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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
I guess the fact that I could not see myself in any of Min’s experiences says how lacking my high school experience has been. I’ve been so lonely these past years. The only heartbreak I’ve exposed myself to is the ones I make up in my own head, about the boy that I really like who doesn’t seem to know of my existence.
It was a great book, with really lovely writing, and even though I felt it was a little dramatic it was fitting according to what it was trying to do. This book made me quite sad but not because of the breakup necessarily, but because it portrayed all that I’ve missed and will never be able to experience for myself. What Ed did to Min was horrible, really. But I could see it coming so it wasn’t that surprising. I guess my heart did break a little along with Min’s. But mostly because of how lost she was after, how she came to the realization that she wasn’t that special. That is the real heartbreak.
It was a great book, with really lovely writing, and even though I felt it was a little dramatic it was fitting according to what it was trying to do. This book made me quite sad but not because of the breakup necessarily, but because it portrayed all that I’ve missed and will never be able to experience for myself. What Ed did to Min was horrible, really. But I could see it coming so it wasn’t that surprising. I guess my heart did break a little along with Min’s. But mostly because of how lost she was after, how she came to the realization that she wasn’t that special. That is the real heartbreak.
DNF at 60%. I just couldn't go ahead with reading this one at the moment. I kept struggling to feel something for the characters while reading this for about a month and decided it wasn't worth it.
I'd been meaning to read this book for a long time since it's a book that had gotten a lot of buzz and I'd been seeing it pop up all over the place. And it did seem really interesting, so I was excited to read it! Unfortunately, I was left pretty disappointed.
First off, this book was a MESS to read. There were commas everywhere, making the writing very choppy and confusing to follow. And, oh my god so. Many. Comma. Splices. There would be two or three or more sentences pretty much mushed into one, separated by commas. And this especially irked me: the protagonist Min had a tendency of frequently going into long-winded speeches, so there were sentences that would ramble on and on and on until I'd eventually forget what the original thought was, and I'd just lose my interest altogether. And then there were just words that were sometimes placed in awkward places in a sentence, which made the writing even more disjointed. Example:
"What's," he said, "the use of friendship."
"And, okay, I see what she means, but she doesn't, Min, know what she's talking about."
Another thing this book had a tendency of was repeating names, whether it was everyone saying, "Min... Min... MIN. Oh, Min" (as if I forgot what her name was) or "Al.. Al... Al... Al..." So... his name's Al, right? GAH. This was especially common between the interactions between Min and Al. Pretty much this sums up every single conversation they had in the book:
"Min,"
"Come on Al, be serious!"
"I am, Min. I think this boy's no good and I'm going to be super vague about my reason why."
"AL"
"MIN"
"Oh Al... *clever witty comment"
"MIN."
Do you see how annoying that is?!
Also, we get it, Min. You're a pretentious film nut. You don't have to pour it on too heavy on every single page of this book.
But okay, I could sit here and name every little flaw that bothered me. But there were some pretty big aspects of this story I felt were problematic. The book makes it seem like this was a long, enduring relationship that had just been broken off when in fact it only lasted for two months... With that in mind, this whole grand breakup explanation on Min's part is pretty over-the-top for them only being together for two months. Most people, after breaking up that early on in the relationship, would just go, "Ah well, whatever. It didn't work out," and move on. After all, these are high school relationships. So why does Min feel the need to go through all this trouble, especially since this breakup shouldn't have been a surprise!. It's not even the "we're from different worlds" thing. That would've been fine and really cute. But it's just the fact that Ed is a freaking asshole! Seriously, if he's constantly making homophobic remarks, and he still can't bring himself to stop even after you've told him that's not cool and has to say "thing-you-don't-want-me-to-say" (which is also pretty patronizing when you think about it) then that's probably a sign that you shouldn't be with this jerk! But I think Min is just a pretty over-the-top person in general, which kind of annoyed me about her as a character... so naturally, I guess she has to break up with him in the same over-the-top-Min fashion.
Going back to the whole "Ed is a huge jerk" comment, though: even though he definitely had some questionable qualities, he still obviously cared about Min and went out of his way to please her. So it really threw me off how on one page they were completely in love, and on the next page Ed seemed to do a complete 180 and turned into a completely different person - in this case, a major douche who didn't seem all that sorry about lying to and betraying Min. After all the times he's defended Min and professed his undying love to her, he suddenly becomes that guy who, all he has to say for his actions is, "Sorry, babe, it just happened. You can't be completely surprised by this, right?" Ugh....
And one final thought to conclude this review: I mean, really though, I saw that surprise love interest thing from a mile away. Just saying.
First off, this book was a MESS to read. There were commas everywhere, making the writing very choppy and confusing to follow. And, oh my god so. Many. Comma. Splices. There would be two or three or more sentences pretty much mushed into one, separated by commas. And this especially irked me: the protagonist Min had a tendency of frequently going into long-winded speeches, so there were sentences that would ramble on and on and on until I'd eventually forget what the original thought was, and I'd just lose my interest altogether. And then there were just words that were sometimes placed in awkward places in a sentence, which made the writing even more disjointed. Example:
"What's," he said, "the use of friendship."
"And, okay, I see what she means, but she doesn't, Min, know what she's talking about."
Another thing this book had a tendency of was repeating names, whether it was everyone saying, "Min... Min... MIN. Oh, Min" (as if I forgot what her name was) or "Al.. Al... Al... Al..." So... his name's Al, right? GAH. This was especially common between the interactions between Min and Al. Pretty much this sums up every single conversation they had in the book:
"Min,"
"Come on Al, be serious!"
"I am, Min. I think this boy's no good and I'm going to be super vague about my reason why."
"AL"
"MIN"
"Oh Al... *clever witty comment"
"MIN."
Do you see how annoying that is?!
Also, we get it, Min. You're a pretentious film nut. You don't have to pour it on too heavy on every single page of this book.
But okay, I could sit here and name every little flaw that bothered me. But there were some pretty big aspects of this story I felt were problematic. The book makes it seem like this was a long, enduring relationship that had just been broken off when in fact it only lasted for two months... With that in mind, this whole grand breakup explanation on Min's part is pretty over-the-top for them only being together for two months. Most people, after breaking up that early on in the relationship, would just go, "Ah well, whatever. It didn't work out," and move on. After all, these are high school relationships. So why does Min feel the need to go through all this trouble, especially since this breakup shouldn't have been a surprise!. It's not even the "we're from different worlds" thing. That would've been fine and really cute. But it's just the fact that Ed is a freaking asshole! Seriously, if he's constantly making homophobic remarks, and he still can't bring himself to stop even after you've told him that's not cool and has to say "thing-you-don't-want-me-to-say" (which is also pretty patronizing when you think about it) then that's probably a sign that you shouldn't be with this jerk! But I think Min is just a pretty over-the-top person in general, which kind of annoyed me about her as a character... so naturally, I guess she has to break up with him in the same over-the-top-Min fashion.
Going back to the whole "Ed is a huge jerk" comment, though: even though he definitely had some questionable qualities, he still obviously cared about Min and went out of his way to please her. So it really threw me off how on one page they were completely in love, and on the next page Ed seemed to do a complete 180 and turned into a completely different person - in this case, a major douche who didn't seem all that sorry about lying to and betraying Min. After all the times he's defended Min and professed his undying love to her, he suddenly becomes that guy who, all he has to say for his actions is, "Sorry, babe, it just happened. You can't be completely surprised by this, right?" Ugh....
And one final thought to conclude this review: I mean, really though, I saw that surprise love interest thing from a mile away. Just saying.
DNFing this because life is too short to spend on books that don't capture my interest.
The only character I liked was Al. But this book had a good representation of what it’s like to be in a relationship with an asshole and be blinded by his good traits.
interesting way to present a book. I read the audio version and the narrator sounded exactly like Eliza Thornberry. Although it was a great way to get you involved in the story and the characters i kept thinking it was a little drawn out. By the way Ed, YOUR A DICK.
I forgot Daniel Handler is actually Lemony Snicket and has made quite a few sexist comments about female authors.
I really liked the conceit of this plot - a girl writing a letter as she returns all of the mementos of a failed relationship to her ex. I love the illustrations and that each "chapter" centers around that memento and its meaning in their relationship. I think the thing that most stuck out to me was the dialogue and the way it more closely echoed real conversations with sentences starting over in the middle or interjections that flow in even when they feel like they shouldn't. It did make me have to reread sentences several times, but it didn't feel annoying to me (though I'm sure it might to some people). It just made it feel more like an actual letter being written by Min to Ed.
i never thought anything could even come close to perks of being a wallflower in my favourite books of all time, but this has come a very close second, this book will stay with me for a very long time
i’ve read this book multiples times and everytime i enjoy it so much! i love how its written like a memory, it’s my favorite kind of narrative!! honestly ed was kinda an asshole the whole book but i think we all get why min wanted to be with him hahah i really liked the book overall!