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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
This book had lots of angst, pain, anger, love, rage, grief, and depression. It was better than many books I have read, but it's not one of my favorite TJ Klune book
Benji grieves for his father, Big Eddie. He grieves so much that everything has to move for it. His family, his life and his friend, Abe. Then the most unexpected creature comes to help him learn how to live again.
I normally like to avoid books that have so much sadness in them. I empathize too much, and it sort of takes over the rest of my day. I need to finish them fast.
This one was no different, it was so sad. Klune describes the grief in such a poetic and yet such a tangible way. You really feel all of it. It is worth it though.
Klune has a way of breaking you apart and glueing things back together perfectly.
A book like a big hug.
Absolutely beautiful. So worth hurting for.
I normally like to avoid books that have so much sadness in them. I empathize too much, and it sort of takes over the rest of my day. I need to finish them fast.
This one was no different, it was so sad. Klune describes the grief in such a poetic and yet such a tangible way. You really feel all of it. It is worth it though.
Klune has a way of breaking you apart and glueing things back together perfectly.
A book like a big hug.
Absolutely beautiful. So worth hurting for.
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Very fitting to finish this in Father’s Day. A book about a main character who loses his dad, and a guardian angel who never really had his dad. The parallel process between the protagonist and his eventual love interest was unique. I read some other reviews that the repetition in this book was annoying; I think it was partially necessary to convey the grief process. My only criticism is the storyline felt slightly drawn out and belabored at times. Even still, I love TJ Klune’s work.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
I loved this book so much. Many tears were shed while reading it. I thought of my dad so much while reading it, and it was wonderful to spend that time thinking about him. Sometimes I even felt like he was sitting next to me. ❤️
Wow. Just wow. The journey this book took me on, was seriously one of TJ's best.
"He leans over and his grin widens. So many teeth. 'Benji,' he says, and he sounds so fucking happy that I ache down to my bones, causing me to shudder. He reaches out and touches my right hand, a look of wonder on his face, his dark eyes flashing. I follow his gaze and see the feather still in my hand, bent oddly and ruffled, but still there, somehow."
"Sometime later, I awaken to a gentle voice. 'Benji. Benji. Open your eyes. Open your eyes and see.' I do. He's staring down at me, cradling me in his arms, a small smile on his face. 'The sun is about to rise. You must see this. It is a beautiful thing.' He looks toward the horizon. But all I can see is him."
" 'This man. This...angel. Cal. Calliel. Is he...do you care for him?' I know what he's asking. I can't lie to him. I won't. 'Yes.' 'And does he feel the same?' Yes, Benji. God help me, yes. I don't want anything more than you. I want nothing less than you. 'Yes,' I whisper. 'More than I probably know. He's...watched me. For a long time.'"
" 'Benji, you have to remember that even though you've been sad, he's been the same. You think you've been alone, and so has he. But it may have been harder for him. You didn't know he was there, not really. He knew you were there. And he did what he could, but it wasn't enough for him. You might have called him, Benji, but he didn't have to come. I felt what he felt. He showed me. There was despair. There was sorrow. And then there was you, so bright within him.' "
" 'If we were ever apart, I'd miss you every day until we were together again...because there is no one such as you in the world, and you belong to me. I'll believe in you always because you are my son. You're going to be strong and brave, and one day, you're going to be a great man and you will stand for what you believe in. I have faith that you will stand and be true.'"
"There is hope. There is faith. There is belief that maybe, just maybe, everything will be as it was and as it should be. It's a thread that wraps itself around my heart and soul and tugs on them gently. It calls for one who can be strong. And brave. It calls for one who can stand true."
"This is at once the end and the beginning. This is the story of my love of two men. One is my father. The other is a man who fell from the sky."
"He leans over and his grin widens. So many teeth. 'Benji,' he says, and he sounds so fucking happy that I ache down to my bones, causing me to shudder. He reaches out and touches my right hand, a look of wonder on his face, his dark eyes flashing. I follow his gaze and see the feather still in my hand, bent oddly and ruffled, but still there, somehow."
"Sometime later, I awaken to a gentle voice. 'Benji. Benji. Open your eyes. Open your eyes and see.' I do. He's staring down at me, cradling me in his arms, a small smile on his face. 'The sun is about to rise. You must see this. It is a beautiful thing.' He looks toward the horizon. But all I can see is him."
" 'This man. This...angel. Cal. Calliel. Is he...do you care for him?' I know what he's asking. I can't lie to him. I won't. 'Yes.' 'And does he feel the same?' Yes, Benji. God help me, yes. I don't want anything more than you. I want nothing less than you. 'Yes,' I whisper. 'More than I probably know. He's...watched me. For a long time.'"
" 'Benji, you have to remember that even though you've been sad, he's been the same. You think you've been alone, and so has he. But it may have been harder for him. You didn't know he was there, not really. He knew you were there. And he did what he could, but it wasn't enough for him. You might have called him, Benji, but he didn't have to come. I felt what he felt. He showed me. There was despair. There was sorrow. And then there was you, so bright within him.' "
" 'If we were ever apart, I'd miss you every day until we were together again...because there is no one such as you in the world, and you belong to me. I'll believe in you always because you are my son. You're going to be strong and brave, and one day, you're going to be a great man and you will stand for what you believe in. I have faith that you will stand and be true.'"
"There is hope. There is faith. There is belief that maybe, just maybe, everything will be as it was and as it should be. It's a thread that wraps itself around my heart and soul and tugs on them gently. It calls for one who can be strong. And brave. It calls for one who can stand true."
"This is at once the end and the beginning. This is the story of my love of two men. One is my father. The other is a man who fell from the sky."
I can’t even….. holy f, TJ Klune, I don’t know how you do it. Thank you for your magical way with words
For a book heavily centered around faith, angels, and God, it felt very well done and non-suffocating to someone that doesn't practice any religion. It reminded me that not all those who practice religion, specifically Christianity, have the types of prejudices and hate that are so easily spread and vocalized about LGBT+ people. It was comforting and interesting to watch a gay man parse his own faith and beliefs, surrounded by celestial beings, family, and friends who didn't give a damn who he slept with. The story itself is beautiful and heartbreaking and hit me in all the sore emotional ways a good book should. The only reason I wouldn't personally give it 5 stars is that the grief threaded through the entire book felt alien to me, and it was all-consuming most of the time. I understand this was critical for the character(s) and the basis of the book, but I haven't quite experienced enough grief to have it resonate with me. It felt like Benji was trying to drown me in it right next to him. Maybe that was the point, but either way, it missed the mark a tad. Still a beautiful book that I'll probably read again in the future. And all the hints and nudges about another series/book/world/etc were enough to make me want more from the author, for sure.