Belzhar

By: Meg Wolitzer

Narrated by: Jorjeana Marie

Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's Summary

If life were fair, Jam Gallahue would still be at home in New Jersey with her sweet British boyfriend, Reeve Maxfield. She'd be watching old comedy sketches with him. She'd be kissing him in the library stacks.

She certainly wouldn't be at The Wooden Barn, a therapeutic boarding school in rural Vermont, living with a weird roommate, and signed up for an exclusive, mysterious class called Special Topics in English.

But life isn't fair, and Reeve Maxfield is dead.

Until a journal-writing assignment leads Jam to Belzhar, where the untainted past is restored, and Jam can feel Reeve's arms around her once again. But there are hidden truths on Jam's path to reclaim her loss.

From New York Times best-selling author Meg Wolitzer comes a breathtaking and surprising story about first love, deep sorrow, and the power of acceptance.

©2014 Meg Wolitzer (P)2014 Listening Library

Critic Reviews

"It’s been a long while since a book has pulled me in this way; I read it leaning forward, figuratively on the edge of my seat with my heart in my throat. I had no idea what was coming, but I was hungry to get there. So subtly plotted and painfully beautiful, I couldn’t put it down. Meg Wolitzer is a an amazing storyteller.” (Jacqueline Woodson, winner of the National Book Award for Brown Girl Dreaming)

“A riveting exploration of the human psyche…Wolitzer's teenage characters are invigorated, flawed, emotionally real and intensely interesting. Even as readers fold back the layers of the story and discover unexpected truths and tragedies, the plot maintains an integrity that has come to be hallmark of Wolitzer's novels.” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review)

“Basically everything Meg Wolitzer writes is worth reading, usually over and over again, and her YA debut…is no exception.” (TeenVogue.com)

Y/A Story, Suitable for Adults

Pretty good story, with good narration. Jorjeana Marie had the right voice for the 1st person narration. Unfortunately, the big "twist" in the plot was no surprise AT ALL. (Hint: if you've read "We Were Liars", this is quite similar).

Not really about Sylvia Plath

So much promise, so much potential, so spot on. Then late in the book: poof, the plot twist took me right out of it and took the book away from what the cover promised. Still, it had some great stuff on Sylvia Plath.

Really interesting

This story was very interesting and I loved everything about the book. It had so much stuff to say and how meany plot twists there were was amazing. I love this book and I feel in love the characters in the book and I kept yelling at them to make the right decision.

Wolirzer's Best

This is a tale well told that reminds use of the exquisite pain and joy of youth. I could not stop listening.

Amazing

I loved the story and the personalities shown through the sayings and the voices given to the characters, it was just c'est magnifique

different

this book was very interesting. I definitely didn't see the plot twist coming. I would've loved to have had a teacher like Mrs Q

highly entertaining; great story

wolitzer has done it again! I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the characters and the narrator was wonderful. the characters well very well fleshed out and sympathetic. not once did I feel compelled to scream out of irritation of the over used emo or horribly narcissistic teen trope. this was simply the best.

Great Story

Very quick moving story. Did not see Jam's story wrapping up in the way it did. Really awesome story.