How Far We Go and How Fast
by Nora Decter
Member Reviews
4 1/2 stars
Honestly, when I read the blurb, I wasn't expecting the novel I ended up reading. Nora Decter's How Far We Go and How Fast (although the title should have given me a hint) is an absorbing novel of a 16-year old girl, Jolene, who has managed to survive her dysfunctional household thanks to the support of her older brother, Matt, and passion for the music they share. When he leaves, she flounders, trying to navigate the waters of feeling abandoned and lost.
In Decter's skillful writing, the reader is nonchalantly following a path of expectation. Almost midway through the novel, I realized that I'd been following the wrong path and frankly I didn't want to put the book down, although I was obligated to finish another ahead of it, and had to set it aside. As soon as I could, I grabbed the book and devoured the remainder.
Jo's exploration is like following a nightmare, the cold, the gray, the isolation. While she had once been like everyone else, an accomplished swimmer, a good student, she now is on the periphery, feeling like she will never be like everyone else, that she is not a good person, that it's all somehow lost to her.
Decter hands the reader clues. Subtle clues.
By the end, I was crying with Jo. To offer more would be to spoil the story for you. Suffice to say, if you're a fan of Gayle Forman, Jandy Nelson, or Jessi Kirby, you might want to read How Far We Go and How Fast.
I won an ARC from LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review.
Honestly, when I read the blurb, I wasn't expecting the novel I ended up reading. Nora Decter's How Far We Go and How Fast (although the title should have given me a hint) is an absorbing novel of a 16-year old girl, Jolene, who has managed to survive her dysfunctional household thanks to the support of her older brother, Matt, and passion for the music they share. When he leaves, she flounders, trying to navigate the waters of feeling abandoned and lost.
In Decter's skillful writing, the reader is nonchalantly following a path of expectation. Almost midway through the novel, I realized that I'd been following the wrong path and frankly I didn't want to put the book down, although I was obligated to finish another ahead of it, and had to set it aside. As soon as I could, I grabbed the book and devoured the remainder.
Jo's exploration is like following a nightmare, the cold, the gray, the isolation. While she had once been like everyone else, an accomplished swimmer, a good student, she now is on the periphery, feeling like she will never be like everyone else, that she is not a good person, that it's all somehow lost to her.
Decter hands the reader clues. Subtle clues.
By the end, I was crying with Jo. To offer more would be to spoil the story for you. Suffice to say, if you're a fan of Gayle Forman, Jandy Nelson, or Jessi Kirby, you might want to read How Far We Go and How Fast.
I won an ARC from LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review.
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.Between the cold, run-down setting and Jolene’s emotions, the feelings of isolation and desolation are palpable in this one, yet it has this great uplifting cathartic quality to it as well.
Sixteen year old Jolene counted on her older brother when she couldn’t count on her parents, they shared a love of music, and he helped her be brave, so when he left on a bus without telling her, it hurt and only became more devastating with time, so much so that she’s reeling, making questionable choices and becoming increasingly lost, but there are glimmers of hope there, too, people willing to help if she’ll reach out to them.
I cared about Jolene right from the start, I found her conversations with her dog and her struggle to talk to just about anyone else so endearing and identifiable, it pained me when she got into worrying situations, and pleased me whenever she took a positive step, I was so invested in what would become of her that it was a struggle for me every time I had to put the book down and go do something else.
I really liked how much depth the secondary characters had, too, whether it’s Jolene’s new friend, her love interest, her divorced parents or the other adults in her life, they had distinct personalities and at any given moment were capable of disappointment or stepping up, just like actual flawed, complicated humans.
Growth and setbacks happen at a believable pace in this story, and I loved that while things are hinted at, the reveals come gradually, show more always at the right time and in the right way for the most emotional impact, you can take a guess at what’s coming, yet it still manages to hit you in the heart.
I received this ARC through a giveaway. show less
Sixteen year old Jolene counted on her older brother when she couldn’t count on her parents, they shared a love of music, and he helped her be brave, so when he left on a bus without telling her, it hurt and only became more devastating with time, so much so that she’s reeling, making questionable choices and becoming increasingly lost, but there are glimmers of hope there, too, people willing to help if she’ll reach out to them.
I cared about Jolene right from the start, I found her conversations with her dog and her struggle to talk to just about anyone else so endearing and identifiable, it pained me when she got into worrying situations, and pleased me whenever she took a positive step, I was so invested in what would become of her that it was a struggle for me every time I had to put the book down and go do something else.
I really liked how much depth the secondary characters had, too, whether it’s Jolene’s new friend, her love interest, her divorced parents or the other adults in her life, they had distinct personalities and at any given moment were capable of disappointment or stepping up, just like actual flawed, complicated humans.
Growth and setbacks happen at a believable pace in this story, and I loved that while things are hinted at, the reveals come gradually, show more always at the right time and in the right way for the most emotional impact, you can take a guess at what’s coming, yet it still manages to hit you in the heart.
I received this ARC through a giveaway. show less
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.I received this eARC from Orca Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Obligatory Summary
Jolene is struggling with the sudden absence of her brother while trying to go to school, eat, walk her dog, hang out with friends, and deal with her absent parents. The only thing that gets her through is her music. But when does a coping mechanism become a crutch, and when does the problem become too much to ignore? How will long until she can't stay in her hometown? How long until she joins Matt?
This is a story about sadness and loss and avoidance through action and inaction. It's a mystery and a coming-of-age and a drama. It's about the grieving process, and how it takes time to be okay, and how you'll never be the same again, but you can learn to love what you have and what you've lost too.
The Writing and Characters
I really enjoyed the writing in this book. It read it in mostly one sitting. It really just flowed well and drew me in deep rather quickly. I loved the plot and the pacing. The whole thing gave me some strong Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock feels with a dash of Sadie thrown in for good measure.
A unique aspect was the music and concerts Jo goes to. I love show more music and I honestly related to that part of the story so much (minus the drugs and alcohol)
All the characters felt so real. I know people like them. I love them. I hate them. I am them.
Jolene: She was so relatable it scares me a little. She's an overthinker to the extreme (hello, that's me), she avoids conflict (thanks for calling me out, Nora Decter), and she dresses like a hobo with some money stashed away (help me). She's self-deprecating and sarcastic, and I just want her to have good things (I want to have good things too).
Her relationship with Matt, her brother, was definitely one of the most interesting parts of the book. It just so happens that one of my WIPs is basically the same plot (but I a sci-fi setting) so to see it so wonderfully executed was both exhilarating and frightening.
Maggie: She's such a great character. She's awful, but also awfully human. She's not bad but not good and you have to love what she gives you
The Squad: Graham, Drew, and manicpixiedreamgirl were fun characters, and really liked them, but they were definitely the least interesting part of the book, though they did help move the plot along.
Ms Groves: She's honestly the Herr Silverman of this book and I loved her. She's sassy and unconventional and freaking loves tea.
Conclusion
I really appreciate this book. It's short and intense and will make you cry. Also, it's got a psuedo-psychic dog named Howl for goodness sake! Read it! show less
Around here anything can happen, and it very often does.
Obligatory Summary
Jolene is struggling with the sudden absence of her brother while trying to go to school, eat, walk her dog, hang out with friends, and deal with her absent parents. The only thing that gets her through is her music. But when does a coping mechanism become a crutch, and when does the problem become too much to ignore? How will long until she can't stay in her hometown? How long until she joins Matt?
This is a story about sadness and loss and avoidance through action and inaction. It's a mystery and a coming-of-age and a drama. It's about the grieving process, and how it takes time to be okay, and how you'll never be the same again, but you can learn to love what you have and what you've lost too.
I don’t know if I believe in time. I mean, I don’t believe it works for me the same way it works for other people. Other people can count on today turning into tomorrow and tomorrow turning into the day after that. But I can’t count on it at all.
The Writing and Characters
I really enjoyed the writing in this book. It read it in mostly one sitting. It really just flowed well and drew me in deep rather quickly. I loved the plot and the pacing. The whole thing gave me some strong Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock feels with a dash of Sadie thrown in for good measure.
A unique aspect was the music and concerts Jo goes to. I love show more music and I honestly related to that part of the story so much (minus the drugs and alcohol)
All the characters felt so real. I know people like them. I love them. I hate them. I am them.
Jolene: She was so relatable it scares me a little. She's an overthinker to the extreme (hello, that's me), she avoids conflict (thanks for calling me out, Nora Decter), and she dresses like a hobo with some money stashed away (help me). She's self-deprecating and sarcastic, and I just want her to have good things (I want to have good things too).
Her relationship with Matt, her brother, was definitely one of the most interesting parts of the book. It just so happens that one of my WIPs is basically the same plot (but I a sci-fi setting) so to see it so wonderfully executed was both exhilarating and frightening.
Maggie: She's such a great character. She's awful, but also awfully human. She's not bad but not good and you have to love what she gives you
The Squad: Graham, Drew, and manicpixiedreamgirl were fun characters, and really liked them, but they were definitely the least interesting part of the book, though they did help move the plot along.
Ms Groves: She's honestly the Herr Silverman of this book and I loved her. She's sassy and unconventional and freaking loves tea.
I can’t tell him how I’ve slowly stopped going to school, at first because everybody looked at me and now because they don’t look at me at all and it turns out maybe it’s worse that way. It’s what I wanted, but it’s worse. I can’t tell him that sometimes when I come over and we hang out, it’s been a day or two since I’ve said much out loud, and my voice sounds strange to my ears. I can’t tell him how much I want to leave or how I’m afraid I might someday, like tomorrow or the day after that. And how I’m afraid leaving might be like other things I thought I wanted and then, after I got them, it turned out I didn’t. I don’t tell him how afraid I am. Of everything. How I see danger everywhere. How sometimes when I try to sleep at night I see a roof collapsing on him at work, or the floor caving in, or I see him falling. How I see Maggie plowing the car into a tree or the river or something else that seems harmless until it’s not. I don’t tell him how sometimes I think I’m right when I’m wrong. Really right when I’m really, really wrong. And so it’s not just that I don’t trust other people. I don’t trust myself.
I don’t tell him these things so that he won’t say they’re amazing. Because Jim thinks everything is amazing. And everything is not.
Conclusion
I really appreciate this book. It's short and intense and will make you cry. Also, it's got a psuedo-psychic dog named Howl for goodness sake! Read it! show less
I received this eARC from Orca Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Obligatory Summary
Jolene is struggling with the sudden absence of her brother while trying to go to school, eat, walk her dog, hang out with friends, and deal with her absent parents. The only thing that gets her through is her music. But when does a coping mechanism become a crutch, and when does the problem become too much to ignore? How will long until she can't stay in her hometown? How long until she joins Matt?
This is a story about sadness and loss and avoidance through action and inaction. It's a mystery and a coming-of-age and a drama. It's about the grieving process, and how it takes time to be okay, and how you'll never be the same again, but you can learn to love what you have and what you've lost too.
The Writing and Characters
I really enjoyed the writing in this book. It read it in mostly one sitting. It really just flowed well and drew me in deep rather quickly. I loved the plot and the pacing. The whole thing gave me some strong Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock feels with a dash of Sadie thrown in for good measure.
A unique aspect was the music and concerts Jo goes to. I love show more music and I honestly related to that part of the story so much (minus the drugs and alcohol)
All the characters felt so real. I know people like them. I love them. I hate them. I am them.
Jolene: She was so relatable it scares me a little. She's an overthinker to the extreme (hello, that's me), she avoids conflict (thanks for calling me out, Nora Decter), and she dresses like a hobo with some money stashed away (help me). She's self-deprecating and sarcastic, and I just want her to have good things (I want to have good things too).
Her relationship with Matt, her brother, was definitely one of the most interesting parts of the book. It just so happens that one of my WIPs is basically the same plot (but I a sci-fi setting) so to see it so wonderfully executed was both exhilarating and frightening.
Maggie: She's such a great character. She's awful, but also awfully human. She's not bad but not good and you have to love what she gives you
The Squad: Graham, Drew, and manicpixiedreamgirl were fun characters, and really liked them, but they were definitely the least interesting part of the book, though they did help move the plot along.
Ms Groves: She's honestly the Herr Silverman of this book and I loved her. She's sassy and unconventional and freaking loves tea.
Conclusion
I really appreciate this book. It's short and intense and will make you cry. Also, it's got a psuedo-psychic dog named Howl for goodness sake! Read it! show less
Around here anything can happen, and it very often does.
Obligatory Summary
Jolene is struggling with the sudden absence of her brother while trying to go to school, eat, walk her dog, hang out with friends, and deal with her absent parents. The only thing that gets her through is her music. But when does a coping mechanism become a crutch, and when does the problem become too much to ignore? How will long until she can't stay in her hometown? How long until she joins Matt?
This is a story about sadness and loss and avoidance through action and inaction. It's a mystery and a coming-of-age and a drama. It's about the grieving process, and how it takes time to be okay, and how you'll never be the same again, but you can learn to love what you have and what you've lost too.
I don’t know if I believe in time. I mean, I don’t believe it works for me the same way it works for other people. Other people can count on today turning into tomorrow and tomorrow turning into the day after that. But I can’t count on it at all.
The Writing and Characters
I really enjoyed the writing in this book. It read it in mostly one sitting. It really just flowed well and drew me in deep rather quickly. I loved the plot and the pacing. The whole thing gave me some strong Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock feels with a dash of Sadie thrown in for good measure.
A unique aspect was the music and concerts Jo goes to. I love show more music and I honestly related to that part of the story so much (minus the drugs and alcohol)
All the characters felt so real. I know people like them. I love them. I hate them. I am them.
Jolene: She was so relatable it scares me a little. She's an overthinker to the extreme (hello, that's me), she avoids conflict (thanks for calling me out, Nora Decter), and she dresses like a hobo with some money stashed away (help me). She's self-deprecating and sarcastic, and I just want her to have good things (I want to have good things too).
Her relationship with Matt, her brother, was definitely one of the most interesting parts of the book. It just so happens that one of my WIPs is basically the same plot (but I a sci-fi setting) so to see it so wonderfully executed was both exhilarating and frightening.
Maggie: She's such a great character. She's awful, but also awfully human. She's not bad but not good and you have to love what she gives you
The Squad: Graham, Drew, and manicpixiedreamgirl were fun characters, and really liked them, but they were definitely the least interesting part of the book, though they did help move the plot along.
Ms Groves: She's honestly the Herr Silverman of this book and I loved her. She's sassy and unconventional and freaking loves tea.
I can’t tell him how I’ve slowly stopped going to school, at first because everybody looked at me and now because they don’t look at me at all and it turns out maybe it’s worse that way. It’s what I wanted, but it’s worse. I can’t tell him that sometimes when I come over and we hang out, it’s been a day or two since I’ve said much out loud, and my voice sounds strange to my ears. I can’t tell him how much I want to leave or how I’m afraid I might someday, like tomorrow or the day after that. And how I’m afraid leaving might be like other things I thought I wanted and then, after I got them, it turned out I didn’t. I don’t tell him how afraid I am. Of everything. How I see danger everywhere. How sometimes when I try to sleep at night I see a roof collapsing on him at work, or the floor caving in, or I see him falling. How I see Maggie plowing the car into a tree or the river or something else that seems harmless until it’s not. I don’t tell him how sometimes I think I’m right when I’m wrong. Really right when I’m really, really wrong. And so it’s not just that I don’t trust other people. I don’t trust myself.
I don’t tell him these things so that he won’t say they’re amazing. Because Jim thinks everything is amazing. And everything is not.
Conclusion
I really appreciate this book. It's short and intense and will make you cry. Also, it's got a psuedo-psychic dog named Howl for goodness sake! Read it! show less
Decter's 'How Far We go and How Fast' is a compulsively readable book about a 16 year old coming to terms with losing her brother. Decter's writing of Jolene, the main character, is sympathetic, putting the reader into her head and painting a vivid picture of why she makes self destructive choices, and also why they are understandable at the time.
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.16-year-old Jolene is navigating life on her own terms since her father is often absent, her mother is a drunk partygirl, and her older brother (and best friend) has fled West. Winter in their Canadian town is brutally cold, yet Jo's favorite pastime is walking her dog, who speaks to her telepathically. Jo is also passionate about her music, which is a gift her brother gave her growing up, them against the world. When Jo makes her first friend after her brother has left, her world gets a little bigger and a whole lot scarier. And although Jo spends her days dreaming of leaving for good, we slowly find out that things are not what they seem. I truly enjoyed the story and the writing style, as well as the slow discoveries revealed throughout the book. I won this book from LibraryThing.
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.Jolene, named after the woman in the Dolly Parton song, has one best friend in life - her older brother Matt. Their parents are not together, and their mother, a wannabe singer, isn't the most stable parent around; Jolene doesn't even call her "mom," but by her name.
When Matt leaves, Jo finds trouble navigating his absence. She skips school, retreats into herself, and tries to find comfort in music.
How Far we go and How Fast is a story about loss, and the ways in which grief presents itself.
Jolene is a character to root for. She spends a lot of time in her head, but avoids the thoughts that she most needs to let herself have.
The winter setting perfectly reflected Jo's situation, as well as her state of mind, and I enjoyed the cast of characters - Ivy, who sticks herself to Jolene in the familiar way that an extrovert adopts an introvert.
Maggie, Jolene's mother, with all her drinking and karaoke; Jolene's English teacher, Ms. Groves, who doesn't give up on Jolene.
Finding herself with new friends, Jo begins to self destruct a bit, but one can only avoid the truth for so long; the book comes to a satisfying and hopeful conclusion, and Jolene's story is not one to forget.
When Matt leaves, Jo finds trouble navigating his absence. She skips school, retreats into herself, and tries to find comfort in music.
How Far we go and How Fast is a story about loss, and the ways in which grief presents itself.
Jolene is a character to root for. She spends a lot of time in her head, but avoids the thoughts that she most needs to let herself have.
The winter setting perfectly reflected Jo's situation, as well as her state of mind, and I enjoyed the cast of characters - Ivy, who sticks herself to Jolene in the familiar way that an extrovert adopts an introvert.
Maggie, Jolene's mother, with all her drinking and karaoke; Jolene's English teacher, Ms. Groves, who doesn't give up on Jolene.
Finding herself with new friends, Jo begins to self destruct a bit, but one can only avoid the truth for so long; the book comes to a satisfying and hopeful conclusion, and Jolene's story is not one to forget.
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.How Far We Go tells the story of 16 year old Jolene Tucker and her mom in Winnipeg. Jolene talks to her dog (symbolizing loneliness?), but not much to anyone else, and music helps pass the time. Her brother "left" 1 year before with his custom blues guitar. She skips school to hang out alone, sneak into university classes, and stop into pawn shops to look at guitars. A couple weeks of drinking, drugs, and sex. Seems very pro drinking which is in contrast to the first half of book devoted to describing how mom is drunk & messed up every day. Ending seems rushed, but story has clear concise wrap up with everything worked out nice & tidy.
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.Jolene, a 16 year old in Winnipeg, struggles to cope with life after her brother leaves on an anywhere but here kind of trip. Her mother Maggie is no model mother and Jolene retreats into herself and uses music to cope with her loss.
Much of the book seemed to just be an angsty teen being angsty without actually moving the book along, but if you stay with it, it kind of works because of it.
Much of the book seemed to just be an angsty teen being angsty without actually moving the book along, but if you stay with it, it kind of works because of it.
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.I'm not really sure if this was the book for me, since it was just a hard read for me to get through. The writing is splendid, but the story is just... there. I didn't really feel like Jolene really got anywhere in terms of character development. I feel like her mom improved more, with the help of Louis (and apparent therapy), but it's funny because she practically hates her throughout the book (which, to be fair, I can see why) but that seems to be on the road to resolution when her mom helps her get something back that was meaningful to Jolene. Groves seemed to be the only promising thing in this book to me.
It took me a bit of time to get through this book, since I just constantly wanted to put it down, but at the same time hate adding DNF books to my list.
It took me a bit of time to get through this book, since I just constantly wanted to put it down, but at the same time hate adding DNF books to my list.
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.The book was an okay read. I loved the beginning but after awhile I just thought the book was dragging out. It really was a personal inner struggle and I can honestly say Jo was a real, raw in-depth look at the people that get left behind. I would see this book more as a young adult read.
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.Maggie's dream is to be a country music star. She even named her daughter, Jolene, after a song by country singer, Dolly Parton. Maggie, who really has no talent, is doomed to life as a tanning salon manager. Jim, Jolene's father, was once a bass player who now works in destruction. His company motto is "We do not build things; we only tear them down." That motto pretty much sums up their lives. Jolene and her brother, Matt, are the real musicians in the family. Matt has left, never to return. And now Jolene talks to their dog, Howl, the only one who understands her.
I was unable to get into this book. It just didn't hold my attention. The characters seemed very superficial to me.
I was unable to get into this book. It just didn't hold my attention. The characters seemed very superficial to me.
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.Was excited for this one based on the premise. Did not enjoy it as much as I expected too. Had difficulties connecting with the characters. Still a lovely read overall
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
