Flipped

                 Flipped, by Wendelin Van Draanen, copyright in 2001, is a fictional love story about a boy and a girl who never like each other at the same time. Juli Baker instantly falls for Bryce Loski, and continues to for over half a decade, but the thing is, all Bryce wants to do is avoid her. Then things change, and right when she's over him, Bryce finally sees how special Juli is. The overall theme of this novel is unrequited love.

                         Flipped is told in a very interesting way.  The characters are talking about their own experience for what is happening in the story. Every time an event takes place, one chapter is about Bryce's thoughts on it, and the next other chapter is about Juli's. The point of view is first person for both characters. To summarize, Juli was in love with Bryce from the first time they met as second graders, and he just saw her as annoying. Later on, someone made hurtful comments on Juli's handicapped uncle, and when Bryce was not the man who stood up for them, Juli's love for  Bryce just vanished. Then the tables turned, and Bryce was so caught up with someone madly in love with him that when she stopped, he almost longed for that feeling again. This is intended for middle or high schoolers, but could be read by almost anyone. This is a juvenile nonfiction book about love that is expressed over and over. The way the author kept switching back and forth from different perspectives kept it very interesting.

                            This book had an affect on me because it was not a basic story, it had a twist. It kept me intrigued, and it was very influential when Juli stopped liking someone she had liked for years because he could not stand up for others. This changed the way I see the world because I can understand now why family and friends and respecting family and friends is very important. This did not remind me of anything I've read in the past, but this definitely makes me want to read more of the genre, and more by this author.

                                  In my opinion, this is an enjoyable and easy read type of book. I almost want to read it again. I especially loved the way the chapters are set up, it gives real feeling to how both characters experience the situation. I would recommend this book to other middle schoolers and people who like romance and comedy.

Zoe Jaye

12.17.13

RATING: ***** 5/5