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martin27's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
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
3.75
I will readily admit that I was not necessarily the target audience for this book. That didn’t keep me from seeing myself in Avi and from feeling invited to experience her world. The author has succeeded in created a setting that feels like a second home for both the characters and the audience, and the love, heartbreak, and stresses of teenage life are accurately and honestly depicted.
Plot-wise, it’s very straight forward. Avi goes to school. Avi meets a mean girl. Avi meets a boy. I wouldn’t call this a flaw; it’s not meant to be the most thought-provoking book ever. It’s ultimately about the bond between Avi and her sister Belle, which is by far the most complex and interesting relationship in the book.
Some of the side characters do come off a bit flat. They fall into tropes fairly often (Moe is the over-protective brother, Zazie is the good vibes photographer, Paisli is a nosy preteen using TikTok, etc.), but they aren’t boring. They just all come across as side characters in Avi’s story. Of all the side characters, Rhyon and Quincy seem to be the strongest in my opinion, but Rhyon’s arc is completed quite a bit before the book ends, and Quincy’s arc felt very smooth until the very end of the book, where things just cut off. The author introduces a lot of names early in the book that rarely come back (for example, Rhyon’s roommate, who I had completely forgotten about by the book’s end when she is finally mentioned again and I had to try and remember what I was supposed to know about her).
A solid read, especially for teenagers, and it does address several important topics in a way that felt realistic and didn’t romanticize or sugarcoat any of them.
Plot-wise, it’s very straight forward. Avi goes to school. Avi meets a mean girl. Avi meets a boy. I wouldn’t call this a flaw; it’s not meant to be the most thought-provoking book ever. It’s ultimately about the bond between Avi and her sister Belle, which is by far the most complex and interesting relationship in the book.
Some of the side characters do come off a bit flat. They fall into tropes fairly often (Moe is the over-protective brother, Zazie is the good vibes photographer, Paisli is a nosy preteen using TikTok, etc.), but they aren’t boring. They just all come across as side characters in Avi’s story. Of all the side characters, Rhyon and Quincy seem to be the strongest in my opinion, but Rhyon’s arc is completed quite a bit before the book ends, and Quincy’s arc felt very smooth until the very end of the book, where things just cut off. The author introduces a lot of names early in the book that rarely come back (for example, Rhyon’s roommate, who I had completely forgotten about by the book’s end when she is finally mentioned again and I had to try and remember what I was supposed to know about her).
A solid read, especially for teenagers, and it does address several important topics in a way that felt realistic and didn’t romanticize or sugarcoat any of them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, and Stalking
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