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There are currently 23 member reviews
for The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs
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Kate G. (Bronx, NY)
Comeback or Go Ahead
When Caroline Jacobs utters a 4 letter word directed at the PTO president, she seems to come unstuck from 25 years of passivity. She has always been unable to speak her mind and has carried wounds and slights with her since high school. After her daughter gets in trouble at high school, Caroline takes her daughter out of school and goes back home to right the wrongs of her high school years. This is my third Matthew Dicks novel and I enjoyed it, but felt that some of the characters were not well developed and we never did get an answer as to what was going on in her frenemy's marriage. I felt the ending was a bit rushed, but a good breezy read.
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Deborah C. (Seattle, WA)
The (Not Quite) Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs
I absolutely loved Matthew Dicks' last novel, Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend, and was very much looking forward to reading his latest book. Although I didn't enjoy The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs as much, there was a lot to like. As an introvert, I could relate to Caroline, and it was really interesting to watch her journey from total wimp to a woman who finally stood up for herself. The book raises a lot of good issues for discussion, including bullying, the nature of guilt, and redemption, making it a great selection for book clubs. I wish that some of the characters had been explored in more depth--at times they seem to be representations of ideas rather than actual people. But overall, I liked the book--it's an easy read that still managed to make me think.
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Barb (Mount Joy, PA)
Believable dialogue; some character dislikes
Overall an enjoyable quick read. I found the dialogue to be realistic except for Polly's inappropriate language. I had a disconnect with her using that language with her parents and not just in stress situations.
I also found Polly to be a bit too wise for her years. As a 15 year old I found it hard to believe that she was so knowledgeable about the world and able to repeat a wide range of facts at random. I'm sure she is smart but this was a bit excessive and didn't always move the plot along.
A good summer read which would provoke some thinking on how our early actions resonate later in life and the power of family to help each other come to terms with mistakes made.
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Lee M. (Creve Coeur, MO)
Enjoy
I did not pay any attention to the author's name when I started to read this book. When I finished it, in a few days, I assumed it was written by a female. Applause to Mr. Dicks for being able to pull this off. He accurately describes the dialogue of a mother and teenage daughter, adds a mystery and comes up with an interesting book. I liked the way he explained some of the differences between love and respect, and the importance of family values. For my taste, the ending felt a little drawn out, but easily overlooked problem and it did not spoil the enjoyable experience.
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Wendy F. (Kalamazoo, MI)
The Perfect Comeback
I loved this book. Read it in a day. How many of us have wounds that still surface on occasion from something that happened in childhood? I'd say the great majority of us. This book talks about just that. For all of you who were not a part of the "in crowd" growing up, you will enjoy reading the trials and tribulations of Caroline Jacobs. At times raucously funny and at others sensitively sad, this book brings you back to your school days. I found it interesting that Matthew Dicks was able to capture the female perspective so well. Great read for the summer.
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Rebecca K. (Chicagoland)
Cute novel about friendly revenge
I enjoyed "The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs." The story of a woman who stops being a pushover and stands up to her high school bully is an idea that seems appealing to me, and I can only imagine others would love the same opportunity. I liked that the novel wasn't about going back to murder her former bully or anything gruesome. It was simply a chance to set the record straight.
Caroline was an interesting character, if maybe a bit too much of a pushover at first. Her daughter, Polly, was the exact snarky opposite of Caroline's personality. There was a small bit of a mystery in the novel, and I found the ending to be rather underwhelming as I was expecting a bigger surprise. However, it was a quick read with fun characters.
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Sharon (Iowa)
The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs
This was an enjoyable read. If you have ever felt you were "invisible" you will identify with Caroline and cheer for her when she tries to do something about it. This was a book about bullying and friendship and a relationship between a mother and daughter. Polly is wise beyond her years and helps her mother face life head on. This book kept me engaged as each chapter seemed to end with a suspense that made me keep going. A sign of a good book to me is when you laugh, you cry, and you cheer. The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs did all three.
