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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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
The first thing I though when I started reading this is that, this book is really good at telling us that Ben’s parents are assholes.
And that is kind of what I really loved about this book. This is a clearly an abusive relationship between parents and child. Not only because of a teenager being thrown out their home because they didn’t conform with their parents standards. In just few line we can see that the parents are very controlling and it made me very uneasy. Through all the book we can see glimpse of bad the thing could get and also see that Ben knows they needed rescuing from that situation, but the most heartbreaking is that despite all of that, Ben considers this situation as a normal thing. They still their parents to some degree and there is point in the story where they even blame themselves for what have happened to them.
And is so heartbreaking because it quite accurate to the real life. Many people from abusive homes have somewhat distorted vision on reality and need years of therapy to help them.
I think it was very well made how this was presented in the story. We start thinking this is a normal family with just a hint of something wrong and the we discover how bad things are.
I also think they handled the romance bit very well and it really helped that the author decided to skip 3 months in the epilogue to show that even though Ben and those around them still have a long way to go, they (Ben and others, except their parents, because fuck them) are doing better.
I really hope the rep in this accurate, and since the author is also a non-binary is good sign.
Also the below is the best quote in the world and you can fight me on this:
And that is kind of what I really loved about this book. This is a clearly an abusive relationship between parents and child. Not only because of a teenager being thrown out their home because they didn’t conform with their parents standards. In just few line we can see that the parents are very controlling and it made me very uneasy. Through all the book we can see glimpse of bad the thing could get and also see that Ben knows they needed rescuing from that situation, but the most heartbreaking is that despite all of that, Ben considers this situation as a normal thing. They still their parents to some degree and there is point in the story where they even blame themselves for what have happened to them.
And is so heartbreaking because it quite accurate to the real life. Many people from abusive homes have somewhat distorted vision on reality and need years of therapy to help them.
I think it was very well made how this was presented in the story. We start thinking this is a normal family with just a hint of something wrong and the we discover how bad things are.
I also think they handled the romance bit very well and it really helped that the author decided to skip 3 months in the epilogue to show that even though Ben and those around them still have a long way to go, they (Ben and others, except their parents, because fuck them) are doing better.
I really hope the rep in this accurate, and since the author is also a non-binary is good sign.
Also the below is the best quote in the world and you can fight me on this:
Oh no.
Fuck me.
Hannah’s coming right for us, Thomas on her heels, and Nathan’s behind Thomas. A fucking conga line of disaster.
Quizás el problema ha sido que lo tenía en audiolibro, pero uff tremendamente lento y me da mucha rabia porque toca temas super interesantes.
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
this book does what it sets out to do and it's doing it right. I'm one of those people who wishes they had one of these as a teen, and I'm glad someone is filling that gap so skillfully.
it is YA through and through. that's not a bad thing, just something to keep in mind.
it is YA through and through. that's not a bad thing, just something to keep in mind.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Transphobia, Gaslighting, Abandonment
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Stalking, Alcohol, Dysphoria
Minor: Child abuse, Islamophobia
started reading this last night and stayed up until 2 am just to finish it. i kept telling myself just one more chapter but that didn’t really work.
i’m very glad a book like this exists because it deals with so many important topics and it even does it fairly well! the way ben’s parents dealt with them coming out is unfortunately very realistic and they reminded me a lot of my parents. even things like hannah accidentally calling ben by the wrong pronouns made it feel a lot more realistic.
nathan and ben’s relationship was so cute and i think it progressed really naturally, though i did wish we got to see more of them together.
i wanted to see more of mariam as well but i felt like they were very much a background character (most of the characters besides ben and nathan felt that way actually).
the ending was nice and full of hope, which is definitely what ben deserved after everything they went through.
overall, it was a very enjoyable, if at times a little heavy and dark, read.
4.25 stars
i’m very glad a book like this exists because it deals with so many important topics and it even does it fairly well! the way ben’s parents dealt with them coming out is unfortunately very realistic and they reminded me a lot of my parents. even things like hannah accidentally calling ben by the wrong pronouns made it feel a lot more realistic.
nathan and ben’s relationship was so cute and i think it progressed really naturally, though i did wish we got to see more of them together.
i wanted to see more of mariam as well but i felt like they were very much a background character (most of the characters besides ben and nathan felt that way actually).
the ending was nice and full of hope, which is definitely what ben deserved after everything they went through.
overall, it was a very enjoyable, if at times a little heavy and dark, read.
4.25 stars
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
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
emotional
hopeful
sad
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:
Complicated
AMAZING book. No awkward moments perfectly described and at the same time quite educational. I picked it up and couldnt put it down till I read it all.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes