Golden

Jessi Kirby’s third novel is certainly deserving of the massive amounts of praise it’s been getting. Golden is a strong novel with important messages and an engaging story. It’s enjoyable and breezy, and all in all is my absolute favorite kind of YA contemporary.

If I were to describe the skeleton of Golden’s plot, it would sound silly and overdone, very much like the Nicholas Sparks books that the protagonist is so much in love with. In some respects, I do think the story Kirby tells is far-fetched and straight out of Hollywood. This book is neither dark nor heavy, but though it lands on the “lighter” side of the Seriousness Scale, it’s not pure fluff. Because of the way the story was approached, it felt authentic even while the story was almost like a fairytale. I’m not sure if this is making sense, but suffice it to say, Jessi Kirby does a good job telling the story in a way that’s not off-putting.

Parker Frost, her best friend Kat, and longtime crush Trevor are all great characters. I appreciated how they were people instead of names that filled roles in the story. Trevor, especially, was a welcome presence in Golden. I loved how he was just a typical boy with faults and goals, rather than being a love interest who fits into a certain stereotype (awkward nerd, cocky bad boy, etc.). Parker’s internal struggles felt real to me, and I definitely saw bits of myself in her. Sometimes authors like to make their protagonist a stuffy academic type who’s ugly and shy and longs for a different life and achieves it with the help of some Hot Guy. Here, Parker was able to get what she wanted on her own terms, and not in a drastic or unbelievable way. She wasn’t “prudish overachiever girl” one day and then “strung-out slut” the next. In most aspects, Golden is very subtle in going about what it wants to do, which I really enjoyed.

One big piece of this novel is the presence of Robert Frost’s poetry. It’s a constant theme in the text, not only appearing in epigraphs but also as a tool to make Kirby’s messages more defined. Now, personally, I don’t care for Robert Frost, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t appreciate the way his words were woven into the story. I do think I would have preferred that element being left out, simply because I don’t care for literary allusions in my YA, but I do recognize that Golden could not be what it is without those poems and discussions. So there is that.

Other than the poetry, I wasn’t completely sold on the story, simple because it is sort of Nicholas Sparks-esque. I was happy that Kirby was able to recognize the fantastic qualities to her plot, but I still had a hard time imagining that most of what happened in this book would happen in real life. I still really enjoyed this book, but it’s not exactly my style.

In any case, Golden is a very good book. It was engaging from start to finish, I thought the story was well-done and that Kirby did an excellent job weaving the various threads. I would certainly be interested in picking up another book of hers, should I get a chance. And in the end, I’m very satisfied with this book.

I really enjoyed this one. It was much deeper than I expected, because of the title and the cover, I was expecting more of a beach read, but that is okay. I liked what I got.
Parker is a main character that I can relate to. She is smart, driven, and doesn't really step out of line much, and she has the best friend that urges her to let go a little more, but still supports her all the way. This could have been me for the most part in school, so it definitely brings back memories.
Watching her connect with Juliana was great, and I loved that mystery and even though I knew the ending to her story because it is one of the first things we learned, I didn't know how she got there, and if there might be more to it than it seems. And Parker goes on that emotional and revealing journey through the pages and discovers a lot about herself and her life through it. And even learns to let loose. She begins to questions what choices she made and what choices were made by her well-meaning but still controlling mom.
The chemistry and banter with Trevor was nice, and I was always anxious to see if it would develop into more as the story went on. I loved his flirtatious nature, and his patience. That there is more to him than a pretty face--he is counted on for getting them out of binds, and as support for a roadtrip that is the final catalyst to change so much for Parker.
The journey to Parker growing as a character was awesome to read about. Her friendship with Kat brought her out more and more, and she found herself in the pages of the journal, as well as her quest to find out more about Juliana, Shane and Orion. I went through the gambit of emotions with her, from joy, acceptance, guilt, heart fluttering at a romance in the pages, and then the splitting of the heart when other desires are made know, to crushing disappointment, loss and pain.
Ms. Kirby, the author writes gorgeously and at a sweet pace.
There were plenty of surprises and always something to keep me turning the pages. I loved the ending, how it all came together, and at first I thought there would be no possible way that would happen, but sure enough, I loved it. It matched the story and themes.

Bottom Line: Emotional journey of self-discovery.

Parker Frost is distantly related to the famous Robert Frost, and because of this, a lot has been expected from her. Her parents live a sad marriage after being forced to marry because of her birth. She hardly sees her dad, and her mom is strict (and slightly crazy) enough to try to control her life to make sure Parker doesn't make the same mistake she did. Because of this, Parker has never really taken any chances. Until one day, she discovers the journal of Julianna Farnetti, a long-lost teen caught in the perfect relationship and eventually the not-so-perfect storm, and it changes her world forever.

Jessi Kirby has always been a good author. From Moonglass, to In Honor, and now Golden, she has made an emotional wreck out of all of us. Golden is a story within a story about what it means to take a chance, and trust in fate. And at the beginning of each chapter she gives us a quote from Robert Frost that feels like advice to me. I hope one day I'll be able to write inspiring words like Frost, and to paint a picture of greatness like Kirby.

It is so hard to explain this book. Sometimes there are those adorable contemporary novels that tell a good story and provide a good distraction for a few hours. Golden is not like that at all. Kirby has told this incredible story, with such an authentic feel to it, about discovering dreams and thinking beyond what you're told.

Protagonist:
Usually, characterization is my favorite part of reading. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the characters in this book, but they were not what made the book for me. Parker was a great narrator. She finally realizes that her life is her life, not her mother's. She realizes that she always plays it safe. She makes a lot of realizations throughout the book, some pleasant, others not so much. She's likeable and easy to relate to. Though all of the characters in this novel showed a lot of growth and I was pleased with them all in the end, I ended up being really proud of Parker.

Friendship:
Kat and Parker are, on the surface, opposites. Parker is a hard worker, follows her mom's order, and doesn't take a lot of risks. Kat is always doing reckless things, she's loud, and certainly not approved by Parker's mom. They balance each other out. I think their friendship is very realistic. It definitely isn't perfect, because no teenage girl friendship is. They may fight. They might not be 100% honest with each other at all times. They may be suspicious of things they shouldn't. But in the end, they support each other and are there for each other and would never really betray one another.

Romance:
The romance between Parker and Trevor is not the center of the book. The triangle between Julianna, Shane, and Orion is technically the center of the book, but it's not about the romance, no really. Either way, I really like Trevor. At first he seems like the typical player, like, "Hey, let's go hook up in the art supply closet!" But then we realize that it is just a game. He obviously likes Parker, and he puts up with her more crazy moments. Just like Kat, he supports her and he understands her. I was really rooting for their relationship.

Plot:
To me, the plot is what makes this book. I love quirky adventures like the one in this story. It's more than just a plot. It makes the characters come more alive. Reading this book was refreshing because it was different than the typical contemporary. The original plot line is what allowed this book to truly stick in my head and what made it memorable. Also, the pacing was very natural and flowed well. Between the Robert Frost quotes and references, Julianna's journal, and the school skipping, I was never bored.

So Pretty Much...
If you're a fan of contemporary novels, this is not one to be missed. Kirby has gifted the world with an original, meaningful book perfect for the end of the school year and summer.

I really don't know if my words will be able to do this book justice but I will give it a try. Golden is a beautifully written story about taking chances and finding out what we want in life. The characters in this book are so easy to relate to. I think that many high school students will really be able to take some great lessons away from this novel.

Parker Frost is 17 years old and always does what is expected of her. Her mother is controlling and so hard on her. She puts insane amounts of pressure on her to succeed. But when Parker comes across the journal of a local girl who disappeared with her boyfriend 10 years ago all Parker wants to do is find out what really happened to her. She enlists her best friend Kat and her longtime crush Trevor to go with her on a road trip and follow the clues she has put together from reading Julianna's journal.

I wouldn't really call this book a mystery but it did have a bit of a mystery quality to it. I loved seeing Parker put together all clues and thoughts from Julianna. Parker is really someone who follows the rules and does what is expected of her. She does what her mothers wants and never seems to do anything for herself. She ends up so wrapped in the mystery of this journal and becomes so passionate about finding out what really happened. I loved seeing this side of her. Her mom irritated me I could not believe how much pressure was put on Parker. I wanted to cheer when Parker finally decided to do something she wanted even if it was a bit reluctantly.

This book was the perfect read for me as I am a huge fan of love stories. There were love stories galore. From Julianna and Shane's relationship to Parker's crush on Trevor to the mystery guy Julianna writes about in her journal. They were all such sweet relationships. Even though there are so many relationships in this book they were not the main focus and this was nice to see.

Golden is a book about finding out what you really want in life. In fact there is a quote that is used throughout this book that asks just that.

"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" - Mary Oliver
This is a book that shows us it is okay to take chances and go after what we really want. We don't always have to do what will make others happy. What we need to do is what will make ourselves happy. I highly suggest that you pick up Golden. It is full of mystery, romance and life lessons.