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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
Shows its age. She’s mysteriously not gay for her twin’s gf?!??
So very recently I came across one of those Tumblr posts so frequented and liked by nerds and book lovers alike, and this is what it said – “So sex and all is great, but have you ever read a book where you have to wait 35 chapters before the first kiss happens?” This is one of those books. The Upside of Unrequited is a story about Molly, one half of the Peskin-Suso twins, and self declared “fat” girl who goes through crushes like I am going through books in the past few weeks. She has had 26 of them in the 17 years of her life, and never ever acted on one. The story begins when Molly’s twin Cassie finds herself in a very real relationship with someone, bringing up Molly to face loneliness and probably the need to find love.
There a lot of ups about this book. The story is flattering to read. Molly’s character is a self-doubting, creative, complete nerd who is anti-social but tries hard for her friends’ sake, risking feeling out of place all the time. It is extremely well written, and once more I am blown away by Albertalli’s ability to express her characters. There are several issues that are seamlessly woven into the story such as how being fat should not stop you from achieving anything in your life, much less love.
The things that I do not love about this book are first, Cassie. It might be because I am not a teenager anymore or have not met someone like her but I fail to understand how can she act towards her sister like that. One day you are joined at the hip, and the next day she finds out from Facebook that you are in a relationship! So you can shout it out to the public but to your twin sister you make the excuse that it was “too important” to you so you didn’t tell her. And then when she doesn’t tell you when the same thing happens to her, you chide her? I mean that is heights of hypocrisy. Another thing that I did not hate but I thought was really overdone was the representation of homosexuality. I understand it is an issue to be brought out, and talked about and write about but it has to be done so it mixes with the plot, goes with the story. I think there was too much of that in this particular book without the need.
As several reviews before mine would have said – this is a must read. It gives you good vibes, makes you angry at the right things and the right moments, and gives you the happily ever after you need when you finish a book. But most importantly Molly seems real. Her struggle, her trials and her wanting to reach out to people (and failing to) all strike a chord with you. If you have ever been a nerd, you will find yourself at least once in the narrative. If not for anything else, read it for that.
There a lot of ups about this book. The story is flattering to read. Molly’s character is a self-doubting, creative, complete nerd who is anti-social but tries hard for her friends’ sake, risking feeling out of place all the time. It is extremely well written, and once more I am blown away by Albertalli’s ability to express her characters. There are several issues that are seamlessly woven into the story such as how being fat should not stop you from achieving anything in your life, much less love.
The things that I do not love about this book are first, Cassie. It might be because I am not a teenager anymore or have not met someone like her but I fail to understand how can she act towards her sister like that. One day you are joined at the hip, and the next day she finds out from Facebook that you are in a relationship! So you can shout it out to the public but to your twin sister you make the excuse that it was “too important” to you so you didn’t tell her. And then when she doesn’t tell you when the same thing happens to her, you chide her? I mean that is heights of hypocrisy. Another thing that I did not hate but I thought was really overdone was the representation of homosexuality. I understand it is an issue to be brought out, and talked about and write about but it has to be done so it mixes with the plot, goes with the story. I think there was too much of that in this particular book without the need.
As several reviews before mine would have said – this is a must read. It gives you good vibes, makes you angry at the right things and the right moments, and gives you the happily ever after you need when you finish a book. But most importantly Molly seems real. Her struggle, her trials and her wanting to reach out to people (and failing to) all strike a chord with you. If you have ever been a nerd, you will find yourself at least once in the narrative. If not for anything else, read it for that.
emotional
funny
fast-paced
This is what I think of as straight teen-girl YA. Molly thinks of herself as the "fat" girl who would rather have silent crushes than be outright crushed by rejection. She thinks everyone around her is much more experienced than her. She misses the clues that everyone else might just be faking it too. While Molly spends a lot of time thinking about her crushes, the real catalyst for the story is her twin sister becoming involved with her own love life and Molly feels left behind.
I've read reviews that knock this as "fat girl feels better when cute boy likes her" but I'd say that's a really narrow read of what happens with Molly. First, this is from Molly's perspective. She's the one calling herself "fat" but we don't actually know how the other characters interpret her. In fact, from what we are shown, it seems like people think Molly is an amazing DIYer, and good at conversation. She is the one who introduces her sister to the girl Molly thinks will be perfect for her. She is the one who has two boys quite interested in her. It's more what she chooses to believe. So I don't see this as the "fat girl being saved" but as the young girl realizing that not only is she not left behind, but the people who count, including her family, have been admiring her all along.
I would be surprised if there wasn't a high school girl out there who can't identify with Molly on some level, and that's Abertalli's specialty, taking the ordinary angst of being a teenager, and turning it into something affirming for her characters and her readers.
I've read reviews that knock this as "fat girl feels better when cute boy likes her" but I'd say that's a really narrow read of what happens with Molly. First, this is from Molly's perspective. She's the one calling herself "fat" but we don't actually know how the other characters interpret her. In fact, from what we are shown, it seems like people think Molly is an amazing DIYer, and good at conversation. She is the one who introduces her sister to the girl Molly thinks will be perfect for her. She is the one who has two boys quite interested in her. It's more what she chooses to believe. So I don't see this as the "fat girl being saved" but as the young girl realizing that not only is she not left behind, but the people who count, including her family, have been admiring her all along.
I would be surprised if there wasn't a high school girl out there who can't identify with Molly on some level, and that's Abertalli's specialty, taking the ordinary angst of being a teenager, and turning it into something affirming for her characters and her readers.
And it's the end of the world and the beginning of the world and we're seventeen. It's an awesome thing.
This is the best young adult contemporary I've read in a while. I loved everything about it! The characters were all so multi-dimensional, realistic, and hilarious. So many times reading this book I related so hard with what Molly was going through, and I feel that anyone who has ever been seventeen and had a crush on someone could feel the same way.
This is the best young adult contemporary I've read in a while. I loved everything about it! The characters were all so multi-dimensional, realistic, and hilarious. So many times reading this book I related so hard with what Molly was going through, and I feel that anyone who has ever been seventeen and had a crush on someone could feel the same way.
Nerd love is the cutemost.
I also dated a boy in high school who wore bright white shoes.....ugh, so dorky.
I also dated a boy in high school who wore bright white shoes.....ugh, so dorky.
Wow, just wow, just wow. And so much squee! This book was terrific, I loved every bit of it. Becky Albertalli did it again! <3 <3
Let's see if I can all my feels out in words!
This was another one of my most anticipated reads of 2017. I loved Becky Albertalli's first book to bits, and when I heard that she would write a second one, just from the POV of Abby's cousin, I knew I had to get it when it comes out.
And Molly is such a terrific character! At times I was a bit annoyed with her train of thought (she was just sooo oblivious to everything), but quite often I understood how she felt. Especially about the whole being a virgin/never been kissed bit. I know I had exactly the same thoughts when I was her age.
Her list of crushes was interesting, she had quite a few of them. It would have been fun if she had done more than just crushing. Like actually telling her crushes about it.
Her being a pinterest queen and being awesome at crafts made me love her even more.
Now something that I hope I can write correctly, so please bear we with me, a lot of times these days when a book has a lot of important things stuffed in it (in this book there are LGBT characters, people of colour, weight problems, anxiety, family structures different from what a lot of people would say is standard, religion) it feels like the author is just going by a list for the sake of diversity. It just doesn't fit. It just feels unbalanced. But not in this one. It just felt really natural. Like it was just meant to be, and I loved that! I was so happy how the author wrote it. Phew, I hope that came out right, I don't mean anything bad by it, and otherwise just be sure to ask me and I will see if I can explain better.
I loved how Molly and Callie were twins, but didn't look alike. Quite often in books the twins are alike, or at least very close in appearance.
I am not sure if I liked Callie, at times I really liked the girl, she was fierce, brave, but at times I just wanted to shake her around. The way she just blabbed her sister's whole history to a couple strangers, no, just no. Especially if you know your sister isn't comfortable with it.
Then later on, and this will be going in the spoiler tag.
I loved the romance in this one, though I was quickly shipping Reid and Molly. I never really cared for Molly x Will. Will was just too bleh. He never really seemed to care about Molly. I never got the vibe that he actually like liked her. Reid and Molly however had chemistry! I was just squeeing and hoping the two of them would actually notice it.
So I was delighted when she finally saw her true feelings and talked to Reid about them. I had quite a laugh when those two really got together. How Reid was all: We can take it easy. And Molly was like: No, we don't need to do that. :P The moments in the book that they were a couple (since it happened near the end, not enough) were absolutely adorable. The kisses, the hugs. Ahh, sweet! So happy that they got together. Molly was so worried people wouldn't like her because of her weight, but then she found someone who loved her so much and found her gorgeous.
I loved Molly's moms, they were so awesome. Xavier, their little brother, was adorable.
I am still not sure what to think of the Grandma, at times she was pretty awesome, but I didn't like how she reacted to certain things. I was happy with the ending though, now some things at least made a bit of sense.
Of course we also see Abby, mostly through texts, but she also makes an appearance. And we even have a small cameo from Simon (yay, Simon!).
Plus points to the cover, it fits so perfectly well with Simon's book!
Phew, there are more things that I could discuss, but I don't want to make the review too long. There was just so much good in this book. I really enjoyed each and every page. I can't wait to see what Becky Albertalli will write next.
I would highly recommend this book to everyone!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Let's see if I can all my feels out in words!
This was another one of my most anticipated reads of 2017. I loved Becky Albertalli's first book to bits, and when I heard that she would write a second one, just from the POV of Abby's cousin, I knew I had to get it when it comes out.
And Molly is such a terrific character! At times I was a bit annoyed with her train of thought (she was just sooo oblivious to everything), but quite often I understood how she felt. Especially about the whole being a virgin/never been kissed bit. I know I had exactly the same thoughts when I was her age.
Her list of crushes was interesting, she had quite a few of them. It would have been fun if she had done more than just crushing. Like actually telling her crushes about it.
Her being a pinterest queen and being awesome at crafts made me love her even more.
Now something that I hope I can write correctly, so please bear we with me, a lot of times these days when a book has a lot of important things stuffed in it (in this book there are LGBT characters, people of colour, weight problems, anxiety, family structures different from what a lot of people would say is standard, religion) it feels like the author is just going by a list for the sake of diversity. It just doesn't fit. It just feels unbalanced. But not in this one. It just felt really natural. Like it was just meant to be, and I loved that! I was so happy how the author wrote it. Phew, I hope that came out right, I don't mean anything bad by it, and otherwise just be sure to ask me and I will see if I can explain better.
I loved how Molly and Callie were twins, but didn't look alike. Quite often in books the twins are alike, or at least very close in appearance.
I am not sure if I liked Callie, at times I really liked the girl, she was fierce, brave, but at times I just wanted to shake her around. The way she just blabbed her sister's whole history to a couple strangers, no, just no. Especially if you know your sister isn't comfortable with it.
Then later on, and this will be going in the spoiler tag.
Spoiler
So you are OK with not saying anything about your own relationship with Mina until she finds out through FACEBOOK (really, whut?), and think your sister is overreacting, but when she has a relationship and doesn't immediately tell you about it, you get pissed and tell her that it isn't OK to do that? Hypocrite much?I loved the romance in this one, though I was quickly shipping Reid and Molly. I never really cared for Molly x Will. Will was just too bleh. He never really seemed to care about Molly. I never got the vibe that he actually like liked her. Reid and Molly however had chemistry! I was just squeeing and hoping the two of them would actually notice it.
Spoiler
I have to say I wasn't happy with how Molly handled it at times. How she flitted between Reid and Will. I get she was confused, but really, you are not making it better for anyone.So I was delighted when she finally saw her true feelings and talked to Reid about them. I had quite a laugh when those two really got together. How Reid was all: We can take it easy. And Molly was like: No, we don't need to do that. :P The moments in the book that they were a couple (since it happened near the end, not enough) were absolutely adorable. The kisses, the hugs. Ahh, sweet! So happy that they got together. Molly was so worried people wouldn't like her because of her weight, but then she found someone who loved her so much and found her gorgeous.
I loved Molly's moms, they were so awesome. Xavier, their little brother, was adorable.
I am still not sure what to think of the Grandma, at times she was pretty awesome, but I didn't like how she reacted to certain things. I was happy with the ending though, now some things at least made a bit of sense.
Of course we also see Abby, mostly through texts, but she also makes an appearance. And we even have a small cameo from Simon (yay, Simon!).
Plus points to the cover, it fits so perfectly well with Simon's book!
Phew, there are more things that I could discuss, but I don't want to make the review too long. There was just so much good in this book. I really enjoyed each and every page. I can't wait to see what Becky Albertalli will write next.
I would highly recommend this book to everyone!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
All in all, I enjoyed the book, however it is definitely geared towards the younger generation. A lot of texting and emojis and all those things I can't really identify with. I felt for the main character and her situation. I could even identify with some of her feelings on dating young. Regardless, not my cup of tea, but I'd recommend it for a young woman in high school that might need a confidence booster.
THINGS I LOVED:
TWINS
As a twin myself, I’m a sucker for them, seriously. This story follows Molly and Cassie as they start to drift apart because of relationships. That whole concept really upsets me, because I would always put my sister first, but I found the complex and messy emotions tied up in this conundrum really realistic. Cassie wants to live her own life and not worry about Molly, and Molly’s trying not to be jealous, while also feeling like she’s missing out on both a relationship and her sister’s life.
ROMANCE
We all knew that Becky could do them, but this one was just as cute. It’s slightly harder for Molly to get together with her interest though. He might not be hiding behind a screen-name but there’s a lot of miscommunication and there’s also this other guy on the scene and things get, let’s say, complicated!
ANXIETY
This is the way mental illness should be dealt with, people! It’s what we’ve all been waiting for! A character who has anxiety and is just dealing with it; has completely accepted that being perpetually anxious is just something that she’s going to have to deal with (and take medication for) but she’s still living her life, and isn’t making a huge deal out of it. Molly is not her mental illness. tg.
FAMILY BACKSTORY
The Upside of Unrequited is a little more serious than Simon Vs. It doesn’t have quite the same sense of lightness, but I really liked that. These teenagers are real and gritty, and the parents aren’t perfect/don’t have perfect lives. Molly gets told off and punished like a normal teenager would experience, so thank you, Becky for having present parents that actually impact the story!
Overall, I gave this book 4 stars. I don’t think I connected with the characters as much, and I would’ve liked there to be a bit more emphasis on the female friendships – because they were there but could’ve been highlighted more! I don’t think it’s quite as good as Simon, obviously, but that would’ve been a seriously difficult feat! However, what we do have is still a heart-warming story about finding true love, which is bound to make you feel hopefully and delighted!
TWINS
As a twin myself, I’m a sucker for them, seriously. This story follows Molly and Cassie as they start to drift apart because of relationships. That whole concept really upsets me, because I would always put my sister first, but I found the complex and messy emotions tied up in this conundrum really realistic. Cassie wants to live her own life and not worry about Molly, and Molly’s trying not to be jealous, while also feeling like she’s missing out on both a relationship and her sister’s life.
ROMANCE
We all knew that Becky could do them, but this one was just as cute. It’s slightly harder for Molly to get together with her interest though. He might not be hiding behind a screen-name but there’s a lot of miscommunication and there’s also this other guy on the scene and things get, let’s say, complicated!
ANXIETY
This is the way mental illness should be dealt with, people! It’s what we’ve all been waiting for! A character who has anxiety and is just dealing with it; has completely accepted that being perpetually anxious is just something that she’s going to have to deal with (and take medication for) but she’s still living her life, and isn’t making a huge deal out of it. Molly is not her mental illness. tg.
FAMILY BACKSTORY
The Upside of Unrequited is a little more serious than Simon Vs. It doesn’t have quite the same sense of lightness, but I really liked that. These teenagers are real and gritty, and the parents aren’t perfect/don’t have perfect lives. Molly gets told off and punished like a normal teenager would experience, so thank you, Becky for having present parents that actually impact the story!
Overall, I gave this book 4 stars. I don’t think I connected with the characters as much, and I would’ve liked there to be a bit more emphasis on the female friendships – because they were there but could’ve been highlighted more! I don’t think it’s quite as good as Simon, obviously, but that would’ve been a seriously difficult feat! However, what we do have is still a heart-warming story about finding true love, which is bound to make you feel hopefully and delighted!
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes