Olivetti
Ratings4
Average rating4.3
Don't you see? We bought you when you were broken. Even though you were in pieces, you were worth saving.
A very sweet, lively story about how much effort we put towards not facing or remembering the hard aspects of life. Olivetti and Ernest are both compelling and hilarious narrators, patching together their respective memories to make sense of a sudden loss.
I got very caught up in this. I relate intensely to the unsuccessful misery we put ourselves through to feel like we have any control over what happens to us.
Olivetti is a great kids' book about grief and vulnerability. It is emphatic about the courage it takes to love each other in a fleeting world, and especially the courage it takes to recapture nostalgia and hope after that world has been rocked (pun intended). It kind of meant a lot to me? I kind of want to own it and have it? I also want to own a typewriter for some reason? The cover is also gorgeous?
Things certainly got tied up a little too nicely at the end, and I would have preferred a more ambiguous ending. But also I wanted everyone to be okay and they were and sometimes that is nice as well.
For fans of [b:This Adventure Ends|27779275|This Adventure Ends|Emma Mills|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1455111092l/27779275.SX50.jpg|46885088], [b:The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street|33413919|The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street (The Vanderbeekers, #1)|Karina Yan Glaser|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1486845798l/33413919.SY75.jpg|48265702], and [b:When You Reach Me|5310515|When You Reach Me|Rebecca Stead|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1441759322l/5310515.SY75.jpg|6608018].
2.5 stars
This book has such high reviews and I had such high expectations... it all just fell flat for me—even as, halfway through, I tried to into the mindset of a child reading it.
I absolutely love the concept of the sentient typewriter. I pondered using it as a read-aloud in a classroom only because the deep desire of a doing a cross-subject unit with a typewriter at the core would be fun and educational.
I might feel differently about Olivetti if I hadn't already read many novels on autism and parents who go missing/are dealing with tough life issues.
The hardcover book does look beautiful on my coffee table in view of my typewriters.