We All Looked Up

I love contemporary YA novels with weird twists. I also have a weird, irrational fear of space disasters that couples nicely with a masochistic urge to read and watch things that make me feel like my chest is too tight for my heart to fit inside it. We All Looked Up managed to hit both of those sweet spots, which is something commendable all on its own. I've seen movies like this (Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, anyone?) and even though I can't really name anything like it from before my time, I'm sure the concept of "holy s*** something is falling out of the sky and we might all die so YOLO" isn't unique to this book (in fact, there's a very similar book releasing later this year, but I'll plug that later,) it's still something that I think stands out.

I saw this book embarrassingly early into 2014, and I put it on my "want to read" shelf and spent months whining to Lacey about how 2015 felt so far away that I was just gonna die. As is probably expected, waiting on a book for that long makes for sky high expectations. Books you spend months drooling over have the ability to disappoint you more than ones you've barely heard of. Unfortunately, that was kind of the case with We All Looked Up. In retrospect, I remember it much more fondly than I read it, but if I'm entirely truthful with you (and myself,) I wasn't very impressed here.

This book reminds me very much of something written by John Green. If you're a John Green fan, that's probably great for you. In fact, if you're a John Green fan, please go read the preview of this book on the store and at least consider picking up a copy; it's something that I can perfectly imagine fitting on shelves among the likes of Looking for Alaska and The Fault In Our Stars. That's not to say that I'm not a John Green fan - I mean, I'm not an anti fan, but I gave The Fault In Our Stars a generous 3 star rating last year, and I was entirely on the side of Team But You Don't Even Know Her when I reflected on Looking for Alaska as an adult, after having read it as a teenager. So... I don't know what that means, really, but I do know that this review isn't about John Green.

We All Looked Up is, in a word, powerful. In some spots, it's natural and compulsively readable, but in others, it's forced and kind of awkward. There were pieces of the story that I wished I had heard more of: how the government handled things, what life was like once basic amenities went out, just how horrific it was in the grocery stores, how everything suddenly seemed like it was straight out of a dystopian novel because of something as simple as a great unknown that no one can avoid looking at. There were huge splashes of those things everywhere. Their school quickly became something akin to a prison, a curfew was put into place, the police were not playing games, and their parents got weird, to say the least. People were finally facing their own mortality and some took it better than others. Some wanted to accomplish their lifelong dreams, no matter how silly, and others wanted to just give up and not think about it anymore. Overall, the darker, grittier parts of the book are what I wish I had seen more of. Realizing too late how you feel about someone, recognizing your own deepest desires, having to face your demons. All of that is delicious, amazing end-of-the-world stuff that I live for, and while I'll admit that this book had that, it wasn't enough. But when you're an apocalyptic/post-apocalyptic fiction hound, it's never really enough.

On the flipside, there were pieces of the story I wish I had heard less of: Andy's s***ty misogynistic attitude about Eliza, Peter and Eliza's horrible, horrible romance, how unique and quirky and strong and independent Eliza was, and... Okay, to be honest? Eliza. I wish I had heard a hell of a lot less Eliza. Everything about her felt very tailored to a certain audience, from her dialogue to her sense of style to her philosophies on life, and while that's something that I know a lot of people would appreciate, I was not among them. Parts of her, I genuinely appreciated - she embraced her sexuality and did what she wanted to do with her body, but for the most part, I just found myself feeling a bit baffled by how anyone could possibly be so ostentatious, and of course, I was disgruntled because every boy she meets seems to fall head over heels for her. I've never really understood that in books, movies, TV, whatever. There's always the Queen of the Pack so to speak, but I've never seen it be the way that it's portrayed in fictional stuff. Ever.

For the most part, the characters in this book were actually quite likable. I've seen some mixed reception of Anita but personally, I liked her. She was probably my favorite character in this book, except for Peter. If I had my way, Peter would have fallen in love with Anita, and they would have left Andy and Eliza to flounder around together and gone off to be in beautiful, beautiful love. Peter was just... likable. Sometimes he was so likable that I wanted to punch him square in the throat. That's a good thing, I promise. Bits and pieces of Andy were unsavory, but most of those were directly related to Eliza, so it's not worth mentioning them in detail. To summarize: he's a weird dude with a crush on a girl he doesn't really know, he feels entitled to her because he's interested so obviously she has to love him too, he's weird and possessive and obsessed with her and he spends the majority of his time totally not noticing how awesome the girl right next to him is because he's in love with this stupid ideal girl that's not even real. Yes, that was a run-on sentence. No, I am not sorry. (Okay, I'm a little sorry.) I think Wallach has done something amazing here. Flimsy high school stereotypes are given life in this book. It's like The Breakfast Club in a YA book with a huge asteroid flying straight toward us all. I love that.

This book was pretty redeeming with poetic, almost lyrical writing, a believable cast, a beautiful (albeit frustrating because she deserves better) romance, a realistic/unique ending, an immersive setting, and something about it that's just plain likable even though I found myself consistently disappointed by the lack of a real oomph. I would recommend it to anyone who thinks that a group of kids that think they're neatly categorized in their cliques and their lives being almost literally blown out of those molds sounds awesome. Especially if you're a fan of John Green! I really, really mean that.

P.S. If you liked the whole asteroid thing, there's also All We Have Is Now by Lisa Schroeder coming out in July! It sounds similar, but a little darker/grittier, so if you read We All Looked Up and found yourself wanting to know more about the icky parts of the end of the world, you should definitely check that out.

I understand I've given this 5stars...but really I think it's more. Sure the plotting at times is kinda wonky. But do you think things aren't going to be wonky when an asteroids ending the world in a handful of days. I think what liked was the honesty, these were real teens to me hell without an asteroid I had many of the same feelings they did through out highschool.... It was a very emotional read and I'd just like to say thank to the author for letting me experience this story.

I read lots of young adult fiction. Lots. This one ranks towards the bottom for me. Self absorb teens make bad choices, until threat of destruction gives them excuses to make worse ones. Give this one a pass.

Love how the author tells this amazing story through the eyes of 4 high school kids who suddenly are living in a world where an asteroid has a 66% chance of striking and wiping out life on earth within 3 months. The threat of the apocalypse changes everything in an utterly believable way. You can't help when reading We All Looked Up to think about how such a threat would affect how you look at things. A terrific read -- and I'm hoping Tommy Wallach will be writing more books!

This book was incredible. I stayed up until one in the morning to finish it even though I had to be up early the next day. It is one of those books where you finish it and you get this weird feeling of contentment but wanting more. Everything about it gave me chills. While it can be considered a novel about the apocalypse, it is nothing like anything you have ever read. Keep an eye on the black pages, and don't look ahead at them. They make it feel real.

this book has an interesting concept, but the writing is comedically bad. the characters are very one dimensional and the narration is cringe-worthy. i give it three stars just bc i found how dumb it is a little funny, and there is something about it that makes you want to read more. easy read. dialogue heavy and almost sounds like the author has never spoken to a high schooler. interesting and easy if you need a read

The anachronisms are a little distracting. Andy wears a Bush T-Shirt that reads "The Decider". He's 18 in 2014, and the whole "decider" thing happened in 2006. He would have been ten years old at the time. Even if we accept that he had any interest in politics at the time, he would have long outgrown any T-Shirts he owned from back then. The kids listen 80s music,

THe religious undertones, while subtle, are also a bit distracting. Some of it is very subtle. That the asteroid lands around Easter. That the chance of them all being destroyed is 2/3rds, aka 66.6%, the number of the beast, or close enough. That means that the chance of salvation is 33.3%, a clear allusion to the trinity. Were those details on their own, then it could be seen as reading too much into it, but some of it is far more heavy handed. The bad guys, even the drug dealers, can't do really bad things, to a degree that goes beyond it being young adult -- except for once, because this book is brilliant in building, then shattering expectations. It's its greatest strength. Peter (the name is not casually chosen) hears a single message, delivered by his history teacher, that changes the course of his life from the pursuit personal glory to a dedication to service to others. He gives the "why Jesus is awesome" lecture close to the end of the book. I find it strange that, given he is a basketball star, we never once see him play basketball. Anita struggles with her purpose in this world, and casts it clearly in a religious context, wondering why she was put on earth, and if defying that isn't a sin. Her parents are religous also, but in the parody sort of way, to contrast Peter's family. Contrasting that, there is an abnormal amount of profanity for the genre, and the characters have a lot more sex than is normal in a young adult. Granted, it's all "off stage" -- Eliza brings a boy home, and then it is morning, that sort of thing.

That out of the way, it is an excellent book. The characters are interesting, and the plot is maddening. It's young adult, so of course they can't all be killed. But Chekov's rule tells us you can't have a gun on the mantle in act one unless it goes off by act 3. It would be playing unfair with the reader if they get killed, just based on the description. On the other hand, there is a 33.3% chance, that they will survive. Normally, if there is a 0.000000001% chance of the hero surviving, that's pretty much a guarantee. But that doesn't count when it's the driving force of the story. Like I said, maddening. Of course I won't spoil the end.

Overall, it is not a perfect debut novel, but it is an excellent one. It is a brilliant departure from the same-old-same-old. I think it's worth the read.

The book has an interesting subject and it definitely helps forward the reader throughout the book. However, with the multiple POV's the dialogue becomes confusing and the chapters are sometimes redundant. I found myself skimming quite a lot.
I felt the ending was rushed and it left me unsatisfied.

In We All Looked Up, Tommy Wallach tries to answer the question: What would you do if there's a 2/3 chance that the world is going to end. The answer is that you'll never react the way you think you might. Will you spend time with your family? Will you confess to the one you love, that you love him/her? Or will you ravage civilization until there's nothing left, asteroid or no?

Read this book if you're curious about how you'd respond to the world going completely to hell.

Teenagers teetering on the balance of too few years lived to grasp the gravity of death, and too little time left to make those years matter - what better vessel to explore the paradigm of existential dread and hope than the post-pubescent mind? Wallach encapsulates an impressive range of human experience while maintaining deep and personal ties to each character. A read that resonates even as it's unfolding.

We All Looked Up immediately caught my eye, not only with it's really unique cover, but also with its pre-apocalyptic setting, which I don't think I've ever actually seen. Sure, I've read tons of post-apocalyptic books, but one set in the days before the actual apocalypse when everyone knows what's coming? Wow! This book had so much potential and I really expected to be completely blown away.

The story is told from the perspectives of four different characters who all go to the same high school and represent several stereotypes. Each character is definitely unique and I can appreciate the attempt at diversity here. Unfortunately the stereotypes weren't dispelled. In fact, kind of the opposite happens. The "slut" has sex with random men to make them feel better (really) and Peter, the "good guy" is ridiculously good to the point of not being believable. Still, the characters were decent and I felt like I got to know a good deal about all of them.

My main problem with We All Looked Up is the events themselves. I'm pretty sure the whole purpose of this book (in addition to its failed attempt at dispelling stereotypes) is basically "you only live once," or some variation of that. When these characters find out that they have a 66.6% of being hit by an asteroid, they all make comments about wanting to live to the fullest in their last few weeks on earth. Despite that, they all make some really weird decisions.

Anita decides to run away from home and live with her slacker friend, Andy, for whatever reason. Eliza decides to start a blog. Peter... breaks up with his girlfriend and hangs out with his sister? I just don't know. The gangsters do gang things, the hippies do hippie things. Lots of kids get thrown in jail for no good reason... It was just a big, weird mess.

Obviously, I can't be sure what I'd do if I found out I was probably going to die in a few weeks, but I really think I'd do something a lot more fun. I think there would be a lot of impromptu mega-vacations and I really don't think the majority of the world would be sitting on their thumbs waiting for it to happen. I also don't believe that basically everyone would be thrown in jail for no reason.

One thing I can confidently say is that Tommy Wallach is a beautiful writer, and I think this is probably where his background in songwriting pays off. His prose is lyrical and I really enjoyed listening to it being read by the narrator. I did feel like there was probably a little bit more profanity than was needed, though. I also really loved the mood of this book. I could feel the dread of the impending (possible) doom from the moment they first noticed the "star" in the distance. I liked that some of humanity sort of came together before the end of the world.

My last problem with this is the ending. At about 50% through this book I suddenly realized that I knew how this book would probably end and I hoped against all odds that I was wrong, but I wasn't. I understand why the author might have ended it this way, but I didn't care for it. I just wanted more.

Overall, this book did have a few things that I liked, but ultimately the bad outweighed the good. Stereotypical characters and unrealistic actions left a little too much to be desired. The concept itself had a lot of potential and I was really hoping for more. I heard that the rights for a film had been purchased and I'd definitely give this one another chance on the big screen!

Actual rating: 2.5 stars

We all looked up was an outstanding attention gripping novel. It allows the reader to see that you get to choose your happiness in the end. I really enjoyed reading each of the characters perspectives and outtakes on life. This emotional book that conveys the importance of friendship, love and happiness. I would strongly recommend it to anyone who likes a thought provoking and interesting novel.

I was completely enthralled by this book up until the first 1/3, then it went no where fast. The characters were not very well developed. It felt like the author was trying to check each box on the "typical" high school student. I only kept reading because I was hopeful it would get more interesting, but it never did. I read a lot of this genre and there are a lot more books out there that are better reads.

This was such a well written book. Loved the metaphors and similes. Seattle is as much a character as the other four voices. I love how this book surprised me and made me ponder the deeper meaning of life all while taking me on a wild and crazy wonderful adventure.

This book is based on the premise that basically the world as these characters know it, will end. The main characters are all teens about to go off to college. A bit far fetched, sad, and if you keep your mind open, enlightening. Well written.

I'll admit that I was hoping the Seattle setting (where I live) would save this from being just another pre-apocalypse story. It really didn't. The characters were really predictable --- I read several people on the book site GoodReads compare them to the characters from the hit 1980s movie "The Breakfast Club" and that hits the nail on the head. They are absolute caricatures of themselves. Even their names don't really matter...they are defined by their stereotype. Although this is probably because the book is YA, I think it's an insult to Young Adult readers. They are far more sophisticated than this and recognize good writing when they see it. I couldn't help but wonder what this same topic could have looked like in the hands of someone like John Green (The Fault in Our Stars) who does a good job at eschewing the stereotypes and finding reality.

We All Looked Up isn't a horrible book, it's just been done before. It's been done in YA books, in YA movies. It's been done in adult books and movies, as well. It's been done worse, but more importantly, it's been done far, far better. This was, of course, trying to be more of a character study and less about the pre-apocalypse part. If you find yourself interested in the pre-apocalypse part, don't miss Ben H. Winters' The Last Policeman trilogy which just wrapped up a couple of month ago. Now that was pre-apocalypse done right.

This is a scenario which could potentially happen. We do hear about asteroids coming what science call "close to earth", when in reality they are millions of miles away. But for the characters in Tommy Wallach's We All Looked Up, coming close isn't a factor. This asteroid is almost destined to make impact. It's a pity the characters and their story didn't leave a great impact on this reader.

The story starts out with getting to know these teens and their lives prior to the devastating news that will change their lives. What I found interesting is the different reactions to the news of the asteroid. Some people pull closer to their families while others rebel against everything and everyone. It makes you wonder if they are going against their nature or if the event is bringing out their true nature. It's always good when a book makes you think.

The main characters don't have much in common at the beginning but band together and find some surprising commonalities as they come to know each other. The pairings up would not have occurred in real life but this is a surreal life these characters are living, knowing their lives might be ending in a very short amount of time. Might as well do what you want, no matter who gets hurt in the process seems to be the prevailing attitude.

If the plot had continued focusing on the main characters the story would have held my interest but instead we are lead into another direction. The world of drugs and crime populated by thugs left me caring little for the outcome of these characters. They continued to make poor, idiotic choices, wasting away the time they had instead of appreciating it.

In the end, while I wanted to care about these characters, about the changes they made prior to the asteroids impact, I felt a bit empty by the end.

Ardor is asteroid over five hundred miles wide at tis thickest point. It has been hiding behind Jupiter, but now it in some way is headed for earth’s orbit. Peter, Eliza, Anita, Andy, Misery, and Bobo are the teenage characters of this book.

I think a quality book is one that I can’t wait to get back to reading when I must put it up, one that I think about when I am not reading it. This book had neither of those qualities. It started slowly. It was difficult to even stay with the book. I found the characters flat and difficult to find any concern for their problems. Peter, Eliza, and Anita are searching for meaning and realize that the plans they had for their lives are not going to come about. Misery is Peter’s sister, and girlfriend of Bobo. Bobo sells drugs. He and his friend Andy take advantage of the fear that the asteroid brings. It seems like the ending was rushed, and the main antagonist had to be taken care of, but it was totally out of character.

There is drug and alcohol use, sexual references and abuse, and questionable language. Also this author has the necessary contrary and offensive adults some YA authors believe must be included. The author had a teacher talking to Peter explaining that the best books don’t talk about things you never thought about before, but talk about things you think about and didn’t realize that anyone else thought about the same ideas. So these books make you feel a little less alone.

I do think that one of the great things about books is that you can read about people who are similar to you, but I also think that one of the wonderful things about books is that they can stretch your mind by giving you new ideas to think about. Sadly, I don’t think this book will do much to help stretch minds.

Like 2013's Tumble & Fall by Alexandra Coutts, WE ALL LOOKED UP is a contemporary YA novel that follows a group of teens during the weeks before an asteroid destroys the planet. The books have an identical premise, multiple POV's, and similar characters. If you liked one, you'll probably like the other. Unfortunately, I didn't care for T&F and the same held true for WALU.

The problem I seem to have with books like this is that they really aren't about 'the premise.' It's not about an asteroid, it's about a girl who embraced a false reputation when her dad got sick, another who longs to break free from the impossible expectations set by her parents to pursue a singing career, an athlete struggling to find the meaning of life, and a laid back slacker who...wants everyone to chill out. Okay, fine. If any of those stories/characters intrigue you, pick up this book. Personally, I wasn't grabbed by any of them. I found them to be fairly generic and cliche. And while the writing was fine, it wasn't strong enough to elevate these tired tropes to anything memorable.

Ultimately, this book left me bored and longing for John Green or Maggie Stiefvater to take on an end of the world premise.

For a book that seems to have some religious allusions, it overuses the f word. Other than that, this is clichéd with stereotypical characters. It's okay, but it certainly can't be compared with The Stand. With the current flood of apocalyptic YA fiction this is a very minor book of this type.

Remember when the show The Real World on MTV actually involved real people who lived together in one house from different walks of life. We all watched it with wonder because we had not yet seen any social experiment like this. But as the seasons went on, it became more about typecasts, and stereotypes, and the status quo involving hot tubs, fist fights, and at least one LGBT member. Where once there was curiosity, now stood mediocrity. This book is the later seasons, dull and predictable.

We All Looked Up is supposed to be about an extinction level event, a meteorite named Ardor is heading towards earth and may or may not hit it. I know that is preposterous that they could not figure out the probability of that giant rock hitting us, or even that they did not have more warning knowing how the satellites work and how many scientists/astronomers are looking up towards our heavens looking for objects just like that. This is a story about a bunch of teenagers from all walks of life. A jock, a nerd, an outcast, an overachiever, a pretty girl, a handsome boy..love lost, love found, teachers and students, parents and kids, government and citizens. How does life change with the news that it might be over in 6 weeks?

The promise made of this book was it was "The Stand" for this generation, that I was about to read a book about a group of people who learn to live at the end of their lives. I cannot even fathom why anyone would compare this to "The Stand" which is about a mass plague brought on by forces of evil, wherein a group of people good and bad find themselves fighting for life and redemption, its about faith and denial , love and hate. "We All Looked Up" is nothing like that. I could barely stomach the whiny, stereotypes, the prominently white characters who had no depth what so ever. The amazing thing about apocalyptic stories is that the group of people who come together to bond and survive or die are people you identify with, once were or are now, you want them to live or die, and you care about them. I cared about NO ONE in this book. I thought it was poorly written...meandering in plot and not original in the genre.

I finished it because I had too, and the ending was just as disappointing as the bulk of it.

Well, this was disappointing. It seems to be promising enough, four teens facing the end of the world as we know it because of an impending asteroid hurtling towards earth. But they are merely cartoonish versions of real teens. A poorly done imitation of the different personalities shown in the classic teen film, The Breakfast Club. But unlike those characters, these poor kids are totally flat and altogether uninteresting. I could not even finish this book, because I was actually rooting for the asteroid after a certain point.

I think even younger kids would find it hard to be interested in these kids, and the sexuality and language are seemingly used for shock value and add nothing to this disappointing story. Don't bother.

Coming of age during the senior year. Deals with decisions based on an impending meteorite that will most likely destroy the earth. The ending will not give you a perfect answer, but it's realistic, through provoking and good read. Many surprises!

In We All Looked Up, Tommy Wallach tries to answer the question: What would you do if there's a 2/3 chance that the world is going to end. The answer is that you'll never react the way you think you might. Will you spend time with your family? Will you confess to the one you love, that you love him/her? Or will you ravage civilization until there's nothing left, asteroid or no?

Read this book if you're curious about how you'd respond to the world going completely to hell.