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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
Oh, I loved this! The toxic high school relationship at its center was so recognizable and believable, and the resolution and reconnection with true friends was deeply satisfying and genuinely moving. I think the specificity of it all helped this to be sweet and genuine, but never cheesy or cliche or saccharine. Definitely cried a little bit on my couch at 1:00am.
GORGEOUS black and white art--such detail and fine lines, as well as characterization in the body posture of each character (from the swaggering Laura Dean to the sweet and comfortable Doodle). And the Berkeley details! And Freddy's bedroom! The panels are so packed and dense, it almost feels a little claustrophobic on the page--and then there is one huge two-page panel that highlights an emotional moment as the air goes out of Freddy's lungs... so well done.
GORGEOUS black and white art--such detail and fine lines, as well as characterization in the body posture of each character (from the swaggering Laura Dean to the sweet and comfortable Doodle). And the Berkeley details! And Freddy's bedroom! The panels are so packed and dense, it almost feels a little claustrophobic on the page--and then there is one huge two-page panel that highlights an emotional moment as the air goes out of Freddy's lungs... so well done.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Eh. Pretty mediocre story over all. Boring. I was disappointed the two friends get together at the end, I thought the whole point of the story was that friendship matters just as much as romantic relationships, not that you should just date your friends
I didn’t like the part where one character gets pissed at another for.. being closeted with one of his family members?? And some random actress takes a beating for not coming out the “right” way, whatever that means???? I didn’t get it
To be crystal clear: if your partner tries to guilt you for not coming out to everyone in your life, esp older family members who you KNOW will have a problem w it and might even cast you out as a result, THAT is a romantic relationship you may need to rethink. Protect yourself, esp these days. You do not owe it to ANYONE to come out, much less a romantic partner who should want to PROTECT YOU and have your best interests at heart. Stay safe, everyone 🩷
I didn’t like the part where one character gets pissed at another for.. being closeted with one of his family members?? And some random actress takes a beating for not coming out the “right” way, whatever that means???? I didn’t get it
To be crystal clear: if your partner tries to guilt you for not coming out to everyone in your life, esp older family members who you KNOW will have a problem w it and might even cast you out as a result, THAT is a romantic relationship you may need to rethink. Protect yourself, esp these days. You do not owe it to ANYONE to come out, much less a romantic partner who should want to PROTECT YOU and have your best interests at heart. Stay safe, everyone 🩷
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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
I really enjoyed this book! I read it in one sitting on a plane and thought it was so well done. The story and message were clear, the art is gorgeous, and the character development is really great. I laughed and cried. Freddy's journey to learn boundaries, self worth, and how to be a good friend is a worthwhile story for any person to read. I would recommend this book to anyone, especially teens.
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed the format!!
A really rich and beautiful gay coming-of-age messy relationship story. It's really great to have a book like this that isn't just a coming-out narrative or a romance but rather a story about the painful and emotional reality of immature high school relationships. Lots of really tender moments here especially between Freddy and Doodle, and some really heartbreaking pain too.
emotional
funny
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
Content Warnings
Minor: Abortion
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
2.5
Eh.
SO MUCH was going on tbh I feel like it either needed to be longer or focus on one less thing so that we had more time to acc explore the plot lines.
Eh.
SO MUCH was going on tbh I feel like it either needed to be longer or focus on one less thing so that we had more time to acc explore the plot lines.
3.5 stars: it was a fast read and i really liked the normalization of sapphic relationships, it was really open and there was no shame in their sexualities. the story itself was a little underwhelming, what really did it for me was the characters. i was invested in each and every characters even the side characters. they were all so complex and flawed, and like many people in this book, i hated laura dean but that’s what also made me enjoy her character. the frustration and anger she was able to evoke just showed how well-written she was. the art in this book was also amazing i loved the illustrations so much. overall, it was a solid read and i would recommend it to anyone!