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Product Description
For most people, the word "diva" means brilliant, talented, over-the-top, and glamorous. I, however, seemed to be trapped in the not-very-glamorous life of a cheerleader wannabe with "serious" ex-boyfriend issues and a permanent yo-yo diet. At least until the day I auditioned for Miami High School of the Arts--and "got" in! All I had to do was convince my mother, the cosmetics salesperson with epically bad taste in clothes "and" men, that going downtown to hang with the music geeks was a good idea. I had to blackmail her to be able to do it, but I'm here--a diva-in-training--and I'm not so sure I can cut it. Now what?
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Paperback
This is a worthwhile read and I appreciate that Alex Flinn goes into the nitty-gritty and truly tackles emotional issues instead of just glossing over them like a lot of YA novelists do. However, I found these characters to have fewer redeeming qualities than than those in Breathing Underwater. Caitlin's mom, for example, is completely unlikable for me. Even towards the end of the book I mostly wanted to smack her and I didn't really feel much empathy towards her. I thought Caitlin was much more three-dimensional here than she was in Breathing Underwater but there were still times where she fell flat for me. I'm not sure where the title "Diva" actually came from. Caitlin's no diva and I had a hard time thinking that the kids at the performing arts school saw her that way in the beginning. I liked Sean but Gigi seemed like she wasn't fleshed-out enough and a caricature at times. I like that Nick made appearances in this book because I was curious about him. I hated the whole Arnold subplot. It seemed forced.
I enjoyed reading Caitlin's side of things even though her annoying way of writing her blog entries ("OMG she wanted 2 go 2 the mall") was distracting. I think her story is worth reading, especially by young girls who might get dragged into abusive relationships or/and may develop eating disorders. I liked that at the end she did make choices based on what was best for her.
So, I recommend reading Breathing Underwater first because it's incredibly powerful despite the fact that it's very emotionally draining. Then, if you're curious to read about Caitlin, go ahead and read this. I wouldn't recommend read this first because I think it'll seem kind of underwhelming without all that previous context.
I enjoyed reading Caitlin's side of things even though her annoying way of writing her blog entries ("OMG she wanted 2 go 2 the mall") was distracting. I think her story is worth reading, especially by young girls who might get dragged into abusive relationships or/and may develop eating disorders. I liked that at the end she did make choices based on what was best for her.
So, I recommend reading Breathing Underwater first because it's incredibly powerful despite the fact that it's very emotionally draining. Then, if you're curious to read about Caitlin, go ahead and read this. I wouldn't recommend read this first because I think it'll seem kind of underwhelming without all that previous context.
Format:Hardcover
DIVA tells the story of Caitlin McCourt, a sixteen-year-old opera fan and singer, as she attempts to break out of her old life by transferring to a performing arts school. Among the things Caitlin is escaping are an abusive ex-boyfriend, vacuous "friends" who don't understand her interests, and the advice of her overbearing and superficial mother. However, her new school comes with its own share of difficulties. She has to learn to dance and act as well as sing, and she's afraid she's too
"normal" to fit in with the artsy students.
Caitlin is an incredibly sympathetic character. Despite being burdened with a mother who's more interested in flirting with Caitlin's guy friends than supporting her daughter, and a father who's started a new family that rarely includes her, she manages to believe in and look after herself. Her voice is realistic and open, letting the readers in on all of her insecurities (which many teens will share). Her decisions make sense for her, even if readers don't always agree with them, and throughout the story she comes more and more into her own.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Caitlin's story is how her relationship with her mother evolves. Much of Caitlin's personality appears to be a product of her mother's hot-and-cold attitude toward her daughter. As Caitlin steps out from her mother's shadow, she sees not only her own needs and desires more clearly, but also her mother's. Caitlin's discovery that there's more to her mother than she realized is poignant and believable.
DIVA will be enjoyed by any teen, especially girls, struggling with the pressures of friends and family. With its colorful and well-developed characters, it's an easy story to get drawn into. The only criticism I could make is that the novel doesn't offer a great deal more than other good titles with similar subject matter, but what it does offer is so involving that it's hard to complain.
Reviewed by: Lynn Crow
"normal" to fit in with the artsy students.
Caitlin is an incredibly sympathetic character. Despite being burdened with a mother who's more interested in flirting with Caitlin's guy friends than supporting her daughter, and a father who's started a new family that rarely includes her, she manages to believe in and look after herself. Her voice is realistic and open, letting the readers in on all of her insecurities (which many teens will share). Her decisions make sense for her, even if readers don't always agree with them, and throughout the story she comes more and more into her own.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Caitlin's story is how her relationship with her mother evolves. Much of Caitlin's personality appears to be a product of her mother's hot-and-cold attitude toward her daughter. As Caitlin steps out from her mother's shadow, she sees not only her own needs and desires more clearly, but also her mother's. Caitlin's discovery that there's more to her mother than she realized is poignant and believable.
DIVA will be enjoyed by any teen, especially girls, struggling with the pressures of friends and family. With its colorful and well-developed characters, it's an easy story to get drawn into. The only criticism I could make is that the novel doesn't offer a great deal more than other good titles with similar subject matter, but what it does offer is so involving that it's hard to complain.
Reviewed by: Lynn Crow
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
10 reviews
7 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Courtesy of Teens Read Too
4 Nov 2006
Format:Hardcover
DIVA tells the story of Caitlin McCourt, a sixteen-year-old opera fan and singer, as she attempts to break out of her old life by transferring to a performing arts school. Among the things Caitlin is escaping are an abusive ex-boyfriend, vacuous "friends" who don't understand her interests, and the advice of her overbearing and superficial mother. However, her new school comes with its own share of difficulties. She has to learn to dance and act as well as sing, and she's afraid she's too "normal" to fit in with the artsy students.
Caitlin is an incredibly sympathetic character. Despite being burdened with a mother who's more interested in flirting with Caitlin's guy friends than supporting her daughter, and a father who's started a new family that rarely includes her, she manages to believe in and look after herself. Her voice is realistic and open, letting the readers in on all of her insecurities (which many teens will share). Her decisions make sense for her, even if readers don't always agree with them, and throughout the story she comes more and more into her own.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Caitlin's story is how her relationship with her mother evolves. Much of Caitlin's personality appears to be a product of her mother's hot-and-cold attitude toward her daughter. As Caitlin steps out from her mother's shadow, she sees not only her own needs and desires more clearly, but also her mother's. Caitlin's discovery that there's more to her mother than she realized is poignant and believable.
DIVA will be enjoyed by any teen, especially girls, struggling with the pressures of friends and family. With its colorful and well-developed characters, it's an easy story to get drawn into. The only criticism I could make is that the novel doesn't offer a great deal more than other good titles with similar subject matter, but what it does offer is so involving that it's hard to complain.
Reviewed by: Lynn Crow
Caitlin is an incredibly sympathetic character. Despite being burdened with a mother who's more interested in flirting with Caitlin's guy friends than supporting her daughter, and a father who's started a new family that rarely includes her, she manages to believe in and look after herself. Her voice is realistic and open, letting the readers in on all of her insecurities (which many teens will share). Her decisions make sense for her, even if readers don't always agree with them, and throughout the story she comes more and more into her own.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Caitlin's story is how her relationship with her mother evolves. Much of Caitlin's personality appears to be a product of her mother's hot-and-cold attitude toward her daughter. As Caitlin steps out from her mother's shadow, she sees not only her own needs and desires more clearly, but also her mother's. Caitlin's discovery that there's more to her mother than she realized is poignant and believable.
DIVA will be enjoyed by any teen, especially girls, struggling with the pressures of friends and family. With its colorful and well-developed characters, it's an easy story to get drawn into. The only criticism I could make is that the novel doesn't offer a great deal more than other good titles with similar subject matter, but what it does offer is so involving that it's hard to complain.
Reviewed by: Lynn Crow
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Listening and Learning
31 Dec 2007
Format:Hardcover
I am compelled to read pretty much any and every fiction book about a hopeful singer, dancer, or actress. DIVA offers a realistic, contemporary look at one girl's performing arts school experience, intermingled with her personal life, her past, present, and future.
I thoroughly enjoyed DIVA. Not only is it a great companion piece to Alex Flinn's earlier story BREATHING UNDERWATER, but it can also be read as a stand-alone book.
DIVA is about following your heart, even if it leads you to something that others may not understand, and overcoming your fears. Caitlin's love and talent for opera is evident, as is her struggle to come to terms with the abuse she suffered at the hands of her ex-boyfriend. Though this is a book and not a live performance, her voice, as it is written on the page, rings true.
DIVA is also about relationships, not only romantic but also related (mother and daughter, in this case) and platonic, friendly and competitive. There are so many different ways to connect with and be connected to others. As Caitlin learns to use her voice both onstage and off, readers will applaud her.
I thoroughly enjoyed DIVA. Not only is it a great companion piece to Alex Flinn's earlier story BREATHING UNDERWATER, but it can also be read as a stand-alone book.
DIVA is about following your heart, even if it leads you to something that others may not understand, and overcoming your fears. Caitlin's love and talent for opera is evident, as is her struggle to come to terms with the abuse she suffered at the hands of her ex-boyfriend. Though this is a book and not a live performance, her voice, as it is written on the page, rings true.
DIVA is also about relationships, not only romantic but also related (mother and daughter, in this case) and platonic, friendly and competitive. There are so many different ways to connect with and be connected to others. As Caitlin learns to use her voice both onstage and off, readers will applaud her.
This grrrl is real and funny!
30 Sep 2011
Format:Hardcover
This is one of the best young adult books I've read! Narrated by sixteen-year-old Caitlin, there is a ton of excellent dialogue to break up any pretentious adhesion to a stream of consciousness monologue. We are privy to Caitlin's online journal, as well as her thoughts in italics. This grrrl is real and funny--she thinks like I do. Aside from growing up, becoming one's own person, and `getting along with your mother', other issues brought to light include battering, dead-beat dads, and peer pressure bullying. Characters are realistic and well-developed, situations are believable everyday occurrences (if not often desirable), and although resolutions to the situations are somewhat too neat and tidy, it makes for a quick and very satisfying read. On the strength of this book, even on the first few pages, I would read anything that Alex Flinn has to offer.
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