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migimon2002's review
5.0
I love when books push boundaries. Although there are some tough scenes in this book, that some may view as inappropriate for younger readers, I feel there is much to be learned from this book. Youth today can handle way more than the majority of society gives them credit for, and I think reading about complex social issues like the ones presented in this novel are current AND relevant AND important. Anyone who reads this book is likely to gain perspective, grow as an individual, and might even learn a thing or two.
The first-person narratives were engaging as they switched back and forth between Stewart & Ashley. I found myself cheering on Stewart (and his Sheldon-esque tendencies), and abhorring Ashley (who is meant represent the more shallow dregs of teenage hierarchy). And you know what? It's okay to not like a main character. It's okay for characters to have flaws. That's real life!
The fact that this book takes place in Vancouver, Canada was also refreshing. As a Canadian, it felt "closer to home"...yet wasn't overwrought with the dramatic tragedies and extreme social injustices so often encapsulated in Canadian novels. It felt authentic, like it could happen in any present-day Canadian town/city!
We Are All Made of Molecules is truly a special book and, I'll admit, left me a bit teary-eyed as I read the last sentence!
The first-person narratives were engaging as they switched back and forth between Stewart & Ashley. I found myself cheering on Stewart (and his Sheldon-esque tendencies), and abhorring Ashley (who is meant represent the more shallow dregs of teenage hierarchy). And you know what? It's okay to not like a main character. It's okay for characters to have flaws. That's real life!
The fact that this book takes place in Vancouver, Canada was also refreshing. As a Canadian, it felt "closer to home"...yet wasn't overwrought with the dramatic tragedies and extreme social injustices so often encapsulated in Canadian novels. It felt authentic, like it could happen in any present-day Canadian town/city!
We Are All Made of Molecules is truly a special book and, I'll admit, left me a bit teary-eyed as I read the last sentence!
rhookpietsa's review
5.0
I expected this to be a predictable story that I had read before, with a stereotypical nerd and his beautiful, yet dumb counterpart. I was pleasantly surprised when this was not the case.
I didn't expect this book to be so dark, but I was okay with that. The subjects were presented in a well crafted manner, and it wasn't centralized around all the horrible things the world has to offer. Even though the universe hasn't treated any of the characters ideally, an optimistic look upon it is still held with all the characters. This concept has been repeated to me over and over again over the years, however, this book showed me this theme in a memorable manner.
I love this book a lot.
I didn't expect this book to be so dark, but I was okay with that. The subjects were presented in a well crafted manner, and it wasn't centralized around all the horrible things the world has to offer. Even though the universe hasn't treated any of the characters ideally, an optimistic look upon it is still held with all the characters. This concept has been repeated to me over and over again over the years, however, this book showed me this theme in a memorable manner.
Spoiler
The ending was my only issue, and it wasn't that much of a big deal. It lost some of its realisticness when all of those students banded together for the Protection Squad so peacefully. I mean, if such a squad were to form in a school against the main bully, then some radical members of the Protection Squad would go rouge and attack the bully himself, making it a less idealistic group. Perhaps that'll happen after the book ends. Or maybe the group will have a more optimistic ending that involves the group just morphing into an anti-bullying group instead of a mere anti-Jared group. I don't know which ending I'll believe in. The latter is the one I want to believe in, but I feel like the former would be more realistic.I love this book a lot.
caffeineaddict980's review
5.0
5 stars!!!
This novel revolves around two main characters, Ashley and Stewart.
They are very different to each other in a lot of ways, Stewart is geeky and awkward and Ashley is popular and cool.
After losing his Mum to cancer, Stewart's Dad choses to date again.
He always wanted a sister, now he has one in his dad's girlfriend's daughter.
But Ashley isn't so thrilled with the new family arrangement.
Then the popular boy in school named Jared slides into both of their lives, in very different ways.
Ashley and all the other girls fancy him but he bullies Stewart.
This book is a quick, heartwarming read based around friendship, siblings and getting over tragedy.
All in all, a really cute read, adding it to my bookshelf!
Would reccomend for anyone!
This novel revolves around two main characters, Ashley and Stewart.
They are very different to each other in a lot of ways, Stewart is geeky and awkward and Ashley is popular and cool.
After losing his Mum to cancer, Stewart's Dad choses to date again.
He always wanted a sister, now he has one in his dad's girlfriend's daughter.
But Ashley isn't so thrilled with the new family arrangement.
Then the popular boy in school named Jared slides into both of their lives, in very different ways.
Ashley and all the other girls fancy him but he bullies Stewart.
This book is a quick, heartwarming read based around friendship, siblings and getting over tragedy.
All in all, a really cute read, adding it to my bookshelf!
Would reccomend for anyone!
drajon's review against another edition
4.0
While this book is very straightforward, I found the character of Stewart very easy to connect with and the struggles he faced going to school. Through my own exposure to teen girl high school experiences, I could understand what Ashley was dealing with, but her attitude often made her chapters the hardest to read. She shows a lot of growth through the story and it was a moving story that went down easily.
heatherg213's review against another edition
5.0
This book got one of my infrequent 5-star reviews. I am very stingy with my 5-star reviews. A book has to really be so well-written or so powerful that it deserves to be set apart from even other good books. I loved everything about this story. The Stewart that Nielsen created is possibly one of the most engaging, likable characters I have ever read. I wanted to hug him, high-five him, I wanted to put him in my pocket and take him home with me. He isn't perfect, which makes him all the more believable, but his sense of fairness, his loyalty, and his overall integrity made me wish he was a real person that we could clone and send out into the world to show the rest of us poor slobs how we should behave towards each other.
I did not love Ashley at first, but then, you're not supposed to. She makes the biggest changes in the book, and that's good, because the person she was at the beginning of the story was an entitled, mean-spirited brat. But as you read, you discover that much of her attitude is designed to cover-up her feelings of intellectual inadequacy, and her deep fear that if anyone at school knew her true self they would crucify her. She bought in 100% to the ridiculous notion that exists in teenage culture that popularity is everything, and that you need to achieve it at all costs. The consequences of that drive for the top started catching up with her, however, and she was forced to confront the fact that maybe there are more important things in life than being at the top of the social pecking order.
The story is told alternately from Stewart's and Ashley's perspectives, and while this has become a fairly standard practice in this case it really does add value to the story. Aside from the odd couple nature of the relationship between the two almost-step-siblings, the book deals with sexual assault (not graphic, and really and "almost" assault), teenage drinking, bullying, and coming out. It is a beautiful, emotionally impactful telling of two families becoming one.
Usually, I try not to use phrases like "full of heart" because they've become so cliche, but I have to for this book. It is full of heart, and if you can come away from reading it without feeling connected to these characters, and proud of the changes they make, then maybe you yourself have no heart!
I did not love Ashley at first, but then, you're not supposed to. She makes the biggest changes in the book, and that's good, because the person she was at the beginning of the story was an entitled, mean-spirited brat. But as you read, you discover that much of her attitude is designed to cover-up her feelings of intellectual inadequacy, and her deep fear that if anyone at school knew her true self they would crucify her. She bought in 100% to the ridiculous notion that exists in teenage culture that popularity is everything, and that you need to achieve it at all costs. The consequences of that drive for the top started catching up with her, however, and she was forced to confront the fact that maybe there are more important things in life than being at the top of the social pecking order.
The story is told alternately from Stewart's and Ashley's perspectives, and while this has become a fairly standard practice in this case it really does add value to the story. Aside from the odd couple nature of the relationship between the two almost-step-siblings, the book deals with sexual assault (not graphic, and really and "almost" assault), teenage drinking, bullying, and coming out. It is a beautiful, emotionally impactful telling of two families becoming one.
Usually, I try not to use phrases like "full of heart" because they've become so cliche, but I have to for this book. It is full of heart, and if you can come away from reading it without feeling connected to these characters, and proud of the changes they make, then maybe you yourself have no heart!
hayleyccc4's review against another edition
4.0
This was really good! The story was enjoyable, and Stewart and Ashley's opposing perspectives were a lot of fun. It dealt with some heavier topics (sexual abuse, homophobia, etc.) in a really good way that's easy for younger teens to understand - pointing out the wrong, and encouraging taking action.
maddiequinn's review
3.0
I really liked the book. It's not my typical genre but I had to read it for school and it was an interesting story, with plenty of plot twists
glyoung's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- 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
4.0
cimorene1558's review
4.0
Enjoyed this more than I expected; it's a fairly light-hearted look at some pretty serious stuff.
kellerko's review
3.0
A very quick YA read. A very smart boy, likely on the autism spectrum who has difficulty reading social cues moves in with a “mean girl” who is popular when their parents get together. Worlds collide and families meld.