by the end of the book.
I felt that this book met a good number of them and deserved to be named a “Quick Pick” of 2008. These criteria included:
• Physical Appearance – The cover of the edition I read was black with the neck of a large pink guitar forming the “I” in the title. The bold image makes the book stand out on the shelf. There is also a Booklist review quote describing the book as “pure Nirvana” as a lure to music fans.
• Format – The chapters were short and snappy, with song titles introducing them. The pages weren’t crowded or overwhelming for readers and although the book is 320 pages, the short chapters move the story along quickly.
• Style – Castellucci’s style is easy as she relates what is going on in each of her character’s heads. The writing is clear and the vocabulary is straightforward, even some music business terminology. Because Katy/Beige is an outsider who is learning the “punk world,” the reader gets the explanations too, and I thought the story flowed very effectively.
In terms of high interest, the book definitely hooks the reader in the first 10 pages as Katy is plunked in the middle of her father’s strange world of punk-has-been-stardom. Music and father/daughter tensions are familiar themes that appeal emotionally to teens. Kathy’s humor is quiet at first, but grows as she finds her voice and develops more colors to her personality and presence.
I thought that a real strength of Beige is that it is a good recommendation for so many teens. Music-obsessed teens will enjoy the punk scene, while more conservative minded teens will relate to Katy's feelings of being an outsider in this environment. Boys will enjoy it, too, because of the well-written male figures, including the quirky character of Kathy’s father, The Rat. Each chapter lists the name of a band and song that teens could listen to while they are reading the book. This book would make a great book group read as a part of the 2010 Teen Read Week "Books with Beat" theme.
The chapter titles are all from punk band song titles, giving clues to the action in the chapter. The relationship between Katy and Lake is well-written and the story as they both learn and grow was believable. Castellucci has created characters that the reader comes to genuinely care about by the end of the book.
I felt that this book met a good number of them and deserved to be named a “Quick Pick” of 2008. These criteria included:
• Physical Appearance – The cover of the edition I read was black with the neck of a large pink guitar forming the “I” in the title. The bold image makes the book stand out on the shelf. There is also a Booklist review quote describing the book as “pure Nirvana” as a lure to music fans.
• Format – The chapters were short and snappy, with song titles introducing them. The pages weren’t crowded or overwhelming for readers and although the book is 320 pages, the short chapters move the story along quickly.
• Style – Castellucci’s style is easy as she relates what is going on in each of her character’s heads. The writing is clear and the vocabulary is straightforward, even some music business terminology. Because Katy/Beige is an outsider who is learning the “punk world,” the reader gets the explanations too, and I thought the story flowed very effectively.
In terms of high interest, the book definitely hooks the reader in the first 10 pages as Katy is plunked in the middle of her father’s strange world of punk-has-been-stardom. Music and father/daughter tensions are familiar themes that appeal emotionally to teens. Kathy’s humor is quiet at first, but grows as she finds her voice and develops more colors to her personality and presence.
I thought that a real strength of Beige is that it is a good recommendation for so many teens. Music-obsessed teens will enjoy the punk scene, while more conservative minded teens will relate to Katy's feelings of being an outsider in this environment. Boys will enjoy it, too, because of the well-written male figures, including the quirky character of Kathy’s father, The Rat. Each chapter lists the name of a band and song that teens could listen to while they are reading the book. This book would make a great book group read as a part of the 2010 Teen Read Week "Books with Beat" theme.
Read
August 3, 2009Beige had been sitting on my shelf for awhile when I read an entry over at Stephanie Kuehnert's where she was absolutely raving about it. That was enough for me...Stephanie can write like a dream and turns out, can recommend like a dream too.
Beige tells the story of conservative and restrained Katy who is sent to stay with her father in LA for the summer. Katy is a complete fish out of water in the grimy world of punk rock, the smell of it particularly permeates through the pages and it allows you to feel as though you are in the world with her. Katy is completely buttoned down, rigid and shut off and as such The Rat's world doesn't really mesh with her standards. Katy is a completely relatable protagonist, she's never been cool or ever been all that into music. This is most likely influenced by her desire and fear of becoming like her parents, both recovered drug addicts. Her need for order and control can be a little distancing at times but it is always justified.
Every character that appears in Castellucci's novel is extreme - whether extreme in their prickliness, obviousness, softness, rigidity or kitschiness - they are all well formed and have unique and sparky interactions with one another. Lake is a character that works as a great foil for Katy, she's the "expected offspring" of a punk rocker but has missed out on the maternal care that Katy has taken for granted. Lake's a cactus wrapped around a pillow with a piece of coal battling her heart for position in her chest cavity. These two rocker babies with diametrically opposed personalities force one another to really confront who they are and their motivations. It's a friendship that is fun, sparky and organic - there are no false notes to be found.
The Rat is a character that really grabs the reader. He's forever trying too hard to win his daughter over. The author takes the great path of not making him compromise himself at any point in his efforts to ingratiate himself into his daughter's affections. He's an immensely flawed man but one with a huge heart and perhaps too sensitive to the world.
Beige is a fast read. You find yourself whipping through the pages to the most satisfying conclusion. It is a conclusion that rejects the need to tie everything up in a cliche ridden, predictable, pretty package. Instead, this coming of age story, which details Katy's personal growth, settles on a complete realistic and satisfying conclusion.
A fantastic start to a (hopefully) long Castellucci reading journey!
Beige tells the story of conservative and restrained Katy who is sent to stay with her father in LA for the summer. Katy is a complete fish out of water in the grimy world of punk rock, the smell of it particularly permeates through the pages and it allows you to feel as though you are in the world with her. Katy is completely buttoned down, rigid and shut off and as such The Rat's world doesn't really mesh with her standards. Katy is a completely relatable protagonist, she's never been cool or ever been all that into music. This is most likely influenced by her desire and fear of becoming like her parents, both recovered drug addicts. Her need for order and control can be a little distancing at times but it is always justified.
Every character that appears in Castellucci's novel is extreme - whether extreme in their prickliness, obviousness, softness, rigidity or kitschiness - they are all well formed and have unique and sparky interactions with one another. Lake is a character that works as a great foil for Katy, she's the "expected offspring" of a punk rocker but has missed out on the maternal care that Katy has taken for granted. Lake's a cactus wrapped around a pillow with a piece of coal battling her heart for position in her chest cavity. These two rocker babies with diametrically opposed personalities force one another to really confront who they are and their motivations. It's a friendship that is fun, sparky and organic - there are no false notes to be found.
The Rat is a character that really grabs the reader. He's forever trying too hard to win his daughter over. The author takes the great path of not making him compromise himself at any point in his efforts to ingratiate himself into his daughter's affections. He's an immensely flawed man but one with a huge heart and perhaps too sensitive to the world.
Beige is a fast read. You find yourself whipping through the pages to the most satisfying conclusion. It is a conclusion that rejects the need to tie everything up in a cliche ridden, predictable, pretty package. Instead, this coming of age story, which details Katy's personal growth, settles on a complete realistic and satisfying conclusion.
A fantastic start to a (hopefully) long Castellucci reading journey!
July 25, 2016
While reading this book I was in two minds, to score it four or three stars, for it actually was giving me mixed feelings. Still, I guess it deserves a solid four. This book is not really anything special BUT at the same time has something inexplicably special in it. (It sounds awful as I read what I have written out loud, but I don’t know how to put it in other words. Maybe, you will get my point.)
So…
I have been trying to rewrite this paragraph for a while now, and guess what? This is not going to be a normal review, unfortunately. So I’ll make it in a boring and easy way, just to avoid the mess of trying to explain why this book may be worth reading. (‘May be’ is because it’s always up to you). Yes, I’m just going to list everything.
Things I dislike:
• The main character.
She became less annoying at the end, but still.
• The plot is rather simple.
• Some of the characters were not really original or special.
Things I like:
• A LOT of references to punk and music in general.
The book is just penetrated with music, it’s amazing.
• Lake.
My favourite character, she might even be my role model.
• I was kept reading till the very end.
• Before I started reading the book, I thought it would be just another teenage romance. I was wrong, and that’s definitely on the plus side. There was some teenage drama of course, but well… It was okay.
• Some parts were, although simple, unbearably cute, and this cute simplicity and simple cuteness made me cry.
• The atmosphere of music, once again. I just love it.
And in addition to all that is written above… The things is that the book is so damn relevant to what I feel right now, to my current psychological state, regardless of the fact, that the protagonist is four years younger than me. The book, its words, sentences, pages, it made me think. It induced me to think of my own life, of what I am, why I am here and why I want to be here. It filled me with a certain inspiration to do something, something great although I’m still trying to figure out what it would be. It gave me the sense of freedom I lack at times. And maybe I sound young and pathetic now because of what I feel and how I express it, but I kind of like it this way. Somehow.
So…
I have been trying to rewrite this paragraph for a while now, and guess what? This is not going to be a normal review, unfortunately. So I’ll make it in a boring and easy way, just to avoid the mess of trying to explain why this book may be worth reading. (‘May be’ is because it’s always up to you). Yes, I’m just going to list everything.
Things I dislike:
• The main character.
She became less annoying at the end, but still.
• The plot is rather simple.
• Some of the characters were not really original or special.
Things I like:
• A LOT of references to punk and music in general.
The book is just penetrated with music, it’s amazing.
• Lake.
My favourite character, she might even be my role model.
• I was kept reading till the very end.
• Before I started reading the book, I thought it would be just another teenage romance. I was wrong, and that’s definitely on the plus side. There was some teenage drama of course, but well… It was okay.
• Some parts were, although simple, unbearably cute, and this cute simplicity and simple cuteness made me cry.
• The atmosphere of music, once again. I just love it.
And in addition to all that is written above… The things is that the book is so damn relevant to what I feel right now, to my current psychological state, regardless of the fact, that the protagonist is four years younger than me. The book, its words, sentences, pages, it made me think. It induced me to think of my own life, of what I am, why I am here and why I want to be here. It filled me with a certain inspiration to do something, something great although I’m still trying to figure out what it would be. It gave me the sense of freedom I lack at times. And maybe I sound young and pathetic now because of what I feel and how I express it, but I kind of like it this way. Somehow.
January 11, 2009
When Katy Ratner discovers she'll be spending two weeks of her summer with her father, The Rat, instead of in Peru with her mother, she's not happy about it. But she figures she can deal.
Shortly after arriving at the airport she changes her mind. Upon arrival at the Rat's apartment she knows she can't do this. Mess, everywhere. Her room, she can tell he tried with her room. Except it's still not her. She pleads with her mother via text messages, but apparently her seriousness has such an edge to it that it comes across as a joke. She doesn't know how to point out the mistake.
Then comes an even bigger kick in the face. Her two weeks are actually going to be the whole summer. Her mother's on to something in Peru. Something huge. And she wants to stay. Katy wants to be there, be part of the team she's always been included in. But she doesn't say that either.
And so it is. She's stuck in California, looking and feeling out of place, trying to understand this world of people for whom music is everything. For her, music is mostly just noise. Or a good background. If it's the right music. Which makes staying with her drummer father a real dilemma. And being baby-sat by the bribed daughter of the Rat's band-mate, Sam Suck, more of a dilemma. Even Garth Skater, pretty enough to be a girl without his helmet on, gets it. He promises to make her a mix CD, by way of introduction to the scene.
True to his word, he delivers the CD while Lake is visiting. Katy isn't interested until Lake points out that it's actually a good mix. Then it starts to seem worth it.
Slowly, Katy starts to feel less Beige...or at least that Beige isn't a bad thing to be. She starts to understand her dad. And his girlfriend, Trixie, proves to be a good friend. Even Lake isn't all hardness, like she seems. And even music starts to make its own kind of sense.
As summer draws to a close, leaving Beige with one more huge obstacle and disappointment to get through, she knows she can do it. It really will be OK. She has a place in this world, and she doesn't have to take it quietly. Maybe she is her father's daughter; and that's not a bad thing to be.
Shortly after arriving at the airport she changes her mind. Upon arrival at the Rat's apartment she knows she can't do this. Mess, everywhere. Her room, she can tell he tried with her room. Except it's still not her. She pleads with her mother via text messages, but apparently her seriousness has such an edge to it that it comes across as a joke. She doesn't know how to point out the mistake.
Then comes an even bigger kick in the face. Her two weeks are actually going to be the whole summer. Her mother's on to something in Peru. Something huge. And she wants to stay. Katy wants to be there, be part of the team she's always been included in. But she doesn't say that either.
And so it is. She's stuck in California, looking and feeling out of place, trying to understand this world of people for whom music is everything. For her, music is mostly just noise. Or a good background. If it's the right music. Which makes staying with her drummer father a real dilemma. And being baby-sat by the bribed daughter of the Rat's band-mate, Sam Suck, more of a dilemma. Even Garth Skater, pretty enough to be a girl without his helmet on, gets it. He promises to make her a mix CD, by way of introduction to the scene.
True to his word, he delivers the CD while Lake is visiting. Katy isn't interested until Lake points out that it's actually a good mix. Then it starts to seem worth it.
Slowly, Katy starts to feel less Beige...or at least that Beige isn't a bad thing to be. She starts to understand her dad. And his girlfriend, Trixie, proves to be a good friend. Even Lake isn't all hardness, like she seems. And even music starts to make its own kind of sense.
As summer draws to a close, leaving Beige with one more huge obstacle and disappointment to get through, she knows she can do it. It really will be OK. She has a place in this world, and she doesn't have to take it quietly. Maybe she is her father's daughter; and that's not a bad thing to be.
April 26, 2011
I'm reading a lot of paranormal YA lately but it's nice to take a detour into something more emotionally honest and deeper. It's not that paranormal can't tap deep feelings - but they tend to tap deep feeings like fear, anger, denial and overwhelming desire. Emotions on the scale of regular human teenagers just don't register when they fall between action scenes that make your heart stop beating for a second.
So a book like Beige in which focuses minutely on moments between an estranged father and daughter and silences shared by teenagers that are stuck together even though they're not quite friends is a really refreshing change.
Beige takes place in Los Angeles in the gritty world of punk where upstanding Canadian citizen Katy feels completely out of place spending the summer with her long-lost rocker father. She earns the nick-name beige for how she blends in to the mainstream compared to all the Silverlake hipster-spawn (I can relate). The transformation she undergoes over the summer makes her into a kind of superhero, but not because of magical powers. She just finds strength in herself she's never accessed before and learns to grow up a little not because she wants to, but because she has no other choice.
Which is, after all, how most of us grow up.
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EARLIER I WROTE...
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Still reading this but it's really getting under my skin. At first it was a slow start - in my defense, I've been reading those YA titles that leap right into the middle of the story like episodes of Law and Order - you're just flipping channels and then you're already in love with someone who you are fated to marry and you have secret powers and you're on the run from the law.
But now I remember - books that start of slow and build bring you into the emotional life of the character so much more thoroughly so you are feeling with them.
I miss that sometimes.
Adrenaline rush is all well and good, but there IS more to literature than that, Maldonado!
So a book like Beige in which focuses minutely on moments between an estranged father and daughter and silences shared by teenagers that are stuck together even though they're not quite friends is a really refreshing change.
Beige takes place in Los Angeles in the gritty world of punk where upstanding Canadian citizen Katy feels completely out of place spending the summer with her long-lost rocker father. She earns the nick-name beige for how she blends in to the mainstream compared to all the Silverlake hipster-spawn (I can relate). The transformation she undergoes over the summer makes her into a kind of superhero, but not because of magical powers. She just finds strength in herself she's never accessed before and learns to grow up a little not because she wants to, but because she has no other choice.
Which is, after all, how most of us grow up.
-------------
EARLIER I WROTE...
-------------
Still reading this but it's really getting under my skin. At first it was a slow start - in my defense, I've been reading those YA titles that leap right into the middle of the story like episodes of Law and Order - you're just flipping channels and then you're already in love with someone who you are fated to marry and you have secret powers and you're on the run from the law.
But now I remember - books that start of slow and build bring you into the emotional life of the character so much more thoroughly so you are feeling with them.
I miss that sometimes.
Adrenaline rush is all well and good, but there IS more to literature than that, Maldonado!
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