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la_melisma's review against another edition
4.0
While A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend had its fault--the largest among them being the completely unrealistic dialogue in which the characters (mostly teenagers) beautifully and thoughtfully articulate every point they need to make--Horner did a skillful job portraying the various ways in which grief manifests itself. Ultimately, what I liked most about this book was that Horner wasn't afraid to show the dirty, ambiguous side of life and love. She illustrated all the turmoil and uncertainty that accompanies trying to learn how to live your life while still honoring someone who's gone.
Horner shows that grief isn't all crying and sadness; it's anger and inertia and blame and love. Cass is a character that at times, is far from likable and makes some really poor decisions; she spends a large portion of the middle of the book--specifically in the chapters that narrate her "road trip"--not knowing what to do, not having any answers. Sure, that doesn't make for a particularly spell-binding read, but it's also a very honest depiction of life and coming to terms with death. I've read through far too many books where even if the character professes not to know what to do in a given situation, he/she still makes a quick, and often right, decision simply to move the plot along and keep the tone upbeat. Horner doesn't fall into that trap; she portrays teenagers for what they really are: people who make mistakes and are still learning about life and themselves.
Overall, I very much enjoyed A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend. Horner artfully tackling the types of heavy issues that many authors don't go near: death, jealousy, sexuality, gender roles, etc.
Horner shows that grief isn't all crying and sadness; it's anger and inertia and blame and love. Cass is a character that at times, is far from likable and makes some really poor decisions; she spends a large portion of the middle of the book--specifically in the chapters that narrate her "road trip"--not knowing what to do, not having any answers. Sure, that doesn't make for a particularly spell-binding read, but it's also a very honest depiction of life and coming to terms with death. I've read through far too many books where even if the character professes not to know what to do in a given situation, he/she still makes a quick, and often right, decision simply to move the plot along and keep the tone upbeat. Horner doesn't fall into that trap; she portrays teenagers for what they really are: people who make mistakes and are still learning about life and themselves.
Overall, I very much enjoyed A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend. Horner artfully tackling the types of heavy issues that many authors don't go near: death, jealousy, sexuality, gender roles, etc.
trina8945's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
offbalance80's review against another edition
4.0
This is a genuinely fun, sweet story about a young woman coming to terms with life, loss, and herself. Sounds trite, but I assure you that there are some genuine laughs, and some great moments of honesty and growth for the characters. I hate how the term "coming of age" has become a trope unto itself, but this is what a coming-of-age book should be - you meet a character at one stage, then sigh, facepalm and cheer as they work to figure things out. It was also refreshing to have the story be about not a gay character coming out, but about them figuring out what to do when they are there, and how and who to have a relationship with. While not perfect (there are some threads that I wished hadn't been dropped, and a few things are a bit neat), it's an extremely sweet story and a solid first effort.
datgirllani's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
ginnikin's review
I can't review this rationally or give it a rating. It hit me in some vulnerable places at a vulnerable time, but not in a bad way. I'm glad I read it.
pikasqueaks's review against another edition
2.0
I really, really wanted to like this book, but it reminded me of how strongly I dislike theater people.
bexellency's review against another edition
Sometimes YA is great. Sometimes it’s too teeneagery and angsty, like this one. Also, just not compelling writing or storytelling. The beginning bored me and suggested the book might never get around to content promised by the synopsis.