Stargirl, by Jerry Spinelli

Published in 2000, by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House

I think I must exist on a different reading planet when it comes to this book. I have read so many wonderful things about it from other reviewers, and I am well aware of how many awards and accolades it has received. But I just didn't like it. In fact on turning the last page I wished I had never picked it up at all.

That is just my opinion, and my own reading taste. I see and approve of the message it is trying to put across about difference and non-conforming. I love difference. I love novels that deal in magic realism. But I don't think Stargirl does either of these well.

I'm not going to write a review that goes on about all the things I didn't like about this book. I don't believe in entirely negative reviews. I find it similar to when people go on a celebrity's messageboard or something just to hate on them - I always think, why bother? Just move on. So that's what I'm going to do.

But to briefly justify my dislike, the three main problems I had with this book:

1. Stargirl annoyed me to no end. I didn't find her charming, or quirky, and I didn't get her appeal. I actually found her a tiny bit deluded.

2. It is too sentimental, naff and at times cliched for my tastes.

3. Sometimes I feel Spinelli is trying to hard to push the message. Let it breathe on its own. Let people be won over of their own accord.

Once again, just my personal taste. But definitely not my thing.