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puttingwingsonwords's review
emotional
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Bullying, Drug use, Homophobia, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Ableism, Death of parent, Grief, Medical content, and Outing
krista_lm's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I just finished reading Boy At The Window by Lauren Melissa Ellzey, which follows Daniel Kim, a sixteen-year-old just waking up in a mental health hospital, "far from Neverland, his reprieve from the real world."
I really liked the writing style. I felt very absorbed in the story, both by feeling like I was in the same places as Daniel and by being able to feel what he felt. I think this was done especially well because Daniel was in and out of the "real" world due to experiencing depersonalization-derealization disorder. I haven't experienced this disorder myself, yet it felt relatable and understandable to me.
The romance itself was a slow burn, and physically romantic scenes were not graphically described (something I personally appreciate 😂). Because the romance is between two young men, it would once again have been easy for me to feel like an outsider, but instead I felt connected to their decisions about each other.
Maybe "connection" is a good way for me to sum up the book. I felt connected to Daniel, who is so different from me, and I felt so much compassion and empathy for his struggles. I also wanted to shake his parents really hard, but that's a tangent for another time.
My only critique is that some of the descriptors (adjectives, metaphors) pulled me out of the story a little bit. I felt like almost every word had an added descriptor attached. Once I got the hang of the author's style, I was able to flow with it, but it was a little bit jarring at first.
Overall, I enjoyed my read a lot, and I'm excited to see more work by Lauren Melissa in the future!
I really liked the writing style. I felt very absorbed in the story, both by feeling like I was in the same places as Daniel and by being able to feel what he felt. I think this was done especially well because Daniel was in and out of the "real" world due to experiencing depersonalization-derealization disorder. I haven't experienced this disorder myself, yet it felt relatable and understandable to me.
The romance itself was a slow burn, and physically romantic scenes were not graphically described (something I personally appreciate 😂). Because the romance is between two young men, it would once again have been easy for me to feel like an outsider, but instead I felt connected to their decisions about each other.
Maybe "connection" is a good way for me to sum up the book. I felt connected to Daniel, who is so different from me, and I felt so much compassion and empathy for his struggles. I also wanted to shake his parents really hard, but that's a tangent for another time.
My only critique is that some of the descriptors (adjectives, metaphors) pulled me out of the story a little bit. I felt like almost every word had an added descriptor attached. Once I got the hang of the author's style, I was able to flow with it, but it was a little bit jarring at first.
Overall, I enjoyed my read a lot, and I'm excited to see more work by Lauren Melissa in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Mental illness
Moderate: Suicide attempt and Suicidal thoughts
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