Freshman by Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison Book Review

About

Authors: Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

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Synopsis

Phoebe can’t wait to get to college. On her own, discovering new things, no curfew . . . she’ll be free. And she’ll be totally different: cooler, prettier, smarter . . . the perfect potential girlfriend. Convenient: the only person from her high school also going to York is her longtime crush, Luke. 

Luke didn’t set out to redefine himself, but as soon as he arrives on campus, he finds himself dumping his long-term long-distance girlfriend. And the changes don’t stop there. In fact, being on a soccer team is the only thing that stays the same. 

Just when things start looking up (and Phoebe and Luke start hooking up), drama looms on the horizon. Rumors swirl about the Wall of Shame, a secret text chain run by Luke’s soccer team, filled with compromising photos of girls. As the women on campus determine to expose the team and shut down the account, Luke and Phoebe find themselves grappling with confusing feelings and wondering how they’ll ever make it through freshman year.

Review

Spoilers Contained Below

Dear Freshman,

The whole reason I picked up this book was because I, like Phoebe, the main character, was going to be a freshman in college. I figured I should read a book that I knew would resonate with me a lot as a freshman. And after being in college for almost two semesters, I thought to read this book and see if my experiences were similar to the characters in the book. Suffice to say, it’s absolutely not, but I think overall this book was funny, honest, and a bit times weird in the best way possible.

As a main character, I feel like Phoebe was someone who can be so outgoing and shy depending on the situation. With friends she’s more outgoing and with things like love and Luke Taylor, she’s more shy. On the other hand, I have to admit, Phoebe was kind of stalker weird. Like in high school she created a map of Luke Taylor’s schedule so she would know the prime time to “run into him” in the hallway. I think we’ve all been there in having our fair of stalking our crushes, but making a map of his class schedule is kind of next level. Did/do you mentally know your crushes schedule in school?

Anyway, I think Phoebe was in love with the idea of Luke Taylor, the soccer jock, rather than being in love with the actual Luke Tylor. I think she really just built up this fantasy version of a sincere, but cute “jock” —-everything a teenage girl wants— when really Luke Taylor was just an average human being. When she got to know him more her freshman year, she began to see the real him and how he’s enigmatic, broken, and as flawed as any other person. Luke Taylor still has to figure things out as a freshman in college with juggling past relationships as well as deal with this sense of belonging. I really liked that the authors included the idea of fitting in because fitting in is the biggest thing people want as a freshman no matter the age; people want to find their group or belong somewhere. Now, I also kind of get why it’s called freshman because we have ended our past lives and have moved on to start “fresh” with a newfound sense of independence of growing up. We want to also find people we can form new friendships or relationships with, and to find a way to fit into the big world around us. I know as a freshman now, that I felt very lonely sometimes, especially during the first week of school where I didn’t know anyone because everyone was from out of state. Over time, I did make friends, but it’s still hard to figure out things when there’s so many things to think about personally, academically, mentally, and socially.

One of Luke Taylor dilemmas from the beginning is how he kept resorting back to his ex, Abbey. He called her and they talked and he got jealous when she posted that picture of him and another boy named Marcus. And like any boy, Luke Taylor got jealous. And I was like, the audacity of him! You broke up with her and then you drunkenly call her saying you miss her and she says she misses you and you’re leading on Phoebe, and it’s all just like UGH! Get it together Luke Taylor! Make up your mind because you can’t have it all!

But the funniest thing was when Luke said that when he dies, on his headstone they’re going to write, “Didn’t try hard enough.” Sounded like a Mortal Instruments kind of thing with planning out what to write on your headstone.

But back to Abbey. I think one of reasons I think he was holding onto Abbey was because so many things were chaining in his life and he didn’t know where he fit in, but Abbey was his only link to his past that he could hold onto. Abbey made him feel like he fit in and that things were normal again. I think the other reason Luke held onto Abbey was because she was his first love and some part of him will always love her. But I think he just needs some good quality time to himself to do some soul searching before dating someone else.

I was kind of happy Phoebe turned him down at the end of the book because he kept putting her off and leading her on, that she really just needed to find a nice boy like Josh who solely cared about her—–not someone who’s head and heart were in two different places. But it was kind of typical how Luke only started to like her after she accidentally sent him that picture saying he was hot. Like girl has gone to school with you for four years and you’ve never noticed her!!! Then she sends you an “I think you’re hot” message and all of a sudden you’re in love?! I never really felt that love connection between them in the first place because it sounded fake/uninterested on his part. Nothing says male testosterone ego booster like a girl saying you’re hot. I couldn’t stand how he also ditched Quidditch to speak with Abbey on the phone. Or the fact that he missed Phoebe’s pre-party birthday to think about calling Abbey, and then lo and behold she’s in his apartment!

Like Luke! Stop being a dumb, typical guy!

Then he has the nerve to show up on Phoebe’s birthday with Abbey!

*Slaps forehead*

Like you get zero points in my book Luke Taylor. It’s Phoebe’s birthday where she should be having fun and celebrating, but no she’s flustered and sad in the bathroom. Smooth move. She really deserved better than him and I’m glad she recognized that.

But besides, that, there was this really weird and awkward, but oddly funny part of the book. I think if you read it, you’ll know what I’m talking about. But I was cringing in disgust and interest because I have never heard of that type of scenario where a rubber can get stuck up there if you know what I mean? Like I never!! And I hope not! You know it’s true friendship when your friends are willing to hold a flashlight up to your area where the sun don’t shine and then stick their finger up their to get the rubber out for you. Honestly, Frankie and Neign are the two best friends every girl needs. Like their so supportive and honest with her.

I loved the part where the girls protest the wall of shame—-the text chain where the soccer boys take pictures of girls they’ve slept with and then rate them. It was funny that they all dressed up in pjs and then ran on the field during the soccer tournament and laid down on the field. The referee was like, “Does this type of thing normally happen,” and the girls were like “I thought you liked taking pictures of sleeping girls?” Will and the soccer team disgusted me because of how they thought of girls as conquests that they could rate like there’s nothing wrong with that. But there’s everything wrong with that because it’s soooooo distasteful and belittling to take advantage of a girl and post it so other guys can get some satisfaction off of it or laugh at a girl they shame. Like get a life.

I was happy Ed had the good sense to see how childish and dumb the soccer team was the first night and that he walked away. I wouldn’t join a club if they were unethical or went against my beliefs. Ed doesn’t drink and good for him for dodging those dumb soccer boys. I also liked how Luke kind of walked away from Will after that too because he realized he screwed up in lying to Phoebe and her friends that the wall wasn’t real.

This book was also fun with things like the Quidditch match and the cheese stink. I was also in fits over the part where Arthur advised Luke to Wikipedia his reading and be the first one to speak in class because if you do, the teacher would be less likely to call on you because you already participated. So Luke went to class all high and mighty with the one sentence he remembered and he raised his hand to lead the discussion and no one knew how to respond because, duh, they never read the reading too. So the teacher went back to Luke and prompted him with another question and Luke’s lost, so he just keeps repeating his one liner of what the shield represents. And the teachers like, “Yes, you’ve said that.” I was in hysterics! Arther’s plan was smart, but I guess it back fired in this case. Just Luke’s luck.

I also enjoyed Josh’s fairy egg sandwiches with frosting and sprinkles for D hall and how out of everything Phoebe could bring to college, she brought cookie cutters. That’s like the last thing that would be on my list. But Josh got her the train cookie cutter. My heart!! And then they kissed and he pulled back and I was like awww!! I was rooting for Phoebe and Josh more than Phoebe and Luke because I felt like he actually treated her nice. But Josh wasn’t interested in her that way. Poor Phoebe.

Another part that stood out to me was Phoebe, Luke, and Mary’s project presentation with the leaves. It was inventive to say the least.

The end kind of finishes on a sad note for all the main characters who end up single. But I guess that gives them more time and room to figure out the lives ahead of them. I think that’s so important in terms of being a freshman in any situation because as a freshman, you’re generally new to an environment of situation, so you should grow and figure out who you are first before committing yourself to a relationship. And even though Phoebe knew Luke and liked him her whole life, he wasn’t the one for her and it took her until college to realize that she could find someone better. So if there’s some wisdom in all of this, don’t feel the need to instantly find a relationship if you’re a freshman, whether it be in high school or college because it’s important to know who you are first and find your crowd and eventually, the “one’ later. You have so much time to do that.

Also, try to enjoy every moment in school—-or in life in general. School can be boring and stressful, but school doesn’t last forever. And it goes by way too quick. You have to enjoy each moment of the experiences and make the most of it while you can because, really, this is the time where you can mess up, figure things out, and learn. High school and college are periods of your life where you’re growing and evolving before you’re forced into the “real world.” So make your mistakes ——within reason and within good sense—-now and do things that are fun now and enjoy them. You don’t want to be the person to look back on high school or college and think of all the lost opportunities you didn’t take because you were scared or you had too much work. I understand the fear and the stress—-trust me I’ve been there—-but I’ve also been on the other end of knowing what it’s like to look back and seeing how I could have done things differently. Do good things now while you can, make the most of it, and have fun.

If you’re a freshman (high school or college), what was your favorite memory from that year? Worst memory? And if you read this book, what was your favorite part? Least favorite part? Let’s discuss in the comments! : )

I hope you have a great school year or work year,

And as always, with love,

Rating

3.25 Full Bloom Flowers

Characters: Kind of hard to like the characters because there were moments where they would irritate me with their decisions. What I mean by this is that Luke just kept going back to his ex and Phoebe kept trusting him when Luke was no good for her. They deserved better than each other.

Plot: The plot was kind of relatable for freshmen depending on your college experience. But I found the plot kind of slow and irritating at points with the choices the characters made.

Writing: The writing was funny, but the storyline was hard to get into.

Romance: It was okay, but I never felt the romance that much/missed the connection between the main characters.