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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
I received this e-ARC free from the publisher in exchange for participating in a study with Jellybooks.
Whoa. That was incredible.
What can I say about this other than that? I loved how casually diverse it was, how interesting the plot was, how much I loved Ozzie. I quite enjoyed how there were frank discussions of privilege in this book, inserted in a way that fit, despite the fact that I didn't entirely agree with all the messages. This love triangle, in spite of the fact that one part was not present for most of the book, was one that I could stand. I loved how conflicted I was over Lua.
And that ending. Oh, that ending. I did not see that coming, not one bit.
There's not really much else for me to say, other than this is totally worth a read.
Whoa. That was incredible.
What can I say about this other than that? I loved how casually diverse it was, how interesting the plot was, how much I loved Ozzie. I quite enjoyed how there were frank discussions of privilege in this book, inserted in a way that fit, despite the fact that I didn't entirely agree with all the messages. This love triangle, in spite of the fact that one part was not present for most of the book, was one that I could stand. I loved how conflicted I was over Lua.
And that ending. Oh, that ending. I did not see that coming, not one bit.
There's not really much else for me to say, other than this is totally worth a read.
rating: 4.0
thoughts: At the Edge of the Universe is painfully honest and heartbreakingly beautiful.
thoughts: At the Edge of the Universe is painfully honest and heartbreakingly beautiful.
Amazing!!!! ❤ The book was amazing, but I don't know if the story concluded according to where the story was heading rightly. However, I enjoyed it so much. Thank you, Shaun David Hitchinson
It reminded me of We Are The Ants a lot with its quirky fantastical plot that you don't know if it is real or not and i love that the handling from the author is that it is happening to the main character so of course it is real. It is real to them!
but it loses one star because i found the slight plot reveal near the end a little anticlimactic... and one more star because it is very simiral to we are the ants and that was better...
Solid characters though and great enviroment and writing so 3/5 stars for me
but it loses one star because i found the slight plot reveal near the end a little anticlimactic... and one more star because it is very simiral to we are the ants and that was better...
Solid characters though and great enviroment and writing so 3/5 stars for me
Actual rating: 4.5/5 stars
I devoured this 450+ page book in just about one day, so I think that is a good indication as to how I felt about it. While I wanted something a little different than what I got, I really enjoyed this entire book. The ride from the beginning to the end was great. I also really loved the ending. I was so afraid it was going to have an open ending (I was expecting a very specific open ending), but it didn't. The ending was really satisfying, too.
So good. So, so good.
I devoured this 450+ page book in just about one day, so I think that is a good indication as to how I felt about it. While I wanted something a little different than what I got, I really enjoyed this entire book. The ride from the beginning to the end was great. I also really loved the ending. I was so afraid it was going to have an open ending (I was expecting a very specific open ending), but it didn't. The ending was really satisfying, too.
So good. So, so good.
Okay: for the most part, I really liked this book. Most of this book was 4 stars, solid. I loved We Are the Ants; this book is very similar in that it's sci-fi-ish but mostly contemporary, and deals with loss. In a way, it was nearly too similar - I found both protagonists to be largely the same.
Nevertheless, it was a good book, and it explores a lot of really complex and difficult subjects intertwined with the plot of the universe shrinking, though the sci-fi aspect wasn't as well integrated as I had hoped. Ozzie was a good, sarcastic character; I really enjoyed his narration. Calvin ... oh my god, I loved Calvin and wanted to hug him; he was probably my favourite character. Lua was incredibly badass and so cool.
I really appreciate the diversity - Hutchinson has always written about gay teen boys, but nearly every major teen character is queer - genderfluid, bisexual, asexual. I'm a bit disappointed that the asexual character came at the expense of stereotyping an East Asian boy, making him super smart and asexual.
And now: the ending.This is the main reason that I knocked it down a star. Because for everyone but Ozzie, nothing in the story fucking happened. It made the story feel inconsequential, and it was never explained in any way. I really wish we'd gotten an explanation or consequences; I wish that Calvin and Ozzie's relationship still remained in some way, and I wish that everything that happened during most of the book still resonated with the characters at the end. It felt futile.
Nevertheless, it was a good book, and it explores a lot of really complex and difficult subjects intertwined with the plot of the universe shrinking, though the sci-fi aspect wasn't as well integrated as I had hoped. Ozzie was a good, sarcastic character; I really enjoyed his narration. Calvin ... oh my god, I loved Calvin and wanted to hug him; he was probably my favourite character. Lua was incredibly badass and so cool.
I really appreciate the diversity - Hutchinson has always written about gay teen boys, but nearly every major teen character is queer - genderfluid, bisexual, asexual. I'm a bit disappointed that the asexual character came at the expense of stereotyping an East Asian boy, making him super smart and asexual.
And now: the ending.
This was my first book by SDH and I've been so hyped about his work that this could have easily gone the "it didn't live up to my expectations" way. But! It didn't! I have no idea what I expected from this in terms of plot and characters but I can say that it was definitely worth the hype (I say hype but how come only around 1800 people have rated this on goodreads?? How???)
Anyway, I don't have a copy of this anymore because I read it on Riveted, so this is a short review with no quotes or anything, but you should definitely go read this book.
So, Ozzie is the only one who remembers his boyfriend Tommy. Everyone's history has been modified to reflect a world where Tommy was never born, But Ozzie knows he hasn't just dreamed Tommy. Throughout the book we see some of the memories he shared with Tommy, but the main story takes place in the present, where Ozzie life moves on, more or less, without Tommy. His disappearance isn't the only weird thing that's happened. The universe is also shrinking, and again, only Ozzy seems to know.
I found the premise so intriguing that I was hooked on that alone from the start, but then as we learn more about Ozzie, his old friends Lua and Dustin and his new friend Calvin, I couldn't stop reading.
The book touches on many difficult and dark themes that are a reality for so many young adults, so keep that in mind and look at the trigger warnings at the of my review to know some of the themes that are in this book (but keep in mind I might have missed some).
The cast is also very diversewith Ozzie being gay, Tommy being a black gay boy, Lua being genderfluid, Calving being questioning/bi, and Dustin being coded as ace (the author confirmed he is, but the word is not on page because Dustin doesn't say it, so I guess he's questioning at the time of the book).
I really don't want to spoil anything so I'll just say that reading this was great and especially the countdown of the size of the universe made it impossible to stop reading, as well as the question of why everything was happening.
I can only recommend everyone to read it and find out everything by yourself.
TWs: self harm, depression, sexual assault, abuse.
Anyway, I don't have a copy of this anymore because I read it on Riveted, so this is a short review with no quotes or anything, but you should definitely go read this book.
So, Ozzie is the only one who remembers his boyfriend Tommy. Everyone's history has been modified to reflect a world where Tommy was never born, But Ozzie knows he hasn't just dreamed Tommy. Throughout the book we see some of the memories he shared with Tommy, but the main story takes place in the present, where Ozzie life moves on, more or less, without Tommy. His disappearance isn't the only weird thing that's happened. The universe is also shrinking, and again, only Ozzy seems to know.
I found the premise so intriguing that I was hooked on that alone from the start, but then as we learn more about Ozzie, his old friends Lua and Dustin and his new friend Calvin, I couldn't stop reading.
The book touches on many difficult and dark themes that are a reality for so many young adults, so keep that in mind and look at the trigger warnings at the of my review to know some of the themes that are in this book (but keep in mind I might have missed some).
The cast is also very diversewith Ozzie being gay, Tommy being a black gay boy, Lua being genderfluid, Calving being questioning/bi, and Dustin being coded as ace (the author confirmed he is, but the word is not on page because Dustin doesn't say it, so I guess he's questioning at the time of the book).
I really don't want to spoil anything so I'll just say that reading this was great and especially the countdown of the size of the universe made it impossible to stop reading, as well as the question of why everything was happening.
I can only recommend everyone to read it and find out everything by yourself.
TWs: self harm, depression, sexual assault, abuse.
with each shaun david hutchinson book i read the more confused i become by the ending
