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caseyjoreads's review against another edition
3.0
Fantastic getting inside the thoughts of a fat, socially awkward kid. And I really like the complicated levels of interaction with family. But what's with the gay dig at the end? "At least I don't have problem" is how I read it, and it left me with a bitter taste of lack of intersectionality that ruined the sweetness of reading about a fat kind talking honestly about the discomfort and shame he has about his body. Or did I miss something? Maybe the MC is realizing he's gay? It was too rushed at the end for me to understand.
(review based on ARC)
(review based on ARC)
bethe_is_a_goose's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-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
4.25
ktreadsnm's review against another edition
3.0
This is really a 3.5. It was more a slice of life than a book that felt like it had a defined beginning, middle and end. Andrew hated it because it was miserable most all the way through, even in the end.
tales_of_erasmo's review against another edition
4.0
I found this gem at a Dollar Tree back in October. I haven't read a YA book in a while, but I picked it up because A.) It was a dollar, & B.) The main character is a plus-sized boy. Usually, those characters are the side-kick best friends, or comic relief, and they are never given a personality that doesn't revolve around their weight. I liked that this book was more than the characters self-esteem and labels, but also about his interests, friendships, and family life as a 13 year-old boy living in modern day New York. It's an easy read that's slightly humorous, and sad at times. Reading this as an adult takes me back, and 13 year-old me would have loved to see some representation. My only issue was some of the annoying characters. (Sometimes the protagonist himself too.) But I guess that's how kids are? Overall, it's a book I'm glad I stumbled upon.
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4.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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4.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
evila_elf's review
1.0
Davis doesn't want to be labeled as The Husky Kid. And is life is kinda falling apart because his mom is seeing someone and his best friend doesn't invite him to a girls' makeover thing. (And, despite how big of a fit he throws, he balks at the idea of being The Gay Kid)
So what does Davis do? He complains and pretty much alienates everyone around him. His complaints are louder than his nana's, which we are reminded of how shouty she is every. time. she. talks. I really don't know how he ended up with any friends by the end of this.
At one point, he sulks and doesn't get out of bed all day. He's bored, but he doesn't want to get up. I think we get a full chapter of that exciting part of his life.
This book nudges a lot of issues: being overweight, a working mother who isn't home, a mother who is dating someone new, possibly being gay, friends changing, new friends...etc. But NOTHING is handled with any depth, nor does Davis try to do anything about anything except complain and sulk.
I believe one of his friends was trying to flirt with him and fine, I get that Davis probably has no idea what is going on. In the second from last page (I think), someone gives him the new label of gay. His response is pretty much: 'I guess that is my new label, I hate it. I need to find my own label I guess.'
*sigh*
The whole point of this book should have been about finding your labels. And the fact that it doesn't end with Davis finally finding his defeats the whole purpose of the book. Unless gay really was his label, but the author didn't want to commit to anything with any depth, so who knows.
(Unless...maybe the author is trying to get the READER to give Davis a label: The kid loves Opera, his best friends are girls, he throws a tantrum about not going to the makeover. Then turns around and tells us that the label we might have given him is wrong. Which is an amazing concept if true, but handled so poorly)
And this book is repetitive. You know how when you write a thesis, how you start with your theme, then end with your theme? That is what every other paragraph felt like. And at one point, when something was being described like for the first time, I already knew the whole paragraph of information. I wish the book was fluffed out with new content.
I was going to give this 2 stars, but the only thing I enjoyed about it was when Davis got in BIG trouble and finally had to account for his actions. That was a looooong time coming.
And I hate myself that my longest review in a long time is for a book I could barely stand.
So what does Davis do? He complains and pretty much alienates everyone around him. His complaints are louder than his nana's, which we are reminded of how shouty she is every. time. she. talks. I really don't know how he ended up with any friends by the end of this.
At one point, he sulks and doesn't get out of bed all day. He's bored, but he doesn't want to get up. I think we get a full chapter of that exciting part of his life.
This book nudges a lot of issues: being overweight, a working mother who isn't home, a mother who is dating someone new, possibly being gay, friends changing, new friends...etc. But NOTHING is handled with any depth, nor does Davis try to do anything about anything except complain and sulk.
I believe one of his friends was trying to flirt with him and fine, I get that Davis probably has no idea what is going on. In the second from last page (I think), someone gives him the new label of gay. His response is pretty much: 'I guess that is my new label, I hate it. I need to find my own label I guess.'
*sigh*
The whole point of this book should have been about finding your labels. And the fact that it doesn't end with Davis finally finding his defeats the whole purpose of the book. Unless gay really was his label, but the author didn't want to commit to anything with any depth, so who knows.
(Unless...maybe the author is trying to get the READER to give Davis a label: The kid loves Opera, his best friends are girls, he throws a tantrum about not going to the makeover. Then turns around and tells us that the label we might have given him is wrong. Which is an amazing concept if true, but handled so poorly)
And this book is repetitive. You know how when you write a thesis, how you start with your theme, then end with your theme? That is what every other paragraph felt like. And at one point, when something was being described like for the first time, I already knew the whole paragraph of information. I wish the book was fluffed out with new content.
I was going to give this 2 stars, but the only thing I enjoyed about it was when Davis got in BIG trouble and finally had to account for his actions. That was a looooong time coming.
And I hate myself that my longest review in a long time is for a book I could barely stand.
hollowspine's review
4.0
Husky is a coming of age story about Davis, a young man who is, of course, different. He’s trying to figure out where he belongs in his friendships now that his two close friends have started branching out and finding new people to introduce to their group. It’s especially hard with his best friend, who unlike Davis, is very popular. She’s begun hanging out with people who would never talk to Davis, girls who have spa days and boys who play football. Ugh. None of them know a thing about Opera, which is Davis’s favorite type of music. He also doesn’t understand why, just because he’s a guy, he can’t be invited to the makeover party. It’s not fair.
After summer vacation they’ll start a new school year and this year Davis knows everyone is going to be labelled and he doesn’t want to be labelled as the ‘husky’ kid.
Other things in his life are changing too. His mother seems weirdly happy and she’s started going out dressed up nice at night. Davis isn’t ready for her to move on yet, to have another man besides him in her life, but what can he do. Especially since he feels abandoned by his friends too.
Over the summer he comes to realize that even though one of his friends is the ‘pretty’ one and the other is the ‘mean’ one, they don’t want to be labelled either and he can’t just treat his friends like they can’t change either. Even his mom gets to change, at least a little bit.
It was a lovely story. Davis is figuring out so many things about himself and about his friends and life and what the future could hold, I would highly recommend it. Especially because it’s one of those extremely rare teen books that has a lot of substance to it, without having the plot revolve around a romantic relationship.
After summer vacation they’ll start a new school year and this year Davis knows everyone is going to be labelled and he doesn’t want to be labelled as the ‘husky’ kid.
Other things in his life are changing too. His mother seems weirdly happy and she’s started going out dressed up nice at night. Davis isn’t ready for her to move on yet, to have another man besides him in her life, but what can he do. Especially since he feels abandoned by his friends too.
Over the summer he comes to realize that even though one of his friends is the ‘pretty’ one and the other is the ‘mean’ one, they don’t want to be labelled either and he can’t just treat his friends like they can’t change either. Even his mom gets to change, at least a little bit.
It was a lovely story. Davis is figuring out so many things about himself and about his friends and life and what the future could hold, I would highly recommend it. Especially because it’s one of those extremely rare teen books that has a lot of substance to it, without having the plot revolve around a romantic relationship.
katherine8462b's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Husky is a book you'd definitely like if you're looking for a great middle-grade, coming of age story. I personally think it encapsulates quite nicely the emotions one goes through as high school approaches; Those feelings of wanting to fit in, the complicated feelings of wanting to be happy for others while also trying to be happy for yourself, and the struggles of going through change . Although I believe it's target audience is for more younger people, I enjoyed being in Davis' head and experiencing his thought process as the universe moved and swayed his life.
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