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Available
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Publication
Publisher Unknown (1969)
Description
This sequel to Gibbon's beloved classic Ellen Foster stands on its own as an unforgettable portrait of a redoubtable adolescent making herself up out of whole cloth. Now fifteen, Ellen is settled into a permanent home with a new mother. Strengthened by adversity and blessed with enough intelligence to design a salvation for herself, she still feels ill at ease in the world. Her sole surviving ritual - a visit to the county fair - takes on totemic importance. While she holds fast to the shreds of her childhood-humoring her best friend, Stuart, who is determined to marry her; and protecting her old neighbor, slow-witted Starletta - she negotiates her way into a larger world by selling her poetry to pay her way to a camp for gifted students. With a singular mix of perspicacity, and compassion, Ellen draws us into her life and makes us fall in love with her all over again. Anyone considering making an underage change in life, such as who you're going to live with, should know there's no way to avoid the government getting in on the decision, so try to be kind to the lady they'll send with a stack of tests. Try to stay calm and do your best on them.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member SalemAthenaeum
In this sequel to Gibbons’s beloved classic Ellen Foster, Ellen, now fifteen, is settled into a permanent home with a new mother. Strengthened by adversity and blessed with enough intelligence to design a salvation for herself, she still feels ill at ease. But while she holds fast to the shreds
With a singular mix of perspicacity, naïveté, and compassion, Ellen draws us into her life and makes us fall in love with her all over again.
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of her childhood—humoring her best friend, Stuart, who is determined to marry her; and protecting her old neighbor, slow-witted Starletta—she begins to negotiate her way into a larger world. With a singular mix of perspicacity, naïveté, and compassion, Ellen draws us into her life and makes us fall in love with her all over again.
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LibraryThing member LDVoorberg
Ellen Foster reminds me of Scout Finch. Smart, no-nonsense girl in a world not worthy of such a mind. I never read the first Ellen Foster book, but that never seemed a problem; in fact, maybe it was better, because this book, for me then, had depth for Ellen's past that was expected (but not
It was difficult to listen to the narrative at first. I'm not sure if that's because it was the author reading it, and unlike an actor she didn't alter her voice enough when different people spoke, or the whole thing was meant to sound like a big run-on thought, but it certainly took concentration at the beginning to follow the story. Once I caught on, I admired the pithy conversations between Ellen and Laura.
Some people may criticize what is ultimately a 'happily-ever after' kind of story, but it was an enjoyable, feel-good read without being schmultzy (and I hate schmultz).
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assumed) knowledge. It enriched the book, I felt.It was difficult to listen to the narrative at first. I'm not sure if that's because it was the author reading it, and unlike an actor she didn't alter her voice enough when different people spoke, or the whole thing was meant to sound like a big run-on thought, but it certainly took concentration at the beginning to follow the story. Once I caught on, I admired the pithy conversations between Ellen and Laura.
Some people may criticize what is ultimately a 'happily-ever after' kind of story, but it was an enjoyable, feel-good read without being schmultzy (and I hate schmultz).
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LibraryThing member lucybrown
I found this book a bit disappointing. During the first half of the book, I had only a remote idea what in the world Ellen was going on about at least the time. The narrator was so herky-jerky and rambling that I wondered if I was missing something. There were some very funny bits of dialogue. The
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ending was too much of an improbable deus ex machina to fit, like that handkerchief and Oliver sort of thing. I didn'tlove it and I didn't hate it. An okay book to kill some time with,if I had time to kill. Show Less
LibraryThing member lucybrown
I found this book a bit disappointing. During the first half of the book, I had only a remote idea what in the world Ellen was going on about at least the time. The narrator was so herky-jerky and rambling that I wondered if I was missing something. There were some very funny bits of dialogue. The
Show More
ending was too much of an improbable deus ex machina to fit, like that handkerchief and Oliver sort of thing. I didn'tlove it and I didn't hate it. An okay book to kill some time with,if I had time to kill. Show Less
LibraryThing member lucybrown
I found this book a bit disappointing. During the first half of the book, I had only a remote idea what in the world Ellen was going on about at least the time. The narrator was so herky-jerky and rambling that I wondered if I was missing something. There were some very funny bits of dialogue. The
Show More
ending was too much of an improbable deus ex machina to fit, like that handkerchief and Oliver sort of thing. I didn'tlove it and I didn't hate it. An okay book to kill some time with,if I had time to kill. Show Less
LibraryThing member BookConcierge
Book on CD read by the author.
Nearly twenty years after the publication of Ellen Foster, Gibbons returns to her subject to catch us up on what’s happened in the life of this extraordinary character. Ellen is now fifteen and thriving. She’s exhausted the resources of her local school district,
I love Ellen Foster. The original novel packed an emotional wallop that is still with me some 18 years after I first read it. I admit I was concerned about whether Gibbons would be able to replicate that emotional connection in this sequel. Well, I still love Ellen. She’s resilient, vulnerable, both naïve and wise beyond her years, intelligent, loving and brave.
I also dearly love Kaye Gibbons. I’ve read just about everything she has written, some more than once. But I did not love this book; it didn’t quite meet expectations. Perhaps this is the fault of the audio experience. Gibbons reads her own novel and while I think her voice is a good one for Ellen, after a couple of tracks I grew really tired of her lack of inflection. There is no effort to differentiate the various characters and as a result the entire experience is lacking emotional depth. I did also look at the text version, but I’m not sure I would have rated this much higher if I had read it rather than listened. I suspect that Gibbons was purposely holding the reader at arm’s length because she believes that Ellen would do so. And perhaps she’s right. Whatever the cause, I was disappointed.
Nearly twenty years after the publication of Ellen Foster, Gibbons returns to her subject to catch us up on what’s happened in the life of this extraordinary character. Ellen is now fifteen and thriving. She’s exhausted the resources of her local school district,
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and is on an independent course of study. While she realizes it’s unusual, she has decided to apply for early admission to college, and may as well set her sights high. The novel opens with her letter to the President of Harvard University requesting special consideration of her accomplishments and suitability for matriculation. I love Ellen Foster. The original novel packed an emotional wallop that is still with me some 18 years after I first read it. I admit I was concerned about whether Gibbons would be able to replicate that emotional connection in this sequel. Well, I still love Ellen. She’s resilient, vulnerable, both naïve and wise beyond her years, intelligent, loving and brave.
I also dearly love Kaye Gibbons. I’ve read just about everything she has written, some more than once. But I did not love this book; it didn’t quite meet expectations. Perhaps this is the fault of the audio experience. Gibbons reads her own novel and while I think her voice is a good one for Ellen, after a couple of tracks I grew really tired of her lack of inflection. There is no effort to differentiate the various characters and as a result the entire experience is lacking emotional depth. I did also look at the text version, but I’m not sure I would have rated this much higher if I had read it rather than listened. I suspect that Gibbons was purposely holding the reader at arm’s length because she believes that Ellen would do so. And perhaps she’s right. Whatever the cause, I was disappointed.
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Subjects
Original publication date
2006