3.5
Not Otherwise Specified
ByPublisher Description
From the award-winning author of Break and Teeth comes a raw and honest exploration of complicated identities in a novel about a girl living on the fringe of every fringe group in her small town.
Etta is tired of dealing with all of the labels and categories that seem so important to everyone else in her small Nebraska hometown.
Everywhere she turns, someone feels she’s too fringe for the fringe. Not gay enough for the Dykes, her ex-clique, thanks to a recent relationship with a boy; not tiny and white enough for ballet, her first passion; not sick enough to look anorexic (partially thanks to recovery). Etta doesn’t fit anywhere—until she meets Bianca, the straight, white, Christian, and seriously sick girl in Etta’s therapy group. Both girls are auditioning for Brentwood, a prestigious New York theater academy that is so not Nebraska. Bianca might be Etta’s salvation…but can Etta be saved by a girl who needs saving herself?
Etta is tired of dealing with all of the labels and categories that seem so important to everyone else in her small Nebraska hometown.
Everywhere she turns, someone feels she’s too fringe for the fringe. Not gay enough for the Dykes, her ex-clique, thanks to a recent relationship with a boy; not tiny and white enough for ballet, her first passion; not sick enough to look anorexic (partially thanks to recovery). Etta doesn’t fit anywhere—until she meets Bianca, the straight, white, Christian, and seriously sick girl in Etta’s therapy group. Both girls are auditioning for Brentwood, a prestigious New York theater academy that is so not Nebraska. Bianca might be Etta’s salvation…but can Etta be saved by a girl who needs saving herself?
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Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesNot Otherwise Specified Reviews
3.5
Meagan C
Created over 1 year agoShare
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“overall engaging, which surprised me as the character is one of those teens who knows it all and yet you get enough of a look into her psyche that you know she's faking it and that makes her sarcasm all the more sincere, if that makes sense. And I'm no expert in the matter, but it did feel like a true depiction of living with an eating disorder. Plus, it dives into bisexuality and biphobia, especially within the queer community.
UPDATE 4.10.24: full review on the Lesbrary https://lesbrary.com/not-otherwise-specified-by-hannah-moskowitz/”
ihartdiamonds
Created about 3 years agoShare
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mixtapestar
Created over 3 years agoShare
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Andrea Papadopoulou
Created over 3 years agoShare
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allisonsbookshelf
Created almost 4 years agoShare
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“Reviw also posted http://booksandbalks.blogspot.com/2015/08/not-otherwise-specified.html on my blog.
I don't necessarily think that this book is groundbreaking. I don't think that it is something that will be held up as a bastion of diverse YA literature for ages to come. I do, however, think that this book is important. It is important and necessary and really, really good.
I have never read Moskowitz before. I think the more stream-of-consciousness narration is sort of her thing (from other reviews I have read) and, I must say, I really enjoyed it here. I thought that Etta's voice was great and, even though I didn't always enjoy her as a character, that strong voice was really important in my overall reading experience. I think that this kind of writing - improper structure, looser prose - is something that can be either hit or miss and, for me, Moskowitz hit it right on the head.
The bisexual representation in this book is absolutely incredible. It brings up a lot of relevant points regarding the "controversy" over bisexuality that is present in our society today. I loved Etta as part of this community. I think that the things she had to say about it were smart and true - and I loved her own little snarky twist on it.
I also adored the friendship aspect between Bianca and Etta. It may have seemed to develop a little quickly but for some reason I just couldn't help but think these two girls were a perfect fit as friends. I also thought that the sisters (Etta and Kristina) were written convincingly, but I would've liked to see more regarding Kristina's own issues at school. Their mother was included well enough - better than most YA parents.
I don't think the overarching plot was anything too special but it worked well enough for what was being put together in this book. I did end up crying at the end for reasons I'm still not entirely sure of but I guess that just goes to show that I enjoyed it quite a bit.
Also, I'm not always a fan of covers with people on them but I'm so glad that this one actually included a young woman of color! I was a bit torn on how heavy Etta was supposed to be though... am I picturing just an average sized teen? A size 18? I wish there was a little more of a discussion behind her eating disorder - besides the fact that she struggled with it and she didn't quite fit the criteria for anorexia.”
About Hannah Moskowitz
Hannah Moskowitz is the award-winning author of the young adult novels Sick Kids In Love; Not Otherwise Specified; Break; Invincible Summer; Gone, Gone, Gone; and Teeth; as well as the middle grade novels Zombie Tag and Marco Impossible. She lives in New York City.
Other books by Hannah Moskowitz
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