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betweentheshelves's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
After losing his older sister in a car accident, Kermit is no stranger to grief. It seems that everywhere he looks, there's a reminder of her. A reminder that she's no longer there to give him advice, to support him. When Kermit goes back to school, he finds a mysterious note in his locker inviting him to the Minus-One Club. A club where all of the members have lost someone. A club where everyone gets grief.
One member of the club is Matt, the only out gay kid at school and someone who Kermit might have a crush on. Spending time with Matt seems to be one of the only things that helps Kermit with his grief. But as Kermit spends more time with Matt, he realizes how much pain Matt is actually hiding. And Kermit has to find the strenght to help keep Matt from falling apart.
Thanks to Henry Holt & Co. for an advanced copy of this book to review! Kekla Magoon is such a force in YA and kids literature that I knew I had to read her new book. This book definitely packs a punch; it doesn't flinch away from the difficult sides of grief, of religion, and of mental illness. There may be a lot to unpack in this book, but it doesn't feel overwhelming like it sometimes can.
This book is sort of fomatted like a series of vingettes in a way, as the chapters are very, very short. We get both present day and flashbacks of when Kermit's sister was alive. Throughout, we get to see Kermit struggling with his sexuality, especially because his parents are very religious. Kermit isn't sure how to feel about his feelings for Matt, and as readers, we can see this confusion playing out on the page. It's honestly wonderfully done.
The sections with Matt and Kermit are some of the best but also some of the most heart-wrenching. You can see how much Matt is struggling, with a non-existent support structure at home. Kermit does his best to be there for him, but they're also both teenagers. There's only so much he can actually do.
I also loved the concept of the Minus-One Club, inducting members who experience loss so they can realize that they aren't alone. The group evolves by the end of the book (by necessity), and I wish more high schools were able to have groups like this because it's so important to see that you're not alone when you're going through something traumatic like that.
The only thing I would change about this book is to add a little more resolution at the end. With the major event that happens towards the end of the book, I think the characters needed a little more room to breath. But other than that, this is a powerful book that you should have on your January TBRs!
One member of the club is Matt, the only out gay kid at school and someone who Kermit might have a crush on. Spending time with Matt seems to be one of the only things that helps Kermit with his grief. But as Kermit spends more time with Matt, he realizes how much pain Matt is actually hiding. And Kermit has to find the strenght to help keep Matt from falling apart.
Thanks to Henry Holt & Co. for an advanced copy of this book to review! Kekla Magoon is such a force in YA and kids literature that I knew I had to read her new book. This book definitely packs a punch; it doesn't flinch away from the difficult sides of grief, of religion, and of mental illness. There may be a lot to unpack in this book, but it doesn't feel overwhelming like it sometimes can.
This book is sort of fomatted like a series of vingettes in a way, as the chapters are very, very short. We get both present day and flashbacks of when Kermit's sister was alive. Throughout, we get to see Kermit struggling with his sexuality, especially because his parents are very religious. Kermit isn't sure how to feel about his feelings for Matt, and as readers, we can see this confusion playing out on the page. It's honestly wonderfully done.
The sections with Matt and Kermit are some of the best but also some of the most heart-wrenching. You can see how much Matt is struggling, with a non-existent support structure at home. Kermit does his best to be there for him, but they're also both teenagers. There's only so much he can actually do.
I also loved the concept of the Minus-One Club, inducting members who experience loss so they can realize that they aren't alone. The group evolves by the end of the book (by necessity), and I wish more high schools were able to have groups like this because it's so important to see that you're not alone when you're going through something traumatic like that.
The only thing I would change about this book is to add a little more resolution at the end. With the major event that happens towards the end of the book, I think the characters needed a little more room to breath. But other than that, this is a powerful book that you should have on your January TBRs!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Bullying, Suicide attempt, and Homophobia
Minor: Fatphobia and Vomit
qace90's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.5
i received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley for review purposes; this in no way influences my review.
Oof, this book is messy and centrally a story of living with and moving on from grief, but it’s also a story of friendships and identity. Full review closer to release.
Full review:
Oof, this book is messy and emotional. At it’s center The Minus-One Club is a story of grief and finding your way forward after the death of a loved one, but it is also a story of friendship and identity.
Kermit just lost his sister after a drunk driver hit her car head-on, and now he has to go back to school and try getting back to “normal.” But he finds an anonymous note in his locker inviting him to a secret meeting, where other classmates who’ve lost loved ones meet. But the most important rule of the club is they don’t talk about IT. At first this works and Kermit loves making new friends who get it, but as he gets closer to Matt and sees under his bright veneer, they start to learn there are some things you can’t keep bottled up all the time.
This book was hard to put down, but it was also a rough read on many fronts. Kermit and Matt don’t have the healthiest coping methods and there’s a lot of religious pressure on Kermit’s part about his sexuality and struggling with the idea of coming out. I appreciated that this is a story that really talks about how coming out isn’t as simple and clean cut as stepping out a door, but a constant process, and also talks about how you don’t have to come out to everyone to be valid - you’re safety is more important than any pressure to come out where it could make you unsafe. I especially liked how the story felt full-circle with the final chapter and seeing how much growth has occurred for these characters.
If you’re a fan of messy, grief-filled stories of teens surviving and growing, this may be perfect for you. Definitely be prepared for some rough topics and themes, but I felt like it was handled realistically and made efforts to challenge harmful ideas.
Oof, this book is messy and centrally a story of living with and moving on from grief, but it’s also a story of friendships and identity. Full review closer to release.
Full review:
Oof, this book is messy and emotional. At it’s center The Minus-One Club is a story of grief and finding your way forward after the death of a loved one, but it is also a story of friendship and identity.
Kermit just lost his sister after a drunk driver hit her car head-on, and now he has to go back to school and try getting back to “normal.” But he finds an anonymous note in his locker inviting him to a secret meeting, where other classmates who’ve lost loved ones meet. But the most important rule of the club is they don’t talk about IT. At first this works and Kermit loves making new friends who get it, but as he gets closer to Matt and sees under his bright veneer, they start to learn there are some things you can’t keep bottled up all the time.
This book was hard to put down, but it was also a rough read on many fronts. Kermit and Matt don’t have the healthiest coping methods and there’s a lot of religious pressure on Kermit’s part about his sexuality and struggling with the idea of coming out. I appreciated that this is a story that really talks about how coming out isn’t as simple and clean cut as stepping out a door, but a constant process, and also talks about how you don’t have to come out to everyone to be valid - you’re safety is more important than any pressure to come out where it could make you unsafe. I especially liked how the story felt full-circle with the final chapter and seeing how much growth has occurred for these characters.
If you’re a fan of messy, grief-filled stories of teens surviving and growing, this may be perfect for you. Definitely be prepared for some rough topics and themes, but I felt like it was handled realistically and made efforts to challenge harmful ideas.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Homophobia, Bullying, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Vomit and Fatphobia
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