And We're Off

Nora won a spot at a prestigious summer art program at an artists' colony in Ireland, and her grandfather (a successful professional artist) is funding a short trip to some notable European cities in conjunction with the trip. Nora is looking forward to staying in hostels, choosing where she goes when, meeting new people with cool accents . . . and then, at the last minute, her mother decides to come along. Suddenly, Nora's trip takes on an entirely different tone. Instead of freedom and independence, it's fraught with familial tension and teenage angst. Can Nora and her mom find a way to enjoy the trip without getting on each other's last nerve?

I found this book surprisingly well-done. The mother-daughter relationship is great -- it's show more not all sniping and irritation; they have some moments of hilarity and connection as well, and there's one point where Nora admits that she is glad her mother is there (and, realistically, that's not the end of the tension and fighting, either). I also appreciated Nora's struggles with her art at the artists' colony, worrying that she will be the worst one there, concerned that she will never have the level of talent of some others in the program. All in all, a fun read with surprising depth, great for readers who enjoyed 13 Little Blue Envelopes and other stories about European travel and self-discovery. show less

I really liked the premise of this story, but was disappointed that it turned into one of those reads that didn't really live up to its' flyleaf/synopsis. Nora's adventure to Europe and then to an artist's retreat in Ireland, all expenses paid by her grandfather, the artist Robert Holmes, seems like a perfect time. Even her mother's last minute declaration to come along seemed like a realistic move. And I did like the descriptions of the small village in Ireland. Nora is going to have art projects detailed by her grandfather at each stop, each set of instructions sealed until she arrives in the various cities. I wish there had been more in that vein, as it was, everyone and everything just seemed to be trying too hard, from the familial show more and obligatory romantic relationships. show less

I never warmed to Nora and couldn't figure out why Callum was interested in her because she really was boring. And, considering that she was at some supposedly prestigious artists' colony, I never really felt like her art was as important to her as she claimed it was. (Show, don't tell.). Alice, Nora's mother, was uniformly awful until her moment of redemption at the end of the book (which came out of nowhere and was inconsistent with her character as it had been portrayed up to that point). Nothing was given enough time to develop&emdash;the story felt like snapshots, rather than a film. It wasn't awful but it really felt like it needed more work before it was truly ready.

Publisher's blurb: Seventeen-year-old Nora Holmes is an artist, a painter from the moment she could hold a brush.
She inherited the skill from her grandfather, Robert, who's always nurtured Nora's talent and encouraged her to follow her passion. Still, Nora is shocked and elated when Robert offers her a gift: an all-expenses-paid summer trip to Europe to immerse herself in the craft and to study history's most famous artists. The only catch? Nora has to create an original piece of artwork at every stop and send it back to her grandfather. It's a no-brainer: Nora is in!
Unfortunately, Nora's mother, Alice, is less than thrilled about the trip. She worries about what the future holds for her young, idealistic daughter—and her opinions show more haven't gone unnoticed. Nora couldn't feel more unsupported by her mother, and in the weeks leading up to the trip, the women are as disconnected as they've ever been. But seconds after saying goodbye to Alice at the airport terminal, Nora hears a voice call out: "Wait! Stop! I'm coming with you!"And . . . they’re off. "(Booktopia)

My comment: So your mum decides at the last moment to tag along on your first overseas holiday alone. You guessed it - it all goes downhill from there. A coming of age book whereby the main character Nora actually confronts her mother with some harsh truths but still is insecure in her own abilities and relationships with others. Okay - nothing special but I finished it. show less

The main character kind of annoyed me for most of the book, but I think it's just because I'm not 17 anymore. I really liked the ending and her grandfather.