Reviews with content warning for Homophobia - Anything But Fine

Reviews tagging 'Homophobia'

Anything But Fine by Tobias Madden

30 reviews

gattolinos_nerdy_nook's review against another edition

emotional inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.5

This was a wonderful book to read. I loved the characters, the journey and how it ended; although I was concerned it was going to go another way so I'm happy it ended how it did.
I thought it was really well paced and hit on a lot of topics that people can feel and go through no matter their age, I believe the author after finishing the book wondered if he just wrote about his situation, because of that I think a lot of people can take something away from this.

A small thing but, I am so happy with how the father was written in this story. A lot of books like to make parents unapproachable or useless when I was a teen but in recent years parents in books have been written so much better.

Content Warnings

max_audet's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

2.75

This book was fine... It feels weird to say that, but it was just fine. I didn’t relate to or care much for the POV character and was not feeling the love interest (I was hoping it would not fall for the Instalove trope like many YA do…but it did).

I’ve seen reviews mention that the book was giving Nick and Charlie's energy from Heartstopper, but to me, Jordan was much more a Ben than a Nick.

Content Warnings

goblindad's review

Go to review page

emotional funny lighthearted sad 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

4.75

Content Warnings

fred17's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

4.75

Content Warnings

anniereads221's review

Go to review page

challenging emotional

3.0

I enjoyed this one!! Amina is the star of the book for me. I love her so much I wanna be her friend!!

The thing that kinda annoyed me was the coming out/outing that happened it left a sour taste in my mouth. No one owes someone a coming out. If you are not ready, you should not be made to feel bad because you haven't reached that point yet. Someone who has been outed several times in the past. It was hard reading it the way it was done.

The rest of it was enjoyable at most

Though some throwaway comments were made that were not so nice either and could have just been not added

Still, I love messy characters and I love that we get to see Luca grow

Content Warnings

r_a's review

Go to review page

emotional lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.25

“The second it happens, I know my life is over. I feel the bones break. I literally hear them crack into pieces. As soon as my body hits the floor, my whole world falls apart. My future collapses - dream by dream, goal by goal - right before my eyes. One missed step and it's all over. It’s as simple as that. One missed step.”

I had so much fun with this book! And I may have also shed a tear or two…

When I first read the plot to Anything But Fine, I instantly thought Billy Elliot. I love both the film and musical adaptation of Billy Elliot and was really keen to start reading this book.

Another reason that it piqued my interest was the fact that its author, Tobias Madden, is Australian, and the story is set in Australia. I found it incredibly refreshing to delve into a work by an Australian author that didn't rely on the tropes of idyllic coastal towns or fantasy realms, which have dominated much of my reading. While I love C.S. Pacat and James Islington, who are both primarily fantasy writers, it was exciting to discover a new Aussie author who offered a different perspective.

One aspect of this book that I absolutely adored was its distinctly Australian flavour. The story is set in the city-country town of Ballarat, located in the state of Victoria. Having visited Ballarat numerous times myself, since my sister lived there for almost five years, I found it delightful to be able to envision the exact locations mentioned in the book. I love how Madden chose to set the story in his hometown, as it provides reader with a new perspective on Australian culture and lifestyle.

The Aussie slang featured in the book was an absolute delight. For the first time in a while, I felt a sense of familiarity while reading a novel, as I could instantly comprehend the colloquial language. As someone who frequently reads works by American authors or books published in the United States, it can be tiresome to constantly search up places or terminologies mentioned in the story. However, with this book, I was thrilled to read without interruption, without needing to constantly Google. Though I can see how some foreign readers may find certain terms or expressions confusing if they haven't visited or researched Australia previously. Some of these slang/places include: Woolies, Grill’d, Coles, Salvo’s and bogan (and Ocean Grove and Lorne are places along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria [P.S. Lorne is beautiful]).

“And without ballet, without [my friends], without my non-existent chances with Jordan… What the hell do I have?”

Although I thoroughly enjoyed the setting of this book, there were certain aspects that didn't fully resonate with me. Primarily, I found that the relationship between Luca and Jordan fell a bit short.

I found myself deeply invested in Luca's character. When he suffered his injury, I empathised with him and appreciated witnessing his journey of self-discovery outside of ballet dancing. Admittedly, like any teenager, he does make some missteps, but that's what makes him an authentic and relatable character. He's flawed in his ability to empathise and communicate at times, yet he's remarkably compassionate and creates a safe space for his friends. Luca is struggling not only to understand his own identity but also to navigate his relationships with his friends, father, and acceptance. His multifaceted nature is what made him so genuine and relatable to me.

While I enjoyed Jordan's character, I must admit that I found him a tad underwhelming. Though I appreciated him as a love interest for Luca, my attachment to him was mostly through Luca's eyes. While there were certainly cute and sweet moments between the two, I found them too infrequent to establish a deep connection to Jordan's character. With a few extra pages, Madden may have been able to further develop their bond, as I was hoping.

Overall, this book was a delightful, wholesome and fast-paced read. I adored the protagonist's perspective and the vivid setting, and the inclusion of Australian slang was a charming touch. However, while the romance between the characters was enjoyable, I personally desired more depth and development. Nevertheless, for anyone interested in reading stories and authors within the LGBTQIA+ community, this book would bring you joy and entertainment.

Content Warnings

dlrosebyh's review

Go to review page

emotional fast-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

3.5

Luca is prepared for his Australian Ballet School audition. One misstep is all it takes to dash his hopes… a broken foot, too. Jordan is Luca's new school's stunning rowing star and captain. Although everyone claims that he is straight, Luca isn't so sure… Luca begins to question, "Who is he without ballet?" as their strange friendship gets deeper. And is he putting himself on the hook for yet another breakup?

This one will appeal to you if you liked Heartstopper and The Passing Playbook. We watch as Luca's career comes to an end due to a fractured foot. And if you turned Charlie and Nick's narrative into prose, it reminded me so much of Heartstopper. Having saying that, I truly enjoyed the book. I only gave it 3.5 stars because I wanted to see more of Lucas' mother. That was really dismissed. When it comes to writing from the perspective of a teenager, Tobias Madden is exceptional.

Content Warnings