In My Shoes is a really enjoyable read that I didn't put down until I was done. It's the story of two teenagers who go through a magical ride to a really great ending that will have you going yeah. Jake and Nicole are the main characters who both tell their stories alternating throughout the book. The author does a masterful job of weaving their stories until you feel that you know both these kids really well and can feel the pain and humor that they are going through. The ending was just perfect. I'm looking forward to this author's next project. In My Shoes
This was an enjoyable read from start to finish. It's perfect for teens but adults will like it too. Fast-paced, well-written and funny while still paying to attention to the problems that can occur in this unusual situation.
The book sounds like Freaky Friday, but even better. It has it own little cute story with a personality of its own.
The story is read in the eye's of Jake, where you see his daily life at school, his friends, his family as well as the girl who turned him down in an anger filled attitude. Just when he wishes for Nicole to know what it was like for a guy, he would no sooner regret that wish, for in the morning he wakes up with boob's.
The story is a rather good one, high school setting, keeping it somewhat real with the social class of the students. Just when he happens to change bodies, the comedy side comes out. Its easy to read, good for Pre-teens and Young Adults, but the older audience shouldn't turn away either. For a fun read, a chuckle and an open mind, this book will entrap you in its own hidden magical way.
A brilliantly conceived novel that not only fully captures the gender experience, it allows one to feel what it is like to actually BE someone else, seeing the world through the eyes of another. That's the great news. The sole criticism I have, and I have mixed feelings about even expressing it, is that the book completely avoids the sexual titilation of a gender switch that would have catapulted it to a much more interesting and realistic level (realistic, that is, for a total fantasy). After all, if one is somehow transported into the body of a person of the opposite sex, wouldn't it stand to reason that the individual would want to explore at least some aspects of that persons sexuality? Now come on, how often do you get that chance! In that sense, I found the book to be a bit puritanical, but I think this must have been by the author's design and didn't detract from the entire experience.
That said, this was a most enjoyable read and I would heartily recommend it.
This is the first story I have ever read that really captured the indecision and confusion that is the high school experience. The almost adult earnestness with which the characters go about tackling the issues they face in the story totally reminds me of that time.
The story definitely kept me turning the pages and wanting to read more, even though I think the best and most appreciative audience would be teenagers and young adults. Strangely enough, I did learn a few things about the trials and tribulations of today's teenage girls - as I have no daughters myself. I think the book would make an excellent topic for a book report. Absolutely love the cover design!
My initial reaction to the premise of this book was, "it's been done." The idea of swapping places with someone goes back at least as far as "Cyrano de Bergerac" who did a low-tech version. The book "Black Like Me" wasn't a full-fledged swap, but did mine the same territory. "Freaky Friday" is an even better touchstone. I'm sure there are many more I'm forgetting or don't know. Then I read the Stephen's bio on Amazon where he says he wasn't much of a reader, rarely reading for fun, until about five years ago. I wondered if someone with so little experience as a reader could do a competent job as an author. My concerns turned out to be unfounded.
The reason certain story types are used and reused is the basic premise has a lot to offer. The cliché about walking in someone else's shoes, the obvious inspiration for the title, has endless variations. The variations on this theme that are most likely to make a good story are those with two people prone to misunderstanding who find it difficult to imagine what the other person's life is like. The parent child swap in "Freaky Friday" is a natural. So is swapping a teenage boy with a teenage girl.
As you'd expect Nicole and Jake find living the life of the other is more complicated than they realized. Stephens thought a lot about what it would take to make a situation like this work. Jake and Nicole gave each other extensive debriefings so they could learn to act correctly, otherwise they could damage relationships with friends and family for the other. Jake, in the body of Nicole, had to learn how to apply makeup and stop walking like a man. I was impressed at how well Stephens handled the details; especially the difficulties Jake had being Nicole.
A potential pitfall of a novel like this is keeping track of who is who. If Jake does something, is it Nicole in Jake's body or Jake in Nicole's body? Most of the time Stephens managed to keep this clear. Any uncertainty was limited to the confusion the characters were also feeling.
This is a fun read for teens and many adults. It should give either gender an appreciation for the challenges of the other - I know it did me. Or you can choose to overlook the lessons and concentrate on the humor in the situation. It's funny, as long as it isn't you in someone else's shoes.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog.**
When I started reading this book my impression was that it was way too detailed, too redundant in its storytelling and too pristine. But I found myself going back as quickly as possible to finish it. It was fun to read, more so for the younger teen (not too young though as there are details about sexuality) and was good entertainment.
The writing is easy enough and is mostly conversational. The two main characters, who get mentally switched and end up in the other person's body (male to female and female to male) and have to negotiate not only the details needed to be the other person within their classes, families and friends, but also to portray the opposite sex, including make-up, hairstyles, fashion, locker rooms. etc.
It was amazing to me to read from the female perspective as written by a male author.
It is very idealistic and the kids are sweet and studious. A fun read, maybe not as realistic as teen life is these days though. This was a gifted copy. - Contemporary Fiction - Dating - Freaky Friday - Gender Switch'
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