Martine LeavittCalvin

This book was really engaging. I loved how it built on the Calvin and Hobbes story in a very fresh and impactful way. It made the story more real for individuals today and provided a great opportunity to learn more about how schizophrenia impacts people’s lives and what that would feel like. It was interesting to see through Calvin’s eyes and his constant wonder of what is true and what is not. I also liked the almost play-like format. Martine Leavitt does a fantastic job of using the format to really convey the story well and show pauses and dialogue in a different effective way. The characters are super well-rounded and it was fun to see the classical fun conversations between Calvin and Hobbes even as Calvin is trying to deny Hobbes existence. It was super fun to read and I loved how Martine Leavitt builds on the Calvin and Hobbes story by making both Calvin and the reader wonder if Susie might not be real either. The dialogue is very natural and entertaining. It was fun to see the characters talk about some hard topics in a very friendly comfortable child-friendly way with their own individual personalities in normal and natural ways. It was very entertaining and left me with a lot of good things to think about. Overall, fantastic read! If you are looking for a cute story with very well-rounded characters that you will love instantly, this is the book for you.

Martine Leavitt’s Calvin was a treat to read from start to finish. Written in the form of a letter to Bill Watterson, the author of the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip, Leavitt offers a unique voice to her characters and seems to step aside and allow them to tell their story. The letter is written by the protagonist, Calvin, who is convinced his life is tied up that of the Calvin from the comics. Not only was he born the day the comics ended, but he has an imaginary tiger friend named Hobbes. Most kids have imaginary friends at some point in their lives, but most imaginary friends go away. His didn’t. And at 17, that means he’s most likely schizophrenic. Which means he’s not normal. And Calvin wants more than anything to be normal.Through this tale, Martine Leavitt explores not only mental illness and the obstacles that places in teenagers’ lives, but in a broader sense she explores the obstacle we all face in learning to accept ourselves. From science and brain chemistry to religion and beauty, Leavitt takes Calvin on a journey that explores all the reasons he’s different, and all the reasons why that’s okay.Calvin is a wonderful coming of age story that’s witty and thoughtful and full of adventure. It’s a good read for all ages – who doesn’t need a reminder that our quirks are part of what makes us unique and important in this world every once in a while? So join Calvin in his discovery of self. Maybe you’ll find yourself along the way too.

While very different from the actual comic strip, I believe this is great for those fans who have grown up and matured. The author writes with such care and meditation that by the end of the book you fully understand each character and are left with plenty of questions that you are suggested to ponder. One of my favorite passages of the book is the one where the two main characters debate the existence of God, and how much character is revealed just through that small conversation. Instead of info dumps or characters telling how they are, Leavitt displays character through dialogue and action. Which is very impressive and along with the script style of writing, makes for a book that reads with a quick flow and feeling of adventure physically and mentally. As for the content of the book, Leavitt never exaggerates or oversimplifies our Calvin’s condition. It handles his mental illness with great care and keeps us as an audience guessing throughout the book what may be real and what is a part of his condition. Calvin’s mental illness is a very uncommon thing for a book to cover, I have never seen a book – let alone a movie – on schizophrenia and how it can affect someone’s life. So, while this book is very entertaining and interesting, it can also be educational and create empathy for those that perhaps don’t understand people with this condition. Which is what all great books do, they entertain and educate at the same time. Making every experience felt while reading this book matter.

When I first began reading the book Calvin, I expected it to be very similar to the comic strip Calvin and Hobbes. But it wasn’t. This book talks of the journey of a schizophrenic teenager named Calvin and his best friend named Susie. As part of his schizophrenic episodes- Calvin has visions of Hobbes. He believes that Hobbes is there to bother him, and he sees Hobbes as the core problem of his schizophrenia. Throughout the story Calvin experiences these visions with Hobbes and you are not quite sure what is real and what is from the schizophrenic visions. Calvin believes that if he can get the author of Calvin and Hobbes (Bill Watterson) to finish just one more comic strip without Hobbes in it, then he could be cured of his schizophrenia. He embarks on a journey with one of his newly returned friends named Susie. Calvin andSusie shares many deep conversations that have lots to do with the real world and problems we face. As you read these conversations you feel as if you are listening to an inner debate that Calvin is having with himself. It is very fascinating and keeps you deeply involved in the novel. Susie and Calvin’s conversations, jokes, and hints of romance add so much to this novel. Throughout the book you aren’t sure if Susie is real or a byproduct of the schizophrenia. I won’t spoil everything and tell you if she is there or not, but I found myself wishing so bad that she was real as I read their sweet conversations. I was very impressed at how effortlessly Martine Leavitt allowed her characters to tell their own stories. It made for a wonderful reading experience, and I hope to read more of Martine Leavitt’s books! I recommend this one!