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Donorboy
Rosalind had two mommies. Now, thanks to a tragic accident involving foodstuffs, she has none. And Sean, the sperm donor responsible for half her DNA (and nothing else), is taking custody. Rosalind finds herself adjusting to a new life that seems both hateful and surreal–she’s an orphan with a new father, surrounded by friends she is beginning to despise and well-meaning adults who succeed only in annoying her.
Sean made a donation fifteen years ago, and his life since has not gone according to plan. Thirty-five, single, and still grieving the loss of his own mother twenty-seven years ago, he decides to take on the overwhelming task of caring for an unhappy teenager he doesn’t know.
Told entirely through e-mail, instant messaging, journal entries, and other random communications, Donorboy is the comic, compellingly readable novel of how these two people learn to converse, cook, write heavy-metal songs, and nail windows shut on their way to becoming a family. Brendan Halpin has written a universal story of how we laugh, cry, and occasionally punch our way to a new life in the face of tragedy.
Sean made a donation fifteen years ago, and his life since has not gone according to plan. Thirty-five, single, and still grieving the loss of his own mother twenty-seven years ago, he decides to take on the overwhelming task of caring for an unhappy teenager he doesn’t know.
Told entirely through e-mail, instant messaging, journal entries, and other random communications, Donorboy is the comic, compellingly readable novel of how these two people learn to converse, cook, write heavy-metal songs, and nail windows shut on their way to becoming a family. Brendan Halpin has written a universal story of how we laugh, cry, and occasionally punch our way to a new life in the face of tragedy.
224 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2004
About the author
Brendan Halpin
21 books172 followersI grew up in Cincinnati, went to college in Philadelphia, and also lived in Taipei and Edinburgh along the way. I've lived in Boston since 1991.
I became a professional writer in 2000, writing about my late wife Kirsten's breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. Kirsten died in 2003, leaving me and our daughter Rowen. I married Suzanne in 2005 and got her kids Casey and Kylie in the deal too. Bargain! Suzanne and I live with our three kids and dog in the shadow of Franklin Park in Jamaica Plain, best neighborhood on earth.
I became a professional writer in 2000, writing about my late wife Kirsten's breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. Kirsten died in 2003, leaving me and our daughter Rowen. I married Suzanne in 2005 and got her kids Casey and Kylie in the deal too. Bargain! Suzanne and I live with our three kids and dog in the shadow of Franklin Park in Jamaica Plain, best neighborhood on earth.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
March 17, 2011
The set-up is tantalizing: 14 year old Rosalind's lesbian moms die in a freak accident. The moms have left no will so trainwreck Ros is taken in by her birth father/sperm donor/total stranger Sean. Sean's life is in a rut and he admits (eventually) that he has bitten off more than he can chew. But he can't bring himself to give Ros over to her moms' overwrought best friend Karen, who is not happy AT ALL.
How to tackle the swirling, unpredictable mess that is the grief of a teenage orphan AND the anxiety of a single thirty-something lawyer thrust into parenting? How to wrassle the rage, remorse, mistakes, missteps, revelations of personal weakness and the scary side of opening one's self up to love and loss?
Halpin deftly spins the narrative in Ros's grief journal (heartbreaking but also frequently funny) Sean's (often hilarious) email exchanges with his best friend, and various notes, IM's, and transcripts of conversations. The voices of all these disparate characters ring loud and clear, especially Ros, who is a punky, smart antihero for the ages. The multiple threads provide an unusual Roshomon-like revealing of details that allow the reader to learn about characters not only through what they say and do, but how they interpret events. The lack of descriptive detail that an all-knowing third-person narrator might give is not missed. In fact, the rhythm of the story as told through modern epistles is unique. It sometimes feels like found art.
And what a story. Nothing is shied away from: drugs, sex, guilt, selfishness and the awkward little victories that are the crucibles that shape us as kids and adults. Anyone of any age who has been through intense grief knows what a strange animal it is, how it can evoke the most destructive willfulness, the deepest despair. One of the many great things about Donorboy is the role friends play in shepherding the main characters through the darkness. It's truly touching.
Donorboy is marketed as a Young Adult novel, and it is, but it's also an ageless gem of storytelling for anyone with a pulse.
How to tackle the swirling, unpredictable mess that is the grief of a teenage orphan AND the anxiety of a single thirty-something lawyer thrust into parenting? How to wrassle the rage, remorse, mistakes, missteps, revelations of personal weakness and the scary side of opening one's self up to love and loss?
Halpin deftly spins the narrative in Ros's grief journal (heartbreaking but also frequently funny) Sean's (often hilarious) email exchanges with his best friend, and various notes, IM's, and transcripts of conversations. The voices of all these disparate characters ring loud and clear, especially Ros, who is a punky, smart antihero for the ages. The multiple threads provide an unusual Roshomon-like revealing of details that allow the reader to learn about characters not only through what they say and do, but how they interpret events. The lack of descriptive detail that an all-knowing third-person narrator might give is not missed. In fact, the rhythm of the story as told through modern epistles is unique. It sometimes feels like found art.
And what a story. Nothing is shied away from: drugs, sex, guilt, selfishness and the awkward little victories that are the crucibles that shape us as kids and adults. Anyone of any age who has been through intense grief knows what a strange animal it is, how it can evoke the most destructive willfulness, the deepest despair. One of the many great things about Donorboy is the role friends play in shepherding the main characters through the darkness. It's truly touching.
Donorboy is marketed as a Young Adult novel, and it is, but it's also an ageless gem of storytelling for anyone with a pulse.
February 26, 2015
When I first read the summary of this book I was a bit hesitant to read it because it dealt with grief, and having recently lost my own mom I didn't think I could handle it. But I chose to take the dive hoping that I'd learn something to help me on my own journey.
I'm sorry to report that while reading this novel I didn't have any cathartic aha! moments. What I did feel was a sort of affinity or connectedness with Sean and Rosalind who both lost their mothers.
The story is primarily about Rosalind a 14 year old girl,who struggles to accept a new life with her "donor" father after both her mothers died in a tragic car accident. Halpin does a clever job of weaving in the life stories of several characters including "donorboy"- Sean, Rosalinda's dad, which shows that everybody is dealing with something. Halplin touches on number of issues, which reminded me of Cherry Valance's admission to Ponyboy in the Outsiders when she says, "things are rough all over". This story made me more aware of teens or children who are also dealing with the loss of their parents, and that their are a lot of people who "fail grieving".
Rosalind is a smart and spunky girl whose story is told through a series of corresponding emails, text messages, recorded conversation transcripts, etc. I wonder why Halpin chose these frames to tell this story? For me the stories were more important than the mode of communication, at times I didn't even realize that I was reading an email or an electronic journal. I guess that's good thing. I guess for once technology is doing what it's suppose to do---tell the stories rather than interfering or taking over.
I liked this book because it is a heartfelt story that explores the universal themes of family, grief, loss, death, life and love.
December 28, 2022
An amazing story about a young teen who's lost both her moms and deals with her sorrow and emotions for the length of the book. It's told in journal entries, emails, letters, and IMs, and I love that formatting.
Poor Ros. It's a difficult situation, but she has people in her life who care for her, and she comes to realize that. This is definitely worth the read.
Poor Ros. It's a difficult situation, but she has people in her life who care for her, and she comes to realize that. This is definitely worth the read.
July 17, 2012
Okay, so I had some weird looks from my roommates when they read the back of this book. But you know what? WHO CARES! Donorboy is about a 14 year girl who has both her LESBIAN (shocking! I know...) mothers killed in a car accident. She goes to live with her sperm donor father. The ensuing story is hilarious but also very touching. What I enjoyed while reading this was the format the story was told in. The entire book is told through corresponding emails / text messages / recorded conversation transcripts / etc. I could relate to both Rosalind and her newly found father Sean. Both have no idea what they are doing and its hilarious! They play phrase bingo while in the principals office because Rosalind broke some kids nose. Also something that made me laugh is how Rosalind always talks about how horrible and stupid the invention of the Turducken is. At first I was slightly confused and interested in why she hated turducken so much, only to find out it was a meat truck carrying turduckens that crushed her mothers. Not really funny in the traditional sense, but when reading about it from Rosalinds perspective in her grief journal (which she non-affectionately nicknames Fluffy) it is pretty entertaining. I loved this book, and would love to recommend it to others.
Language: A lot! Most of the book comes from journal entry's written by a grief stricken girl who just lost both her parents.
Sex: No actual sex, but there is a lot of talk about sexuality.
Violence: Ros punches a kid in the face, breaks his nose, blood goes everywhere. Thats about it.
Language: A lot! Most of the book comes from journal entry's written by a grief stricken girl who just lost both her parents.
Sex: No actual sex, but there is a lot of talk about sexuality.
Violence: Ros punches a kid in the face, breaks his nose, blood goes everywhere. Thats about it.
August 28, 2016
This book is written as a series of diary entries and emails, sent between various people, but mostly a teenage girl and her genetic donor father. Her real parents were a lesbian couple, both of whom were killed in a tragic automobile accident before the story begins. The couple registered the donor father—whom they knew well—as the godfather / parent and the man takes his responsibility very seriously.
The girl is trying to recover from the incredible loss she feels while also dealing with the fact that she has been adopted by her biological father, who she's never met before. Her quasi-derogatory term for him is "Donor Boy", and she seems to do her best to make things difficult for him—in reality, she's just trying to del with grief and figure out who she is.
I liked this book, don't let the star rating fool you. I'd rate it higher, but I tend to be a hard grader, so 3 stars is pretty good—as good as a book will get without becoming a multi-re-read book. 5 stars is reserved for works I think should become classics.
The girl is trying to recover from the incredible loss she feels while also dealing with the fact that she has been adopted by her biological father, who she's never met before. Her quasi-derogatory term for him is "Donor Boy", and she seems to do her best to make things difficult for him—in reality, she's just trying to del with grief and figure out who she is.
I liked this book, don't let the star rating fool you. I'd rate it higher, but I tend to be a hard grader, so 3 stars is pretty good—as good as a book will get without becoming a multi-re-read book. 5 stars is reserved for works I think should become classics.
January 4, 2019
The book “Donor Boy” gives a very good story about this girls life after her mothers die. The book explains her difficult school situations such as failing almost all her classes and getting into fights. She also has a hard time getting along with her real father in the beginning of the story. I imagine this is what some people might go through when they lose a parent or both parents. Overall I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to read a heart filled story.
January 24, 2014
This book was recommended by someone who has yet to steer me wrong...Thanks again Jules! Content aside, the style makes it an ultimate commuter book. It can be consumed in 5 minute increments or for hours at a time. I have read a few of Brendan's works so far, but this is far and away my favorite. The characters are wonderful, the message beautiful... Read it... Read it today.
July 27, 2013
12 December 2004 DONORBOY by Brendan Halpin, Random House/Villard, August 2004, paperback, ISBN: 1-4000-6277-2
"They open and close you
Then they talk like they know you
They don't know you
They're friends and they're foes too
Trouble child
Breaking like the waves at Malibu."
--Joni Mitchell, "Trouble Child"
The teenage daughter:
"Okay, so here we go with my grief journal.
"Jesus, that's mad corny. 'My grief journal.'--What are you doing Ros? Oh, I'm just writing in my grief journal. Okay, grief journal, grief journal, mad corny, mad libs, mad stupid, mad at the world (are you paying attention, Denise? Make sure to ask, why do you think you wrote mad at the world there?) I don't know, genius, maybe because my parents are dead and my dad is some dork and not Kurt Cobain or Bono or even that Everybody Loves Raymond dork or anything else I used to imagine, he's just a regular nonfamous dork like any dad, and I have absolutely no idea on earth why he would want me to live with him. I want to live with Aunt Karen, I want to die like Mom. And Mommy.
"No, Denise, not really. I mean, I don't particularly feel like living now, because it seems really pointless, but I don't really feel like doing anything as big a deal as killing myself, and probably you don't want to hear this, Denise, but I don't really want to die a virgin, even though there's nobody I really...sorry, IM from Sasha, probably I should do this in a real journal instead of on the computer and it did cross my mind to say, 'I have to go write in my grief jrnl :-[' but I was too embarrassed, it's too--see now when they ask what's hard about having two moms, probably the hardest thing is that when something is really really gay, like a grief journal, you can't say it's really gay, because that's like dissing my mom, who's dead..."
The sperm donor (who is suddenly the practicing father of the teenage daughter):
"MINIDISC #72: RECORDED 11/13/04
...It is now one a.m. I don't know where my child is. I am vacillating between anger and terror, and right now anger seems to have the upper hand. Why is she doing this to me? I mean, I certainly try, I bought all the [vegetarian] burritos, I stuck up for her in [school disciplinary] meetings, and I feel like I get this kind of a kick in the teeth in response. "Shit! "(thumping sounds) "That series of thumps, by the way, was the sound of me punching the couch. It was quite unsatisfying and made me feel silly. "I am going to die if anything happens to her. I will kill myself if Karen and possibly Ros' grandmother and Uncle Mike don't do it for me. I suspect she is probably fine, probably at some party again, and I'd really like to go out and drive around walking distance from Sasha's house looking for parties, but then if she came here, she...but of course it is Sasha's house they are going to be sneaking [back] into. "Can I really go haul her out of a party? Didn't someone's father do that in Weird Science? or Sixteen Candles? Some John Hughes movie, anyway. I suppose that would make her a social pariah, with the popular kids pointing and laughing and eventually electing her prom queen and dumping pig blood on her. "Then again, I do recall about eight years ago that a girl died of alcohol poisoning while the other partygoers stepped over her at a party like this.
"Then again, most kids who go to parties don't end up dead, they just end up drunk.
"All right, I can't just sit here waiting for the phone to ring. I am getting into the car."
Sean Cassidy (No, not Shaun Cassidy.) was asked to make a donation fifteen years ago and now he has made the life-altering decision to assume the parenting of the 14-year-old daughter who has never before met him.
Brendan Halpin had all the opportunities in the world to play this scenario for cheap, silly laughs like, for example in Three Men and a Baby. Instead, the author chose the much more difficult path of creating a smart funny touching story about both the girl who is dealing with the tragic loss of the lesbian parents who have raised her while also dealing with typical adolescent concerns involving school, drugs, friendships and her own sexuality, and the thirty-something public-interest attorney who believes his successful life and career is missing something he hopes will be found in taking advantage of what fate has dropped in his lap.
"Has the dawn ever seen your eyes?
Have the days made you so unwise?
Realize and you are.
Had you talked to the winds of time,
Then you'd know how the water rhyme,
Taste of wine,
How can you know where you've been?
In time you'll see the sign
And realize your sin.
Will you know how the seed is sown?
All your time has been overgrown,
Never known.
Have you walked on the stones of years?
When you speak, is it you that hears?
Are your ears full?
You can't hear anything at all."
--Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, "The Stones of Years"
Yes, Tarkus--for which I had to Google the lyrics and which no, I haven't heard since high school--is the butt of a running joke in DONORBOY. The book is loaded with all sorts of sarcastic allusions to relics and revered symbols of American mass-culture.
(The one that plays an important role and was totally new to me in my sheltered California vegetarian world is turducken [tur.DUK.un] which I suppose the rest of you already know consists of a boneless turkey that is stuffed with a boneless duck that is stuffed with a boneless chicken.)
The story is told entirely through various forms of contemporary communication: emails, text messages, IMs, journal entries, and a few old-fashioned letters. Published as an adult title, it is as much Sean's story, journey, and growth as it is Rosalind's.
When things aren't going well for the pair their loneliness is palpable. But in those sparkling moments when the pair unwittingly act in tandem--when you can see where this bright-but-rebellious kid got half her genes--you find yourself cheering loudly for the unlikely relationship to succeed.
A story that probes the act of grieving and the acts of parenting and being parented, DONORBOY is a delight to read.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_... http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
"They open and close you
Then they talk like they know you
They don't know you
They're friends and they're foes too
Trouble child
Breaking like the waves at Malibu."
--Joni Mitchell, "Trouble Child"
The teenage daughter:
"Okay, so here we go with my grief journal.
"Jesus, that's mad corny. 'My grief journal.'--What are you doing Ros? Oh, I'm just writing in my grief journal. Okay, grief journal, grief journal, mad corny, mad libs, mad stupid, mad at the world (are you paying attention, Denise? Make sure to ask, why do you think you wrote mad at the world there?) I don't know, genius, maybe because my parents are dead and my dad is some dork and not Kurt Cobain or Bono or even that Everybody Loves Raymond dork or anything else I used to imagine, he's just a regular nonfamous dork like any dad, and I have absolutely no idea on earth why he would want me to live with him. I want to live with Aunt Karen, I want to die like Mom. And Mommy.
"No, Denise, not really. I mean, I don't particularly feel like living now, because it seems really pointless, but I don't really feel like doing anything as big a deal as killing myself, and probably you don't want to hear this, Denise, but I don't really want to die a virgin, even though there's nobody I really...sorry, IM from Sasha, probably I should do this in a real journal instead of on the computer and it did cross my mind to say, 'I have to go write in my grief jrnl :-[' but I was too embarrassed, it's too--see now when they ask what's hard about having two moms, probably the hardest thing is that when something is really really gay, like a grief journal, you can't say it's really gay, because that's like dissing my mom, who's dead..."
The sperm donor (who is suddenly the practicing father of the teenage daughter):
"MINIDISC #72: RECORDED 11/13/04
...It is now one a.m. I don't know where my child is. I am vacillating between anger and terror, and right now anger seems to have the upper hand. Why is she doing this to me? I mean, I certainly try, I bought all the [vegetarian] burritos, I stuck up for her in [school disciplinary] meetings, and I feel like I get this kind of a kick in the teeth in response. "Shit! "(thumping sounds) "That series of thumps, by the way, was the sound of me punching the couch. It was quite unsatisfying and made me feel silly. "I am going to die if anything happens to her. I will kill myself if Karen and possibly Ros' grandmother and Uncle Mike don't do it for me. I suspect she is probably fine, probably at some party again, and I'd really like to go out and drive around walking distance from Sasha's house looking for parties, but then if she came here, she...but of course it is Sasha's house they are going to be sneaking [back] into. "Can I really go haul her out of a party? Didn't someone's father do that in Weird Science? or Sixteen Candles? Some John Hughes movie, anyway. I suppose that would make her a social pariah, with the popular kids pointing and laughing and eventually electing her prom queen and dumping pig blood on her. "Then again, I do recall about eight years ago that a girl died of alcohol poisoning while the other partygoers stepped over her at a party like this.
"Then again, most kids who go to parties don't end up dead, they just end up drunk.
"All right, I can't just sit here waiting for the phone to ring. I am getting into the car."
Sean Cassidy (No, not Shaun Cassidy.) was asked to make a donation fifteen years ago and now he has made the life-altering decision to assume the parenting of the 14-year-old daughter who has never before met him.
Brendan Halpin had all the opportunities in the world to play this scenario for cheap, silly laughs like, for example in Three Men and a Baby. Instead, the author chose the much more difficult path of creating a smart funny touching story about both the girl who is dealing with the tragic loss of the lesbian parents who have raised her while also dealing with typical adolescent concerns involving school, drugs, friendships and her own sexuality, and the thirty-something public-interest attorney who believes his successful life and career is missing something he hopes will be found in taking advantage of what fate has dropped in his lap.
"Has the dawn ever seen your eyes?
Have the days made you so unwise?
Realize and you are.
Had you talked to the winds of time,
Then you'd know how the water rhyme,
Taste of wine,
How can you know where you've been?
In time you'll see the sign
And realize your sin.
Will you know how the seed is sown?
All your time has been overgrown,
Never known.
Have you walked on the stones of years?
When you speak, is it you that hears?
Are your ears full?
You can't hear anything at all."
--Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, "The Stones of Years"
Yes, Tarkus--for which I had to Google the lyrics and which no, I haven't heard since high school--is the butt of a running joke in DONORBOY. The book is loaded with all sorts of sarcastic allusions to relics and revered symbols of American mass-culture.
(The one that plays an important role and was totally new to me in my sheltered California vegetarian world is turducken [tur.DUK.un] which I suppose the rest of you already know consists of a boneless turkey that is stuffed with a boneless duck that is stuffed with a boneless chicken.)
The story is told entirely through various forms of contemporary communication: emails, text messages, IMs, journal entries, and a few old-fashioned letters. Published as an adult title, it is as much Sean's story, journey, and growth as it is Rosalind's.
When things aren't going well for the pair their loneliness is palpable. But in those sparkling moments when the pair unwittingly act in tandem--when you can see where this bright-but-rebellious kid got half her genes--you find yourself cheering loudly for the unlikely relationship to succeed.
A story that probes the act of grieving and the acts of parenting and being parented, DONORBOY is a delight to read.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_... http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
June 13, 2007
This book was actually really good. I've wanted to read this book since I saw a review of it in People and thought it sounded really interesting, despite it appearing to be just another book in that slew of pop-fiction. I finally bought it at the beginning of January, but because of school I've had to put off reading it. Finally, thanks to summer, I got to read it. And it didn't fail to please.
I haven't ever really read a book like this before, both in plot and style. I know we've all read a book at some point that's in the form of a diary or something, but most of the "diary novels" I've read tend to not act like a diary. Like there's full on dialogue or what not, especially vivid descriptions of everything... as far as I know, people don't really write diaries/journals like that. Well, except for one person I know... but he's the one exception and I love him (hi, Richie!). So I was very please to read Rosalind's grief journal entries and find them written like a fourteen-year-old girl would write a grief journal.
A lot of times I was struck by how absolutely true Rosalind's emotions were. I remember feeling some of those exact same emotions only a few years ago. The anger, the confusion, the sadness... I definitely tell all teenagers to read this novel because there's going to be at least one thing they can relate to Rosalind with. Be it losing a parent (or two) or hating a parent.
And despite all that Rosalind says, you find yourself really drawn to Sean, he's really endearing and sweet, and I think parent's will probably be able to connect with him. He's a suddenly new parent... with a teenager... and you get to see (read?) him expressing his concerns and crying for help. Probably something most parents of teenagers (or simply most parents) can easily relate to. He struggles to be a disciplinarian, but also tries to create bonds with Rosalind, two things that are very hard to try and do at the same time.
The style of the book was also really awesome, in the way that a clear story is told through various emails, journal entries, IMs, recorded conversations, teacher reports, so many different forms of communications that really get this wonderful story across.
So, while I'm not sure how much parents will be able to relate to Sean (though I'm pretty sure they could) I know teens, and those who have been teens, will be able to relate to Rosalind in a lot of different ways. This book was really unique, and it will be a great summer read for you as it was for me.
I haven't ever really read a book like this before, both in plot and style. I know we've all read a book at some point that's in the form of a diary or something, but most of the "diary novels" I've read tend to not act like a diary. Like there's full on dialogue or what not, especially vivid descriptions of everything... as far as I know, people don't really write diaries/journals like that. Well, except for one person I know... but he's the one exception and I love him (hi, Richie!). So I was very please to read Rosalind's grief journal entries and find them written like a fourteen-year-old girl would write a grief journal.
A lot of times I was struck by how absolutely true Rosalind's emotions were. I remember feeling some of those exact same emotions only a few years ago. The anger, the confusion, the sadness... I definitely tell all teenagers to read this novel because there's going to be at least one thing they can relate to Rosalind with. Be it losing a parent (or two) or hating a parent.
And despite all that Rosalind says, you find yourself really drawn to Sean, he's really endearing and sweet, and I think parent's will probably be able to connect with him. He's a suddenly new parent... with a teenager... and you get to see (read?) him expressing his concerns and crying for help. Probably something most parents of teenagers (or simply most parents) can easily relate to. He struggles to be a disciplinarian, but also tries to create bonds with Rosalind, two things that are very hard to try and do at the same time.
The style of the book was also really awesome, in the way that a clear story is told through various emails, journal entries, IMs, recorded conversations, teacher reports, so many different forms of communications that really get this wonderful story across.
So, while I'm not sure how much parents will be able to relate to Sean (though I'm pretty sure they could) I know teens, and those who have been teens, will be able to relate to Rosalind in a lot of different ways. This book was really unique, and it will be a great summer read for you as it was for me.
March 4, 2015
Donorboy takes on the fairly common young adult topic matter regarding reorganized family structure in a unique way. One can't help but root for Sean as he takes on this surprise parenthood. Not only is he suddenly responsible for a teenage girl (which I am sure to find out the challenges of myself one day), but he takes on the monumental task of caring for this Rosalind immediately after the tragic and unexpected loss of both of her parents. This becomes a tale of trepidation on multiple levels, with both new parent and child trying to find themselves in the midst of this mess. Halpin established the story with relative ease, and I was expecting to be further into the book before we moved past the basics. I would have to note that the manner of the mothers' death was offputting and took away from the somber tone that sometimes became necessary for the reader to become fully engulfed in the experience.
Character development is a vital draw in this text. The diary and electronic formats are done in an extremely fluid and efficient manner. I did not want for a narrator as I did during TTYL. It's as if we use one character to learn about the other. David becomes a key player in Sean's life and communications from Sean to him allows the reader to get an uncensored window into his thoughts on each new situation. I expected Sean's father to play more largely into things, but David remained the source of guidance.
While the key events were definitely enough to keep the story going, Halpin ensures that teenage exploratory behavior touches the surface from time to time. Rosalind does experiment with smoking, drinking, and the party scene. Also, her struggles in school assist in the transition of her feelings towards Sean. He uses his legal prowess to not only defend his new daughter, but to dissolve some of the potential malaise and uncertainty between them. One final item of note is the undercurrrent of sexual questioning that Rosalind ponders. This is a not overdone, but adds to some of the more enigmatic features that Rosalind develops.
Character development is a vital draw in this text. The diary and electronic formats are done in an extremely fluid and efficient manner. I did not want for a narrator as I did during TTYL. It's as if we use one character to learn about the other. David becomes a key player in Sean's life and communications from Sean to him allows the reader to get an uncensored window into his thoughts on each new situation. I expected Sean's father to play more largely into things, but David remained the source of guidance.
While the key events were definitely enough to keep the story going, Halpin ensures that teenage exploratory behavior touches the surface from time to time. Rosalind does experiment with smoking, drinking, and the party scene. Also, her struggles in school assist in the transition of her feelings towards Sean. He uses his legal prowess to not only defend his new daughter, but to dissolve some of the potential malaise and uncertainty between them. One final item of note is the undercurrrent of sexual questioning that Rosalind ponders. This is a not overdone, but adds to some of the more enigmatic features that Rosalind develops.
January 26, 2016
quick, engaging and really quite lovely. i hate plot descriptions, so i will avoid one here, especially as it would make the book sound like the sort after-school special, issue-oriented reading that makes me want to either roll my eyes or hurl said book across a room. and that is so very misleading. everyone seems to think that epistolary/i.m./journal/text-based books are easy, but many, many of them are crap. this one isn't, and it actually made me sort of miss the world of long-winded emails, which i used to love so much and seems all but lost in this twitter, text message world. which isn't to say i don't write email, just that it seems so utilitarian these days and mine never break, say, 3k, where i used to stay up all night writing like 40k missives.
but that's all about me and not really the book. except, i think that one of the things that good books do is let you find yourself in the story, one way or the other. and here it was quite easy, because both rosalind and sean are real characters, whom you get a true sense of and whom its easy to find yourself. if you are me,at least. and finally, halpin gets bonus points (not that he needs them)
for naming all the non-essential adult characters after my (and assumedly his) favorite indie rockers.
but that's all about me and not really the book. except, i think that one of the things that good books do is let you find yourself in the story, one way or the other. and here it was quite easy, because both rosalind and sean are real characters, whom you get a true sense of and whom its easy to find yourself. if you are me,at least. and finally, halpin gets bonus points (not that he needs them)
for naming all the non-essential adult characters after my (and assumedly his) favorite indie rockers.
March 4, 2015
When a commercial writer ventures to produce a work, he/she must consider both the audience and the writer. Halpin offers a tried-and-true entertainment formula found in everything from classic literature to soap operas in order to intrigue the audience and keep them reading. The novelty of the novel comes from the presentation (e-mails, texts, etc.), a choice perhaps made to challenge the accomplished author with self-imposed limitations.
Therefore, Donorboy offers a dramatic story in a way that some will find innovative and others will find gimmicky.
The debate brings to mind the sub-genre of horror movies known as “found footage.” Fans find the technique immersive and the product closer to reality than your average film fare. Critics cry foul for the production budget cuts taken by this genre and for the logical leaps that require the audience to accept the preponderance of pivotal story moments that just so happen to be caught on film from the best possible angle.
It is undeniable that the methods used to create the work influence the opinions of the final product.
Donorboy works best for those readers interested in reading about a unique family with a singular dilemma but who are not distracted by the ways in which the text is communicated.
Therefore, Donorboy offers a dramatic story in a way that some will find innovative and others will find gimmicky.
The debate brings to mind the sub-genre of horror movies known as “found footage.” Fans find the technique immersive and the product closer to reality than your average film fare. Critics cry foul for the production budget cuts taken by this genre and for the logical leaps that require the audience to accept the preponderance of pivotal story moments that just so happen to be caught on film from the best possible angle.
It is undeniable that the methods used to create the work influence the opinions of the final product.
Donorboy works best for those readers interested in reading about a unique family with a singular dilemma but who are not distracted by the ways in which the text is communicated.
January 18, 2012
I thought this was going to be something stupid about organ donors, but I checked it out anyway because I loved Notes from the Blender (another YA book that Halpin co-authored). The title actually refers to a biological father - the sperm donor for a couple of lesbian mothers - who gets custody of the 14 y.o. main character when her moms are killed in a car accident.
I loved the characters and different points of view in Notes from the Blender, and the voices in this story - told through journal entries, e-mails, IM's, and the like - are equally wonderful.
Sex is mentioned (mostly in the context of ew, icky to think about parents doing it), there is a lot of smoking and some drinking and some fuck it all language. There's nothing here that your average hs freshman hasn't been exposed to already.
The parts about extreme feminism, hs cliques, and hs administration and disciplinary hearings are hilarious and spot on target. Highly recommended for your older middle school kids & up - and for both boys & girls.
I loved the characters and different points of view in Notes from the Blender, and the voices in this story - told through journal entries, e-mails, IM's, and the like - are equally wonderful.
Sex is mentioned (mostly in the context of ew, icky to think about parents doing it), there is a lot of smoking and some drinking and some fuck it all language. There's nothing here that your average hs freshman hasn't been exposed to already.
The parts about extreme feminism, hs cliques, and hs administration and disciplinary hearings are hilarious and spot on target. Highly recommended for your older middle school kids & up - and for both boys & girls.
September 21, 2009
When both her mothers die (it was a gay relationship) Sean (the sperm donor) gains custody of Rosalind. As if being a teen isn't hard enough, try losing both your parents and going to live with a complete stranger. Likewise, Sean doesn't have it any easier. He's still greiving over the loss of his own mother and has absolutely no parenting skills. Told entirely through e-mail, instant messaging, journal entries, and other random communications, Donorboy is a heart-felt story that explores the meaning of family. One might think that this would read like a made-for-TV movie but there's some meat here and the answers don't come easy.
January 12, 2013
Donorboy
By Brendan Halpin
209 Pages
Donorboy is a story about a girl named Rosalind who tragically looses her moms as she’s entering highschool and a guy named Sean (AKA Donorboy) feels like he needs to take in the daughter he’s never really met to make it seem like his life has meaning. Over the course of six months and entirely through emails, journal entries, texts, etc, Brendan Halpin illustrates the bumpy road ahead. The book was pretty good and despite the death, there’s handfuls of humor throughout!
By Brendan Halpin
209 Pages
Donorboy is a story about a girl named Rosalind who tragically looses her moms as she’s entering highschool and a guy named Sean (AKA Donorboy) feels like he needs to take in the daughter he’s never really met to make it seem like his life has meaning. Over the course of six months and entirely through emails, journal entries, texts, etc, Brendan Halpin illustrates the bumpy road ahead. The book was pretty good and despite the death, there’s handfuls of humor throughout!
March 10, 2018
LOTS of language! Especially at first. Initially, it kind of rattled me, but the story was good, so I ignored it. Yes, I laughed, and yes, I cried. It seemed like I was more touched by Sean's emotions than I was by Rosalind's, but perhaps that is because I identify more with parenting than with being parented. Interesting how the unusual format worked fine for me.
June 30, 2015
3 3/4 Stars: This is a rambling novel with numerous writing styles and approaches. It is about grief, pain, and loss. How can one heal and continue living when so much has gone wrong? Great book with lots to ponder.
July 15, 2015
I can't believe I enjoyed a book written mostly as emails and a journal. But it's that good. And funny.
November 10, 2015
Lots of the f word
March 3, 2018
Imagine a life where both your parents are dead, everybody around you is trying to help in the way you do not need, and your new caretaker knows nothing about you and is forcing their problems onto you. That is the life of 14 year old Rosalind in the comedic tragedy “Donorboy,” by Brendan Halpin. There is not much information about the setting; we know that it is in modern times and most events take place in Sean’s, (her biological father and new caretaker), apartment, her high school, and partly in a New York museum. From an event that Rosalind goes to where she travels just fifty miles to Fitchburg; I can infer that they live in Massachusetts. This is a really good book, however, I think in some parts it has failed to meet its potential; the best example being its writing style. It is written completely in texts, journals, and other communication methods; that is unique and allows the author to express the characters more. On the other hand, it limits descriptions and makes it hard to figure out the story in some parts.
The author has the ability express what the characters are feeling, since what the characters write is more personal. In the beginning of the book, Rosalind write in her “grief journal,” a journal her therapist/counselor is making her write despite her protests. On page five, Rosalind writes in her grief journal, “You didn’t read it, Denise, you just asked if I did it and how it made me feel and I really want to smack your f***ing face when you ask me stupid s**t like that or when I tell you how much I hate you and…” That is not something that is easy just to write into a traditional book; however, it tells us that Rosalind is angry and also shows it. This is extremely helpful to the reader to feel a connection with the character; knowing what they are saying/thinking in private as opposed to just saying, “...she said frustratedly.” To elaborate on what I first mentioned; Rosalind knew that her therapist, Denise, was not going to read the journal so whatever she wrote would be unfiltered and the author can accurately portray what somebody in that position would say. In traditional reads, that has to come occasionally and breaks immersion for its duration; this does not.
Now, there is also a downside to this style; it can come off as over-the-top when trying to describe something and leaves out entire elements of the plot. On page 89, Rosalind describes her time at a family bonding day with Sean and another family and she writes, “Corny bonding day with Sean and his dorky friend was okay, I guess, but why do gym teachers always have those gigantic guts?...And his wife is this good-looking woman just like on commercials where some fat bonehead always has a pretty wife.” This is a blatant example of the author describing two new characters; and it is hard to say if I got a good image in my head from it. Also, it seemed out-of-place, like a side note, and it threw me out of the story. This happens several times throughout the chapter and is even worse in Rosalind’s texts with her friend Kate; where the author writes with horrendous grammar. I can understand some since they are just texts, but almost everything is misspelled or abbreviated; in all my years as a teen, I have never seen such atrocious grammar in communication. That might just be me though; either way it comes off as being too “try hard” to sound like a teen texting.
Overall, “Donorboy” has a fairly exclusive writing style and relevant subject matter makes for a great read and I would recommend to a friend. However, I would warn them that at parts, it seems like the author is trying too hard to appeal to teens and the setting building is lackluster.
The author has the ability express what the characters are feeling, since what the characters write is more personal. In the beginning of the book, Rosalind write in her “grief journal,” a journal her therapist/counselor is making her write despite her protests. On page five, Rosalind writes in her grief journal, “You didn’t read it, Denise, you just asked if I did it and how it made me feel and I really want to smack your f***ing face when you ask me stupid s**t like that or when I tell you how much I hate you and…” That is not something that is easy just to write into a traditional book; however, it tells us that Rosalind is angry and also shows it. This is extremely helpful to the reader to feel a connection with the character; knowing what they are saying/thinking in private as opposed to just saying, “...she said frustratedly.” To elaborate on what I first mentioned; Rosalind knew that her therapist, Denise, was not going to read the journal so whatever she wrote would be unfiltered and the author can accurately portray what somebody in that position would say. In traditional reads, that has to come occasionally and breaks immersion for its duration; this does not.
Now, there is also a downside to this style; it can come off as over-the-top when trying to describe something and leaves out entire elements of the plot. On page 89, Rosalind describes her time at a family bonding day with Sean and another family and she writes, “Corny bonding day with Sean and his dorky friend was okay, I guess, but why do gym teachers always have those gigantic guts?...And his wife is this good-looking woman just like on commercials where some fat bonehead always has a pretty wife.” This is a blatant example of the author describing two new characters; and it is hard to say if I got a good image in my head from it. Also, it seemed out-of-place, like a side note, and it threw me out of the story. This happens several times throughout the chapter and is even worse in Rosalind’s texts with her friend Kate; where the author writes with horrendous grammar. I can understand some since they are just texts, but almost everything is misspelled or abbreviated; in all my years as a teen, I have never seen such atrocious grammar in communication. That might just be me though; either way it comes off as being too “try hard” to sound like a teen texting.
Overall, “Donorboy” has a fairly exclusive writing style and relevant subject matter makes for a great read and I would recommend to a friend. However, I would warn them that at parts, it seems like the author is trying too hard to appeal to teens and the setting building is lackluster.
September 18, 2023
Halpin has several adult and YA novels to his credit, a couple of which have won awards, but I had only previously read Notes from the Blender (with Trisha Cook), which I really liked. This one is also a “teens with problems” story (because “teens whose life is perfect” would make for a pretty boring story), the focus being fourteen-year-old Rosalind Butterflied of Boston, who suddenly finds herself a semi-orphan. He two gay moms were killed when a truck loaded with turduckens rolled on their car, and no she’s living with Sean Cassidy, a lawyer in his mid-thirties, who was the sperm donor (he was a close friend of both women, even though they were rather older) and therefore, technically, her father, though she’s never seen him before. But his name was on her birth certificate, so there she is.
Sean is single, kind of a nerd, and not at all ready for this, but he saw his newborn daughter at the hospital and fell in love with her (and then, in defense of his own emotions, lets her and her moms drift away). And he tries hard, he really does, but Ros is rather a handful. She used to be, by her definition, a “goody-goody” who made excellent grades and behaved herself, but now she’s failing everything but English and she doesn’t care, because nothing matters. She takes up smoking because she wants to hang out with the Bad Girls, and she punches a guy out and breaks his nose when he makes a sneering and anti-gay remark about her dead moms. Sean’s defense at her expulsion hearing keeps that from happening -- “ I sue schools for a living, gentlemen” -- but that incident of Ros’s greater and deeper turmoil. The fact that “Aunt Karen,” whom Ros has been close to all her life and who wanted custody of her, too, doesn’t help.
The author tells the story entirely in a modern epistolary style, through emails between Sean and Ros (because it takes her a long time to talk to him face-to-face), and between Sean and his high school gym teacher buddy, Dave, because Dave is a father and also hopefully understands teenagers, and especially in lengthy entries in her therapist-mandated “grief journal” (which she names “Fluffy”). She’s a very bright kid but also a very normal one, what with sulking and getting drunk at parties and all the usual stumbling blocks in the path of growing up. I dislike using the word, but Ros’s voice in her journal entries is “authentic” and believable and the perspective it gives the reader makes for a very nicely done book.
Sean is single, kind of a nerd, and not at all ready for this, but he saw his newborn daughter at the hospital and fell in love with her (and then, in defense of his own emotions, lets her and her moms drift away). And he tries hard, he really does, but Ros is rather a handful. She used to be, by her definition, a “goody-goody” who made excellent grades and behaved herself, but now she’s failing everything but English and she doesn’t care, because nothing matters. She takes up smoking because she wants to hang out with the Bad Girls, and she punches a guy out and breaks his nose when he makes a sneering and anti-gay remark about her dead moms. Sean’s defense at her expulsion hearing keeps that from happening -- “ I sue schools for a living, gentlemen” -- but that incident of Ros’s greater and deeper turmoil. The fact that “Aunt Karen,” whom Ros has been close to all her life and who wanted custody of her, too, doesn’t help.
The author tells the story entirely in a modern epistolary style, through emails between Sean and Ros (because it takes her a long time to talk to him face-to-face), and between Sean and his high school gym teacher buddy, Dave, because Dave is a father and also hopefully understands teenagers, and especially in lengthy entries in her therapist-mandated “grief journal” (which she names “Fluffy”). She’s a very bright kid but also a very normal one, what with sulking and getting drunk at parties and all the usual stumbling blocks in the path of growing up. I dislike using the word, but Ros’s voice in her journal entries is “authentic” and believable and the perspective it gives the reader makes for a very nicely done book.
March 12, 2019
The World Turned Upside Down
Like all teenagers, Rosalind Butterfield lived an average life in Boston with friends and two mothers—until a car accident kills her two moms and turns Rosalind’s whole world upside down. Sean Cassidy, an inexperienced father and young lawyer, takes custody of Rosalind. But despite the issues at home, Rosalind’s grades begin to slip as she becomes badly influenced by a friend at school. Because of this, Sean finds himself defending Rosalind at an expulsion hearing after Rosalind broke the nose of a classmate who made a joke about her mom. Despite their differences, Sean understands Rosalind’s grief as he has had his share. Entirely told through journal entries, emails, and messages, Sean and Rosalind are in for a wild ride.
From the beginning, Rosalind Butterfield, the main character, has a hard time coping with the death of her two moms. As a result of this, Rosalind’s grades drop drastically and begins to hate her friends and comes badly influenced by a new friend. Rosalind then begins to smoke and even got drunk once. After this, Sean defends Rosalind at an expulsion hearing after she punched a classmate. After this event, Rosalind becomes to be more appreciative of Sean and begins to talk to him more and her relationship with Sean begins to strengthen. Overall, Rosalind’s
characteristics of strength and her change throughout the story classify her as a round character.
In my opinion, Donorboy portrays a realistic coming-of-age novel that is all too rare in today’s world. Furthermore, the book takes a creative approach by telling the story entirely through emails, journal entries, and other messages. However, this form of storytelling can make the reader confused at times as it is hard to imagine the exact scene and the character that is speaking. Brendan Halpin, the author, could also give the reader more background information about the characters instead of jumping right into the book. But overall, I would give this book 4/5 stars and would recommend this book to readers looking for a unique reading experience.
Like all teenagers, Rosalind Butterfield lived an average life in Boston with friends and two mothers—until a car accident kills her two moms and turns Rosalind’s whole world upside down. Sean Cassidy, an inexperienced father and young lawyer, takes custody of Rosalind. But despite the issues at home, Rosalind’s grades begin to slip as she becomes badly influenced by a friend at school. Because of this, Sean finds himself defending Rosalind at an expulsion hearing after Rosalind broke the nose of a classmate who made a joke about her mom. Despite their differences, Sean understands Rosalind’s grief as he has had his share. Entirely told through journal entries, emails, and messages, Sean and Rosalind are in for a wild ride.
From the beginning, Rosalind Butterfield, the main character, has a hard time coping with the death of her two moms. As a result of this, Rosalind’s grades drop drastically and begins to hate her friends and comes badly influenced by a new friend. Rosalind then begins to smoke and even got drunk once. After this, Sean defends Rosalind at an expulsion hearing after she punched a classmate. After this event, Rosalind becomes to be more appreciative of Sean and begins to talk to him more and her relationship with Sean begins to strengthen. Overall, Rosalind’s
characteristics of strength and her change throughout the story classify her as a round character.
In my opinion, Donorboy portrays a realistic coming-of-age novel that is all too rare in today’s world. Furthermore, the book takes a creative approach by telling the story entirely through emails, journal entries, and other messages. However, this form of storytelling can make the reader confused at times as it is hard to imagine the exact scene and the character that is speaking. Brendan Halpin, the author, could also give the reader more background information about the characters instead of jumping right into the book. But overall, I would give this book 4/5 stars and would recommend this book to readers looking for a unique reading experience.
July 12, 2020
I didn't think I was going to like this book because I'm not a fan of multiple format fiction (letters, emails, journal entries, text messages, etc.). After a sluggish start (mine, not the book's), I really began to enjoy Rosalind and Sean, brought together after her moms are killed in a car accident. Rosalind's moms, for reasons that are not clearly explained, place Sean's name on the birth certificate. Sean, a single public policy lawyer, acted as the sperm donor 15 years earlier, and he does account for half of Rosalind's DNA, but they don't have a pre-existing relationship.
Initially, they don't talk at all. Sean sends Rosalind emails to try and connect, but Rosalind is almost as stingy with her written words as she is with her spoken words. Slowly - and I d0 mean slowly - the two begin to form a connection, first over frozen vegan burritos, then over fighting her school's administration, and finally over what they both have in common: losing mothers at a very young age.
I loved the vulnerability both characters expressed through their writing. Author Brendan Halpin clearly understands both character's, a tough feat when writing for an adult lawyer and a 14-year-old girl. I would recommend Donorboy for anyone grieving a loss, attempting to understand the chasm that often exists between teens and guardians, or those who simply want a fulfilling reading experience.
Initially, they don't talk at all. Sean sends Rosalind emails to try and connect, but Rosalind is almost as stingy with her written words as she is with her spoken words. Slowly - and I d0 mean slowly - the two begin to form a connection, first over frozen vegan burritos, then over fighting her school's administration, and finally over what they both have in common: losing mothers at a very young age.
I loved the vulnerability both characters expressed through their writing. Author Brendan Halpin clearly understands both character's, a tough feat when writing for an adult lawyer and a 14-year-old girl. I would recommend Donorboy for anyone grieving a loss, attempting to understand the chasm that often exists between teens and guardians, or those who simply want a fulfilling reading experience.
December 27, 2017
This is an interesting tale told through an unusual, but effective, method. After Ros loses both of her mothers in a freak traffic accident, the man identified as her father on her birth certificate—the donor, Sean—appears in her life to take on the role of parent. The story of their adjustment to their new life is told through grief journal entries (by Ros), emails (by Sean), and text messages (by various characters).
Ros’s emotions are raw and painful. She is dealing with grief over the deaths of both of her parents, shock of discovering this new member of her family, anger and embarrassment at the publicity surrounding her parents’ deaths, and a swirl of other negative feelings that consume her daily. Her friends don’t understand and can’t stop Ros from withdrawing from their social circle, joining the “bad kids,” and effectively quitting school. Sean is in an entirely new world, rocketed from bachelor to the parent of a struggling teen.
A great read.
Ros’s emotions are raw and painful. She is dealing with grief over the deaths of both of her parents, shock of discovering this new member of her family, anger and embarrassment at the publicity surrounding her parents’ deaths, and a swirl of other negative feelings that consume her daily. Her friends don’t understand and can’t stop Ros from withdrawing from their social circle, joining the “bad kids,” and effectively quitting school. Sean is in an entirely new world, rocketed from bachelor to the parent of a struggling teen.
A great read.
January 3, 2021
This is a book I bought years ago, and once again just never got around to picking up and reading. It's about 14 year old Rosalind whose moms die in an accident, and she is taken in by the now 35 year old man who was the sperm donor. This book was really unique in the sense that it's told entirely though email, journal entries and IMs (remember those???) It came out in 2004 so it's slightly dated in the technology sense, but Halpin really grasped the language a 14 year old would use and expressed her grief wonderfully. Sean (donorboy) has his own issues and I particularly enjoyed his emails with his friend Dave, which mostly contained his fears about being a good dad. The book was lighthearted but had a couple of moments where someone was definitely cutting onions around me. Due to the way it was written, it was a quick and easy read. I kind of wish there was a sequel to see where they are now.
May 22, 2019
This book really tells a story about Rosalind life after a tragic. I like how the book is written as an email or writings from a specific character like what are they typing or writing about. There some content in the books that has been seen as memes before those references became a meme. The book also has some moments when a quote actually make sense to me relating to memes and other funny gestures. The book is also a sensitive book to high sensitive people who really hates jokes.
This book is built on adapting to a new family. When I got this book, I thought it was about the child's when you born from a mother and a sperm donor. I learned that if you move to a new family, it's better than living on the streets. It can be hard to live in a new family, but you could get use to them. Last, this book supports the LGBTQ community
This book is built on adapting to a new family. When I got this book, I thought it was about the child's when you born from a mother and a sperm donor. I learned that if you move to a new family, it's better than living on the streets. It can be hard to live in a new family, but you could get use to them. Last, this book supports the LGBTQ community
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 14, 2023
A very entertaining read, from a person that usually does not care for books written by men or about teenagers. I would recommend this book to most anyone as it is a story about learning to love and accept people as they are. It is also about two unusual people that become family. The main character is conceived by a lesbian mother and a friend sperm donor and when the mothers are killed in a car wreck, the teenager is awarded to the sperm donor father who has not been in the child's life except marginally, but desires to have a fatherly relationship with the child and the rocky start to their journey as a family. The language is a little rough at times, but in my opinion is realistic and pertinent to the story.
March 2, 2020
Rosalind goes and lives with her father Sean (sperm donor) after her moms are killed in a freak car accident involving turduckens.
I enjoyed the emails that Sean wrote back and forth between numerous people about his and Rosalind's progress. I totally got his "references" and thought they were hilarious. Rosalind on the other hand annoyed me. I get that she lost her parents and is grieving but that dont give her the right to act like a self absorbed wench. I wanted to backhand on her on more than one occasion.
If it wasnt for Sean, this book probably wouldve got a 1.5 rating from me.
I enjoyed the emails that Sean wrote back and forth between numerous people about his and Rosalind's progress. I totally got his "references" and thought they were hilarious. Rosalind on the other hand annoyed me. I get that she lost her parents and is grieving but that dont give her the right to act like a self absorbed wench. I wanted to backhand on her on more than one occasion.
If it wasnt for Sean, this book probably wouldve got a 1.5 rating from me.
Read
April 30, 2020Rosalind had two mommies. Now, thanks to a tragic accident involving foodstuff, she has none. And Sean, the sperm donor responsible for half of her DNA (and nothing else is taking custody.) Rosalind finds herself adjusting to a new life that seems both hateful and surreal. She’s an orphan with a new father, surrounded by friends she’s starting to despise and well-meaning adults who succeed only in annoying her.
Read p. 7: “Dear My First Grief Journal…”
Told entirely in journal entries, emails, IMs, etc.
Read p. 7: “Dear My First Grief Journal…”
Told entirely in journal entries, emails, IMs, etc.
March 5, 2022
Interesting book. Told through journal entries, email, text messages, letters, etc. When Rosalind's two mothers are both killed in a freak accident, she goes to live with her biological father, who donated the sperm for her conception, becomes her. Naturally there is a lot of getting to know each other and learning to be a family, but also Rosalind is dealing with grief. The story is not sugar-coated and everything doesn't get easily solved, but there is hope at the end.
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