Sandra Scoppettone Criticism
Sandra Scoppettone is a notable American novelist, playwright, and scriptwriter, renowned for her realistic portrayal of complex social issues affecting young adults. In her novel Trying Hard to Hear You, Scoppettone explores teenage homosexuality with a candid and substantial approach, as highlighted in critical reviews. Her work The Late Great Me addresses teenage alcoholism, detailing the protagonist’s struggle with addiction, supported by critical observations.
Scoppettone's novels often delve into controversial themes. Happy Endings Are All Alike confronts issues of rape and lesbianism, prompting discussions on societal prejudice and the courageous assertion of identity, as noted by critics like Catholic Library World. Meanwhile, Such Nice People presents a provocative narrative about familial violence, critiqued for its reliance on shock value by Kirkus Reviews.
Her more recent novel, Long Time Between Kisses, focuses on themes of self-discovery and personal growth through introspection, praised for its engaging dialogue and portrayal of adolescent experiences, as discussed by Liz Williams. Though some critics argue that her works are unnecessarily graphic, others assert that Scoppettone provides important insights into the issues faced by her young readership, offering texts that resonate with their realities.
Contents
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Trying Hard to Hear You
(summary)
In the following review, the critic examines Sandra Scoppettone's Trying Hard to Hear You, highlighting its portrayal of cliquish pseudo-sophistication among teenagers, and commending its honest and substantial approach to discussing homosexuality amid a backdrop of dramatic and tragic events.
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The Booklist
(summary)
In the following essay, the critic praises Sandra Scoppettone's novel "Trying Hard to Hear You" for its mature portrayal of adolescence, the credible intertwining of plot threads, and the sensitive exploration of homosexuality, highlighting the development of both teenage and adult characters within a natural dialog.
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Trying Hard to Hear You
(summary)
In the following review, Alice Bach praises Sandra Scoppettone's novel Trying Hard to Hear You for its impactful exploration of teenage prejudice against homosexuality, noting the work's ability to address sensitive issues without moralizing.
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Annie Gottlieb
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In the following essay, Gottlieb critiques Scoppettone's "Trying Hard to Hear You" for its attempt to blend social issues and liberal themes of the 1970s within a traditional narrative structure, ultimately questioning the effectiveness of its educational value due to a perceived mismatch between style and content.
- Alleen Pace Nilsen
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A review of "The Late Great Me"
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In the following review, the critic highlights how Sandra Scoppettone's novel "The Late Great Me" centers on the issue of alcoholism rather than character empathy, outlining Geri Peters's descent into addiction and her eventual, somewhat facile recovery aided by a supportive teacher.
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The Late Great Me
(summary)
In the following review, the critic discusses Sandra Scoppettone's The Late Great Me as a candid portrayal of teenage alcoholism, focusing on the protagonist Geri's struggles with addiction and the influence of her social environment, highlighting the novel's appeal as a "young adult problem novel."
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Karen McGinley
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In the following essay, Karen McGinley examines Sandra Scoppettone's novel "The Late Great Me," highlighting its exploration of teenage alcoholism through the character Geri Peters and discussing its portrayal of the broader social and familial issues that contribute to the protagonist's struggles.
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Happy Endings Are All Alike
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The critic argues that while Scoppettone's earlier work "Trying Hard to Hear You" is praised for its sensitivity, "Happy Endings Are All Alike" fails to effectively address themes of sexism and intolerance, instead presenting unoriginal ideas through its characters.
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Happy Endings Are All Alike
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In the following essay, the critic highlights Happy Endings Are All Alike for depicting a clear lesbian relationship and a courageous moral battle, though it critiques the novel for lacking depth of observation and literary imagination despite its readability and avoidance of stereotypes.
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Happy Endings Are All Alike
(summary)
The critic praises Sandra Scoppettone's novel Happy Endings Are All Alike for its candid and sensitive portrayal of lesbianism, suggesting that the work encourages intelligent and unbiased discussion on the subject.
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Happy Endings Are All Alike
(summary)
In the following essay, Patty Campbell argues that Sandra Scoppettone's Happy Endings Are All Alike effectively balances political and sexual themes with a compelling lesbian love story, diverging from traditional tragic endings in LGBTQ young adult literature.
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Happy Endings Are All Alike
(summary)
In the following essay, Linda R. Silver critiques Sandra Scoppettone's Happy Endings Are All Alike for its superficial portrayal of societal attitudes towards lesbianism and rape, arguing that its melodramatic plot and clichéd dialogue undermine its serious themes.
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Happy Endings Are All Alike
(summary)
In the following essay, Leonore Gordon argues that Sandra Scoppettone's "Happy Endings Are All Alike" sensitively addresses the challenges faced by lesbian teenagers, including homophobia, rape, and societal prejudice, while exploring the complexities of family dynamics and the courageous decision to publicly assert one's identity.
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Taking True Risks: Controversial Issues in New Young Adult Novels
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In the following essay, Geraldine DeLuca praises Sandra Scoppettone's Happy Endings Are All Alike for its progressive depiction of a lesbian relationship, its challenge to conventional norms, and its advocacy for tolerance and individual choice, despite critiquing its prose style as simplistic and limited.
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Such Nice People
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The critic argues that Sandra Scoppettone's novel "Such Nice People" offers a clichéd portrayal of a dysfunctional American family whose superficial normalcy hides violent and pathological undercurrents, ultimately resulting in an unconvincing narrative that relies on shock value and lacks depth.
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Such Nice People
(summary)
In the following essay, Michele M. Leber critiques Sandra Scoppettone's novel "Such Nice People" for its sensational content and lack of depth in exploring character motivations, arguing that despite its engaging style and effective portrayal of adolescents, these strengths are insufficient to justify the novel's graphic and lurid scenes.
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Such Nice People
(summary)
In the following essay, Kate Waters critiques Sandra Scoppettone's novel Such Nice People, arguing that its depiction of a family plagued by a range of fashionable young adult issues fails to effectively communicate its purported theme of child victimization through parental emotional abuse, and thus does not belong in young adult collections.
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Long Time between Kisses
(summary)
In the following essay, Liz Williams praises Sandra Scoppettone's novel "Long Time Between Kisses" for its realistic portrayal of adolescent discovery and change, highlighting its engaging dialogue and skillful storytelling while addressing significant themes such as feminism and moral dilemmas without being pedantic.
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Young but Not Innocent
(summary)
In the following essay, Annie Gottlieb argues that while Long Time Between Kisses by Sandra Scoppettone presents a superficially modern narrative, it ultimately conforms to a conventional young adult moral lesson, though Scoppettone effectively portrays the tension between the protagonist's outward bravado and inner loneliness.
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Joseph A. Szuhay
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In the following essay, Joseph A. Szuhay examines Sandra Scoppettone's "A Long Time Between Kisses," highlighting its portrayal of urban teenage experiences, its humorous yet serious exploration of maturation, and its insightful treatment of societal and personal attitudes toward individuals with disabilities, particularly those with multiple sclerosis.
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Long Time between Kisses
(summary)
In the following essay, Jorja Davis critiques Sandra Scoppettone's "Long Time Between Kisses" for its wit, humor, and character development, despite inconsistencies in tense, as it explores themes of identity crisis and first love through the character of Billie James.
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Long Time between Kisses
(summary)
In the following review, Barbara J. Craig praises Sandra Scoppettone's "Long Time Between Kisses" for its excellent writing and engaging characters, while noting that the protagonist's sophisticated traits may hinder realism and the subtle emotional themes might be challenging for younger readers to appreciate.