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//#58 Brokenhearted;
Janitor Two: Hi. Janitor Two: Would you like to do the plot summary? Janitor One: OK. Todd's been living in Vermont for months, Liz and Jeffrey are madly in love, and then Lila drops the big bomb shell that Todd's moving back. What's a slut to do when she's torn between her current love, a femme soccer player who probably shaves his legs, and her former love, a rich, handsome basketball player who's better off without her? Janitor Two: The plot....Mind if I go on for a moment? Janitor One: Sure. Janitor Two: It was one of the worst book set ups up I have ever read. There was no tension because you knew from page one what Liz was going to do. There was no room for doubt. The only saving grace for the book would have been interesting character reaction, but that never happened. I understand the author wanted to establish conflict early on to "hook" the reader; but they didn't just establish conflict, they solved it, too. I think the tension would have been much better placed if it had been between Todd and Jeffrey, not Liz and Liz. She's usually very transparent, but it's even more highlighted in this book. They wasted 135-pages-times-however-many-books-were-printed worth of trees to say that Liz and Todd get back together. There was no other plot signifigance. They could have done the same thing in a couple chapters. It was poorly planned, washed out, and pathetic. Janitor One: Liz's mind is a pretty boring place to be. Janitor Two: Even if they were planning on it leading into 59, they needed more plot. Liz ad Todd getting together felt like the subplot that wouldn't stop trying to take over the book...and then you learn, on page 100, that it was the plot. I think they should do a revised version of 59, tack on a couple chapters of Liz whinning at the beginning, and junk 58 all together. Rant done. Janitor One: I agree. The entire book is about Liz's whining. "Who do I really love? Jeffrey or Todd?" "Who does Todd really love? Me or Courtney?" I think they should've done a surprise twist and made Todd and Jeffrey fall in love. Janitor Two: Hehehehe! I'll agree with that. My biggest gripe is that you knew what was going to happen. There should have been more Todd-Jeffrey tension. There really should have. That would have moved the plot. You'd still know what was going to happen, but you'd get to see nancy-boy Jeffrey get the crap beat out of him by big, bad Todd, which would have been some consolation, and which would have added Liz tension. There needed to be one good fight scene...just one well-placed punch would have saved this book. At least from riding the bottom ten list. Janitor One: They had the ideal chance to do it at...whose was it, Winston's party? Somebody's party. When they first met. There was tension there. They should've played with that tension instead of letting it die away. Janitor Two: Yeah. Winston's. Do you have any long rants, or have we exhausted the plot aspect? Janitor One: Just that Jeffrey is a pansy and this book shows that to it's fullest. Janitor Two: I actually liked Jeffrey a little in this book. I don't know why. I think he handled Todd's return with grace and dignanty. Definitely one of his more decent books...still a pansy, but not as bad as usual. I did get a laugh when it was mentioned that Jessica thought that, compared to Todd, Jeffrey was at least exciting. Janitor One: Sure he was. Janitor Two: Yeah...... Janitor One: I think Jess was sniffing some whiteout when she made that assessment. Janitor Two: Oh, and according to Jess he's also a hunk... So his evil twin sister sneaked into the room for the cover shoot then, right? Janitor One: Hehehe. We all know Jess has no taste. Janitor Two: Yeah. Janitor One: Except when it came ot Bruce. Janitor Two: Yes. Bruce should have punch jefferey, too. Just because. Janitor One: That would've been great. Everyone should get together and give him a good punch. Janitor Two: Hehe. We're advocating violence.... Janitor One: I like violence. as long as it's not aimed at me. But yeah, shall we move on to characters? Main characters: Liz, Jess, Todd, Jeffrey, Courtney, Sheffield, and Lila, sort of. Janitor Two: Jess, Lila and Sheffield........all right. I'd call them supports, but we can play with them, if you like. Janitor One: So we have more to talk than just rant. Janitor Two: Yeah..... Janitor One: Who do you want to start with? let's save Jeffrey for last. Janitor Two: OK. Umm, let's roast Liz ad get it over with. Janitor One: Her pathetic "girl torn between two guys" act got annoying real quick. Janitor Two: Yeah, it did. I do have to say she didn't tip the slut-o-meter to much in this one though. She restrained herself well, though barely. But it is one of the earlier books. 102 and the diaries were the real turning points for her. Janitor One: Yeah. Janitor Two: So Liz is whinny and insecure. Janitor One: She could've at least told Jeffrey how she was feeling instead of leading him on and leaving him completely in the dark. He was smart enough to see she wanted Todd, though. Janitor Two: Yeah. To Jess. Shallow and manipulative in this one, but not in her usual cunning way. Janitor One: Oh, i forgot to mention that Liz's little monologue to Todd about how she wanted to give their love another chance made me want to throw up. Janitor Two: I concure...the ending scene... Wait til we get to talking about leasts and mosts, though. Janitor One: Jess. she was genuinely happy to see Todd. I think they missed getting on each other's nerves. Janitor Two: Yeah. Jess wasn't too bad in this one. She was herself. Janitor One: Yeah. Without being exceptionally bitchy. That little comment about her thinking back how she had thought about falling in love with Ken for lack of other things to do made me want to hit her, though. Janitor Two: That made me laugh. Though the part where she had to pretend to know about Sheffield's plans of being poor was weak. She didn't pretend nearly as good as she usually does. And the stakes were high, so I thought she'd pull it off better.... Janitor One: Yeah. I think such a "refined young man" made her slightly nervous. He was different from what she usually dated. Janitor Two: Yeah. So on to Sheffield. I liked him. Even before the "poor" thing popped up. He was a new breed for the series. Janitor One: Yes. Rich and humble. What a combo. Janitor Two: And nice. I like the scene where he tells Todd about Liz and Jeffrey being practically "engaged." Very sweet of him. Janitor One: Hehhe. I liked that, too. Such a wonderful friend. Janitor Two: He sounded realistic. As much as a rich philanthropist can... I liked that he called Todd "pal." It was cute. Janitor One: Very. Janitor Two: Sheffield saved the book for me...as much as it was saved... Janitor One: I enjoyed him. Todd? Janitor Two: Let's do him right before Jeffrey. Janitor One: OK. Janitor One: Courtney. Janitor Two: OK. Janitor One: Courtney added a lot to the book. She was the only one who gave Liz and Todd any obstacles. Janitor Two: She was very flat. She had one purpose in the book, and even that wasn't clearly developed....Hehe. We disagree on something. ^_^ Janitor One: Hehe. But at least she tried. And that made the book 135 pages instead of 50. Janitor Two: True. I do have to say she covered her bases when she was getting between Todd and Liz. It was nice to see someone besides Jess doing something like that, I guess. But still flat. Janitor One: Very flat. But she knew her stuff. She gets better in 59 Janitor Two: It's been too long.......We'll have to do 59 as a follow up. Janitor One: OK ^___^ I remember loving that book. Janitor Two: On to Lila. She was strangely easy to manipulate. She was whiny and somehow managed to seem very un-Lila. Maybe it was her time of the month so she was off her game. Whatever it was, she needed some serious work. I get the feeling that whoever wrote this didn't know her character very well. Janitor One: She was coerced by plot involvement, not character. Without her, how else would Liz find out that Todd and Courtney were playing tennis? Ooh! The scandal! Janitor Two: Yes. She was an emotionless pawn used to expose a scandalous affair. How very brave of her to traverse that territory for the sake of such a bad plot line. Janitor One: Yes. Let's honor her. Janitor Two: ...But I think that's just it. The plot line isn't bad. That author just did very badly with it. I think that's why it annoyed me so much. This book really should have been better...it had all the makings of a great, it just got put in the wrong hands. Janitor One: Yeah. Very bad plot development and character development. Janitor Two: Yes. To Todd, speaking of bad character developement. I'll let you start in on him. Janitor One: He was a peice of cardboard. Completely undeveloped. He's just become a millionaire, he moves back to his hometown, in a mansion, with a BMW, and going to a prestigious private school. I would think he would have a few adjustment issues, but he had none. He was just...bleh Janitor Two: Yeah... I can see Liz walking on stage, dragging her cardboard cutout Todd behind her. She stands him in place casually, makes sure he's turned at the right angle for the audience to see the stage lights reflecting off his glossy surface, then she throws herself on the floor in painful, love-strangled agony, writhing at his feet. "Why, Todd? Why?!" Janitor One: Hehehe. And Jeffrey the dog comes bouncing up to her, licks her face. Janitor Two: And then Courtney runs across from the other side of the stage, jumps over Liz, grabs Todd, and books it fr the exit, lauging manically. Janitor One: Anyways... Janitor Two: Yeah. Janitor One: Are we done with Todd? Janitor Two: Yes. Jeffrey. Jeffrey. *shakes head* Janitor One: Oh, Jeffrey... The boy has no balls Janitor Two: Nope. Janitor One: He never did, but this book just puts it out there for everyone to see. Janitor Two: Yeah. Between Todd and Liz, his manhood was wavin' in the breeze and there weren't much to see. Pretty patetic. Janitor One: Very Janitor Two: I don't even know what to say passed that... Janitor One: He was pathetic Janitor Two: Yeah. Janitor One: He spends the whole book agonizing over losing Liz, then he himself pushes her to Todd. I do think he handled Todd coming back well, and I can respect that, but I think he handled it a little too well. Janitor Two: His heroic actions at the end of the book save his character, though. It's one of the last times in the series that we realy get to see him and he goes out like a dutiful hero. Too dutiful. You know what courtly love is? From the Middle Ages? Janitor One: No. Janitor Two: It was when a man (usually a knight) fell in love with a woman who was of a higher station than him, so he could never be with her. He then spent his life dedicating everything to her: giving up on having a real relationship, or any pride and dignanty, for her sake. That's where you'd get knights who fought dragons and musicans who wrote songs about women and love. It was very much forbidden and usually, if there was a case a courtly love, the man did not speak the name of the women he longed for. That's Jeffrey. Dedicating all his happiness to Liz out of a sese of misplaced honor. He read too many romance novels. Gave him too many fuzzy ideas. Janitor One: Yeah. Heroic, but still a pansy. Janitor Two: Yes. So, leasts and mosts. Let's do most favorite scene first. Janitor One: Most: Todd giving the twins the tour of Lovette academy. I don't know why, but I liked that part. Janitor Two: Liz thinking she was the only one Todd hadn't written to. If I remember correctly, even Lila had a letter she was waving around. Janitor One: I don't remember if Lila did... That was funny, though. Janitor Two: You see, if it were Lila who was trying to get between Todd and Liz, even that would have upped the scales more than dragging Courtney in..... Janitor One: Yeah. And I always did think Lila and Todd would be cute together. Janitor Two: They would. Janitor One: But Courtney serves her purpose in 59. Janitor Two: I'll have to see when we read that one...I really don't remember anything more than Jeffrey getting mad at Todd for "mistreating" Liz. Least favorite...if you can pick a single one of the recycling pile this book belongs in. Janitor One: The end with Liz and Todd at Secca Lake. And their nauseating monologues to each other. Janitor Two: I agree. That was bad. Every internal monologue Liz had. That's 75% of the book... Final ratings. Janitor One: Two Bruce heads. It was bad, but I could actually finish it in one afternoon, so it wasn't that bad. Janitor Two: Two Todd heads. One to hail Jeffrey out the door, and one for the benefit of the doubt that once I read 59, this book's purpose might be revealed. |
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