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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
Oh, the anguish of a teen break-up! Handler captures the intensity in a book that's funny, smart, and heartbreaking.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ugh. This book tried so hard and got so far, but in the end
it didn't even matter.
it didn't even matter.
I expected a lot more out of this, I'm kind of disappointed
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
*actual rating 3.5, rounded to 4*
I started this book expecting a really sad story, but I must admit I felt that the tone was more angry than depressed. I'm not saying that because Ed and Min are highschoolers that their 'love' is any less significant than love between adults, but really, they literally only dated for like 2 months or something. I thought it is meant to be a really sad story about a couple that dated for years, but because of some really uncontrollable event, they couldn't stay together or something.
So I had no problem with the writing style - it is entertaining and fast paced; the whole thing with an undertone of blame. I see Min's naivety, and relate to that. How she had all these problems with Ed even from the beginning, but because they rushed everything she just couldn't give it up, because who's rational when it comes to this? I didn't think she was stupid for staying with him even though they're clearly not meant to be, she was just naive, but this experience toughened her up.
The illustrations are also amazing, perfect for the book. I loved seeing them while they're being described in the story, because I didn't need to imagine it, it was there already--it's just nice.
So the most of the book has this same feeling to it, as Min goes through their relationship story, then quite suddenly the entire thing changes (not really unexpectedly because from the title we know that they don't stay together) and then she's heartbroken. There were a lot of good quotes in here that I liked :)
It's still a worthwhile read because the book is beautiful and the writing style is enjoyable, but I don't think the 'love' should be taken too seriously. It wasn't such a special relationship, Ed and Min aren't particularly special characters, so it's just one of the many relationships that happen in high school, I think.
I started this book expecting a really sad story, but I must admit I felt that the tone was more angry than depressed. I'm not saying that because Ed and Min are highschoolers that their 'love' is any less significant than love between adults, but really, they literally only dated for like 2 months or something. I thought it is meant to be a really sad story about a couple that dated for years, but because of some really uncontrollable event, they couldn't stay together or something.
So I had no problem with the writing style - it is entertaining and fast paced; the whole thing with an undertone of blame. I see Min's naivety, and relate to that. How she had all these problems with Ed even from the beginning, but because they rushed everything she just couldn't give it up, because who's rational when it comes to this? I didn't think she was stupid for staying with him even though they're clearly not meant to be, she was just naive, but this experience toughened her up.
The illustrations are also amazing, perfect for the book. I loved seeing them while they're being described in the story, because I didn't need to imagine it, it was there already--it's just nice.
So the most of the book has this same feeling to it, as Min goes through their relationship story, then quite suddenly the entire thing changes (not really unexpectedly because from the title we know that they don't stay together) and then she's heartbroken. There were a lot of good quotes in here that I liked :)
It's still a worthwhile read because the book is beautiful and the writing style is enjoyable, but I don't think the 'love' should be taken too seriously. It wasn't such a special relationship, Ed and Min aren't particularly special characters, so it's just one of the many relationships that happen in high school, I think.
I think Handler really captured all those angsty feelings of a teenage girl who is trying to figure out who she is. I loved the high concept way Handler told the story, as a series of vignettes from the relationship using memorabilia from the relationship. Who hasn't fetishized a ticket stub or that first note or that "stolen" t-shirt? I liked that the story ended on a hopeful note. As an adult, I know that my disastrous teenage relationships were not the end of the world, despite the fact that they felt that way, and Handler manages to hint at a happy ending without condescending to his audience and invalidating their emotions as "adolescent" or "just part of growing up".