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bookishval's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.0
Here the Whole Time, o Quinze dias en su idioma original, se sintió como una historia muy familiar.. Tengo un lugar especial en el corazón para historias coming-of-age gay, con protas solitarios que se sienten incomprendidos, pero cuando por fin se dan la oportunidad de tumbar sus barreras forman lazos hermosos con la gente a su alrededor.
Eso es justo lo que pasa con Felipe. Felipe tiene 17 años y es gordo, lo que ocasiona que sufra de bullying constantemente. La historia comienza al final del año escolar, cuando Felipe por fin no tendrá que ver a sus compañeros y podrá disfrutar de no hacer nada en la comodidad de su casa. Pero sus planes se vienen abajo cuando descubre que Caio, su vecino y crush de toda la vida, va a quedarse a vivir con ellos por quince días porque sus papás se fueron de viaje. Ahora Felipe tendrá que lidiar con sentirse arrebatado de su privacidad y verse obligado a interactuar con Caio.
Hay muchas cosas que me sorprendieron para bien en este libro. Para empezar, el hecho de que ambos Caio y Felipe son gay no es tratado como un conflicto en la historia. Yo creía que el gran problema iba a ser que Felipe creía que Caio era hetero, o que él iba a ser la primera experiencia gay de Caio. Pero no, ambos están seguros de su sexualidad e incluso sospechaban que el otro también era gay. Y este ángulo es tan interesante. En lugar de lo usual, un prota en completa negación y el otro siendo lastimado, Vitor Martins le da más importancia a Felipe aprendiendo a hacer amigos y a conocerse y quererse a sí mismo.
Creo que la razón por la que este libro me recuerda a tantos otros que he leído antes es la forma en la que narra Felipe. El libro está en primera persona y se siente casi como estar leyendo un diario. Es fácil identificarse con Felipe, con su forma de pensar y de comportarse porque no se inhibe a mostrarse como es al lector, casi como si le estuviera hablando directamente a una sola persona. También la forma en la que está escrito el libro se siente como leer un YA de los 2000s, pero en el buen sentido. La historia tiene este toque nostálgico que hizo que quisiera saber más sobre la vida de Felipe.
Adoré a los demás personajes que aportaron cosas hermosas a la historia y ayudaron a Felipe a aprender muchas cosas de sí mismo y el mundo que lo rodea. Su mamá, por ejemplo. Felipe siempre tuvo su apoyo y amor incondicional y tristemente es muy raro de ver en historias gay con el mismo escenario que Here the Whole Time. Becky y Melissa también fueron super lindos personajes. En especial Becky. La presencia de Becky en la historia sirvió para hacerle ver a Felipe que malas personas siempre habrá, e incluso alguien con tanta confianza en sí misma como Becky aún tiene inseguridades y problemas, pero eso no debe detener a nadie de ser feliz y encontrar su lugar seguro. Aceptarse a sí mismo es difícil y no es algo que se dará de la noche a la mañana, pero la amistad de Caio, Becky y Melissa le permiten a Felipe por primera vez sentirse optimista por su futuro
Otro aspecto que me fascinó del libro es que Felipe va a terapia. Fue una grata sorpresa. Aunque sus citas fueron cortas, ofrecen una interesante perspectiva a Felipe y sus problemas. Es tan precioso leer una historia en la que una mamá manda a su hijo gay a terapia no porque quiera cambiarlo o algo peor, sino porque se quiere adelantar a todo lo que Felipe sufrirá en un futuro.
Sin embargo Felipe usa sus citas con la psicóloga para otra cosa. Felipe no puede señalar exactamente el momento en el que empezó a sentirse inseguro por su cuerpo, pero en algún punto de su vida la gente a su alrededor dejó de ver su peso como algo adorable (en un niño), a algo malo que Felipe debe cambiar, y que lo hace merecedor de insultos y burlas. Por culpa de esto Felipe se volvió tan inseguro en su apariencia que batalla al hablar con otras personas. Al verse forzado a convivir con Caio en su casa, Felipe aprende a lidiar con su timidez y ansiedad con la ayuda de su psicóloga. Y ver esto tan normalizado en una historia hecha para una audiencia joven fue muy hermoso.
El libro fue muy corto así que lo leí rápido. Solo quince capítulos, uno dedicado a cada día. Debo decir que hubo algunas partes que se sintieron fuera de lugar, pero estoy segura que son cosas que se pierden en la traducción y es completamente normal. En general disfruté mucho el libro, es un sólido 4 estrellas para mí.
Eso es justo lo que pasa con Felipe. Felipe tiene 17 años y es gordo, lo que ocasiona que sufra de bullying constantemente. La historia comienza al final del año escolar, cuando Felipe por fin no tendrá que ver a sus compañeros y podrá disfrutar de no hacer nada en la comodidad de su casa. Pero sus planes se vienen abajo cuando descubre que Caio, su vecino y crush de toda la vida, va a quedarse a vivir con ellos por quince días porque sus papás se fueron de viaje. Ahora Felipe tendrá que lidiar con sentirse arrebatado de su privacidad y verse obligado a interactuar con Caio.
Hay muchas cosas que me sorprendieron para bien en este libro. Para empezar, el hecho de que ambos Caio y Felipe son gay no es tratado como un conflicto en la historia. Yo creía que el gran problema iba a ser que Felipe creía que Caio era hetero, o que él iba a ser la primera experiencia gay de Caio. Pero no, ambos están seguros de su sexualidad e incluso sospechaban que el otro también era gay. Y este ángulo es tan interesante. En lugar de lo usual, un prota en completa negación y el otro siendo lastimado, Vitor Martins le da más importancia a Felipe aprendiendo a hacer amigos y a conocerse y quererse a sí mismo.
Creo que la razón por la que este libro me recuerda a tantos otros que he leído antes es la forma en la que narra Felipe. El libro está en primera persona y se siente casi como estar leyendo un diario. Es fácil identificarse con Felipe, con su forma de pensar y de comportarse porque no se inhibe a mostrarse como es al lector, casi como si le estuviera hablando directamente a una sola persona. También la forma en la que está escrito el libro se siente como leer un YA de los 2000s, pero en el buen sentido. La historia tiene este toque nostálgico que hizo que quisiera saber más sobre la vida de Felipe.
Adoré a los demás personajes que aportaron cosas hermosas a la historia y ayudaron a Felipe a aprender muchas cosas de sí mismo y el mundo que lo rodea. Su mamá, por ejemplo. Felipe siempre tuvo su apoyo y amor incondicional y tristemente es muy raro de ver en historias gay con el mismo escenario que Here the Whole Time. Becky y Melissa también fueron super lindos personajes. En especial Becky. La presencia de Becky en la historia sirvió para hacerle ver a Felipe que malas personas siempre habrá, e incluso alguien con tanta confianza en sí misma como Becky aún tiene inseguridades y problemas, pero eso no debe detener a nadie de ser feliz y encontrar su lugar seguro. Aceptarse a sí mismo es difícil y no es algo que se dará de la noche a la mañana, pero la amistad de Caio, Becky y Melissa le permiten a Felipe por primera vez sentirse optimista por su futuro
Otro aspecto que me fascinó del libro es que Felipe va a terapia. Fue una grata sorpresa. Aunque sus citas fueron cortas, ofrecen una interesante perspectiva a Felipe y sus problemas. Es tan precioso leer una historia en la que una mamá manda a su hijo gay a terapia no porque quiera cambiarlo o algo peor, sino porque se quiere adelantar a todo lo que Felipe sufrirá en un futuro.
Sin embargo Felipe usa sus citas con la psicóloga para otra cosa. Felipe no puede señalar exactamente el momento en el que empezó a sentirse inseguro por su cuerpo, pero en algún punto de su vida la gente a su alrededor dejó de ver su peso como algo adorable (en un niño), a algo malo que Felipe debe cambiar, y que lo hace merecedor de insultos y burlas. Por culpa de esto Felipe se volvió tan inseguro en su apariencia que batalla al hablar con otras personas. Al verse forzado a convivir con Caio en su casa, Felipe aprende a lidiar con su timidez y ansiedad con la ayuda de su psicóloga. Y ver esto tan normalizado en una historia hecha para una audiencia joven fue muy hermoso.
El libro fue muy corto así que lo leí rápido. Solo quince capítulos, uno dedicado a cada día. Debo decir que hubo algunas partes que se sintieron fuera de lugar, pero estoy segura que son cosas que se pierden en la traducción y es completamente normal. En general disfruté mucho el libro, es un sólido 4 estrellas para mí.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Lesbophobia
caesar2014's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol
ophycore's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and Alcohol
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Death, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia
kirsten_marie's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
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
3.75
Here The Whole Time was just such a sweet, innocent and heartwarming story wich takes place over the 15 days of winter break. For me it was a little slow, especially in kind of the middle of the book. But it definitely picked up for the ending. I have never read a book like this, with a main character as relatable as Felipe. His character and the romance comforted me in several ways.
Would recommend for anyone in the mood for something cute and relaxing with good representation.
Also, I have never ever read a book with this many movie and book references in my life.
(not a bad thing)
🦩📚
Would recommend for anyone in the mood for something cute and relaxing with good representation.
Also, I have never ever read a book with this many movie and book references in my life.
(not a bad thing)
🦩📚
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, and Fatphobia
Minor: Homophobia, Sexual content, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol
thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
3.25
here the whole time is a cute and funny read w/ great rep and a sweet main couple that explores important issues, and i do wish i liked it more but rn the book feels like it's missing a lil sth.
first of all, it's great to have a fat main character like felipe, for all the rep and perspective he brings. his issues, thoughts, and insecurities are painfully relatable, and i feel them all vicariously thru him, so familiar they are. as for the characters, i esp enjoy felipe's refreshing relationship w/ his mom, the will-they-wont-they w/ caio, and the unique, mildly chaotic vibe of those 3 tgt. various issues like fatphobia, homophobia, and bodyshaming presented are also nuanced, and serve as a good reminder that everyone has their own issues, no matter how great their life seems to be.
it's a shame, therefore, that i feel like this book's missing sth; just some spark that could elevate it to a whole other level. i think the book should've been at least a lil longer, as the ending - though not wholly abrupt - feels too quick still; an "after" chapter wouldve been great. and although the novel's an enjoyable enough read, i feel it has even more potential left unlocked from many possible plot points and threads introduced yet not fully explored, like eddie from the community center or caio w/ his family. rn it seems like many scenes are shown but not utilized enough.
w/ a cute romance, funny moments, and good exploration of some serious issues, this is a nice queer read that nevertheless has its flaws.
first of all, it's great to have a fat main character like felipe, for all the rep and perspective he brings. his issues, thoughts, and insecurities are painfully relatable, and i feel them all vicariously thru him, so familiar they are. as for the characters, i esp enjoy felipe's refreshing relationship w/ his mom, the will-they-wont-they w/ caio, and the unique, mildly chaotic vibe of those 3 tgt. various issues like fatphobia, homophobia, and bodyshaming presented are also nuanced, and serve as a good reminder that everyone has their own issues, no matter how great their life seems to be.
it's a shame, therefore, that i feel like this book's missing sth; just some spark that could elevate it to a whole other level. i think the book should've been at least a lil longer, as the ending - though not wholly abrupt - feels too quick still; an "after" chapter wouldve been great. and although the novel's an enjoyable enough read, i feel it has even more potential left unlocked from many possible plot points and threads introduced yet not fully explored, like eddie from the community center or caio w/ his family. rn it seems like many scenes are shown but not utilized enough.
w/ a cute romance, funny moments, and good exploration of some serious issues, this is a nice queer read that nevertheless has its flaws.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia and Homophobia
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, and Lesbophobia
wrenhartjacobs's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
5.0
This book is absolutely adorable. I great exploration of self-acceptance in love in one of the most awkward time of someone’s life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia
ariam's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I really liked how felipe and caio progressively opened up to each other.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia and Homophobia
Moderate: Cursing and Lesbophobia
lessthelonely's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
So, since Scandal got in the mix and this week I started Season 4 just because - I'm going to episode 3 sometime soon, I hope, can't say -, I entered what people could call a reading slump. I've been a bit uncomfortable with doing anything at all, extremely bored, but at the same time, I wanted to do something that at least contributed to something nice. Obviously, watching a TV show counts because I'm not looking to do something that will change the course of human life, just something that made me feel less than depressed. Reading a book counts too.
Yesterday I tried three different books until I landed on this one - I'm not going to disclose the others. I'm going to try and finish the second one I tried because even though it didn't grab me like I wanted it to, it still wasn't bad and maybe I just need to give it another fair shot. Either way! Here The Whole Time is a Brasilian published book in the Queer lit genre, which, as someone whose mother language is (European) Portuguese, is a good thing because I got to read the book in Portuguese. I'm not going to be addressing the book by its Portuguese title, Quinze Dias, which just means 15 Days, though I would say that the English title, though it's something that sticks with you, I don't see it fitting the book itself. But then again, many YA English books sometimes go for the good-sounding title instead of the meaningful one.
This book is a light read. A very, very light read. We're talking Buzzfeed kind of light - there isn't a plot, just one simple premise. Felipe is a teenager in what I believe is either High School or Middle School (since the Brasilian term for the age range Felipe is in is Ensino Médio (Middle School), I'd say he's in the latter. In European Portuguese, Ensino Médio is probably Segundo ou Terceiro Ciclo (Second or Third Cycle). But education systems aside, Felipe's whole deal is that he's fat and he has very low self-esteem from ears being mistreated and bullied in school, which, fair enough!
The fat jokes are left and right in this book - very prevalent -, and used as comic relief. Though I felt uncomfortable with some of them, not because they weren't "good" (in the sense of badly written), more because it went into that area of self-deprecation where laughing at the joke isn't the point, it's the goal. They don't want you to laugh with them, just because of them. At their expense. So that was uncomfortable but I wouldn't say it's tactless at all, though, at first glance, I did think it was. Going a bit more into the book, I understood that this was the point, it was uncomfortable because it was supposed to be uncomfortable. You're lured in by the first few minor jokes but at some point, the exaggeration comes and you don't realize that it's not funny anymore, no, you realize it's never been funny.
On the other hand, this book is 100% devoid of plot. That's OK, I'd compare this to Simon vs. The Homosapiens Agenda because what makes this book is the feel-good intention and pop culture references. I remember reading Simon and loving it because it was the first-ever book that was unabashedly queer that I could get my hands on (the first one that was queer in any way was Will Grayson, Will Grayson, by John Green and David Levithan - stay away from it). Simon had Oreos and other references - I believe Harry Potter was there somewhere -, this one has a bit of Twitter, Lord of The Rings, and a lot of gay culture that I, as a gay can recognize, but it doesn't make up for the fact that this book didn't have any real character development.
There were some moments I laughed, I'll give that to Mister Vitor Martins. Some banter between Felipe and his mom, Rita, was very good. The inclusion of a therapist was also amazing, but the sort of values this book tries to push are very much giving Disney Channel Original Movie. The turning point of Felipe is at a festa junina (the Brazilian equivalent of what in Portugal are called Santos Populares - these parties centered around Saints): two of his bullies decide to, well, bully him, and he stands up and tells them to fuck themselves. Literally, that's it. I don't know how the English translation put it, but in Portuguese it was Vão-se foder, and that means Fuck you.
So it's very I used to not do anything because I'm not courageous but I said a swear word and stood up for myself and my problems disappeared. The book does make a point to show that the bullies will continue bullying Felipe in school, but it still frames this as a giant win. Here's the thing, though, this would be better if I was 12 and believed this shit. This book has a very clear target audience and that's OK, but I do still have a need to call this sort of how to deal with bullies technique problematic because I'm sure we all know that if some people want to ruin our day, they'll do it to the bitter end no matter what swearwords we throw at them. I do consider, however, this book to be harmless for kids more on the older side (15 and up, I'd say).
Outside of that, the romance - I'm usually not one to enjoy romances where the crush is settled from the very first page, but this one was OK. It understood the assignment that if you want to make a crush sell you're going to have to roll in a good dose of romantic pining. Felipe likes Caio and you begin to understand why, while at the same time understanding why he's so terrified of interacting with him, so those parts are fun.
On another hand, the Mom is probably the second-best part of this book after the little romance. She's a basic human mom with a little bit of personality. Perfect for this kind of book. If you want to try a bit of translated queer lit, this can be it!
Yesterday I tried three different books until I landed on this one - I'm not going to disclose the others. I'm going to try and finish the second one I tried because even though it didn't grab me like I wanted it to, it still wasn't bad and maybe I just need to give it another fair shot. Either way! Here The Whole Time is a Brasilian published book in the Queer lit genre, which, as someone whose mother language is (European) Portuguese, is a good thing because I got to read the book in Portuguese. I'm not going to be addressing the book by its Portuguese title, Quinze Dias, which just means 15 Days, though I would say that the English title, though it's something that sticks with you, I don't see it fitting the book itself. But then again, many YA English books sometimes go for the good-sounding title instead of the meaningful one.
This book is a light read. A very, very light read. We're talking Buzzfeed kind of light - there isn't a plot, just one simple premise. Felipe is a teenager in what I believe is either High School or Middle School (since the Brasilian term for the age range Felipe is in is Ensino Médio (Middle School), I'd say he's in the latter. In European Portuguese, Ensino Médio is probably Segundo ou Terceiro Ciclo (Second or Third Cycle). But education systems aside, Felipe's whole deal is that he's fat and he has very low self-esteem from ears being mistreated and bullied in school, which, fair enough!
The fat jokes are left and right in this book - very prevalent -, and used as comic relief. Though I felt uncomfortable with some of them, not because they weren't "good" (in the sense of badly written), more because it went into that area of self-deprecation where laughing at the joke isn't the point, it's the goal. They don't want you to laugh with them, just because of them. At their expense. So that was uncomfortable but I wouldn't say it's tactless at all, though, at first glance, I did think it was. Going a bit more into the book, I understood that this was the point, it was uncomfortable because it was supposed to be uncomfortable. You're lured in by the first few minor jokes but at some point, the exaggeration comes and you don't realize that it's not funny anymore, no, you realize it's never been funny.
On the other hand, this book is 100% devoid of plot. That's OK, I'd compare this to Simon vs. The Homosapiens Agenda because what makes this book is the feel-good intention and pop culture references. I remember reading Simon and loving it because it was the first-ever book that was unabashedly queer that I could get my hands on (the first one that was queer in any way was Will Grayson, Will Grayson, by John Green and David Levithan - stay away from it). Simon had Oreos and other references - I believe Harry Potter was there somewhere -, this one has a bit of Twitter, Lord of The Rings, and a lot of gay culture that I, as a gay can recognize, but it doesn't make up for the fact that this book didn't have any real character development.
There were some moments I laughed, I'll give that to Mister Vitor Martins. Some banter between Felipe and his mom, Rita, was very good. The inclusion of a therapist was also amazing, but the sort of values this book tries to push are very much giving Disney Channel Original Movie. The turning point of Felipe is at a festa junina (the Brazilian equivalent of what in Portugal are called Santos Populares - these parties centered around Saints): two of his bullies decide to, well, bully him, and he stands up and tells them to fuck themselves. Literally, that's it. I don't know how the English translation put it, but in Portuguese it was Vão-se foder, and that means Fuck you.
So it's very I used to not do anything because I'm not courageous but I said a swear word and stood up for myself and my problems disappeared. The book does make a point to show that the bullies will continue bullying Felipe in school, but it still frames this as a giant win. Here's the thing, though, this would be better if I was 12 and believed this shit. This book has a very clear target audience and that's OK, but I do still have a need to call this sort of how to deal with bullies technique problematic because I'm sure we all know that if some people want to ruin our day, they'll do it to the bitter end no matter what swearwords we throw at them. I do consider, however, this book to be harmless for kids more on the older side (15 and up, I'd say).
Outside of that, the romance - I'm usually not one to enjoy romances where the crush is settled from the very first page, but this one was OK. It understood the assignment that if you want to make a crush sell you're going to have to roll in a good dose of romantic pining. Felipe likes Caio and you begin to understand why, while at the same time understanding why he's so terrified of interacting with him, so those parts are fun.
On another hand, the Mom is probably the second-best part of this book after the little romance. She's a basic human mom with a little bit of personality. Perfect for this kind of book. If you want to try a bit of translated queer lit, this can be it!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia and Homophobia
Minor: Lesbophobia and Alcohol
marit_1305's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Homophobia and Lesbophobia
fresatriste's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? It's complicated
5.0
A cute and genuine queer coming of age story that we all deserve. This story will warm your heart while simultaneously healing your inner child, especially if you have ever dealt with body image issues, fatphobia, or just ever felt unlovable for any reason related to your body. Not only is the story well written and filled with lovable characters, but it serves as such an important reminder that we’re all deserving and worthy of love for simply being who we are.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia