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dododenise's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This book does a surprising amount with the number of pages it has. Yet, as someone who enjoys speculative fiction and dystopia I do wish the mind altering aspect of the story was explored more beyond the scope of what it could and could not do for Aaron.
Graphic: Alcohol, Death of parent, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Dementia, Suicide attempt, and Violence
Minor: Pregnancy and Sexual content
splashcat360's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Self harm, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Violence, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Homophobia and Hate crime
kteliza28's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I felt like the story I was unwrapping at the beginning is so different from what I was expecting and about half way through the book it pivoted hard into some really dark territory. I was completely swept up in Aaron’s story and heartbroken at the same time. I loved how each character really had their own light and darkness and you could feel for each of them and imagine them fully. There’s something so familiar about this cast, like you know at least one of these people. For a YA book, I was expecting some eye roll cringe worthy behavior that would annoy me and while the kids in the story are very much still teens, I loved that their dialogue had depth and humor that actually made me, a 30 year old, laugh out loud. The themes in this book are absolutely gut wrenching and it’s not a read for the faint of heart but damn it hits pretty hard. I want to give it 5 stars but feel like the end left me wanting something more. But it’s hard to accept a book that doesn’t give you the outcome you want.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Violence and Homophobia
angelofthetardis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Aaron is a fairly typical teen on the surface - always playing ridiculous games with his mates, taking the girlfriend who adores him out on dates and writing his own comic book. But his life hasn't been easy - he has the scar on his wrist to prove that. I cannot fault the characterisation; Silvera's writing perfectly captures that balance of a person being "normal" on the outside and yet struggling with trauma and their own demons on the inside. His is definitely not a sugar-coated existence, and Silvera has a real knack for making his lead characters so incredibly real, which just makes the 'fantastical' element that much more engaging.
In this case, it's name-dropped a few times early on in the story, and if you've read the author's other works it's not hard to take a stab at guessing what might be on the horizon. But likewise, he's all about giving you hope. And in this case, the twists and turns are perfectly timed to keep you engaged and to keep that hope burning in your chest.
The secondary characters are also well drawn, but ultimately the more central they are to the story, the more fleshed out they are. This does mean that people like Aaron's mother, brother and his old friends are there and interesting, but they just don't have the same depth to them. In turn, as Aaron's interactions with them are important catalysts in the story, it does leave the whole work feeling just a little bit 'thin' for me. I could have done with perhaps another hundred pages where the background story was developed and explored in more detail. That being said, I can potentially see this issue as perhaps being a writing device, as it does sort of fit with the POV. Nevertheless, I still feel like I needed more.
In a roundabout way, this story explores what might happen if a person could be "cured" of homosexuality. IMO, what's there to cure?! It's a beautiful illustration of what the struggles people go through when discovering their own preferences might feel like, and how the temptation of 'normality' might appeal, but that who you are will shine through no matter what. It's also a study in acceptance; even the harshest of days contribute to who you are. I can't say it's an uplifting read, but it holds a powerful message.
Absolutely worth the read!
Moderate: Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Violence, Mental illness, Self harm, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Cursing, Homophobia, Death, Death of parent, and Dementia
Minor: Pregnancy, Drug use, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Domestic abuse
kim_lommaert's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Violence, Death of parent, Outing, Suicide attempt, and Suicide
Moderate: Child death, Death, Infidelity, Hate crime, and Gun violence
Minor: Drug use, Domestic abuse, Car accident, and Pregnancy
katiechasingchapters's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide
Moderate: Violence, Mental illness, Homophobia, and Suicide attempt
blueacorn1991's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Homophobia and Violence
telliot's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I liked the concept, but I felt like it was not executed very well.
Graphic: Hate crime, Violence, Bullying, Death of parent, Homophobia, and Outing
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual content
tragicgloom's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
childhood friend who moved away for years and finally came back
home.
I’m more happy than not.
Don’t forget me."
I won't forget you Aaron ❤️
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Infidelity, Toxic friendship, Hate crime, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Death of parent, Grief, Violence, Death, and Homophobia
Moderate: Bullying and Medical content
Minor: Abandonment, Fatphobia, Pregnancy, and Drug use
frqnc22's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
To sum everything up, I loved how real this book was and how it presented parts of everything Aaron had to go through in *painful* detail. I connected with his character and cried for him probably more than I expected.
As for the topics showed in this book, I truly didn’t expect the memory erasing procedure and the great amount of pain that came with it. I expected the story to leave me with a bittersweet feeling, but clearly didn’t expect such an introspective look on depression, homosexuality or memory loss. I’m glad I didn’t figure out what was gonna happen, because I was amazed by the storytelling. It is worth mentioning that I loved the flashbacks and where they were placed!
The sad reality depicted in the book, homophobia, was hard to read, especially all the fights and slurs. (Aaron: “This is what death feels like, I think.”) It’s hard to even imagine something as traumatic as Aaron’s life, and learning to accept yourself in a situation like his sounds nearly impossible. His whole life changed drastically just because he was brave enough to show his family the real Aaron. The fact that this also happens in real life makes everything worse.
All relationships broke my heart at some point, and some weren’t healthy for the people involved, but they were significant to Aaron’s personal growth.
He made mistakes, but the most important thing is learning from them and understanding what he did wrong in the first place. Fortunately, he understands and tries to do better
As for the ending, I didn’t expect another traumatizing experience for Aaron, but I learnt that this is not a happy book👍🏻
His way of thinking is truly inspiring, even though I was crying while reading the final pages. Truly an emotional rollercoaster, but Aaron’s development is everything! Being “more happy than not” seems difficult to achieve, but he’s doing his best, after going through the worst.
“Don’t forget me.”
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Bullying, and Hate crime
Moderate: Death of parent, Gaslighting, Blood, Toxic relationship, Suicide, and Grief
Minor: Infidelity