The Queen of Everything

by Deb Caletti

Book Overview

People ask me all the time what having Vince MacKenzie for a father was like. What they mean is, was he always crazy? High school junior Jordan MacKenzie's life was pretty typical: fractured family, new boyfriend, dead-end job. She'd been living with her father (the predictable optometrist) since her mother (the hippie holdover) had been too embarrassing to be around. Jordan felt like she finally had as normal a life as she could. But then came Gayle...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743436849
• ISBN13: 9780743436847
• Release Date: November 2002
• Publisher: Simon Pulse
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.64 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.0" x 7.1"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

Excellent read

My daughter picked this up from the school library and could not put it down. I read it next and liked it so much I bought copies for my adult friends. The rich development of Jordan and the hard lessons she learns at a critical time of her life were very real. I would recommend it for anyonoe with teenager.

GOOD BOOK

Someone told me this book was for young adults, but it had enough adult themes and wisdom to keep me satisfied. It's one of those novels you can read on two levels, and if parents want to get into the minds of their teenagers, they should check this one out. Deb Caletti is a talented, savvy writer.

Absolute Fantastic Book!!!

What a fantastic tale Deb Caletti writes about Jordan and her family and friends. Jordan is a remarkable young woman with sass and self-confidence. The characters are convincing and likeable. This extremely well written book is very sensitive, humorous, endearing and entertaining! It holds your interest throughout. It was not a book that I could put down once I started it and I read it into the night. When I completed it, I read it again as I didn't want it to end! I could vividly picture the characters and places through Caletti's amazingly compassionate and descriptive words. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to read a quality piece of writing. Also, I loved the cover of the book! Very artistic and unusual.

Lovely and unforgettable

I bought this book unaware that it was "for teens". I immediately loved the main character, Jordan, funny, spirited and thoughtful. It is a beautifully written book - layered, insightful, gentle at its heart. Teens will probably relate to the sometimes smart-allecky heroine, but adults will also admire the humor and insight. I set it aside a week ago, and am still thinking about it. I've never written a review before, but it inspired me to do so, as well as to suggest it to my book club. It is gentle at its heart - like The Lovely Bones, about a young girl in the tumult of trauma. Readers who enjoy humor, real life portrayal of modern times and an authentic, laugh-out-loud voice, will love this book.

Rollicking Fun (for a suspense novel)

What a fabulous, taut, and throughout, joyful read through a story at times told with the stark, stripped down style of Hemmingway, then at a turn filled with incisive lines of coy humor. This one is as fine an outting one could have hoped for on a freshman outting from a first time writer. I would recommend to teachers, students, moms and dads....just about covers the gamut....two thumbs up!