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4.24 AVERAGE
4.24 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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:
Complicated
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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:
Yes
Tilly and Oliver have my complete heart! Mazey Eddings is such a beautiful writer - I’ve loved all her books to date and this one somehow may be better? The ADHD and Autistic representation is explained so well and I feel like I have more compassion and understanding for neurodiverse people after Mazey’s explanations. The ways Tilly and Oliver both explain how they feel in the world is so powerful. The writing is just truly phenomenal and blew me away. Tilly and Oliver’s stories of growing up and growing together over a summer is sweet and engaging and I didn’t put the book down! I loved hearing Oliver’s connections with colors and Tilly’s writings and inner thoughts. There was humor in their stories and it all felt so authentic. I was crying happy tears at the end when Tilly had a conversation with her mom and my heart felt so full. This is such a beautiful book and I want to recommend it to everyone I see! 5⭐️, 1🌶
adventurous
emotional
funny
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
This book was amazing, oh my god. One of my favourite books ever. Can't wait to read more from Mazey.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
Complicated
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Vomit
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, Blood, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Lesbophobia, Alcohol
wow this book is so much that i don’t have the right words to encapsulate it. it’s tear-inducing, joy-filled and soul-inspiring. i just want to wrap tilly and oliver up in my arms and give them the biggest hugs. mazey did such justice with their neurodivergence. i could not love this book more.
I like how first and foremost this book features neurodiversity rep and how it feels like trying to make it in a world that is not necessarily made with you in mind and I loved it so much because I could relate. I mean…some of the conversations I read (especially with Tilly’s Mom) felt like getting drunk on a bottle of deja vu. And Oliver's struggle with social interaction and change and everything. I just felt these characters deep in my soul! The neurodiversity rep, I felt, was great!
I also like that this book touches on the effects of comparison from parents on self esteem and relationships, especially when ADHD is involved. Because of her ADHD, Tilly’s mom infantilized her. So much so that Tilly felt reduced to her ADHD in her mom’s eyes and because of that she feels like a failure with every little mistake, especially in comparison to her sister who has an advanced degree and a business of her own. Tilly feels like she lives in the shadow of her older sister Mona and that she has to live up to her expectations and the expectations of others. There was this conversation Tilly had with her mom when she finally told her she wanted to be a writer. She immediately shut her down, telling her that that is not the real world and that she should pursue college just because that’s the path her sister took and that’s the path you’re “supposed to take.” This conversation (with some minor differences) hit close to home.
On the opposite end, Oliver has more accepting parents of his autism which was refreshing He had an environment where he felt it was safe to be himself without the mask.
There are parts where it’s a tad unrealistic like Tilly getting accepted into a writing job in Paris and the ending felt a bit rushed with how quickly her mom changed her views on things within the last 5 percent of the book and how she got two job offers but those things didn’t largely impact my enjoyment of this book.
Overall, I really recommend this book for its own voices, ADHD and autism rep alone.
I also like that this book touches on the effects of comparison from parents on self esteem and relationships, especially when ADHD is involved. Because of her ADHD, Tilly’s mom infantilized her. So much so that Tilly felt reduced to her ADHD in her mom’s eyes and because of that she feels like a failure with every little mistake, especially in comparison to her sister who has an advanced degree and a business of her own. Tilly feels like she lives in the shadow of her older sister Mona and that she has to live up to her expectations and the expectations of others. There was this conversation Tilly had with her mom when she finally told her she wanted to be a writer. She immediately shut her down, telling her that that is not the real world and that she should pursue college just because that’s the path her sister took and that’s the path you’re “supposed to take.” This conversation (with some minor differences) hit close to home.
On the opposite end, Oliver has more accepting parents of his autism which was refreshing He had an environment where he felt it was safe to be himself without the mask.
There are parts where it’s a tad unrealistic like Tilly getting accepted into a writing job in Paris and the ending felt a bit rushed with how quickly her mom changed her views on things within the last 5 percent of the book and how she got two job offers but those things didn’t largely impact my enjoyment of this book.
Overall, I really recommend this book for its own voices, ADHD and autism rep alone.