Tag Archives: maureen johnson

Review | The Bermudez Triangle, by Maureen Johnson

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What’s worse than coming back from a summer long program to find that your two best friends have all kinds of inside jokes? Finding out they’re dating — and that you might be gay, too.

The Bermudez Triangle, by Maureen Johnson

In The Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson, Nina’s best friends Mel and Avery start dating, posing all kinds of questions: Is Nina gay, too? Do they have crushes on her? Is she homophobic for feeling weird that they’re dating?

The book explores the relationship between the three best friends, dubbed the Triangle by a childhood acquaintance. I liked that it was open ended; rather than focusing on what happens to them as individuals, the book concentrates on their friendship and the effects of sexuality and dating on that friendship — while focusing on their other, individual problems.

There were a few parts that stood out the most to me. I won’t spoil what exactly happened, but if you’ve read the book, you’ll know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, what are you waiting for? Are you a Freaking Bookworm or what? ;)

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On pages 130 and 131, Nina feels left out because Mel and Avery have a date, and she isn’t invited. I think most people can relate to feeling excluded because two of your friends are dating.

When Mel’s father holds her on page 331 because of the conversation she has with her mother, I simultaneously felt awful for Mel but loved her father so much for being there for her.

Maureen Johnson has a way of incorporating her own personal sense of humor into the narration of her stories, and on page 335 she makes the BEST Seventh Heaven reference/joke EVER. (Man, how I hated that show.)

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Another thing I loved about this book was the rich teenage “indie scene” culture. The characters hang out at coffee shops, play in disorganized garage bands, wear thrift shop clothing, and aspire to save the world and go to music school. (Speaking of saving the world, I so hated Steve. I don’t know why, but I also hated the main love interest in Suite Scarlett. I guess Maureen Johnson and I don’t have the same taste in men — or at least, mine is different from her leading ladies’.) The world that the characters lived in seemed so real. Maureen Johnson definitely has a knack for that, and is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.

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So, that’s one book down out of at least four for the GLBT Challenge 2010. To jog your memory, I’m going to read at least four LGBT-themed works of fiction throughout the year. If you have a book you’d like me to read, leave a comment and let me know!

If you read The Bermudez Triangle, let me know what you thought of it. Leave a comment and answer some of the following questions:

  1. What was your favorite part? Your least favorite part?
  2. Who was your favorite character? Why?
  3. Did you think that Nina could have acted differently when she first found out that Avery and Mel were dating?
  4. Did you like Steve? ;)

PS: I found a list of what other people doing the challenge have read so far.

PSS: I’m currently reading Fray, a graphic novel by Joss Whedon, set in the Buffyverse two-hundred years after Buffy and Faith. I’m also reading the second Wormwood graphic novel, so you can expect a couple new graphic novel reviews very soon!

Review | Suite Scarlett, by Maureen Johnson

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I finished Suite Scarlett early this morning (at about 2 or 3 am). Knowing that there is a sequel made it a lot easier to finish; I would be very, very sad if there was no sequel.

Initially, I thought Marlene was a brat and that Mrs. Amberson was a crazy bitch. I like how Marlene has come around. I still think Mrs. Amberson is nuts, and I think Scarlett is crazy for agreeing to work with her again, but I’m sure it will provide for an interesting premise of the next book.

I love that this book is divided up like a play, while the characters are actually putting on a play. In Act I, we get a description of the hotel before diving in. It’s Scarlett’s fifteenth birthday, which is the age when all of the Martin children get a room to maintain in the hotel they live in and run. In Act II, we learn about the Empire Suite, which is the room that the conniving and dramatic Mrs. Amberson stays in. The description before Act III tells us about hotel ghosts and the possibility of one in the Hopewell Hotel (the hotel Scarlett’s family runs). I’m not exactly sure how this is relevant, since there were never any ghosts mentioned in Act III, but it was still cool to read more about the hotel’s history.

Before the final act — Act IV — we learn about the hotel’s Depression booze brewing days. This is appropriate because the characters are throwing a play in the hotel behind the owner’s backs, and also because Mrs. Amberson orders a whole lot of champagne for the play.

I like that Maureen Johnson left the book open ended; we don’t know if Eric and Scarlett work things out (although I think he’s a douchebag and she should move on), we don’t know what happens with the casting call Spencer got invited to, and we don’t know if Lola and Chip get back together.

There were a lot of one-liners and situations that made me laugh out loud in this book, which I like in a book. I’m definitely excited for the sequel, and definitely looking forward to reading more of Maureen Johnson’s work.

Marathon holiday shopping sucks

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I have a half finished post about this week’s episodes of Dollhouse, but I’m too tired to finish it. I spent the WHOLE DAY shopping, and then TWO WHOLE HOURS wrapping everything. And? I’m STILL not done.

So please excuse me while I recover from today’s traumatizing shopping experience by reading more of Suite Scarlett and watching the Colts play the Jaguars tomorrow at the bar.

How is YOUR weekend going?