Better Than Running at Night

Better Than Running at Night, being her first novel, Hillary Frank writes a 240-page true-life story about college life, and living on your own. Frank's novel captures the essence of college life, and a strong portrayal of a young heroin that will likely compel readers attention. A talented young freshman, Ellie Yelinsky, is attending her first year of college at a prestigious art school, New England College of Art and Design. Before leaving for college Ellie lives with her two hippie guardians. Her mother and her stepfather. With Ellie's mother's youthful drug-taking days, she has no idea who her biological father is. She doesn't connect with her stepfather, and the ways he tries to bond with her is by placing marijuana in her bag, and by urging her to smoke with him and her mother. In the first page of the novel we are first introduced to Ellie at a costume party. She is "dirty dancing" with the "devil". The student dressed as the devil is Nate. Ellie and Nate make love a week later, and then she realized that Nate has an "open relationship" with his ex-girlfriend. Shortly after that Ellie finds that Nate has a reputation for womanizing. In all her art classes there is a dread locked boy that she notices. Sam has the "stoner" reputation by keeping to himself, listening to his headphones and now socializing. Ellie began being friends with Sam. This love triangle makes me feel like I can relate to her. As being a fellow art student I enjoyed reading about her triumph over artistic talent. Her intriguing journey through too as she is learning different teaching styles and as she develops new techniques for depicting what she sees and feels. Meanwhile Ellie reached out to her stepfather by inviting him to share art that is meaningful to her. Me being a sucker for young adult books this is one of my favorites. I liked how there was a drawing on each chapter heading. This helped add more artistic flavor of the book. I rated the book 5 stars because I really enjoyed reading it. It gave me nostalgia of my sister because she is away at art school. It made me wonder if her life is like this. I recommend this book for someone who enjoys reading about love triangles and human metamorphosis.

THis is one of those fully enveloping books, you just sink into it and that's all you know for a few hours. I loved the voice of Ellie, so insightful yet still the sort of clueless teenage girl we all were (at least I was). I was also releived that the expected ending never came; it was something surprising yet satisfying. It was also a great rendering of the art school absurdity. Hurrah for this book! I will now have to go look for her radio stories on This American Life.

Hillary Frank has set the precedent for up-and-coming young adult novels. Better Than Running At Night is real and clean, but yet all the while being messy with life. The reader can feel every emotion the main character, Ellie Yelinsky, feels from the very first page. A powerful read, and a must have for people seeking a new, exhilirating read!

I'm a teen, and finding YA (young adult) novels that are mature and up-to-par with the adult novels I read alongside them is very difficult. Hillary Frank has brought a realistic, detailed view of an older teen's (I hate this term, but it suits) 'coming-of-age' in a new city with a new perspective on life. Frank's use of language evokes a feeling of closeness to the main character, Ellie. THe reader is drawn into her first love affair, first college course at art school, and her ex-hippie parents who never cease to embarass and confuse her. Ellie's struggles become the reader's, and I know that I was so absorbed in this novel that I finished it in less than two days. Many, many authors have tried and failed at evoking the kind of college-age teen feelings and relationships, but Hillary Frank shows her youth and maturity at the same time in this novel. I highly recommend it.

Ellie Yelinsky is away from home for the first time in her life at art school in New England. She wants to concentrate on improving her art, all which show a grim out look on life, but before she can even start classes her usually slow and isolated life gets changed. She dances with the devil at a costume party, and makes out with him as well. She later learns the devil's name is Nate and as she gets to know him she has a hard time finding out if he's more of a devil or an Angel. Her father thinks the only way he can bond with her is to give her the things he enjoyed as a teenager, mostly meaning drugs. The classes Ellie starts are much different from she had ever expected. Her teacher only speaks in one tone, yell, and he has her focusing on things she doesn't think are important. But as it turns out her teacher may be the only one that can teach her about art, and maybe something more than that.This is the only book that's ever inspired me to join a school club, art club that is. If your in the mood for an original YA novel that can be read by adults as well, this is for you. The author, Hillary Frank, writes in a very artistic manner. She doesn't tend to spell everything out for you but trusts the intelligence of the reader to figure some things out for themselves. The cast of characters manages to be original while realistic at the same time. Whether it's the loud and obnoxious art teacher, the shy stoner Sam, or the sometimes good, sometimes evil Nate. This is a great book for people that are fans of books such as Sloppy Firsts and Love and other Four Letter Words.