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zombiezami's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
Talk about killing me softly with words. As someone who learned of her autism status as an adult, I resonated so much with Jessie. Some of her experiences feel ripped out of my own life, her thoughts ripped out of my own mind. I felt very emotional reading about her struggles. At the same time, her triumphs, which never happened for me at that age, gave me such a feeling of wish fulfillment.
My only complaint is that the number of characters weakened the book. I had a really hard time telling Jessie's female friends apart. When the one friendwas dating a 19-year-old and then that issue was resolved, there was no followup or stakes or anything. Also, her family members' struggles felt like a distraction from the main plot, rather than an integral part of it. I know the author was probably trying to capture the fact that everyone has their own issues going on while you're having yours, but the execution was cluttered. The most poignant example of this was the death of Jessie's grandmother. Because this character was only in one scene prior to her stroke, the emotional impact that should have been in that scene wasn't there. It would've been better if this character had been developed more/if she had interacted more with Jessie. Or even if she had lived with the family.
Overall, though, listening to this was a very moving experience.
My only complaint is that the number of characters weakened the book. I had a really hard time telling Jessie's female friends apart. When the one friend
Overall, though, listening to this was a very moving experience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, and Bullying
Moderate: Outing, Racism, Death, Medical content, Grief, and Sexual content
Minor: Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Colonisation, Child abuse, and Alcohol
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