Viola in Reel Life

Viola in Reel Life was an amazingly accurate representation of what it's like to be a young teen.

The story follows 14 year-old, aspiring film maker Viola Chesterton as she navigates her way through her first year at an all-girl, boarding school in South Bend, Indiana. This 180 from her life in Brooklyn, New York coupled with her parents' absence while making a film overseas causes Viola to shrink in on herself. Lucky for her though, her new roommates won't allow her to do that. Suzanne, Romy, & Marisol are a varied and colorful cast who allow Viola her space, while helping her to understand that she can learn a lot from each of them.

And what would a teen novel be without a little romance? Viola's best friend Andrew was sadly left behind in Brooklyn, but they keep in touch while she's in South Bend. When Viola starts seeing her first real boyfriend Jared, Andrew magically starts seeing a girl back home and has little time to commiserate with Viola. What's a girl to do?

Witty, comical, heart-felt and very understanding, Adriana Trigiani has really found a calling in young adult literature. The characters are believable and engaging, although not all of them are in-depth. Relationships are formed and fall-through just like they would in real life. The best of all though is the language used. I have a hard time getting in to some books who don't quite get the lingo and Adriana Trigiani does not have that problem at all. A necessity for fans of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

This book seems very different than her others, however, it might be the age of the characters. It's a coming to age (young age) and all the experiences you can have if you get out of your head long enough. Yet I think that's a lesson everyone needs to learn repeatedly.

Viola is being forced to leave the comfort and safety of her hometown of Brooklyn to live in South Bend, Indiana to attend the Prefect Academy, a boarding school for girls. All Viola knows is the bustling streets of the city, cold sesame noodles from her favorite Chinese restaurant, and making movies with her best friend, Andrew. While Viola's parents are off making a documentary in Afghanistan, Viola finds herself stuck with rolling cornfields, four new roommates, and nothing but her video camera for comfort. "Viola in Reel Life" chronicles the ups and downs of Viola's freshman year spent at the Academy.

Viola's story comes together nicely in this easy, yet fun read by Adriana Trigiani. The characters are believable and develop well as we learn about Viola's roommates, her best friends in New York, and as Viola learns more about herself throughout the book. Readers will enjoy Viola's grandmother, a Broadway actress with a heart of gold, and will pine away for a best friend like Andrew. It isn't fluffy chick-lit, but it isn't terribly complex which makes it a nice read for teens both young and old who want something a little lighter, but still has a good story line.

"Viola in Reel Life" is a great coming-of-age story of friendships, relationships, and learning what it means to find yourself after you've been separated from all you know and love. Viola's story is a great one that everyone can relate to on some level. This is Adriana Trigiani's first YA novel and I, personally, am looking forward to more.

Fourteen-year-old aspiring filmmaker Viola Chesterson did not want to leave her home in Brooklyn and begin her freshman year of high school at a Midwest boarding school -- Prefect Academy for Young Women -- in South Bend, Indiana. She did not want to leave behind her Best Friend Forever And Always, Andrew Bozelli. She did not want to leave behind her crush, the best looking boy in the five boroughs, junior Tag Nachmanoff. But her parents -- who met in film school and work as a team -- have rented out their home for the year and are heading to Afghanistan for a film project. Being that Viola's mother, herself, had spent a lovely year at Prefect Academy back in the eighties while Viola's stage actress grandmother was part of a national touring company, Viola has been plopped down in Indiana.

"Indiana -- translated it's a Native American word for flat. Okay, I made that up."

Viola has been a well cared for, only child who suddenly and reluctantly has to share a room with three other girls in what feels like the middle of nowhere. While trying to adjust to her new surroundings, she must also adjust to BFFAA Andrew hooking up with a Brooklyn hottie and suddenly not being at her IM beck and call. But things begin looking up when she gains popularity by using her film savvy to bring the annual hokey Founder's Day stage production into the Twenty-first century. And then, like Cinderella to the ball (well, not exactly), she accompanies a busload of her schoolmates to a dance at the boys' school -- Grabeel Sharpe Academy -- and encounters a cute freshman with his own Panorama X12 around his neck.

A cold, snowy winter, a ghost mystery, kisses, cookies, roommates, a video diary, a film competition, and Viola's crack-me-up-every time observations all make this an endearing coming of age story that I really enjoyed from one end to the other.

VIOLA IN REEL LIFE is an exceptionally fun middle school read for tweens and teens, particularly all those out there who are experimenting with video or are into the dramatic arts. It is incredible how much author-filmmaker Adriana Trigiani shows us about the complexities of Viola's envisioning and producing a "simple" fifteen-minute video for the story's climactic film competition. And there are sure to be some great arguments between readers regarding what is said by one of Viola's schoolmates about how boys typically deal with competition versus how girls deal with it.

Viola is interesting, I found myself rooting for her from the beginning. A new approach to the transitions and growth of high school years. Definitely not the usual with the focus of the story from the perspective of a filmmaker.

It was a bit predictable, but charming. Ended a bit abruptly, but I would recommend it to others.

Teens back in school have their "required reading" ahead of them but in a spare moment
or two taking a break with VIOLA IN REEL LIFE might be an enjoyable diversion. Young readers could relax with this novel and might feel a connection with the protagonist and her transition. It
might be encouragement for others in similar situations. Ms. Trigiani's story is thought provoking
and useful but perhaps most of all it's entertaining. Let's not forget the laughs generated throughout that are so necessary in today's REAL LIFE!

I gave viola 3 stars because the authors style of writing was great---she described beautifully, developed the characters well, and had witty lines---but the plot didn't do it for me.

Viola is a typical New Yorker who moves to boarding school in indiana. For a New Yorker staying on the countryside, AND with new people when shes been an only child her whole life---she adjusted pretty quickly. Too quickly in my opinion.

Then, her and her roomates are all buddy-buddy and don't ever fight. I understand that they have a good relationship and all, but wouldn't you have at least one argument (whether it was about boys, clothes, or making a mess of their room) during a years stay at Prefect Academy?

Also, the plot was interesting in the beginning, but i struggled to finish it. It lacked a real conflict---the movie competiton was the biggest one.

Finally, the ending was too perfect. Viola remained friends with her roomates the whole time (she didn't have any others which was weird), and got over her boyfriend quickly and there you go- the happiest ending.

If you are looking for a quick easy read then this book is for you.

Very current, very cute book. It reminds me of movies and my own childhood experiences with sleep away camp. And, like a family-friendly movie, everything turns out peachy in the end, but not in a cheesy, un-believable kind of way. I really liked that it wasn't a more "typical" kind of story, with the main character (a 14-year old girl) only interested in boys and looks; the main character has a passion, which she pursues throughout the book.

Another quick read, which I definitely enjoyed.

I love Adriana Trigiani's work and was several pages in before I realized this was for younger readers! I finished it anyway and relived my own years away from home at school. The main characters emotions are real, the struggle and secrets of her parents equally realistic. Highly recommend it for young readers and even for old women like myself!