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emaer2's review against another edition
5.0
This is the best book that I've read in a really long time. The relationship between Ben and Nathan is truly incredible. I cried a few times while reading, but it was so sweet. I read the entire book in 3 hours, and went on to buy a paper copy (I had read it on Kindle). I'm not going to tell you what it's about buy I highly recommend you read it.
itsjusterika's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
monersc's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
adelle_bookworm's review against another edition
4.0
Ten konec už se hrozně táhl a chvílemi se to točilo pořád dokolečka. Škoda, že si to neudrželo ten ultrapotenciál, co byl na začátku.
Edit rereading 2021: Jo, ke konci už to je trochu natažené. Ale práce s psychikou postav je perfektní.
Edit rereading 2021: Jo, ke konci už to je trochu natažené. Ale práce s psychikou postav je perfektní.
asurasantosha's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
easyvisionary's review against another edition
4.0
This was just gorgeous! Had me giggling the whole way through ugh! I love the gays and I love this story.
My main thoughts were that I liked how simple and well it told the story of young queer people. It didn’t feel overdone or outdated. Yes it was cheesy but it was cute!
I love Nathan a character! That’s my boo! He’s so loving and sweet! So warm and chirpy! It was just so good for Ben! Such sweeties ugh!
My main thoughts were that I liked how simple and well it told the story of young queer people. It didn’t feel overdone or outdated. Yes it was cheesy but it was cute!
I love Nathan a character! That’s my boo! He’s so loving and sweet! So warm and chirpy! It was just so good for Ben! Such sweeties ugh!
elenajohansen's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I found this easily readable despite its topics often being dark, but I think some of that ease came from a lack of development. Ben's first-person protagonist POV as a teenager struggling with anxiety and depression does the same thing here as nearly every other YA novel with a mentally ill teen lead: distances the reader from everyone who is not the protagonist.
Nathan, as the character who goes from classmate to friend to eventual love interest/boyfriend, gets enough page time to come across as a generally happy, upbeat guy who easily holds up his end of the sunshine/grump relationship dynamic, but doesn't have much going beyond that, at least until the very end when we get a tiny glimpse into Nathan's inner life as he reveals his sexual orientation.
Hannah, as Ben's sister, is held at arm's length from the reader because she is a virtual stranger to Ben after ten years apart.
Her husband, and Nathan's friends who eventually become Ben's friends (sort of) are thin, with very little to define them beyond their position in Ben's orbit and their ethnic identities. I finished the book earlier today and can't really assign personality traits to any of them beyond "they're basically good people who don't want Ben to suffer."
Ben's parents are not portrayed as much more complex than cartoon-villain levels of evil, and I'm not saying hateful people don't exist, but usually there's a little more nuance to their hate, or reason for it. The premise was that Ben came out as nonbinary and got kicked out of the house, but it wasn't all that believable that they thought it might go well, only to have it go so very wrong. Did they really not know their parents better than that?
It makes sense that the story is about Ben so that's who we get the most of; but I wish there had been some added depth to anyone else, to flesh out the story more, or even to make Ben seem less clueless, because they generally display a marked lack of understanding about the internal motivations of anyone else.
Nathan, as the character who goes from classmate to friend to eventual love interest/boyfriend, gets enough page time to come across as a generally happy, upbeat guy who easily holds up his end of the sunshine/grump relationship dynamic, but doesn't have much going beyond that, at least until the very end when we get a tiny glimpse into Nathan's inner life as he reveals his sexual orientation.
Hannah, as Ben's sister, is held at arm's length from the reader because she is a virtual stranger to Ben after ten years apart.
Her husband, and Nathan's friends who eventually become Ben's friends (sort of) are thin, with very little to define them beyond their position in Ben's orbit and their ethnic identities. I finished the book earlier today and can't really assign personality traits to any of them beyond "they're basically good people who don't want Ben to suffer."
Ben's parents are not portrayed as much more complex than cartoon-villain levels of evil, and I'm not saying hateful people don't exist, but usually there's a little more nuance to their hate, or reason for it. The premise was that Ben came out as nonbinary and got kicked out of the house, but it wasn't all that believable that they thought it might go well, only to have it go so very wrong. Did they really not know their parents better than that?
It makes sense that the story is about Ben so that's who we get the most of; but I wish there had been some added depth to anyone else, to flesh out the story more, or even to make Ben seem less clueless, because they generally display a marked lack of understanding about the internal motivations of anyone else.
batbaby's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Deadnaming, Transphobia, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Eating disorder, Deadnaming, Abandonment, Outing, Domestic abuse, and Dysphoria
_haven_'s review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Fun to read about an experience I understand set in a place I’m intimately familiar with (and where I discovered my own nonbinary identity). Enjoyable!
saraandherfilms's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Es una lectura adorable al mismo tiempo que trata temas bastante fuertes. Aunque me habría gustado que se hubieran explorado más las relaciones de Ben con más personajes secundarios, me ha gustado mucho.