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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A rare lower rating for me when it comes to Becky Albertalli. I just couldn’t connect with the mc and it felt like never ending dialogue. As always I appreciate the queer baiting discourse but it didn’t feel as well integrated here as in Imogen, Obviously.
lighthearted
relaxing
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:
No
Back to Blackwell!
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Veeerry cringe, I'm definitely too old for this book. But the ending deserves an extra star
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I normally like Albertalli's books but man, this one just did not hit for me. I found Amelia to be extremely immature and self-centered. I didn't care for the horribly written twitter/youtube comments sections (I understand that being horribly written is realistic, but I still didn't like it), and I felt there was basically no romantic connection between our love interests. That being said, there were times I laughed, and there were side characters I adored. I also think there were some health sibling and parent/child relationships touched on in the book, too, so I hate to put it down TOO much, but this almost got just 2 stars from me.
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Imogen, Obviously was my first Becky Albertalli book and instantly became my literal #1 all-time favourite, not just for its warm characters, excellent writing or banger one-liners. For me it was deep personal relatability to Imogen as a character, inner monologue and her arc, that came at the right time in my life.
There was no way Amelia If Only, a spin-off with different main characters in the same universe, was ever going to measure up to that. It’d be cruel to expect it to.
That said.
Man, Becky Albertalli can WRITE.
The experience of reading both these books is the closest I’ve come to the feeling that is tied to the idea of “reading a book in a comfy chair with a blanket near the hearth in midwinter”, but then it never turns out to be as comfy as you imagine it. But Albertalli’s books not only make me feel that way, but invoke that feeling everywhere I read it.
Amelia If Only has funny, heartwarming characters, witty dialogue, great supportive friendships. It is clearly informed with her own experience of parasocial relationships, and critique of fan dynamics, but grounded in great (side)character work.
I will have to concede that I didn’t relate to Amelia as I did to Imogen as a character. At all even. But she was still a chaotic, sympathetic goofball. Neither did Amelia If Only hit me as hard as Imogen did, but it was still an incredibly cozy read.
There was no way Amelia If Only, a spin-off with different main characters in the same universe, was ever going to measure up to that. It’d be cruel to expect it to.
That said.
Man, Becky Albertalli can WRITE.
The experience of reading both these books is the closest I’ve come to the feeling that is tied to the idea of “reading a book in a comfy chair with a blanket near the hearth in midwinter”, but then it never turns out to be as comfy as you imagine it. But Albertalli’s books not only make me feel that way, but invoke that feeling everywhere I read it.
Amelia If Only has funny, heartwarming characters, witty dialogue, great supportive friendships. It is clearly informed with her own experience of parasocial relationships, and critique of fan dynamics, but grounded in great (side)character work.
I will have to concede that I didn’t relate to Amelia as I did to Imogen as a character. At all even. But she was still a chaotic, sympathetic goofball. Neither did Amelia If Only hit me as hard as Imogen did, but it was still an incredibly cozy read.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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