My Rating: 3.5 hearts
Thoughts on the Novel: Friendship on Fire by Danielle Weiler is like the Aussie version of Miranda Kenneally's Catching Jordan, minus the football. Although Weiler’s book was released earlier, since I read Catching Jordan first and just before reading Friendship on Fire, it was hard not to notice the similarities in plot.
However, while Catching Jordan has Jordan slowly counting down the days until her trip to Alabama, Friendship on Fire really has no goal per se because it’s just a story chronicling Daisy’s Year 12. What makes Friendship on Fire meaningful is that it reminds the reader of their own high school years. Most of us had/have very boring, ordinary lives, and the drama in high school came from arguing with friends, falling in love, sucking at driving lessons, etc. These events wouldn’t be particularly memorable to others but they’re important to us, and I think that’s what Friendship on Fire emphasizes.
Just as I found the story to be realistic, I also thought that Daisy acted like a typical teen. Sometimes she acted wise, but at other times she was sort of naïve and immature. There were times when I liked her, and there were times when I wanted to strangle her because she refused to listen to anybody.
Although I sometimes questioned Daisy’s parents’ decisions, I liked that rather than trying to control their daughter, they allowed her the freedom to make her own choices and mistakes. At the same time, it wasn’t as if there was no parental (or sibling) involvement at all; Daisy actually had a very close family that spent time with each other, and her parents and older brothers were there for her when she needed them to be.
A story that teens and adults can easily relate to, Friendship on Fire was released in March 2011 by Sid Harta Publishers.
However, while Catching Jordan has Jordan slowly counting down the days until her trip to Alabama, Friendship on Fire really has no goal per se because it’s just a story chronicling Daisy’s Year 12. What makes Friendship on Fire meaningful is that it reminds the reader of their own high school years. Most of us had/have very boring, ordinary lives, and the drama in high school came from arguing with friends, falling in love, sucking at driving lessons, etc. These events wouldn’t be particularly memorable to others but they’re important to us, and I think that’s what Friendship on Fire emphasizes.
Just as I found the story to be realistic, I also thought that Daisy acted like a typical teen. Sometimes she acted wise, but at other times she was sort of naïve and immature. There were times when I liked her, and there were times when I wanted to strangle her because she refused to listen to anybody.
Although I sometimes questioned Daisy’s parents’ decisions, I liked that rather than trying to control their daughter, they allowed her the freedom to make her own choices and mistakes. At the same time, it wasn’t as if there was no parental (or sibling) involvement at all; Daisy actually had a very close family that spent time with each other, and her parents and older brothers were there for her when she needed them to be.
A story that teens and adults can easily relate to, Friendship on Fire was released in March 2011 by Sid Harta Publishers.
Comments About the Cover: In my mind, Daisy’s hair would be more orange – sort of like Anne of Green Gables'.
