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Die unerklärliche Logik meines Lebens by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
11 reviews
angelo_vossen's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-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? Yes
5.0
„Life has a logic all its own. People talk about the highway of life, but I think that's crap. Highways are nice and paved, and they have signs telling you which way to go. Life isn't like that at all. There are days when great things happen and everything is beautiful and perfect, and then, just like that, everything can go straight to hell. It's like getting drunk. At first it feels kinda nice and all relaxed. And all of a sudden the room is spinning and you are throwing up, and, well, maybe life is a little like that.“
In "The Inexplicable Logic of My Life" by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, readers are welcomed into a world where the ordinary becomes extraordinary through the lens of protagonist Salvador (Sal) Silva. Sáenz masterfully weaves a tapestry of emotions, relationships, and self-discovery that resonate deeply with readers. Set against the backdrop of El Paso, Texas, the novel paints a vivid portrait of Sal's journey through adolescence, exploring themes of family, friendship, and the search for identity.
At the heart of the story is Sal's relationship with his adoptive father, Vicente, a bond forged not by blood but by love and mutual respect. Their dynamic is tender and nuanced, reflecting the complexities of fatherhood and the enduring power of unconditional love. Through Vicente's guidance and wisdom, Sal navigates the challenges of growing up with a sense of grace and resilience.
Alongside his father, Sal is supported by his best friend, Samantha, whose unwavering loyalty and strength serve as a pillar of support throughout the narrative. Their friendship is a testament to the transformative power of human connection, offering solace and companionship in the face of life's uncertainties.
As Sal grapples with questions of identity and belonging, he finds himself drawn to Fito, a classmate who enriches Sal‘s life strongly. Through their friendship, Sáenz explores the beauty of self-acceptance, challenging societal norms and expectations along the way. In my personal opinion Fito is one of the most lovable characters I have been introduced to in a very long time. His character added a lot of depth to the story and his lines caused the most tears to drop during this reading experience - not to say that not the entirety of the characters, especially when they interacted with each other as a group, made me feel very emotional (mostly in a rather happy than sad way).
What sets "The Inexplicable Logic of My Life" apart is its richly drawn characters, each imbued with depth, complexity, and authenticity. From Sal's introspective nature to Vicente's quiet strength, every character feels alive and fully realized, adding layers of nuance and depth to the narrative. As I have now read multiple of the author‘s masterpieces, I feel safe to say: Sáenz is simply great with words and always finds a way to depict every feeling and though beautifully. Therefore: wftd = felicity - since Sáenz introduced me to this word in a way that made me feel like I had not properly met this word yet.
In the end, Sáenz delivers a powerful meditation on the human experience, reminding readers of the profound connections that bind us all together. Through Sal's journey of self-discovery, we are invited to reflect on our own lives, our own struggles, and our own capacity for growth and transformation. With its lyrical prose and heartfelt storytelling, "The Inexplicable Logic of My Life" is a captivating exploration of love, loss, and the inexplicable forces that shape our lives.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Bullying, Homophobia, Alcohol, Car accident, Drug abuse, Drug use, Addiction, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Grief
Minor: Alcoholism
_rhea_'s review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Death of parent
Moderate: Drug abuse and Homophobia
bg_oseman_fan's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Cursing, Child abuse, Death, Homophobia, and Death of parent
Minor: Bullying, Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Blood, Pregnancy, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Alcohol, Cancer, Terminal illness, Violence, Addiction, and Sexism
apricothopeful's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Grief, Homophobia, Cancer, and Terminal illness
Minor: Death of parent, Drug abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, Bullying, Chronic illness, and Terminal illness
maikendignes's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
- 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
This was a rollercoaster and I absolutely loved it! The prose were great, and the author had me in tears one minute, and smiling the next. Definitely exceeded my expectations considering that I’d seen a lot of mixed reviews. It’s a bit slow paced in the beginning, but it is definitely worth it in my opinion.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Homophobia
Moderate: Death and Drug abuse
Minor: Sexual assault
mckinnley16's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
After reading Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe I decided I needed to read Benjamin Alire Sáenz’s entire YA backlog and this was the second book of his I picked up.
A very interesting take on what makes a family. Is it the people who’s genetics you share? The people who raise you? Or the people who accept you for who you are and care for you regardless of blood? This is a book about love, loss, found families, and finding out who you are. I absolutely adored it!
A very interesting take on what makes a family. Is it the people who’s genetics you share? The people who raise you? Or the people who accept you for who you are and care for you regardless of blood? This is a book about love, loss, found families, and finding out who you are. I absolutely adored it!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident, Grief, and Drug abuse
arhazobooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
How do you read a book that interested you enough, but didn't fully win you over? It was a page turner and yet not extraordinary. Like a good one time read and that's it. What's the equivalent for one-time-use- and-discard, in the book world? OR those disposable plastic cutleries (even when you plan on keeping it when it's not meant to be). Is there a concept? One-time-read, it is then.
It's about Sal a 17 year old boy who is confused about who he is. His adoptive father gave him a letter from his dead mother, and it's up to him as to whether or not he wants to open it or not. It's his story as much as it's the story of his best friends Sam, and Fito.
This book was one sad thing after another. I know if I were a character in this friend group I would have called it the worst year of my life given how much stress went down. But the way this book was executed, it made me feel warmer too. They bonded and got closer, and you could see the love they have for one another especially with all that was going on. So it feels wrong to say some good came out of the bad...it's more like the bad existed and really amplified the good that was always there.'
All round love and distress... It's basically life.
-
It's not a perfect book of course (what is a perfect book?)
Like some things I question, like what was that and Fito's comment about gays refusing to act like men 'I be a girl' just say nah I be a man (something along those lines). I'm not sure if I read it right.
Also When Sam insisted on reading Fito's journal...
Or when Sam slapped Sal even though he was trying to defend her from a guy who nearly raped her...
I still can't rate it. It's not quite a 3 nor is it fully a 4...so
3.75/5
It's about Sal a 17 year old boy who is confused about who he is. His adoptive father gave him a letter from his dead mother, and it's up to him as to whether or not he wants to open it or not. It's his story as much as it's the story of his best friends Sam, and Fito.
This book was one sad thing after another. I know if I were a character in this friend group I would have called it the worst year of my life given how much stress went down. But the way this book was executed, it made me feel warmer too. They bonded and got closer, and you could see the love they have for one another especially with all that was going on. So it feels wrong to say some good came out of the bad...it's more like the bad existed and really amplified the good that was always there.'
All round love and distress... It's basically life.
-
It's not a perfect book of course (what is a perfect book?)
Like some things I question, like what was that and Fito's comment about gays refusing to act like men 'I be a girl' just say nah I be a man (something along those lines). I'm not sure if I read it right.
Also When Sam insisted on reading Fito's journal...
Or when Sam slapped Sal even though he was trying to defend her from a guy who nearly raped her...
I still can't rate it. It's not quite a 3 nor is it fully a 4...so
3.75/5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Death, and Sexual assault
nefari_'s review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
“She knew I hated being called white boy. Even though I was technically a white boy, I was raised in a Mexican family. So I didn’t qualify as your average white boy. “
“The B word is the N-word for girls. I hate that. What kind of feminist are you, anyway? “
“One of the great things about Sam was that she didn’t throw like a girl. “
“You know, for a gay guy, my dad was pretty straight. “
“And Fito’s such a schizophrenic dork. “
These direct quotes….speak for themselves 🙃. I can’t believe this is the same author who wrote 2 of my favorite books.
“The B word is the N-word for girls. I hate that. What kind of feminist are you, anyway? “
“One of the great things about Sam was that she didn’t throw like a girl. “
“You know, for a gay guy, my dad was pretty straight. “
“And Fito’s such a schizophrenic dork. “
These direct quotes….speak for themselves 🙃. I can’t believe this is the same author who wrote 2 of my favorite books.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Chronic illness, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, and Homophobia
Minor: Animal cruelty, Ableism, Car accident, Misogyny, and Sexual assault
bebidocrimes's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-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
This writing style is kinda choppy, like it's mostly simple sentences, but I guess that's what makes the 450 pages feel like an easy read. Not sure the author really knows any teenagers in real life, but they don't text like that. Who shortens don't to dn't keeping the apostrophe? Besides minor nitpicky things like that, this really was a beautiful book. It was light and heartfelt, but what really hit me was being reminded of last April and everything me and my family went through while my Meemaw was in hospice. Grief really is love with nowhere to go.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, and Homophobia
Minor: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, and Violence
raesengele's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
As much as I enjoyed this book and Benjamin Alire Sáenz's writing, I'm not entirely sure what happened with this one. His writing seems to have taken a bit of a dip compared to his adult novels/short stories. Not that it's bad, don't get me wrong, just not what I'm used to seeing from him. The language is very simplistic with some unnecessary repetition. For instance, on page 5:
And her shoes? Sandals. Sandals? I waited all this time for a pair of sandals she bought at Target?
"Great day," she said, all smiles and enthusiasm.
"Sandals?" I said. "That's what I was waiting for?"
It would have come across just the same if the first bit had simply been, "And her shoes? Sandals." then moved into the dialogue from there. It's nitpicky, I know, but with how simple the language was little things like that just kept standing out.
Other than that, it's beautifully written the way Sáenz's books always are. Quiet and contemplative, exploring human nature through the small mundane moments of life. So, great book, just linguistically not his best.
And her shoes? Sandals. Sandals? I waited all this time for a pair of sandals she bought at Target?
"Great day," she said, all smiles and enthusiasm.
"Sandals?" I said. "That's what I was waiting for?"
It would have come across just the same if the first bit had simply been, "And her shoes? Sandals." then moved into the dialogue from there. It's nitpicky, I know, but with how simple the language was little things like that just kept standing out.
Other than that, it's beautifully written the way Sáenz's books always are. Quiet and contemplative, exploring human nature through the small mundane moments of life. So, great book, just linguistically not his best.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Homophobia, Violence, Terminal illness, Death, and Cancer
Minor: Child abuse, Drug abuse, Racism, and Addiction
This is absolutely a book about loss and grief even if the characters are each in a better place by the end.