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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
I think this is a great book, and Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snicket) did a wonderful job. I really enjoyed the classical story of the misfit, theater girl who falls in love with the jock. However, there were several things that did bother me about the book. I got really annoyed with the two main characters for several reasons. Min: I think she was slightly pretentious. I got the sense that she thought she was smarter (dare I say better) than Ed. Her decision-making at times was not sound and very frustrating. I understand that she is a teenager, but she was still slightly annoying. I still felt really bad for her at the end. Ed: I feel like he was portrayed unfairly. I understand that he turns out to be a HUGE jerk at the end, but he was portrayed as the typical jock. Charming, slightly stupid, didn't think that all societal rules applied to him, and entitled. Also, it would have been interesting to see his perspective in this whole break-up. I felt bad that we only got to see one side of this break up. Overall, I enjoyed the book. The artwork was beautifully done, and I would actually buy this book in physical form (I borrowed it from the library).
Still confused about how I feel about this book. 3 stars
I remember reading this as a teenager back when I was in high school and I still recall how I enjoyed this. I think a huge part of my enjoyment is to be credited on Maria Kalman’s illustrations. The illustrations are integral to the narrative, adding an extra layer of emotion and depth to the story. They are not just embellishments but part of the storytelling, making the reading experience more immersive.
This book is a poignant and uniquely structured young adult novel. It's a deep dive into the complexities of teenage love and heartbreak, told through the narrative of Min Green as she recounts the reasons behind her breakup with Ed Slaterton. The book is styled as a long letter from Min to Ed, accompanied by illustrations of items that she is returning to him, each representing a moment in their relationship. This creative format sets the book apart, as each item serves as a catalyst for Min's memories and reflections.
Handler’s writing is both sharp and tender, capturing the intense emotions and drama of teenage relationships. The character of Min is particularly well-drawn; she is relatable, flawed, and deeply human. I think this is what made me even love this more (aside from the fact that I am heartbroken from a breakup with my first teenage boyfriend when I was reading this which made it a tad bit more relatable back then). Her journey through the ups and downs of her relationship with Ed is both heartwarming and heartbreaking.
The supporting characters add richness to the story, providing varied perspectives on love and relationships. The book doesn’t shy away from exploring themes like the pain of first love, the challenge of balancing personal identity with a relationship, and the inevitable growth that comes from heartbreak.
In summary, "Why We Broke Up" is a beautifully written and emotionally resonant novel. It's a realistic portrayal of teenage love, capturing the intensity and transience of first relationships. The unique format, compelling characters, and authentic voice make it a standout in young adult literature.
This book is a poignant and uniquely structured young adult novel. It's a deep dive into the complexities of teenage love and heartbreak, told through the narrative of Min Green as she recounts the reasons behind her breakup with Ed Slaterton. The book is styled as a long letter from Min to Ed, accompanied by illustrations of items that she is returning to him, each representing a moment in their relationship. This creative format sets the book apart, as each item serves as a catalyst for Min's memories and reflections.
Handler’s writing is both sharp and tender, capturing the intense emotions and drama of teenage relationships. The character of Min is particularly well-drawn; she is relatable, flawed, and deeply human. I think this is what made me even love this more (aside from the fact that I am heartbroken from a breakup with my first teenage boyfriend when I was reading this which made it a tad bit more relatable back then). Her journey through the ups and downs of her relationship with Ed is both heartwarming and heartbreaking.
The supporting characters add richness to the story, providing varied perspectives on love and relationships. The book doesn’t shy away from exploring themes like the pain of first love, the challenge of balancing personal identity with a relationship, and the inevitable growth that comes from heartbreak.
In summary, "Why We Broke Up" is a beautifully written and emotionally resonant novel. It's a realistic portrayal of teenage love, capturing the intensity and transience of first relationships. The unique format, compelling characters, and authentic voice make it a standout in young adult literature.
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I liked the idea of this book. Someone writing a letter explaining to the other person why they broke up. The plot itself was enjoyable. The writing however, which kinda coincides with the main character writing the letter, wasn't my cup of tea. Some passages were incredibly boring to read, while others sounded really pretentious. Some interactions between the characters sounded really unauthentic for high school teenagers. I also disliked how we never got Ed's side of the story. I understand that that's how break-ups work, you only have your individual account of the story, but the entire thing felt very one-sided. Overall, not too bad but wouldn't recommend it.
i read this when i was in high school and i hated it then. still hate it now
*I really loved this book very much. I loved the presentation of it, I loved the writing style and I loved the story.
There was one point where Min described herself and I connected with her directly. Min is not artsy, is not popular, is not goth, is not slutty, she just is. I felt that way throughout school. I never was an outcast, but I was never popular either. I think this connection and the fact that I, too, had felt love in high school, made it so this book hit home. And anyone who has ever broken up with someone they truly loved will connect with the emotions that Min feels as her voice is so true.
I also really liked how Handler set the book up. The book begins with the end- Min and Ed have broken up and Min delivers (threw actually) a box onto Ed's door with all of the "treasures" from their whirlwind relationship. Each section begins with an illustration of the object painted beautifully by Maira Kalman and then the story of the object within their relationship unfolds.
There were two things that kept me from giving it 5 stars:
1) The premise, though executed differently, reminded me of other books where the unpopular girl and the popular boy get together and then it doesn't work out.
2) I really wanted to like the fake cinema history thrown into the book, but really I felt that it just made the book slow down. Why not make it actual cinema history so that the reader would have some prior knowledge so it didn't drag so much. I think that during these times, too, it felt like Handler was trying too hard to make Min seem "different".
There was one point where Min described herself and I connected with her directly. Min is not artsy, is not popular, is not goth, is not slutty, she just is. I felt that way throughout school. I never was an outcast, but I was never popular either. I think this connection and the fact that I, too, had felt love in high school, made it so this book hit home. And anyone who has ever broken up with someone they truly loved will connect with the emotions that Min feels as her voice is so true.
I also really liked how Handler set the book up. The book begins with the end- Min and Ed have broken up and Min delivers (threw actually) a box onto Ed's door with all of the "treasures" from their whirlwind relationship. Each section begins with an illustration of the object painted beautifully by Maira Kalman and then the story of the object within their relationship unfolds.
There were two things that kept me from giving it 5 stars:
1) The premise, though executed differently, reminded me of other books where the unpopular girl and the popular boy get together and then it doesn't work out.
2) I really wanted to like the fake cinema history thrown into the book, but really I felt that it just made the book slow down. Why not make it actual cinema history so that the reader would have some prior knowledge so it didn't drag so much. I think that during these times, too, it felt like Handler was trying too hard to make Min seem "different".
“A girl meets a boy, Ed, and everything changes, or so she says.”
Stars (Out of 10): 9
Overall Thoughts: This was an emotional rollercoaster, and I am so glad I stuck around for the ride. I feel like I went through this break up right along with Min. Originally I started this book and got about 30 pages in before putting it away again, as the writing style really threw me off, but as I continued it again, it clicked perfectly with the idea of the story. This girl has just broken up with her ex-love, and now she's returning his stuff. What we're reading is her letter to him of her thoughts, and "why they broke up", so of course it's going to run on and be messy, because that's Min's emotional state at that time. It takes some getting used to, but it's perfect.
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Good: The writing style clicked perfectly with the story idea, and I loved the underlying sense of "doom", knowing everything was going to go all wrong, just unsure of when. The mixture of story telling and "philosophical and romantic anecdotes" was also perfect as Min listed her reasons why, and made me look for my own meanings in her stories. I also loved the final two or three pages (before the note about the book and walnuts) where Min talks about how she isn't different. The emotion captured in those pages was just so much, almost as if Min is battling herself and people's perception of her, trying to say "I'm not different, that's no excuse for leaving me and you're wrong for doing so." It just left a huge impact on me.
The Bad: Min loved her obscure movies, but I don't know all these movies and their references. Sure, they're not too important, but it makes those run-on sentences with the references in them harder to read and put together, because they make absolutely no sense to me. There were also moments when those run-on sentences became a bit too run-on, even for the style, but this didn't happen all too often.
The Characters: I liked how the characters were created. No one was perfect, everyone had flaws, and the author also managed to trick us into thinking Ed was different than other jocks, and made us see him how Min saw him, so we felt all that being ripped away from us like she did too, and made the emotions I felt from this book that much stronger.
The Plot: While this book wasn't set up like books normally are, I loved the events and how it seemed like a tome of separate stories almost, and made it much more enjoyable to read! I was hanging on to every word mentioned about the break up, trying to piece together what happened, until I was hit with it all at the end. Damn you Annette!!
The Stereotypical Tropes: Jock is bad cheating boyfriend, the "different" girl
The Favorite Character: Min(erva)
Buy it, Borrow it, or Bin it: If you're in for a sad journey and a good cry, buy it!
Stars (Out of 10): 9
Overall Thoughts: This was an emotional rollercoaster, and I am so glad I stuck around for the ride. I feel like I went through this break up right along with Min. Originally I started this book and got about 30 pages in before putting it away again, as the writing style really threw me off, but as I continued it again, it clicked perfectly with the idea of the story. This girl has just broken up with her ex-love, and now she's returning his stuff. What we're reading is her letter to him of her thoughts, and "why they broke up", so of course it's going to run on and be messy, because that's Min's emotional state at that time. It takes some getting used to, but it's perfect.
SPOILERS BEGIN HERE
The Good: The writing style clicked perfectly with the story idea, and I loved the underlying sense of "doom", knowing everything was going to go all wrong, just unsure of when. The mixture of story telling and "philosophical and romantic anecdotes" was also perfect as Min listed her reasons why, and made me look for my own meanings in her stories. I also loved the final two or three pages (before the note about the book and walnuts) where Min talks about how she isn't different. The emotion captured in those pages was just so much, almost as if Min is battling herself and people's perception of her, trying to say "I'm not different, that's no excuse for leaving me and you're wrong for doing so." It just left a huge impact on me.
The Bad: Min loved her obscure movies, but I don't know all these movies and their references. Sure, they're not too important, but it makes those run-on sentences with the references in them harder to read and put together, because they make absolutely no sense to me. There were also moments when those run-on sentences became a bit too run-on, even for the style, but this didn't happen all too often.
The Characters: I liked how the characters were created. No one was perfect, everyone had flaws, and the author also managed to trick us into thinking Ed was different than other jocks, and made us see him how Min saw him, so we felt all that being ripped away from us like she did too, and made the emotions I felt from this book that much stronger.
The Plot: While this book wasn't set up like books normally are, I loved the events and how it seemed like a tome of separate stories almost, and made it much more enjoyable to read! I was hanging on to every word mentioned about the break up, trying to piece together what happened, until I was hit with it all at the end. Damn you Annette!!
The Stereotypical Tropes: Jock is bad cheating boyfriend, the "different" girl
The Favorite Character: Min(erva)
Buy it, Borrow it, or Bin it: If you're in for a sad journey and a good cry, buy it!
3.5. I wanted to like this more than I did at the end. This story was very well-written, but the writing also sort of drove me insane? Like I understand the use of the run-on sentences to capture a stream-of-consciousness from our Main Character, Min, and how she was struggling to feel like she "fit" in Ed's world. However, some were SO long that I found myself getting lost in the middle and had to start the sentence over and that would take me out of the story for a bit.
I've owned this for about 2 years and just picked it up for the first time because I'm attempting to tackle my TBR. It seemed like a quick read with an interesting premise, so I dove in and I was right on both of the aforementioned pre-judgements. This book can easily be devoured in one sitting and the premise is interesting, a girl reflecting on lost love post-breakup and searching for the truth of why the relationship ended.
Where I struggled with this book was how incredibly predictable it was. The hints about the reason for the breakup were pretty obvious from the start, which I was glad actually didn't take away from the actual "reveal." I also hated seeing Min get sucked into Ed's bubble and world and so easily leave her friends and her own values behind - but in a way that makes this book incredibly relatable. I know this girl, hell - and I hate to admit it - I have been this girl. The one who throws her all into a relationship despite the glaring issues that everyone else can see, but that someone you become blind to because you are so enthralled with this love you think you've found, a love you didn't think you deserved but have instead been graced with. The story is heart-breaking and sad in the "Oh honey no" way and on that end - it was great. Where it lost a star and a half for me was how whinny Min got toward the middle part of the book, which maybe is a bit expected due to the subject matter, but bothered me all the same.
This book satisfies the Practicing Jewish Main Character section of diversity bingo.
I've owned this for about 2 years and just picked it up for the first time because I'm attempting to tackle my TBR. It seemed like a quick read with an interesting premise, so I dove in and I was right on both of the aforementioned pre-judgements. This book can easily be devoured in one sitting and the premise is interesting, a girl reflecting on lost love post-breakup and searching for the truth of why the relationship ended.
Where I struggled with this book was how incredibly predictable it was. The hints about the reason for the breakup were pretty obvious from the start, which I was glad actually didn't take away from the actual "reveal." I also hated seeing Min get sucked into Ed's bubble and world and so easily leave her friends and her own values behind - but in a way that makes this book incredibly relatable. I know this girl, hell - and I hate to admit it - I have been this girl. The one who throws her all into a relationship despite the glaring issues that everyone else can see, but that someone you become blind to because you are so enthralled with this love you think you've found, a love you didn't think you deserved but have instead been graced with. The story is heart-breaking and sad in the "Oh honey no" way and on that end - it was great. Where it lost a star and a half for me was how whinny Min got toward the middle part of the book, which maybe is a bit expected due to the subject matter, but bothered me all the same.
This book satisfies the Practicing Jewish Main Character section of diversity bingo.
My biggest complaint about this book is that it is very heavy.