I am Comet Caldwell.And I sort of, kind of, absolutely hate my name.People expect extraordinary things from a girl named Comet. That she’ll be effortlessly cool and light up a room the way a comet blazes across the sky.But from the shyness that makes her book-character friends more appealing than real people to the parents whose indifference hurts more than an open wound, Comet has never wanted … than an open wound, Comet has never wanted to be the center of attention. She can’t wait to graduate from her high school in Edinburgh, Scotland, where the only place she ever feels truly herself is on her anonymous poetry blog. But surely that will change once she leaves to attend university somewhere far, far away.
When new student Tobias King blazes in from America and shakes up the school, Comet thinks she’s got the bad boy figured out. Until they’re thrown together for a class assignment and begin to form an unlikely connection. Everything shifts in Comet’s ordinary world. Tobias has a dark past and runs with a tough crowd—and none of them are happy about his interest in Comet. Targeted by bullies and thrown into the spotlight, Comet and Tobias can go their separate ways…or take a risk on something extraordinary.
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Impossible Vastness of Us and the On Dublin Street series comes a heartfelt and beautiful new young adult novel, set in Scotland, about daring to dream and embracing who you are.
more
Samantha Young shines! THE FRAGILE ORDINARY is heart wrenching and beautiful. Exquisitely done.
What will happen when two people from two different worlds try to navigate the social cues of school and what is “the norm”?
I just spent the most wonderful weekend reading Fragile Ordinary. It’s been so long since my last Samantha Young book and I’m glad that this latest one instantly captivated me.
This is a story about a teenage girl dealing with parental abandonment and lack of social skills. Comet Caldwell is someone who’d prefer to stay within the confines of her home, surrounded by her books and write about her thoughts through her poems and blog. A bright girl who is often ignored by her mercurial parents, who favored gallivanting other places than taking care of their child.
Tobias King is an American boy who transferred to Edinburgh and soon becomes Comet’s classmate and presentation partner. On the outside, Tobias is a jerk who doesn’t take his classes seriously eventhough he’s bright and smart. He picks fights with his teachers and spends time with his miscreant cousin. But once Comet gets to know Tobias inside his home, she learns that this misunderstood person isn’t as different as her home situation.
Soon they build and share a bond that only the two of them cherish and treasure. Not everything is great between them, but that’s what made their relationship dynamic and fragile. I love these two characters a lot, most specifically Comet. For me, one of the most important things I always consider in reading YA, is how the protagonists evolve and mature. Comet has come a long way from being a lonesome awkward teen to somebody that Tobias King has relied on. I love how they started out as mere acquaintances, classmates and soon became friends. Of course, I was more than pleased and delighted when they decided to take their relationship to another level.
Fragile Ordinary is way beyond fragile and is anything but ordinary. Samantha Young totally captured my heart with book’s sensitivity, relevance, hopefulness and romanticism. Life isn’t bed of roses to the characters involved in the story, but there sure is development and promise. Plus, the poetry aspect of the story is brilliantly adorable. This is a highly recommended read!
The Fragile Ordinary is a five-star book for me. Samantha Young writes a poignant coming-of-age story and explores significant issues with finesse and a deep-seated understanding of human nature. Do yourself a favor and add this novel to your library.
” To Thine Own Self Be True – Be True To Yourself. ”
The Fragile Ordinary by the outstanding and incredibly talented author Samantha Young – I´ll love her On Dublin Street Series forever and ever – is a full-length, standalone young adult romance.
Comet Caldwell is a young girl in her last year at highschool. She´s shy, highly intelligent and her life isn´t a easy one. Her dream is to attend a US college and master in literature.
When Tobias crashes into her life everything´s about to change.
Tobias King is a new student at Edinburgh highschool. He´s the bad boy from US, shakes the school up, but when they get assigned to a class project they form a connection. Comet´s world shifts.
I started reading and was hooked from the beginning. I totally connected with Comet. M yheart was bleeding for this beautiful soul. Samantha Young painted a very fitting world with her words. You can feel every emotion of the characters. Every insecurity, pain, hope and blossoming love.
Samantha Young blew me away with the story, the characters, her words and her writing.
I recommend The Fragile Ordinary and give 5 wonderful stars.
3.75 stars–THE FRAGILE ORDINARY by Samantha Young is a contemporary, young adult story line focusing on sixteen year old British student Comet Caldwell, and American Tobias King.
Told from first person point of view (Comet) THE FRAGILE ORDINARY follows one year in the life of sixteen year old Comet Caldwell, a product of emotionally absent parents whose lifestyle has affected their only child. Comet is a bit of a loner; a unique teen whose sense of style is one of a kind; a socially-awkward nerd who prefers to spend Friday nights with a book rather than partying with her two closest friends. But things are about to get a little more exciting when an American student saunters into our heroine’s life. Enter sixteen-year old Tobias King, the young man with whom Comet will fall in love. What ensues is the slow building friendship and relationship between our leading couple, and the fall-out as life, betrayal and loss threaten any semblance of normalcy for our struggling heroine.
Comet Caldwell uses poetry and pose to pen her deepest secrets and the painful reality of life amongst the Caldwell clan. Her home life is a mess, as she battles the emotional highs and lows of her first teenage crush without the support of the people at home. Tobias King has been uprooted from his American home, and finds himself caught between right and wrong. Meeting Comet Caldwell is like a breath of fresh air but not all is well as life begins to spiral out of control.
THE FRAGILE ORDINARY has all of the hallmarks of the young adult genre: oblivious and narcissistic parents who struggle to maintain their own destructive relationship; the mean girls and boys whose direction in life is to make everyone else miserable and sad by spreading lies and rumors, issuing threats and ultimatums; a love triangle or a potential for a love triangle involving one or both of the leading characters; the odd-ball heroine who is a little bit clumsy, unfashionable, geeky and lost; and ultimately, the object of our heroine’s affection- the beautiful, athletic and broken bad boy whose own secrets and history are damaged and dark.
Samantha Young pulls the reader into a coming of age, heart-breaking story. An emotional roller coaster of teenaged angst mixed with successes and failures, rejection and acceptance, ultimate highs and pitiful lows. The premise is endearing; the romance is sweet and passionate-the sex scenes are limited and mostly implied; the characters are colorful and engaging.
Oh my word. This book deserves all of the stars! All of them! This is the Young Adult genre at its finest. I found it really hard to put this book down and do adult things. It was so sweet, funny, and all around swoon worthy. Samantha Young did such an amazing job with this story. I have never read her before and I don’t know how that’s possible. I can’t wait to read another one of her books!
So, Comet is my soul sister. I relate to her character so much. She’s a bookworm who struggles to connect with other people her age. I feel that on such a personal level, especially when I was younger. I always wanted to lose myself in a book (honestly, I still do). Life is hard and complicated and sometimes it’s nice to lose yourself in another world. Life can also be amazing, wonderful, and fantastic, which Comet started to see when she developed a relationship with Tobias. There is so much out there in the world and you’ll never discover it if you spend all your time reading. Don’t get me wrong, I love to read and it’s a great escape, but it’s nothing compared to that first kiss, first time, first love, and so much more. I was so happy that Comet started to see that when she spent time with Tobias. There is so much out there in the world and it’s her time to go discover it. I loved Comet’s sass and uniqueness. She was unapologetically herself and that was so refreshing to read. That doesn’t mean she didn’t struggle when her classmates bullied or judged her (or even her terrible parents and I mean they were terrible), but she did her best to not let it affect how she saw herself. Comet is such an awesome character and I loved her character development throughout the story. She has become one of my absolute favorites.
Where to start with Tobias. Gosh, I really loved his character. There were plenty of times I didn’t like the way his character acted, but he evolved so much throughout the story. He went from a sullen brat to a pretty awesome guy (who loves Comet unconditionally). He had a minor setback near the end of the story, but Comet made sure to set him straight. His relationship with Comet was so stinking adorable. I could barely contain myself. This is the type of relationship I wish all young adults would have with one another. A relationship built on trust and respect for one another and friendship. I think friendship is such a great way for a relationship to start. And these two had such a great friendship before they started dating. It’s the best to date your best friend (I’ve been with my best friend for 11.5 years right now and I wouldn’t have it any other way). Seriously though, Tobias and Comet are #relationship goals!
Overall, I give this amazing story a 5/5! I could not put this book down. Tobias and Comet were so stinking adorable together and I loved watching their relationship blossom from friendship to the best kind of love. I would love to read another story about them when they are older and see where they ended up in life (I would be crushed if they weren’t together though!). This couple will always hold a special place in my heart. Samantha Young is definitely an author I can’t wait to read more of.
I really enjoyed “The Fragile Ordinary” by Samantha Young. This book is another example in a long line of books written by this author that represent some of the finest writing out there these days.
I’ve been a big fan of this author for sometime and her writing seems to just keep getting better and better. The characters and storylines are fresh and unique and keep you engaged and wanting more. I’d love a follow up to these book and I’m crossing my fingers that maybe these characters that I’ve grown to love with appear in something down the road.
If you are a fan of contemporary romance, this is a great addition to your collection.
Happy Reading…enjoy!
Sweet YA romance with a mild anti-bullying message. I loved the Scotland setting and the H/h. I always enjoy listening to audiobooks set in scotland with an accented narrator. There were a few romantic clichés and a quick wrap-up to the ending, but I can look past that some and still enjoy the overall story.
4.5 stars!!
Love, love, love!!
I love Samantha Young’s writing style and her books. I really enjoyed this story so much. This is a beautiful, emotional and romantic story.
One of the Best Books I’ve read in 2018 definitely your next 5 read
The Fragile Ordinary is definitely a book that everyone should read. Even though it’s a teen book, the way it’s written it will take everyone back to their high school days to remind them of their insecurities but also their resilience during that time of their lives. They get to relive the good times like first loves and the bad times like bullying and peer pressure. Comet and Tobias are two characters who are lost until they find each other. But then something happens to make them lose their connection and they have to figure out a way to get back to each other. The story is beautifully written by Samantha Young who just absolutely has a way with words. There are some parts of it that I just had to reread because they were so beautifully written. I highly recommend reading The Fragile Ordinary. It’s a book that you won’t forget!
Reviewed by: Alexis B.
I loved this story. Comet and Tobias are simply wonderful. It’s such an inspiring and beautiful story. I definitely recommend this book and this author.
First time read of anything by Samantha Young, and what an introduction, It had all the feels, the angst, the drama, the love. I don’t often read young adult they have to be something special for me to do so and this was very special. I won’t give too much away as I feel you need no spoilers. If you are of an age that teenage angst is long gone, cast your minds back to when you were, then embrace this book for that alone. Times do change at an alarmingly fast pace, but one thing will never change No man’s land of the teenage years.
“This is an amazing coming of age book. That took me back to time of when I was a school girl years ago. ( to many to count ) The social levels of school, the clicks the bad boys and girls, the bullies. The good teachers. the bad teachers who scared you for life.”The Fragile Ordinary
Comet I loved, her inner dialogue was superb, awkwardness, never quite fitting in. Tobias I loved, but Stevie my heart broke for over and over again. When walking this path called life, people are judgmental, harsh unforgiving monsters when we reach the teen stage of life, with the mind set that no one before them will ever understand what it’s like to be a teenager, this mentality is and always will be a social etiquette of living, my teenage years were horrific. I survived them, and now watching my own children going through them is unbelievable.
This beautiful story of a young girls coming into her own was like a rose bud slowly blossoming, she was her own person, introverted yes but individual and I love that in a person regardless of age. I loved the fact that she dressed how she wanted. My heart broke for her over her parents treatment of her, especially her mother. She was as individual as you can get, yet at the same time she wasn’t. We all judge someone wrongly, by the company they keep, how true is that still today, yet they are just like you and me they’re the same have you ever given someone the benefit of doubt. No, then maybe this book will make you understand better, Never judge a book by it’s cover, people are often the way they are because of circumstances does it make them bad, no just misunderstood and left to fester, because they have been judge tried and punished not only by their peers but by their Elders and betters, The saying people in glass houses shouldn’t through stones rings loud in this book.
Tobias a tortured soul full of pain and anger. Screaming out for help, gets it from the most unlikeliest one, Comet. The only reason I have given this a 4 star instead of 5 is I now prefer duel ‘POV’ I would have loved to have seen his words and Most definitely Stevie’s, even though I knew in my heart how he would end, I prayed that it didn’t that some where he would be rescued.
The trials of teenage living should never be dismissed as foible, they do suffer from angst, self degradation, bullying, not fitting in, Invisible to all. Their pain is real to dismiss a teenager trying to reach out to you is as bad as you can get. They can fall in love deeply, they can hurt, even the biggest bully is deep inside hurting. Go in blind reading this book take it slow and savor the story for what it is a painful, joy filled, happy, angry entrance in to a teenagers life and her coming of age.
Magical book.
Let me start off with by saying I haven’t read a YA book that was so deeply rooted, emotionally, in such a long time. I think it was Colleen Hoover’s YA books that have done that and it has been quite a few years since I’ve read her YAs. I never expected to find myself so emotionally in tune with the heroine, Comet. I loved her character so much and was looking forward to seeing her growth into someone who was stronger.
I haven’t read a book that has made me cry more than once in a long time. As beautiful and amazing Comet was, I hated that she didn’t have much support from the people that truly mattered. A young girl, no, woman, who has so much to say and offer, and shows it constantly through her poetry. We experience every bit of her happiness, wonder, and pain through her words. And the fact the even sometimes her friends never understood her, it just made my heartbreak for her even more. It was hard to watch Comet take what they threw at her, but eventually, she would come into her own and finally start speaking for herself. And what a beautiful sight that was.
Comet and Tobias made it so easy to love their budding relationship. They’re exactly what they needed, they definitely brought the best out of each other. But these two together evoked so much emotion out of me that brought on the waterworks. I can’t exactly pinpoint what it was, but the moments where Comet would finally put herself out there and reveal bits and pieces of herself. And Tobias trying to be someone he’s not, the pain Comet endured from that will really make your heartache.
Like many teenagers, there’s a lot of experiences happening in such a short amount of time. I’m sure we can all remember and relate. I appreciated those relatable topics that were shared in this book, it just made everything much more real. It was another side of being a teenager and the possible outcome of following the wrong crowd. At which point do you stop trying to help someone who doesn’t want to be helped? Or when do you finally tell yourself that you’re going down the wrong road and need to make a change before it’s too late? Decisions are tough as a teenager, I know I didn’t make the greatest ones, but I sure did learn from them. It’s not easy being a teenager.
For once I didn’t mind the teenage angst, Samantha Young was able to convey so much through her words that it was easy to look past a lot of things. I related to Comet in the sense of being a bookworm and I’m sure all my fellow bookworms would have to agree. Since this was my first time reading Young’s books, I’ll definitely be going through her other books.
I just need to say this, I totally understand not wanting to be in social situations, it doesn’t make anyone a bad person or unlikeable. We all have our comfort zones and yes, while I do believe we should always push ourselves past those limits. I’d never try to do it towards the point where it would bring me anxiety. I loved Comet’s character, she hated being in the spotlight, avoided social situations, but you have to commend her for her growth and how much stronger she turned out in the end. For someone who essentially has no parental upbringing, she’s been navigating life on her own, I’d say she was doing the best she could in her circumstances, which is fan-freaking-tastic for not having nurturing and loving parents.
Absolutely amazing read that I’ll be re-reading over and over again!
Despite being a huge fan of Samantha Young’s new adult and adult romances, I’d yet to make time to read any of her young adult books. I’m so glad I started with The Fragile Ordinary. What a beautiful book. Now, I know I absolutely need to go back and binge her YA backlist ASAP. This book gave me all the feels. Holy cow. I swear, I start to get emotional just thinking about these characters and everything that happened during this book.
I should probably apologize for the number of quotes I shared below, but I’m not even a bit sorry. Truthfully, I highlighted quite a few more while reading, but figured I shouldn’t include half the book in quotes. Samantha’s writing is absolutely gorgeous and got right into my heart. Right along with these characters and every part of their stories — the good, bad and ugly.
I related to Comet on a deep level. I suspect a lot of bookworms like myself probably will. Despite the age difference, I certainly found a lot of myself in her character, particularly when it came to her decision to spend more time in bookish worlds than the real world. While I’ve found a slightly better balance at my age, I still have days or even weeks where I too prefer to shut out the real world and go somewhere more magical, uncomplicated or romantic. (Or a combination of all of the above!) It could probably go without saying, but I loved this girl right from the start.
Tobias, on the other hand, took a little longer to grow on me. And, if I’m being perfectly honest, I was a little anti-Tobias just because I was afraid he was THAT GUY. You know the one. The one that would totally crush amazing, but vulnerable, Comet. Thankfully this was not that story and it didn’t take all that long for me to see who Tobias really was. It feels a little weird to call a high school aged character swoony at my age, but don’t judge me. He was just that.
I’m happy to talk about how The Fragile Ordinary made me feel for hours. (Maybe even longer.) But what I don’t want to do is give away anything that could spoil the book for you. It was a beautiful book, a lovely first love story that wasn’t without some heartbreak along the way. Tears were certainly shed. Parts of this book took me by total surprise, even though they probably shouldn’t have. Between the romance, the friendships and the seriously strained familial relationships, this book took ahold of me and wouldn’t let go. These characters are definitely under my skin. I don’t expect them to go anywhere for quite awhile. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
FAVORITE QUOTES
Why would I put myself in an uncomfortable position, go to a party that would make me insecure and miserable, when I could be reading a book that made me feel giddy with anticipation?
I was an accident, and not a happy one. My parents were too much in love with their art and each other to have any love left to spare for me.
No matter what was happening in my life, in my room, I had over eight hundred worlds to disappear into, and over a thousand others on the e-reader on my nightstand. Worlds that were better than this one. Worlds where there were people I understood, and who if they knew me would understand me.
Much to my disturbance, I discovered that just because you tell yourself you can’t possibly be attracted to a Neanderthal, doesn’t mean you suddenly stop being attracted to a Neanderthal.
It was like I’d been sleepwalking for the last sixteen years, and now I was awake. Really, truly, awake for the first time.
“Stop hiding in these.” He shook the book. “Be in the moment. You never know when it might disappear.”
My anchor, he pulled me back to myself, to him, and slowly, but surely, I began to breathe again.
What most people never learned is that sometimes what would make us happy the most also scares us the most. Sometimes being happy meant being brave. I aimed to be brave every second of every day.
The Fragile Ordinary by Samantha Young is the story of Comet Caldwell who has her nose in her books and her poetry. First off the inclusion of Comet’s poetry in the book adds nice bits to it that make the book more special and helps really set the tone and the character. When Tobias King, a student from American comes to her Edinburgh High School it shakes things up. Comet and Tobias are not ones that should typically be in each other’s circles, but a friendship develops that just continues to grow.
Both of these characters had issues that drove them in different directions but somehow they connect. There is a lot that resonates about Comet, the shyness, the living in her books, the being unsure of the typical high school social norms. Comet gives you a reminder of what that’s like, while Tobias is the person driven the other way.
Overall The Fragile Ordinary by Samantha Young was an intriguing book and one that will make you think.
(I voluntarily reviewed an advance review copy of this book I received for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my open and honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.)
5 +++++ STARS
The Fragile Ordinary by Samantha Young is my TOP YA pick for the year, and an all-time favorite read. Young completely blew me away.
“…the real beauty of life is in the fragile ordinary.”
Comet was a girl so many of us can relate to, I know I can. She is beautiful, sweet, and so intelligent. She feels like she can never fit in with her peers it seems, so she does what she can to make herself invisible. She is so afraid to take any kind of step outside of her comfort zone that is until new student, Tobias, enters her world. He is unlike anyone she has ever encountered, making her feel things she has only felt toward her heroes in the novels she reads. He was no ordinary cute boy, In her words, he looked a teen Viking. I loved how her imagination would get away with her. He was hero in one of her dystopian novels, and she was the heroine. Some of that infatuation falls away when she realizes he isn’t a hero. He’s disrespectful to his teachers and hangs around with the wrong crowd. However, she can’t get him completely out of her mind.
We only get Comet’s POV in this book, so what I discovered about Tobias is what I learned through Comet’s eyes. I, like her, thought her was a troublemaker, but as I would soon learn, like Comet, appearances can be deceiving. You can’t always judge a book by its cover. There is a lot more to Tobias than meets the eye. Turns out he is more like one of the heroes out of her books than she thought.
As you can imagine, there is some angst and drama. I mean we are talking about teenagers who are full of drama. What these two kids endure is something no one should. Young does a fantastic job of addressing issues that face teens every day, and she does it in a wonderful but very realistic way. Comet and Tobias do have some trust issues as would be normal with their relationships they have with their parents, especially Comet’s parents. They both have to learn how to move past those, risking their hearts.
“What most people never learned was that sometimes what would make us happy the most also scares us the most.”
I could go on and on about this book. It would be so easy too. It was so well-written with very well-developed and multi-dimensional characters. Young left nothing out, even creating a beautiful setting. As I have written in past reviews, being able to envision the setting makes me feel like I’m a part of it. The little seaside town was so charming and added so much to the book. I have had to step back and consider what I needed to do to make others see how very special this book is. I just hope I gave you a little glimpse of why I adored this book! If I had to recommend one book this year, The Fragile Ordinary is it!!! I’m just so curious to see what kind of wonderful adults she and Tobias have grown into!
this was such an outstanding read!
I loved comet so much!
this story has so much emotion, sexy, swoony and all the feels in it.
if your a lover of ms young this is a must read or even new to her this is the perfect book to start with.
I really enjoyed this book since I can really relate to the main character Comet. I remember by teen years and how shy I was and felt like life was so hard. I just wanted to move on and hopefully being an adult was easier (obviously now I know it is not!). Like Comet, I escape to the fictional world quite a lot and enjoyed reading so much that to this day, I will constantly have my kindle on me so that I can read wherever I’m at.
Comet lives her life through her books until Tobias comes into her life. Their love makes her be strong enough to live in the present, pursue her dreams, and being able to stand up for herself in difficult circumstances and the people in her life.
This is a great coming of age story and finding love. Another great story by Ms. Young!