Saturday, March 01, 2014

A new student review of Kaleidoscope Me by Hillary K. Grigonis

alphatauri posted a new student review of Kaleidoscope Me by Hillary K. Grigonis. See the full review.

The main story of Kaleidoscope Me takes place over an hour and 33 minutes, but in a burst of narratorial brilliance, Jadyn takes us on a journey through her entire life, flashing back to different points in time, creating a nonlinear narrative. She doesn’t shy away from the emotional events either, and I loved her growth and determination throughout the book. Jadyn is a character that readers can love as well as learn from. Meanwhile, Great-Aunt Nadine is a fantastic foil to Jadyn, and possesses her own strange kind of charm. Her chemistry with Jadyn (or lack thereof!) takes up much of the book, and I relished every moment of it. Strangely, the character I sympathized most with was Jadyn’s father, and I appreciated what felt like his constant presence throughout the novel, creating a feeling of realisticness. Grigonis does a great job of keeping the plot moving and story exciting while developing the characters fully. Kaleidoscope Me is a well-written read that simultaneously explores the courageous theme of growing up and offers inspiration in the form of Jadyn. I highly recommend it to readers looking for a heartwarming and charming book!