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Charmed Thirds (平装)
by Megan Mccafferty
| Category:
Teens, High school life, Novel |
| Market price: ¥ 158.00
MSL price:
¥ 148.00
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| Stock:
Pre-order item, lead time 3-7 weeks upon payment [ COD term does not apply to pre-order items ] |
MSL rating:
 Good for Gifts |
| MSL Pointer Review:
Jessica is older now; all details just right about of college life, city life and hometown life. |
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AllReviews |
1 2   | Total 2 pages 11 items |
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A reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-13 00:00>
The most important aspect of this novel, and one that you have to be aware of to read this book, is that the Jessica Darling of Charmed Thirds is a different Jessica. It's astonishing how much college can change a person, but that is exactly what has happened here. The Jessica Darling of Pineville, class of 2002, was the cocky, attitude-y,if awkward feeling, salutatorian of her class. And she deliberately chose to attend an Ivy League college in the heart of New York City. Change is inevitable. Thus, in this novel, that confident Jessica is knocked off her "suburbumpkin" high horse onto the streets of Manhattan.
Of course, new Jessica disappointed me at times. Her dissatisfaction with her urban life at Columbia was particularly disheartening. Her friendships and time spent there seemed like such a waste for someone who was so eager to go there at the beginning. However, these are not necessarily faults of the novel. They reflect, far more realistically than the first two books, that not everything goes right. As perpetually pissed off as Jessica was in the first two books, she was in her comfort zone. Now that she's forced herself out of it, her inability to accept her surroundings makes her seem far more human than perfect teenaged cynic. Her formerly breezy cynicism transitions into a far more earnest despair, as it reflects her burgeoning transition from adolescent to adult. Although her lengthy introspection becomes wearisome, it contributes significantly to the greater picture that the novel paints.
However, one problem I did have with the book was that Columbia really failed to come alive for me. I assume this is because the Jessica's narration only spans her summer and winter vacations. While it is understandable how this makes the book more realistic, it also detaches the reader from the reality of the setting. Despite the undeniable reality of Jessica's newfound doubts within herself, the fact that we only see her for a few months throughout her four years at Columbia severely detracts from the book. Four years are crammed into 300+ pages, and in the end, it doesn't feel thorough at all.
Nevertheless, this is a fitting continuation of Jessica Darling's saga. Needless to say, Marcus Flutie is as touching and exasperating a presence as ever, and Jessica's relationship with him is as absorbing as ever. This books leaves the door wide open for a fourth, and I'm still looking eagerly forward to reading that one.
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A reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-13 00:00>
While I was nearly dissuaded by some negative reviews claiming Charmed Thirds paled in comparison to Mccafferty's previous two novels, Sloppy Firsts and Second Helpings, I bought it anyway. Moral of my experience: don't buy into negative hype. Charmed Thirds was every bit as good, real and addictive as Mccafferty's earlier masterpieces. Some readers may have been put off by Jessica's coming of age college experiences. However, I had the opposite reaction - I think the evolution of her character for better and worse just strengthened by admiration for Mccafferty as a writer. Had Jessica remained the same as she was in high school, the story would have become stagnate and fairy tale like. We cannot impose idealistic qualities on Jessica and neither should Mccafferty. Let's not pick up Mccafferty's fourth Jessica Darling story expecting to read exactly what we want to happen - let's let Jessica tell us what's going to happen.
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Rachel Cohn (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-13 00:00>
Applause and praise to Megan McCafferty for delivering another excellent Jessica Darling installment. Jessica's college years find her as smart, funny and observant as ever, but with a difference that's unique to "series" characters: she's allowed to grow up. Her uncertainty and insecurity, not knowing exactly what she wants, who she wants - it reads real and true for someone her age (teens and college-age readers will totally relate); still, at heart, Jessica remains the feisty, strong, intelligent heroine we've grown to love. She's the girl who's your alter-ego, your best friend. Cheers to Megan McCafferty for allowing Jessica to grow and evolve but still remain herself, and here's to Jessica continuing to surprise, delight and inspire readers into her (and their) adult years.
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Julie Taylor (MSL quote) , USA
<2007-02-13 00:00>
The minute I finished Second Helpings in Summer 2004, I jumped online to see just when I could continue this look into the life of Jess. I was simultaneously excited (that a third novel was in the works) and disappointed (that the novel was not scheduled to print until Summer 2007). In January, I read that it was scheduled for the April 2006 release, much to my happiness, and pre-ordered the novel and received it this past Friday. I decided to refresh my memory and ended up reading the entire series over this past weekend and finished this third portion of the series (Trilogy? I hope hope hope there's more!) a little less than ten minutes ago. I would advise rereading the first two installments...now, on to the actual review:
I'll be honest with you, Charmed Thirds was not exactly what I expected. I was more or less thrilled at the prospect of delving deep into the Marcus-Jessica relationship and the mushy-gushy nonsense that I so desperately long for in my own life. However, the novel is much more realistic in that the relationship isn't perfect and (gasp!) doesn't last the length of the book. It instead explores other relationships (or lack thereof) Jessica becomes involved in, many involving drunken sexual encounters. Someone mentioned earlier that this is a fault, but I can assure that, being a college student myself, I know that my peers are very much engaged in such activities on a week-endly (if not nightly) basis. It is sad but true, much like the uncensored version of Jessica's foul mouth, which whether you want to believe it or not.
The difference is the sharp-wit which is enhanced by a more mature (but not overly so) outlook than the previous journals. I laughed out loud so often that I had the urge (but resisted) to copy down several quotes throughout the book. It is overall,lighthearted, but holds a good message that most people need to hear: Live!
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Chelsie (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-13 00:00>
Let me just say I don't understand why people are writing all these awful reviews. I thought the book was excellent. Not as good as the first two, but it is so close to them there's hardly a difference. Unless, of course, you're afraid of Jessica changing and growing up. Then stay away from this book.
Personally, I loved it. I laughed so many times, and I am so happy with the ending and there is going to be a fourth book and me and all my friends will flock to the nearest bookstore. I guarantee you.
I'm so happy with Jessica... she grew up. Actually, it seemed like everyone grew up in some way. At least, all the important characters.
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Pye Anderson (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-13 00:00>
Megan McCafferty has done it again. It was a stroke of luck when I stumbled upon Sloppy Firsts. Since then I have kept a sharp lookout for McCafferty's other novels. Every time I read another book by her, my expectations are exceeded.
Some people may find Jessica Darling to be over the top and too analytical. But that's the beauty of her character. She is a modern day Holden Caufield, sifting through the phonies in her life. The beauty of Jessica's character is that as she searches for herself, she is able to see those around her more clearly. Although she can be overly critical of others, she eventually sees past the facades people create. And then she is bowled over by the depth people have whom she normally would dismiss for being superficial. Jessica's journey needed to be taken alone, which is why Marcus is out of the picture for half the novel.
McCafferty brilliantly writes about Jess's college experience without really writing about her college experience. All of the journal entries take place over her various winter and summer breaks. For some reason, this works very well. For Jessica is never as miserable and endearing as when she is in New Jersey.
This book, as well as the first two, will make you laugh out loud and cheer for a refreshingly honest heroine.
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Kim (MSL quote) , USA
<2007-02-13 00:00>
I am a 30-something commuter and I am always on the quest for novels that engage my attention and quickly pass the time on my morning and evening train rides. I read Charmed Thirds in 3 days flat...and I was sad when it was over! (There was one day where the conductor needed to remind me to leave the train when it hit Grand Central...I was too absorbed in the book.)
I also loved Megan McCafferty's first two books - I identified with the growing-up-in-the-suburbs coming of age story, and appreciated the very real and humorous storytelling. Life is not neat and I love books that reflect the periods of our lives that are messy and don't necessarily end with a pat and tidy ending. Jessica Darling is the perfect protagonist - sympathetic yet self-centered...(hm, that reminds me of my college-age self.) Her exploits between going home and college rang true and were laugh out loud funny.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a teenager or who still feels like a teenager at heart (like me).
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Kelly Sessions (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-13 00:00>
I have read Sloppy Firsts and Second Helpings numerous times each. I admired Megan's ability to capture the essence of high school life in so many ways: the awkwardness, the angst, the frustrations, the moments that make you laugh and cry (sometimes simultaneously). Jessica experienced so many things that I had also experienced, and even though our high school lives were not identical, I could appreciate and relate to Megan's portrayal of the high school years.
I finished Charmed Thirds shortly after purchasing it, read some online reviews, and was incredibly surprised that not everyone had loved this newest installment as much as I had. As a semi-recent college graduate (spring of 2004), I feel that Megan once again captured a season of life brilliantly. The awkwardness of running into "friends" from high school, the pressure of impending graduation and the realization that you may never use your major, the self-questioning that occurs when you find yourself in a new environment, the times when you step back and look at life and realize that you've changed and that you're not completely proud of whom you've become -- these are all elements of the college experience. Of course I couldn't relate to "everything" that Jess experienced in college, because we are not the same person, but I was still highly impressed with the way that Megan portrayed her character during these years. Life is about change and growth, but none of us grow without struggling, stumbling, and sometimes falling along the way. As squirmy as it made me sometimes to see (well, read) the way that Jess treated Marcus, or Bethany, those moments were real as well. They weren't moments in which we should have been disappointed in the protagonist (or the author); for these books to be as honest and real as the first two installments that everyone loved so much, screw-ups are necessary along the way. I'll admit that you may not be able to relate to this book as much as to the previous two if you haven't yet been to college, but I encourage you to read it with an open mind and enjoy seeing Jess (J) in a new stage of her life.
Thanks, Megan, for the laughter and tears that you brought to me with this newest book. I'm looking forward to the next one!
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Alyce Moon (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-13 00:00>
I just recently discovered Megan Mccafferty's work last year. I read, finished, and loved the first two installments of Jessica's journals. When I found out she was writing a third book and that it was releasing soon, I pre-ordered it almost instantly. In high school, Jess is very cynical, confused, anxious, and so many other things that most high schoolers are. Almost anyone of any age can relate to her feelings, I know I did - and I cried a lot. Her thoughts hit so close to home for me, and many others that I know, that I couldn't wait to read more of her story - almost as if it were my own life.
In high school, most of us don't know who we are or who we want to be. Jessica is no different, and throws many curveballs along the way. Her college experience is no different, and though I've heard many negative things about this installment I feel it's very realistic and true to everyday life. I keep reading opinions of supposed "fans" who are bashing the book because it didn't turn out how they wanted it to. It's not supposed to end how we want it to, it ends how Mccafferty feels it should end. Constantly leaving you on the edge of your seat with every witty comment and every sexual encounter lurking around the corner. Many changes take place in Jess's life, as is common for many college students. She's trying to make due with what she has, while trying to get over Marcus (even though the thought of him is dangling in the back of her mind), and trying to figure out who she wants to be. I feel that Mccafferty did a wonderful job at capturing the essence of an angsty college student with financial struggles and a topsy-turvy love life. I can't wait to read the fourth installment of this book, as well as any other books Megan may choose to write. I feel she has a great amount of potential and she captures teen life in a very believable and realistic way. Finally - teenage girls have a heroine to look up to and relate to without feeling alone in the world.
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A reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-02-13 00:00>
I'm going to have to agree with anyone else who gave the book five stars. Charmed Thirds was an awesome followup to Sloppy Firsts and Second Helpings, especially since it seemed more realistic. It shows that even smart, funny girls feel lost at times, especially during college with all the academic, relationship, and financial pressures. And although I wasn't always fond of Jessica for doing some things, it's understandable because people usually need to make a mess of things to figure out who they are. It almost seems like the book was about this entire transition phase, where Jessica has to experiment and experience to finally find some direction in her life. In fact, I like that she isn't always making the perfect moves and decisions, because the fact that she has to stumble along sometimes makes her more relatable.
I especially liked how the relationship between her and Marcus was handled (even though he wasn't in much of the novel unfortunately)- true, Jessica gets out of touch with the important people in her life, but they aren't ever permanently gone if they're important enough, which is what happens in life.
I think a lot of people are probably dissapointed because this Jessica Darling novel doesn't have a clear happy ending or plot- it's more of a journal this time, in that people are always changing their minds . Basically, in this one, Jess doesn't come to any real conclusions. It's more like a wake-up call; the bubble finally bursts. She's confused, and not as secure in her comfort zones as she had been in her high school years. My only problem is that in the Jessica doesn't really talk all that much about Columbia during the school year and her classes. It would make a better transition between the summer and winter break entries with the changing of each year. Still, I found this Jessica Darling novel to be witty and insightful, just like the two others before it.
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