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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
4.75 stars—
There was nothing simple about this book; it was filled with so much raw emotion and many difficult topics. It was a beautiful love story between two atypical characters, but more than that it was a story about trust, honesty, grief, companionship, love, and being true to yourself in a world that tries so hard to tear us down for being anything less than perfectly normal (which doesn’t even exist).
The way this book was written made me feel so much empathy for Alvie and Stanley. It hurts my heart to know that there are people just like them who think they’re anything less than worthy and beautiful. I really loved these two characters and would protect them with everything I have. This story was incredible, and while it was filled with sad and heartbreaking moments, it was also filled with so much hope and I’m so glad it ended how it did.
(Also the animal symbolism and Watership Down references were stunning.)
There was nothing simple about this book; it was filled with so much raw emotion and many difficult topics. It was a beautiful love story between two atypical characters, but more than that it was a story about trust, honesty, grief, companionship, love, and being true to yourself in a world that tries so hard to tear us down for being anything less than perfectly normal (which doesn’t even exist).
The way this book was written made me feel so much empathy for Alvie and Stanley. It hurts my heart to know that there are people just like them who think they’re anything less than worthy and beautiful. I really loved these two characters and would protect them with everything I have. This story was incredible, and while it was filled with sad and heartbreaking moments, it was also filled with so much hope and I’m so glad it ended how it did.
(Also the animal symbolism and Watership Down references were stunning.)
This is a book where so many bad things happen right from the start that it loses its emotional impact. It feels like it’s constantly trying to outdo itself. We have all the difficulties that come with autism in our MC and osteogenesis imperfecta in our male - great! Love a good book about representation. But then we have our MC almost biting someone’s ear off, freeing a bunch of captured, about to be euthanized animals, breaking into a zoo and destroying a sign, keeping a wild animal in her one room apartment for weeks (?!) being “captured” by security guards, escaping security guards. Add in homelessness, emancipation, a murder/suicide attempt, themes of physical and sexual abuse, discrimination, romance…IT IS A LOT OF THINGS. TOO MANY THINGS. All the while being very heavy-handed.
I am not autistic, but I know and love a lot of people who are, and have taught kids on the spectrum as well. And Alvie just doesn’t quite ring true for me for some reason. I really wish she did, because I honestly can’t think of many books with an autistic main character. But in a book about dispelling stereotypes, we have some surprising stereotypes still embedded. Like this quote, from our main character: “he’s definitely not autistic, because his speech comes too easily, too fluidly.” Literally some of the most well-spoken, chatty people I know are autistic. I know that’s more rare than not, but you can’t just throw a blanket statement like that. Also Alvie is a savant character - obsessed with quantum physics from age 11, knows a ton about science, biology, human anatomy, animals, etc. but the autistic savant character is also a stereotype. I think this book did a good job addressing some stereotypes (like the misconception that people with autism don’t feel empathy, that they don’t have feelings, can’t have a relationship), but Alvie’s overall portrayal wasn’t as nuanced as I was hoping for.
ALSO can we not have graphic sex stuff between characters who are MINORS in a book marketed to MINORS?
But mostly there was just too much happening and it felt way too messy for me to suspend my disbelief and get invested in these characters or story.
I am not autistic, but I know and love a lot of people who are, and have taught kids on the spectrum as well. And Alvie just doesn’t quite ring true for me for some reason. I really wish she did, because I honestly can’t think of many books with an autistic main character. But in a book about dispelling stereotypes, we have some surprising stereotypes still embedded. Like this quote, from our main character: “he’s definitely not autistic, because his speech comes too easily, too fluidly.” Literally some of the most well-spoken, chatty people I know are autistic. I know that’s more rare than not, but you can’t just throw a blanket statement like that. Also Alvie is a savant character - obsessed with quantum physics from age 11, knows a ton about science, biology, human anatomy, animals, etc. but the autistic savant character is also a stereotype. I think this book did a good job addressing some stereotypes (like the misconception that people with autism don’t feel empathy, that they don’t have feelings, can’t have a relationship), but Alvie’s overall portrayal wasn’t as nuanced as I was hoping for.
ALSO can we not have graphic sex stuff between characters who are MINORS in a book marketed to MINORS?
But mostly there was just too much happening and it felt way too messy for me to suspend my disbelief and get invested in these characters or story.
This was an interesting read. However; as a mom of four, and of a child with Aspergers, I did find parts of it pretty disturbing! At the same time, it was a sweet story of how two social misfits can find each other and fulfill each others needs, and how there IS room in the world for those who are not necessarily "perfect" in the eyes of most.
I loved this book. I loved it so much. It was so beautiful and raw and full of emotion and heartwarming and I just want to read it again right away.
As someone not terribly educated on the autism spectrum, I can’t speak to whether the portrayal of Alvie was a good representation, but it felt tender and supportive and empowering, and did an excellent job showing her as a wonderfully rounded human being.
My only (very minor) issue was the portrayal of the tattoo artist and shop, but as a tattooist myself, I tend to be a bit finicky about representations of our profession in media. This likely wouldn’t be an issue for anyone else reading the book.
Ahhhhh. Read it. Please read it!
As someone not terribly educated on the autism spectrum, I can’t speak to whether the portrayal of Alvie was a good representation, but it felt tender and supportive and empowering, and did an excellent job showing her as a wonderfully rounded human being.
My only (very minor) issue was the portrayal of the tattoo artist and shop, but as a tattooist myself, I tend to be a bit finicky about representations of our profession in media. This likely wouldn’t be an issue for anyone else reading the book.
Ahhhhh. Read it. Please read it!
Wow.
This is a beautiful gut-punch of a book. It's a difficult read, for a lot of reasons, but an important one.
The book itself is gorgeously written, made more so by Tavia Gilbert's stunning narration of the audiobook. I think everyone should read it in any format, but for a truly heartbreaking, immersive experience, I highly recommend listening to it.
One of my favorites of 2018, for sure. This one will stick with me for a very long time.
This is a beautiful gut-punch of a book. It's a difficult read, for a lot of reasons, but an important one.
The book itself is gorgeously written, made more so by Tavia Gilbert's stunning narration of the audiobook. I think everyone should read it in any format, but for a truly heartbreaking, immersive experience, I highly recommend listening to it.
One of my favorites of 2018, for sure. This one will stick with me for a very long time.
Not my type at all. I love that it's inspired by [b:Watership Down|76620|Watership Down (Watership Down, #1)|Richard Adams|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1405136931s/76620.jpg|1357456] and that it has diverse characters, but this just really isn't something I would read.
This book did an excellent job of making me care about its characters. Alvie is a 17-year old girl with Asperger's, and her journey is one that is emotional and awful and beautiful. I so rooted for her!
I'm so glad that books like this one and TV shows like Atypical are depicting those on the autism scale who seem often misunderstood and mistreated. It feels like a small glimpse into their lives, and I appreciated this book's unflinching look there.
This is great story that truly moved me - I hope everyone picks it up.
I'm so glad that books like this one and TV shows like Atypical are depicting those on the autism scale who seem often misunderstood and mistreated. It feels like a small glimpse into their lives, and I appreciated this book's unflinching look there.
This is great story that truly moved me - I hope everyone picks it up.
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I read this because Moon recommended it to me, and I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about it. But I really enjoyed it.
It is very slow, but that felt appropriate to the story, and to how Alvie processes things. Her logic is great throughout - I loved her thoughts on the sign!
And great disability rep - autism and OI both shown and the positive and negatives of living with both come across well. I don’t know how accurate they are, not living with either condition (not to mention autism is a wide spectrum, as acknowledged by Alvie!), but it felt honest and real. It also had a pretty good description concerning how easy it is for someone in her position to lose what she has and be put in some potentially pretty terrible situations.
While not a lot happens, it’s still a pretty moving story about a girl trying to figure out how to live with her condition, her trauma, and also what she wants in life. It manages to be both sad and uplifting. I think more people should be reading this book and talking about it.
It is very slow, but that felt appropriate to the story, and to how Alvie processes things. Her logic is great throughout - I loved her thoughts on the sign!
And great disability rep - autism and OI both shown and the positive and negatives of living with both come across well. I don’t know how accurate they are, not living with either condition (not to mention autism is a wide spectrum, as acknowledged by Alvie!), but it felt honest and real. It also had a pretty good description concerning how easy it is for someone in her position to lose what she has and be put in some potentially pretty terrible situations.
While not a lot happens, it’s still a pretty moving story about a girl trying to figure out how to live with her condition, her trauma, and also what she wants in life. It manages to be both sad and uplifting. I think more people should be reading this book and talking about it.