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2.48 AVERAGE
2.48 AVERAGE
i’m still not sure what i think if this book. in one sense, i think it was brilliant, the clever way that you didn’t have to love the main character, the way it felt with exhaling in a completely different way. it was far more real than a lot of other ya queer romances. but on the other hand i didn’t like it as much. it was the most non-politically correct book, the main character manipulated his live interest and he kept saying he was straight?? it was a little confusing. i have it 4 stars because i’ve come to a sort of conclusion that 1. i did actually like the character. i found it interesting to watch how he manipulated situations. 2. i think it took a really different aprouch to exploring sexuality. other teen books are like “i’m gay and i’ve known so as i was 10” where as this was like i don’t know. 3. it raised the question of what being gay today feels like. because in some places it has become a trend. and especially now with people demanding you label yourself, it can be hard to know who you really are. anyway i could go on but still, i enjoyed this book.
This was the perfect follow-up to Epic Love Story and tugged at all of my Becky Albertalli heart strings! This queer contemporary YA novel tells the story of a boy’s first time with another boy and all of their beautiful love thereafter. Great representation for fluid identities and POC! This story excellently shows the journey of questioning one’s sexuality and what it means for others.
10/10 recommend!
Trigger Warnings: Anxiety, homophobia, outing, underage drinking, drug use
Representation: Bisexual, Mental health, POC, Fluid identities, POC (Indian-American and Chinese-American), Queer
10/10 recommend!
Trigger Warnings: Anxiety, homophobia, outing, underage drinking, drug use
Representation: Bisexual, Mental health, POC, Fluid identities, POC (Indian-American and Chinese-American), Queer
adventurous
lighthearted
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:
Complicated
good book def wasnt a feel good queer book it was about finding out who you are and dealing with internalized-homophobia
This book had so much wasted potential.
Honestly? This could have been a book that was not only important, but genuinely good. I say that because while I think this book is genuine shit, I understand and respect that it might be really important to queer poc. And as much as I don’t want to disregard that, I can’t pretend that this made the novel any better for me.
Let me make it clear: I dnf’d this at 80%. I do not have the full story to make a completely accurate review... but at this point, I think I have more than enough.
I have a lot of issues with We Are Totally Normal, but I’ll try to make it quick.
First of all, this book is marketed wrong. It’s labeled as a “queer romance”, a “coming-of-age” novel where the main character finds himself and struggles with sexuality. In reality, none of this is true. Our main character, Nandan, is not queer. I don’t have to finish the book to know that- partially because I read a few reviews on goodreads and partially because it’s obvious. The only struggles we have in this book are Nandan feeling confused as he tries to force himself to be queer in order to get closer to his ex, Amavi (ew) and me wondering why tf I’m still reading this.
Nandan tries really hard not to be straight here. He fully commits himself to a relationship with another man (the “love interest”, Dave), comes out to his school and mom, and constantly tries to convince himself that he’s attracted to this homosexual relationship. (Spoiler alert: he’s really, really not.)
Other than that blaring issue of Nandan essentially using the queer community to make himself feel special and get closer with his ex, there are a lot of underlying themes of homophobia in this book (to pick one example, Nandan at one point implies that bisexuals are “confused” and already “weird” and “messed-up”.), as well as misinformation. Nandan says at one point that he can’t be asexual because he masturbates. I am not asexual myself, but, uh... I’m pretty sure that isn’t quite right.
There’s also an instance where Nandan thinks, as Dave touches his upper thigh, that “this is how normal people must feel when they’re touched by another guy.” I... don’t think I need to explain that one further, to be totally honest. But in case I do: the implication that being straight = being normal is a hugeeee no-no and honestly borderline homophobia. I mean, what the heck?!
Along with these things, I found the author’s treatment of women really... weird. I honestly couldn’t tell you what it was specifically, but it gave me huge faux-feminism and predatory vibes.
Oh, and one last thing: Nandan was a huge jerk. His treatment of Dave especially was shitty and brushed off like it was nothing, even by Dave himself. Like, what? You’re okay with this guy you have feelings for using you to get closer to his ex by pretending to be queer?? Sounds fake but ok.
I really wish this book were different. I can think of a lot of ways Rahul Kanakia could have made this a genuinely wonderful contemporary about navigating sexuality and gender as an Indian teen. But ultimately, for me it was none of those wonderful things and served as a huge let-down.
I recommend this book to anyone confident in their sexuality who is interested in LGBTQ+ contemporaries, as I would love to hear different perspectives. However, I truly do not think this is a good book for people still navigating sexuality and gender (which is absolutely more than okay) as I feel like its often borderline-harmful ideology could really be detrimental. Of course, the decision is entirely up to you.
Essentially, if this book were about Nandan discovering she’s actually a girl and also biromantic asexual, it both would have fit how Kanakia was writing and not been lowkey homophobic.
Honestly? This could have been a book that was not only important, but genuinely good. I say that because while I think this book is genuine shit, I understand and respect that it might be really important to queer poc. And as much as I don’t want to disregard that, I can’t pretend that this made the novel any better for me.
Let me make it clear: I dnf’d this at 80%. I do not have the full story to make a completely accurate review... but at this point, I think I have more than enough.
I have a lot of issues with We Are Totally Normal, but I’ll try to make it quick.
First of all, this book is marketed wrong. It’s labeled as a “queer romance”, a “coming-of-age” novel where the main character finds himself and struggles with sexuality. In reality, none of this is true. Our main character, Nandan, is not queer. I don’t have to finish the book to know that- partially because I read a few reviews on goodreads and partially because it’s obvious. The only struggles we have in this book are Nandan feeling confused as he tries to force himself to be queer in order to get closer to his ex, Amavi (ew) and me wondering why tf I’m still reading this.
Nandan tries really hard not to be straight here. He fully commits himself to a relationship with another man (the “love interest”, Dave), comes out to his school and mom, and constantly tries to convince himself that he’s attracted to this homosexual relationship. (Spoiler alert: he’s really, really not.)
Other than that blaring issue of Nandan essentially using the queer community to make himself feel special and get closer with his ex, there are a lot of underlying themes of homophobia in this book (to pick one example, Nandan at one point implies that bisexuals are “confused” and already “weird” and “messed-up”.), as well as misinformation. Nandan says at one point that he can’t be asexual because he masturbates. I am not asexual myself, but, uh... I’m pretty sure that isn’t quite right.
There’s also an instance where Nandan thinks, as Dave touches his upper thigh, that “this is how normal people must feel when they’re touched by another guy.” I... don’t think I need to explain that one further, to be totally honest. But in case I do: the implication that being straight = being normal is a hugeeee no-no and honestly borderline homophobia. I mean, what the heck?!
Along with these things, I found the author’s treatment of women really... weird. I honestly couldn’t tell you what it was specifically, but it gave me huge faux-feminism and predatory vibes.
Oh, and one last thing: Nandan was a huge jerk. His treatment of Dave especially was shitty and brushed off like it was nothing, even by Dave himself. Like, what? You’re okay with this guy you have feelings for using you to get closer to his ex by pretending to be queer?? Sounds fake but ok.
I really wish this book were different. I can think of a lot of ways Rahul Kanakia could have made this a genuinely wonderful contemporary about navigating sexuality and gender as an Indian teen. But ultimately, for me it was none of those wonderful things and served as a huge let-down.
I recommend this book to anyone confident in their sexuality who is interested in LGBTQ+ contemporaries, as I would love to hear different perspectives. However, I truly do not think this is a good book for people still navigating sexuality and gender (which is absolutely more than okay) as I feel like its often borderline-harmful ideology could really be detrimental. Of course, the decision is entirely up to you.
Essentially, if this book were about Nandan discovering she’s actually a girl and also biromantic asexual, it both would have fit how Kanakia was writing and not been lowkey homophobic.
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really didn't like this. I didn't think it was problematic like some people do, or at least not for the reasons I'm seeing.
I think the exploration of the MC's identity is interesting. It's a shame he is so completely obnoxious, treats everyone around him like dirt and that not a single other character in the book has anything resembling a personality. There is no showing just a LOT of telling going on here regarding how characters act and are perceived.
The writing style was a miss for me too.
Hard pass.
I think the exploration of the MC's identity is interesting. It's a shame he is so completely obnoxious, treats everyone around him like dirt and that not a single other character in the book has anything resembling a personality. There is no showing just a LOT of telling going on here regarding how characters act and are perceived.
The writing style was a miss for me too.
Hard pass.
The main character is a horrible person, but he knows it, so that helps. There is soooooooo much sex and drinking that the plot feels like a flat line of sex and drinking. It was like reading a draft of the story and knowing what it wanted to be and just never getting there. It's also like serious angst for the whole book then in the last 3 pages something has miraculously changed and happiness...? Just not great.
I am so incredibly disappointed and I regret spending money on that book.