Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - We Are the Ants

i wish i cld travel back in time and read this when i was 15 cuz i just kno it wld have hit different. but other than the fact that i am no longer 15, the book was great

Content Warnings

half_bloodreader's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Written in 1st person, past tense.

YA LGBTQ+ sci-fi

"They tell themselves that this is the year things will happen, never realizing that things are always happening; they’re just happening without them"

This is heavy! The book touches on mental health, depression, grief, bullying, the lingering effects of child abandonment.

Henry must decide whether or not the world is worth saving. The problem is his life and that of everyone who matters to him is the worst. And Henry can't seem to get a break from physical and verbal attacks, as well as family problems. He is grieving and trying to make sense of his boyfriend's suicide, and he still hasn't come to terms with his father leaving his family. Above all else, Henry blames himself for everything bad that has happened, sometimes even feeling like he deserves some of the awful things that occur.

Are the aliens real? Does Henry have avoidant personality disorder? It sure fits his feelings of inadequacy and how much impact negative comments have on his psyche. The book isn't interested in concrete answers, but on the journey from trauma & painful experiences, and in the characters.

Henry for sure is dealing with depression, like me. There were so many intrusive thoughts, as well as despairing and misanthropic thoughts about the lack of value in a world as awful as ours that hit old wounds and ever healing scars.

Like super cool bff Audrey said:
"Depression isn’t a war you win. It’s a battle you fight every day. You never get to stop, never get to rest. It’s one bloody fray after another. Jesse got worn down and didn’t think he could fight anymore"
"Jesse didn’t die of a broken heart, Henry; he died of a broken brain. It took a lot of therapy for me to understand that Jesse committed suicide because he was sick. It wasn’t my fault, it wasn’t his fault, and it sure as hell wasn’t your fault."

Although they also call suicide selfish, despite having acknowledged it is illness, I believe it's more to do with how they feel as the ones left behind, than an outdated pov on the subject. We still have a long way to go in the mental health department.

"Do you want me to press it?"
"I think I want you to want to press it."

New boy with a past* Diego is as striking as his art. He challenges Henry, and I'm glad he was there for him in so many ways. I hope he heals too

I am uncomfortable with how Henry's relationship with Charlie was handled. It is more than just siblings fighting, it is violence and abuse. I understand Charlie was making an effort for his baby, but his verbal abuse was especially awful. There's things you just don't say!

Marcus is just something disgusting and slimy stuck on the sole of my shoe

*everyone has a past and is dealing with stuff here, which actually is pretty realistic

Tw: attempted sexual assault

Content Warnings

shane_delier's review

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dark emotional funny hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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davidbythebay's review

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I am crying. Wow. I was a little skeptical based on the premise, but it did intrigue me enough to read this. I am so glad I did. This book sums up life in the best way: we keep marching on even if we don't have the answers and we can never get them. This was amazing, BUT check the trigger warnings!

I was so enthralled by this, I lost track of time while reading. It was an immensely entertaining and sometimes sad book that brought sad tears and happy tears to my eyes. Beautifully written, this took a teenager's point of view but made him mature, yet adolescent. Henry was not a child and he was not an adult caught in a child's body. As Henry is gay, like many LGBTQ+ people, he has grown up and matured early so that he can combat the bullying and dangers of this world. His situation has provided even more instances by which he has had to grow up far too fast. I can't tell you how many times I've been told or my LGBTQ+ friends have been told how mature we are for our ages. It comes with the territory I guess. But having this mature teenaged perspective is dead on perfect.

I am absolutely going to read more by this author given how wonderful this book is.

⚠️ TW: violence, physical violence, abuse, parental abandonment, bullying, depression, suicide and suicidal ideation, sexual assault, pregnancy, miscarriage, loss, grief, neglectful parent, memory loss, talk of sexual situations (not in detail). ⚠️

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mitsubachigirl's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective tense fast-paced

3.5

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solitary's review

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emotional hopeful sad slow-paced

Strong character development? Yes

3.75

henry is being abducted and examined by aliens for years. he never knew what they wanted, until they told him that the world ends in 144 days and only he has the power to save it with a press of a button. between his deteriorating family, the recent death of his boyfriend, and the constant bullying he receives in school, henry attempts to answer the question: is the world worth saving?

we are the ants is a profound story that explores human significance on the grand scale of the universe. henry’s character is deeply and realistically flawed. his actions sometimes do not coincide with his wants or his needs. he tends to end up hurting himself and the people around him, which made me frustrated at some point. But he is a depiction of how people spiral into their own self-inflicted torment because of pain and isolation. Sometimes we unwittingly hurt the ones we love trying to punish ourselves, and then we punish ourselves more because of it.

although i usually don’t read books with slow pacing, i believe this one is rightly timed to properly narrate henry’s story.

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player2's review

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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feelinpeachykeen's review

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emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was my friend's favorite book before she passed away, and I think after realizing it I understand why. I think a lot of people need something like this book in their lives, and I'm glad it came to me when it did.

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