Big Mouth and Ugly Girl (Paperback)

Customers buy this book with Freaky Green Eyes by Joyce Carol Oates

+

Price For Both: £8.98

Show availability and shipping details

• This item: Big Mouth and Ugly Girl by Joyce Carol Oates

  In stock.
  Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
  Eligible for FREE UK delivery on orders over £5 with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
  

• Freaky Green Eyes by Joyce Carol Oates

  In stock.
  Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
  Eligible for FREE UK delivery on orders over £5 with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
  

Freaky Green Eyes by Joyce Carol Oates 4.0 out of 5 stars (2)  £4.49

Girl in the Attic by Valerie Mendes 5.0 out of 5 stars (1)  £4.99

That Summer by Sarah Dessen 3.6 out of 5 stars (5)  £5.24

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne 4.0 out of 5 stars (309)  £3.49

Twilight (Twilight Saga) by Stephenie Meyer 4.3 out of 5 stars (621)  £3.49

› Explore similar items

Review
"The relationship between Ursula and Matt grows, credibly and compellingly, against a convincing high school backdrop. Readers will relate to the pressures these two experience, both at school and from their parents, and be gratified by their ability to emerge the wiser." Publisher's Weekly Praise for Joyce Carol Oates' writing: "Miss Oates is one of our most audaciously talented writers. Her gift is so large, her fluency in different genres -- poems, short stories, novels, essays -- so great, that at times she seems to challenge the ability of readers to keep up with her." Erica Jong "One of the greatest writers of our time." John Gardner

A highly regarded writer of adult novels, Joyce Carol Oates has turned her remarkable talents to writing for younger readers. This is an utterly absorbing book about two 16-year-old high school students, and the relationship that develops between them following a police investigation. Matt Donaghy is bright, popular and good-looking but a bit too clever for his own good. When someone overhears a throwaway remark of his in the cafeteria about staging a school massacre, the police are called in and a full-scale enquiry ensues. As a result of his infamous 'big mouth', Matt is ostracized by his peers, under pressure from their families. Matt's parents retaliate by filing their own lawsuit against the school, and Matt becomes increasingly isolated and depressed. But there is one person who believes Matt has been wronged and she is determined to stand up for him. Ursula Riggs, or 'Ugly Girl' as she ironically calls herself, knows what it's like to be an outsider - tall and muscular, she rebels against the cute prettiness of her mother and sister Lisa by hiding behind a veneer of toughness and defiance, not caring what she wears or what she looks like. The two communicate via e-mail - many times they both come close to admitting the true nature of their feelings about each other, but as many messages are deleted as are actually sent. It is not until Ursula catches Matt contemplating suicide that she lets the barriers down, and out of the crisis the two develop a deep and lasting friendship. Ursula is a stirring heroine, a loner who has few friends yet is fiercely loyal, with a burning integrity. The burgeoning relationship between the two teenagers is utterly convincing, although Ursula's character is more fully developed than that of the more anodyne Matt. Teenagers will identify with both, and with the pressures put upon young people to conform. Oates also makes some pertinent comments about the fickle nature of some so-called friendships, and how they can quickly buckle under stress. In this scintillating novel, her finely tuned ear for the minutiae of personal relationships has never been better displayed. Ages 13+ (Kirkus UK)

Product Description
Hard-hitting, page-turning and celebratory of friendship in unlikely circumstances, Joyce Carol Oates' sure touch with small town life hits home in her first young adult novel. Matt Donaghy is the class joker, and Ursula Riggs is the misfit loner. Neither knows the other. But when Matt is suddenly arrested on a charge of threatening to blow up the school and massacre the students, Ursula is the only one who sees through the hysteria and hypocrisy, and corroborates Matt's story. The case is dropped, but Matt's old friends avoid him, and his teachers treat him with kid gloves. Even Ursula, apparently his only friend during the crisis, can't meet his eye. But Ursula can't remain aloof when she catches Matt contemplating suicide -- and a strange friendship is born.

See all Product Description

4 Reviews 5 star:  (3) 4 star:    (0) 3 star:  (1) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.5 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   8 of 8 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Just as good as her 'adult' novels, maybe even better, 11 Aug 2003 By  Star_Sea "Xing" (Salisbury, England) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    When I read this novel, I had already finished 'Blonde', the author's adult meditation on Marilyn Monroe, what made her tick, what made that ticking stop. I liked it, but came away feeling rather dazed from the density of the language and the sheer pain in the writing. 'Big Mouth and Ugly Girl' is not like 'Blonde'. It's very easy to read. It starts off with one of the two protagonists toppled from his perch whilst the other contemplates whether she even wants a perch. The way Matt and Ursula meet, back away, then meet again is carefully detailed, and very enjoyable to read, although Oates is such a good writer that she makes you want to shove them together sometimes. Matt and Ursula are part of what makes the story work, as they are so easy to understand. Matt is the joker, but underneath his carefree persona lies a deeply intelligent, sensitive boy. Ursula is a non-conformist female athlete, tall and muscular, an Amazon in every sense of the word, loving yet hating her isolation, yet refusing to compromise. It is Ursula's determination to stand up for justice that causes her path to collide with Matt's, and her determination to live life that saves him from suicide. She tells him the truth even when he doesn't want to hear it, as the lawsuit which Matt's parents file causes huge tension in the town. However, the supporting characters are also great. Ursula's little sister Lisa, suffering the double pressures of ballet and the fashion world... Matt's dog Pumpkin, an innocent victim... the two sets of parents, both anxious to protect their children in their own ways from what is happening. Like the previous reviewer, I would agree that 'Big Mouth and Ugly Girl' is not just a story about trust, friendship and justice but also a sharp critique of the times, of how people refuse to take responsibility, of what needs to be done in order to ensure the safety of young people all over the world, not just America. I would recommend this to anyone. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   4 of 5 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars More than a story, 1 Aug 2003 By A Customer Before reading this, I was unaware that Joyce Carol Oates is in fact a Pulitzer Prize winning author. I expected a provocative story of 'friendship and family, loyalty and betrayal', which it is. However it is also a moralistic fable and social critique exploring what is fundamentally responsible for the present messy state of the world. First published in the US last year - and set in a post-Columbine, pre-9/11 high school - Oates succinctly highlights valid issues within our lives, societies and selves which might culminate in certain tragedies. This book's merit is accentuated by its strong character portraits, which are beautifully flawed and human; and the tone of Oates' writing, which forces the reader to admire/pity/suspect the integrity of each person simultaneously. I think I've found a highly readable gem. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   2 of 3 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars big mouth and ugly girl - the review, 25 Jun 2003 By A Customer this is a great book about a friendship between 2 interesting teenagers who appear as complete opposites but prove to be quite similar and how it develops into more than a simple friendship. the book is written in a flowing, funny style and keeps you wanting more till the end. i recommend it to teenagers interested in friendship and romantic stories between the ages of 12 and 15. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review › See all 4 customer reviews...		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 3.0 out of 5 stars Big Mouth and Ugly Girl It was kind of interesting. I wouldn't say it was one of her better books. Maybe it was directed toward a younger audience. I guess I'll just stick to her older books. Published on 15 Dec 2006 by Great Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews › See all 4 customer reviews...

My Top-Shelf Books: A list by Stefano D. C. Pachi ""Compulsive Reader""   Hot to trot: A list by Fiction Fan   First 25 Books to Read Before I'm 30... According to college: A list by Toni Create a Listmania! list

Search Listmania!

• Books > Children's Books > Fiction > Romance
• Books > Children's Books > Fiction > School
• Books > Fiction > Authors, A-Z > O > Oates, Joyce Carol
• Books > Romance
• Books > Study Books > FE & College > Vocational > Sport & Recreation
• Books > Study Books > Schools > GCSE > English > Literature
• Books > Study Books > Undergraduate & Postgraduate > Arts & Humanities > Literature & Drama > General

• Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
• I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
• I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.