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bella_cavicchi's review
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
There's so much more to this novel than I had first (and wrongly) assumed. It explores loss and mental health with great care, and Posthuma is skilled in writing about teenagers for teenagers, who are often more smart, thoughtful, and compassionate than we as a society give them credit for. Because I think that's really what the story grapples with: does age determine who knows best? / aren't we all, kinda, sorta, muddling through life?
Fair warning: I teared up at the end! But definitely one to read.
Fair warning: I teared up at the end! But definitely one to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Medical content, Mental illness, Pregnancy, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Abortion, Cursing, Grief, and Suicide
Minor: Bullying, Infidelity, Infertility, and Eating disorder
rkreads's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Thank you to the publisher and Netgally for providing me with an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
I LOVED this audiobook! 10/10 would recommend! That being said a few chapters cut off early but I assume that is an ARC issue.
The author and the narrator both did a fantastic job making Joel feel like a real teenager. The writing makes his voice sound so genuine and, somewhat ironically, normal. The story flowed really well and the pacing was fantastic. I don't know if this is just because I listened to the audiobook, but I can't remember feeling like there were moments that were dragging or rushed.
My favorite part of this book is the relationships! Lisabeth Posthuma really excels at depicting multiple different types of relationships without any of them feeling weird or out of places (unless its in line with the characters- I'm looking at you Godfather). Joel has a very complicated relationship with both of his parents and this handled very well in the book but the thing that really blew me away was that I was reading a YA novel where the parents actually did parent things like wanted to know where their kids were and actually paid attention to what they were or were not doing. I also really enjoyed the dynamic of all the video store employees. If you like books with a friend group or big cast of characters- this one is for you!
Out of all the amazing relationship depictions in this book I have to say a few words about the Baby + Solo dynamic. It was so enjoyable to watch their friendship develop, even while they are both going through some really tough stuff. Their relationship developed in a very natural and authentic way and it was a joy to watch unfold.
This book handles some very serious issues but Lisabeth Posthuma skillfully maneuvers through them and dedicates the appropriate amount of time to tackles these issues. I really love how much a focus was put on proper treatment and coping mechanisms for varying mental health issues and varying severities or issues.
I LOVED this audiobook! 10/10 would recommend! That being said a few chapters cut off early but I assume that is an ARC issue.
The author and the narrator both did a fantastic job making Joel feel like a real teenager. The writing makes his voice sound so genuine and, somewhat ironically, normal. The story flowed really well and the pacing was fantastic. I don't know if this is just because I listened to the audiobook, but I can't remember feeling like there were moments that were dragging or rushed.
My favorite part of this book is the relationships! Lisabeth Posthuma really excels at depicting multiple different types of relationships without any of them feeling weird or out of places (unless its in line with the characters- I'm looking at you Godfather). Joel has a very complicated relationship with both of his parents and this handled very well in the book but the thing that really blew me away was that I was reading a YA novel where the parents actually did parent things like wanted to know where their kids were and actually paid attention to what they were or were not doing. I also really enjoyed the dynamic of all the video store employees. If you like books with a friend group or big cast of characters- this one is for you!
Out of all the amazing relationship depictions in this book I have to say a few words about the Baby + Solo dynamic. It was so enjoyable to watch their friendship develop, even while they are both going through some really tough stuff. Their relationship developed in a very natural and authentic way and it was a joy to watch unfold.
This book handles some very serious issues but Lisabeth Posthuma skillfully maneuvers through them and dedicates the appropriate amount of time to tackles these issues. I really love how much a focus was put on proper treatment and coping mechanisms for varying mental health issues and varying severities or issues.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Vomit, Homophobia, Grief, and Mental illness
Minor: Sexual assault, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts
MC is in recovery from depression and other mental illness. There are brief mentions of his time in a mental health facility.nytephoenyx's review
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from LibraryThing and Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I had very mixed feelings about Baby & Solo for the duration of the book, up until the last ~50pgs.
I'll start with the good stuff!
This book is overflowing with 90s nostalgia, particularly of the cinematic variety. I knew every film mentioned and delighted in it. ROYO Video reminded me immediately of the small town privately owned video rental stores I went to as a kid (we didn't do Blockbuster). The daily grind of the work day in a retail store with a tight knit group of coworkers also rang very familiar. As a whole, I felt comfortable in the world of Baby & Solo, and that was a nice feeling. It easy to fall into this book, because in many ways, the world was like a walk through my own memories.
That said.
I had some Serious Problems with the way Certain Things were discussed. Before I get into those things, I will say that everything was challenged by the end and some characters took accountability, and the reactions were explained (not justified - don't misunderstand. Explained). If I hadn't finished the book, however, I wouldn't've known this, and it would have made the book as a whole Very Problematic. There's conversations about mental health and homosexuality and transgender people that is discussed... well... in a very 90s tenor. Which means there was a bunch of homophobia, transphobia, and Questionable Terms. It was very uncomfortable.
I didn't love the way in which Posthuma addressed mental health in this book. We've advanced past the use of certain terms. I understand why the language was the way it way, because the story is told in first person and Joel's self-image (and thus the language he uses) has been modeled by the influential people in his life. Part of Joel's journey in Baby & Solo is overcoming the shade certain people have cast on his life and beginning to understand The Bad Thing That Happened and the truth behind it.
But there were scenes that made me cringe. Until I understood - at the end - why they were there. And until they were challenged. I want to warn you, readers, that there are scenes with people who are so closed-minded, homophobic, trying to dictate what a woman should do with her body... there's a lot of hate in this book that the characters deal with (and sometimes dish out). It's messy and concerning.
At the end of the day, Baby & Solo ended much better than I expected. I was proud of Joel, once all was said and done. He still has a while to go, and I'm glad not everything was forgiven, but I was pleasantly surprised with the way everything wrapped up. The world of this book was wonderful - it's what drew me in. And if you stick it to the end, Baby & Solo deals with a lot of issues in a period where the rampant homophobia and judgement against teen moms and everything you see in this book was very alive and well.
Oh, and I really liked the characters, too. If I changed anything about Baby & Solo, I think I'd use less of the historically accurate hate language and probably be a bit more subtle about The Bad Thing That Happened, but from cover to cover, I enjoyed the book. If you DNF'd after the first concerning scene, though, I would never have known that everything was challenged and addressed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Homophobia, Mental illness, and Transphobia
Moderate: Deadnaming, Forced institutionalization, and Vomit
Minor: Abortion and Cursing
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