Showing posts with label Contemporary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Contemporary. Show all posts

9 December 2015

Quote Compendium: The Perks of Being a Wallflower


Here is a complete list of my favourite quotes that I found whilst reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower with page numbers and the diary entries they're found in.
Also, I have the Pocket Books paperback edition with 232 pages.
Lets go.

I just need to know that someone out there listens and understands and doesn't try to sleep with people even if they could. I need to know that these people exist.
- Aug 23, 1991, P3

So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I'm still trying to figure out how that could be.
- Aug 23, 1991, P3

Maybe it's sad that these are now memories. And maybe it's not sad.
- Sep 26, 1991, P18

It's just that sometimes people use thought not to participate in life.
- Oct 13, 1991, P26

We accept the love we think we deserve.
- Oct 13, 1991, P27

I feel infinite.
- Oct 28, 1991, P36

He's a wallflower.
---
You see things. You keep quiet about them. And you understand.
- Oct 28, 1991, P40-41

And in that moment I swear we were infinite.
- Oct 28, 1991, P42

I am very interested and fascinated by how everyone loves each other, but no one really likes each other.
- Nov 23, 1991, P60

I thought about how many people have loved those songs. And how many people enjoyed good times with those songs. And how much those songs really mean. 
- Dec 7, 1991, P66-67

Once on a yellow piece of paper with green lines
he wrote a poem
And he called it "Chops"
because that was the name of his dog

And that's what it was all about
And his teacher gave him an A
and a gold star
And his mother hung it on the kitchen door
and read it to his aunts
That was the year Father Tracy
took all the kids to the zoo

And he let them sing on the bus
And his little sister was born
with tiny toenails and no hair
And his mother and father kissed a lot
And the girl around the corner sent him a
Valentine signed with a row of X's

and he had to ask his father what the X's meant
And his father always tucked him in bed at night
And was always there to do it

Once on a piece of white paper with blue lines
he wrote a poem
And he called it "Autumn"

because that was the name of the season
And that's what it was all about
And his teacher gave him an A
and asked him to write more clearly
And his mother never hung it on the kitchen door
because of its new paint

And the kids told him
that Father Tracy smoked cigars
And left butts on the pews
And sometimes they would burn holes
That was the year his sister got glasses
with thick lenses and black frames
And the girl around the corner laughed

when he asked her to go see Santa Claus
And the kids told him why
his mother and father kissed a lot
And his father never tucked him in bed at night
And his father got mad
when he cried for him to do it.


Once on a paper torn from his notebook
he wrote a poem
And he called it "Innocence: A Question"
because that was the question about his girl
And that's what it was all about
And his professor gave him an A

and a strange steady look
And his mother never hung it on the kitchen door
because he never showed her
That was the year that Father Tracy died
And he forgot how the end
of the Apostle's Creed went

And he caught his sister
making out on the back porch
And his mother and father never kissed
or even talked
And the girl around the corner
wore too much makeup
That made him cough when he kissed her

but he kissed her anyway
because that was the thing to do
And at three a.m. he tucked himself into bed
his father snoring soundly

That's why on the back of a brown paper bag
he tried another poem

And he called it "Absolutely Nothing"
Because that's what it was really all about
And he gave himself an A
and a slash on each damned wrist
And he hung it on the bathroom door
because this time he didn't think
he could reach the kitchen

- Dec 21, 1991, P75-77

I don't know if you've ever felt like that. That you wanted to sleep for a thousand years. Or just not exist. Or just not be aware that you do exist. Or something like that. I think wanting that is very morbid, but I want it when I get like this. That's why I'm trying not to think. I just want it all to stop spinning.
- Dec 30, 1991, P100

Just tell me how to be different in a way that makes sense.
- Apr 26, 1992, P149


I walk around the school hallways and look at the people. I look at the teachers and wonder why they're here. If they like their jobs. Or us. And I wonder how smart they were when they were fifteen. Not in a mean way. In a curious way. It's like looking at all the students and wondering who's had their heart broken that day, and how they are able to cope with having three quizzes and a book report on top of that. Or wondering who did the heartbreaking. And wondering why.
- Apr 29, 1992, P153

It's much easier not to know things sometimes.
- Apr 29, 1992, P155

It's just hard to see a friend hurt this much. Especially when you can't do anything except "be there". I want to make him stop hurting, but I can't.
- May 17, 1992, P173

Try to be a filter, not a sponge.
- May 21, 1992, P177

I would die for you. But I won't live for you.
- Jun 2, 1992, P182

I think the idea is that every person has to live for his or her own life and then make the choice to share it with other people. Maybe that is what makes people "participate".
- Jun 2, 1992, P182

And I guess I realised at that moment that I really did love her. Because there was nothing to gain, and that didn't matter.
- Jun 13, 1992, P193

I just want you to now that you're very special... and the only reason I'm telling you is that I don't know if anyone else ever has.
- Jun 13, 1992, P195

She wasn't bitter. She was sad, though. But it was a hopeful kind of sad. The kind of sad that just takes time.
- Jun 22, 1992,  P213

I don't want to be somebody's crush. If somebody likes me, I want them to like the real me, not what they think I am. And I don't want them to carry it around inside. I want them to show me, so I can feel it, too. I want them to be able to do whatever they want around me. And if they do something I don't like, I'll tell them.
- Jun 22, 1992, P216

So, I guess we are who we are for a lot of reasons. And maybe we'll never know most them. But even if we don't have the power to choose where we come from, we can still choose where we go from there. We can still do things. And we can try to feel okay about them.
- Aug 2, 1992, P228

I think that if I ever have kids and they're upset, I won't tell them that people are starving in China or anything like that because it wouldn't change the fact that they were upset. And even if somebody else has it much worse, that doesn't really change the fact that you have what you have.
- Aug 2, 1992, P228-229

We didn't talk about anything heavy or light. We were just there together. And that was enough.
- Aug 2, 1992, P229

25 November 2015

If You're Lucky Review

Rating: ✭✭✭


Title: If You're Lucky
Author: Yvonne Prinz
Genre: YA, Mystery, Contemporary, Mental Illness
Publication: October 25, 2015
Format: Arc E-galley, 288 pages
Source: Thanks to Algonquin Books for sending me a copy of If You're Lucky by Yvonne Prinz

Georgia's brother Lucky drowns while surfing in Australia, but Georgia knows her brother. She knows that he couldn't have drowned. When all his friends come down to False Bay and host a memorial, Georgia meets Fin. A charismatic and charming boy claiming to be Lucky's best friend. 
The voice in her head begin to tell her that she can't trust Fin, that he killed Lucky. In an attempt to make these voices clearer, Georgia stops taking her medication and sacrifices her sanity.

If You're Lucky was a good book and had many elements that I liked enough to give 3 stars but I just thought it was lacking build up and energy. Being in a genre of mystery, I would expect a lot of tension and the feeling of needing to continue reading, but there was none of that. It had the perfect amount of twists and turns to keep me engaged but I never really felt like I was fully enjoying the book or really invested in what was happening. Even at the end, everything kind of just happened and I was confused because it wasn't very clear. Despite this, I believe that it's a difficult feat to tackle a mental disorder like schizophrenia head on but If You're Lucky has portrayed this perfectly and realistically.

Georgia investigates Fin as she begins to notice strange behaviour, but as her actions and moods become completely unstable, it becomes a challenge for the reader to determine reality from fabrication. Writing this through Georgia, the MC with the mental disorder, was a really amazing aspect of the novel because it kept me guessing throughout. I found myself more invested in what Georgia was going to do and how she would react rather than caring about what Fin would do next or how the story was progressing. Sadly, the plot was quite predictable for me, even from just reading the synopsis, but I could tell that Yvonne Prinz worked hard to articulate and develop a well thought out plot because it really showed. 

Each character was a hit for me and I liked all of them because they all had a personality. Fin was probably the best character in the book because he was so charming and really fit into the role of an identity thief stealing his dead best friend's life. I didn't find it difficult reading through Georgia's perspective either and quite enjoyed her unreliability - it was fun and intriguing to be confused about whether something was happening or not in the book. 

Overall, If You're Lucky was a great read, and a unique one, as it is written through the perspective of Georgia, a sufferer of Schizophrenia and I would recommend it for anyone searching for a refreshing, mysterious and riveting read.



22 November 2015


Quote Compendium: We Were Liars


We Were Liars by E. Lockhart is my one of my favourite books and expectedly, there are many quotes that I love and would like to share with you. Also, If you are intending to read this book be very aware that this will reveal spoilers and highly recommend you do not spoil yourself for this book.

Note: I have the paperback version with 225 pages by publishing company Allen & Unwin

Suffer.
You could say it means endure, but that's not exactly right.
- C2, P4

Then he pulled out a handgun and shot me in the chest. I was standing on the lawn and I fell. The bullet hole opened wide and my heart rolled out of my rib cage and down into a flower bed. Blood gushed rhythmically from my open wound,
then from my eyes,
my ears, 
my mouth.
It tasted like salt and failure. The bright red shame of being unloved soaked the grass in front of our house, the bricks of the path, the steps of the porch. My heart spasmed among the peonies like a trout.
- C2, P5

He was contemplation and enthusiasm. Ambition and strong coffee. I could have looked at him forever.
- C4, P10

We looked at the sky. So many stars, it seemed like a celebration, a grand, illicent party the galaxy was holding after the humans had been put to bed.
- C8, P21

"Can I hold your hand?" he asked.
I put mine in his.
"The universe is seeming really huge right now," he told me. "I need something to hold on to."
"I'm here."
- C8, P21

We were warm and shivering,
and young and ancient,
and alive.
- C9, P24

Silence is a protective coating over pain
- C11, P29

Someone once wrote that a novel should deliver a series of small astonishments. I get the same thing spending an hour with you.
- C11, P30

I'll be fine, they tell me.
I won't die.
It'll just hurt a lot/
- C13, P34

Does she stay because she loves him as meat loves salt?
Or does she stay because he has now promised her the kingdom?
It is hard for her to tell the difference.
- C16, P45

She is sugar. She is curiosity and rain.
- C23, P64

Be a little kinder than you have to.
- C38, P101

 Do not accept an evil you can change.
- C38, P101

Alway do what you're afraid to do.
- C38, P102

One day, she ventured to the palace library and was delighted to find what good company books could be.
- C40, P105

If you want to live where people are not afraid of mice, you must give up living in palaces.
- C40, P106

Life feels beautiful that day.
The four of us Liars, we have always been.
We always will be.
- C45, P122

This island is ours. Here, in some way, we are young forever.
- C45, P122

That first day you came back I noticed Gat. He looked at you like you were the brightest planet in the galaxy.
- C50, P132

Now he was free to go forth and make a name for himself in the wide, wide world.
And maybe, 
just maybe,
he'd come back one day, 
and burn that
fucking
palace
to the ground.
- C57, P148

Grow up Cadence. See the world as it is, not as you wish it would be.
- C67, P173

What if we could stop being
different colours, different backgrounds, and just be in love?
What if we could force everyone to change?
- C71, P180

He was a person who couldn't fake a smile but smiled often.
- C71, P180

Gat and I talked to Mirren and Johnny.
Convinced them to take action.
We told each other
over and over: do what you are afraid to do.
We told each other.
Over and over, we said it.
We told each other
we were right.
- C71, P181

A self-punishment. He built himself a home that isn't a home. It's deliberately uncomfortable.
- C71, P183

"I can't even say sorry," she tells me. "There is not even a Scrabble word for how bad I feel."
- C74, P189

She confused being spartan with being charitable, and gave away her possessions without truly doing good with them.
She confused being sick with being brave, and suffered agonies while imagining she merited praise for it.
She confused wit with intelligence, and made people laugh rather than lightening their hearts or making them think.
- C79, P197

Here I am frozen, when I deserve to burn.
- C82, P209

Be sad, be sorry - but don't shoulder it.
- C84, P216

My full name is Cadence Sinclaie Eastman.
I suffer migraines. I do not suffer fools.
I like a twist of meaning.
I endure.
- C87, P225

21 November 2015


Your Voice Is All I Hear Review

Rating: ✭✭✭✭

Title: Your Voice Is All I Hear
Author: Leah Scheier
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Mental Illness, Realistic Fiction, Romance
Publication: September 1, 2015
Format: Arc E-galley, 336 pages
Source: Thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Fire for sending me a copy of this novel.


"It's not like other illnesses. A person who is sick with cancer has the support of the community. Everyone bands together and tries to help. Friends organise runs for a cure and put together and put together bake sales and blood drives. Next door neighbours bring tuna casseroles to the patient's family.
There are no casseroles for schizophrenia," I said.
- April, page 306

After meeting Jonah, the new boy at school, April immediately feels a connection and soon begin a relationship - and a good one. Then Jonah begins to slip into darkness and begins to lose a grip on reality that endangers himself and April, but April won't leave him. She decides to whatever she can to help him and protect him, even though everyone is telling her to let him go. April learns about sacrifice and loyalty, and how her love for one boy can make her change the way she sees and hears life.

Your Voice Is All I Hear was definitely not what I was expecting and a complete winner; it tackles the mental illness of Schizophrenia in very engaging way. I loved the whole idea of the story, which I will explain later, because it was very well written and thought of. I thought that Leah Scheier had a very realistic portrayal of Schizophrenia. I have read other books that feature Schizophrenia but never realised how intense it really was because I found it quite a new and shocking experience to read. Leah also did this thing where the narrator and main character April changed tenses and then she began to speak about Jonah in a different tone which completely sucked me in and from there I just had to keep on reading.

Your Voice Is All I Hear had an amazing plot line. I was really fooled by the sappy and romantic beginning which then transitioned into an amazing last half. It was extremely well paced and kept me, as a reader, engaged throughout. This also added a mystery element to it which I really loved. Others may dislike the romantic beginning, but I think that it really made this book. It 'complemented' the illness aspect of the book as it helped the readers distinguish the mannerisms and behaviours of schizophrenic individuals to others who are witnessing it. It made the expression of April and Jonah's emotions easier.

Ava was a very flat and lacking character, I couldn't get any emotion or depth out of her. That may have been because I found her naivety very annoying when it came to Jonah and his illness. I also found that a lot of the characters were stereotypical too (of course April would have an extremely attractive best friend with legs-for-days and perfect hair). On the more positive side, I think that the characters reactions towards Jonah's illness was portrayed quite well and plausible.

Your Voice Is All I Hear is a raw and fascinating novel that doesn't romanticise mental illness and portrays it in a different and realistic light. I would really recommend this.


18 November 2015


Kissing In America Review

Rating: ✭✭✭✭


Title: Kissing in America
Author: Margo Rabb
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction
Publication: May 26, 2015
Format: Arc E-galley, 397 pages
Source: Thanks to Penguin Teen Australia for sending me a copy of this book


So I guess this essay is supposed to be about what's influenced me the most, but I think sometimes the biggest influence isn't what's present in your life, but what's absent. Those missing pieces that shape you and change you, the silences that are louder than noise.
- Will, page 20

To cope with the amount of grief and loss Eva felt, and still feels, from her father's death she reads romance novels. A lot of romance novels. Then, Eva meets Will, the only person who seems to share a understanding of her grief with her and all the fantasies she's read in her novels begin to come true. But then Will moves to California and Eva can't bear to feel the weight of another loss so she plans a road trip across America with her best friend Annie where they learn that love isn't everything and the real importance of family and friends.

Despite being completely fooled by this title, thinking there was going to be a tonne of romance, I really enjoyed this book. I loved Margo Rabb's style of writing, she did such an excellent job portraying each characters emotion's and thoughts clearly. I also thought that incorporating an underlying focus on friendship and family was a good addition. The road trip aspect of Kissing In America was engaging, but I felt that Eva's obsession and love for pushed it to the side and her 'love' for him became a little overbearing to read.

Margo Rabb had an extremely clever plot line to convey the main idea of the story - the mixture of the road trip along with it's stops and the competition that the MC and her friend were apart of were a fun read. Eva's plan to go all over the world just to see Will after she first met him felt a bit naive and obsessive at first, but as the novel went on, it made a lot more sense and was another part of Eva discovering relationships and herself. The ending of this book was very satisfying and finally, I've found another book where the romance doesn't end picture perfect and I'm glad that our MC was able to figure out that she doesn't need a boy (or girl in other cases) to feel loved.

My favourite thing about Kissing In America would definitely have to be the characters. I applaud Margo for writing such likeable characters that have such depth and personality. Eva was such a great main character because she was so relatable and really captures the reality and voice of a teenager trying to cope with grief and learning more about herself and others that she didn't know. I also thought she was a very realistic character because she was at times extremely naive and sensitive but also smart and flawed in a good way. All the other characters were great additions to this book and had fascinating side stories that made for humorous and clever plot-fillers and motivators. 

Overall, Kissing In America is a wonderful book about self-discovery and coping with grief and loss and I definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for a fresh contemporary young adult book with a hint of romance and an adventure. 


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9 November 2015


52 Likes Book Review

Rating: ✭✭✭


Title: 52 Likes
Author: Medeia Sharif
Genre: YA, Mystery Thriller, Contemporary
Publication: Jan 16 2015
Format: Arc E-Galley, 172 pages
Source: Thanks to Evernight Teen for sending me a copy of 52 Likes through Netgalley.

"I am alive. I had survived that night."
- page 177

Valerie only wanted to go to the party, she didn't want to be a victim of rape. Now she is plagued with the feelings of victimhood as well as the bullying from the kids at school after a few racy photos leaked. To make things worse, Valerie is beginning to see ghost-like figures in the shadows that she believes are the ghosts of the girls who are victims of her masked rapist. Not only that, but girls have started to send her creepy messages, all with 52 likes, asking her to help them.

Personally, I had a problem with Medeia Sharif's writing style. It felt clumsy, rushed and wasn't able to convey emotion and mood properly. With the kind of plot that 52 Likes had, a longer story was needed to portray the mystery and build up more tension. The lack of depth in the writing made me feel disconnected and I didn't care about what was going to happen in the story. On a more positive note, Medeia incorporated many messages in the writing such as staying strong, the power of determination and the ability to not give up through the difficult topic of rape; which I am extremely glad she addressed and addressed well.

The premise for 52 Likes sounded so promising, but once I read it I was disappointed. At first, I was immediately drawn into the plot with the opening scene, but from there I felt the book went downhill. The idea had so much potential and I applaud Medeia for this unique idea but I think that a little improvement could have been made in the conveying of it. It just seemed to lack the suspense it needed to give it that little boost and complement the 'mystery' element of the novel. I enjoyed the sense of drama that the supernatural element added. It was refreshing to read a good creepy book that made my spine tingle. The realness of the situation was also a very good aspect of the book. It didn't sugar coat the horribleness of rape and the effect it's repercussions have on its victims.

Valerie, the main character, had a vey strong personality and a vigorous determination to live her life not feeling like a victim. Apart from this, she was a bit flat. I wanted to relate to her, I really did, but I just couldn't. Whenever she felt upset or afraid, I didn't feel any empathy and it ruined the experience of reading this. I also disliked how Valerie insulted others constantly and picked on them because of the way it did; it was very annoying and I developed a love/hate relationship with her. 

All in all, 52 Likes was an okay book. It discussed harsh topics that people need to understand and a very unique idea that I enjoyed reading about. I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a quick thriller.


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8 November 2015


This Raging Light Review

Rating: ✭✭✭✭


Title: This Raging Light
Author: Estelle Laure
Publication: Dec 22 2015
Format: Arc E-galley, 288 pages
Source: Thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group for sending me a copy of this book.


"I don't know. What kind of person leaves in the first place?
Eden pulls at the end of my hair. "There are so many ways to leave."
Leaving is easy, I think. Easier than staying.

- Lucille Bennett, page 42


Lucille and Wren are all alone. Their mother has left on a vacation for some 'time' and their father, he's in a mental institution. Whilst struggling with money, food and just staying alive Lucille finds herself falling in love - head-over-heals love - with her best friend's brother Digby. Lucille's world begins to churn into a whirlpool of longing, anxiety, conflict and struggle and she is finding it harder to support her sister and deal with the messy relationship that has blossomed between her and Digby. Then Lucille comes to realise that even in the absolute worst of times, the best things can happen. 

This Raging Light is heart breaking and heart warming at the same time. Estelle's writing style is so artistic and authentic it's just beautiful to read. As good as it was, a couple of times it became over bearing and a little too tacky, but all the good elements over power the bad so it doesn't taint the brilliance of this book. Estelle also incorporates many 'inner morals' in her writing that is one of the many components that makes This Raging Light such an amazing book. It allows people to see the flaws and cracks in life but also the angels and helpers waiting to mend them. 

I loved the whole premise and plot of this book. I also just couldn't wrap my head around the fact that someone, especially a mother, could just leave their children like that (it makes me incredibly mad). The plot also stayed on it's track and extremely well paced and thought out. There is romance in this book and I had such a ball reading it - it made me feel all gooey and warm inside - and perfect thing was the romance didn't overpower the whole plot. I really enjoyed this whole book until the very end. I felt it didn't really explained anything and just cut off at a loose end, but that was only one of the very few problems I found with this book.

To top off the perfectness of this novel - the characters! I really liked Lucille's character and I very often dislike the MC, so this was a wonderful change. Reading through Lucille's inner monologue made it easier to relate to her and understand what she was going through. I also liked most of the other characters; especially Wren. Each of the characters outlooks were portrayed realistically and accurately that added to the greatness of This Raging Light. The diversity of character personalities also ticked a box on my amazing-book-checklist. 

Overall, This Raging Light is a lovely book that explores the concept of love through the relationships that one person can have with siblings, friends and neighbours. I definitely recommend this.

Everything, Everything Review



Rating: ✭✭✭ (3.75)


Title: Everything, Everything
Author: Nicola Yoon
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Illness
Publication: September 2015
Format: Arc E-galley (and a personal copy), 306 Pages
Source: Thanks to Penguin Random House Children's Publishers for sending me a copy of this novel to review.


"We are joined and I know all the secrets of the universe."
- Madeline Whittier, 225

Everything, Everything is about Madeline Whittier, a unique, Afro-Asian, 18 year old with SCID - Severe Combined Immunodeficiency, an extremely rare disease that basically means she is allergic to the world. She is a "bubble baby" and is shielded from the outside world;  confined in her white walled house ever since she was young and Madeline has never had a problem with it until Olly arrives. Olly is the tall, charming and handsome boy who just moved next door with his family. He is smart and fun, risk-taking and adventurous, and he has shaken Madeline's world into an ocean of desire and adventure.

My absolute favourite part of this book was the way Nicola Yoon composed the story. As well as general narrative, Everything, Everything was written in a 'multi-media' format with small illustrations, lists, IM sessions and "spoiler reviews". I thought this was a fun element that captured my full attention and left me hanging onto every last word. Nicola Yoon also writes in a wonderful fluid prose at a good pace that was easy to follow and understand; I never got caught up or had to pause for a moment to register what was going on. Each relationship throughout the novel was written each in it's own and showed development throughout the story; there may have been the slightest hint of instalove but it was definitely made up for as the book went on.

Initially, I thought I was going to adore everything, everything (see what I did there?) about this book and I was, right up until the last 15% of the book. I was extremely disappointed with 'twist' at the end. It just felt tacked on and underdeveloped and it didn't really mesh well with the beginning premise of the story. The plot was also too generic. There was nothing unique or fancy about it. At times, I thought it was unrealistic and stretched a bit too far over the 'tried-too-hard' side of plots in literature. The plot was mostly, and really only, the problem I thought the book had, which is why I rated Everything, Everything with only 3.75 stars.

Nicola Yoon presents each character and their relationships in an enticing way. They were so interesting and sweet to read about. Each character was quite unique too, especially Maddy who I thought was incredibly relatable. Her personality really shone through the novel and I especially loved her personal definitions and spoiler reviews. The culturally diverse character of Madeline, who is an Afro-Asain American, was a great hit for me and this aspect interested me as it is quite often rare in most novels. Olly and Maddy's relationship was a little bit of instalove at first, like I mentioned before, but transitioned into a great relationship development that was fun to read. I really enjoyed the witty conversations that had over IM.

Overall, Everything, Everything was a sweet, romantic and light-hearted read that I was able to get through in one sitting. As disappointing as the ending was, I really connected with the characters and loved the way Nicola Yoon wrote the novel. Good moral messages were also present in the novel about family, love and risk-taking and I would definitely recommend this as a spring/summer contemporary read.


 
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