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A review by natalken
The Whole Thing Together by Ann Brashares
1.0
Oh boy, this book is such a mess.
What are we promised in the synopsis? A story of Sasha and Ray, teenagers who share siblings, but are not related (which is emphasised probably 100 times throughout the book). What do we get instead? Multiple points of views for probably every single member of the family, that are changing in the middle of the chapter without any logical explanation, random scenes and plotlines that are completely unnecessary and little to no Sasha and Ray.
Let's focus now on each storyline separately:
Sasha and Ray (they identified as two halves of the same person when they started working in the supermarket, so I'll count them as one): honestly the romance between them made no sense at all. For 17 years they never met, they lived in the same room, had some idea of one another but they've never met. But then suddenly the meet for a moment and can't stop thinking about each other. Then after another few weeks they meet again and boom! they're in love. Honestly, it would make SO MUCH MORE SENSE if they just only stayed best friends? I don't see them falling in love at all and because there's no build up it feels extremely forced.
Emma: so she's dating a nice guy but for some reason she has to hide it. She didn't even have any good reason. Another forced storyline. Well I don't see much future for them since they've known each other only for 3 months and they broke up after the first problem showed up.
Mattie: well, I feel sorry for her. But again I feel like there was no build up for her story, although it's probably the best part of this book. BUT she has a love interest and I feel like it should be more developed. She's in love, he doesn't see her, then suddenly they talk and he becomes nice to her. OKAY BUT WHAT'S NEXT.
Quinn: OH MY GOD.
We also have their parents (five of them, to be specific), but they're all the embodiment of a cliche. We have mom that is mean and she also cheated because she "didn't feel happy", we have dad that his main feature is that he's rich, we have another mom that is the shadow of her husband and his ex-wife and we have another dad that we know nothing about because he's that boring. Oh, and we also have yet another dad but we only find out about him after 20 years and it turns out that he has a life of his own.
Basically I feel like this book was a bunch of random ideas thrown everywhere but none of the storie was actually told. The only advantage of this book is that it's quick.
What are we promised in the synopsis? A story of Sasha and Ray, teenagers who share siblings, but are not related (which is emphasised probably 100 times throughout the book). What do we get instead? Multiple points of views for probably every single member of the family, that are changing in the middle of the chapter without any logical explanation, random scenes and plotlines that are completely unnecessary and little to no Sasha and Ray.
Let's focus now on each storyline separately:
Sasha and Ray (they identified as two halves of the same person when they started working in the supermarket, so I'll count them as one): honestly the romance between them made no sense at all. For 17 years they never met, they lived in the same room, had some idea of one another but they've never met. But then suddenly the meet for a moment and can't stop thinking about each other. Then after another few weeks they meet again and boom! they're in love. Honestly, it would make SO MUCH MORE SENSE if they just only stayed best friends? I don't see them falling in love at all and because there's no build up it feels extremely forced.
Emma: so she's dating a nice guy but for some reason she has to hide it. She didn't even have any good reason. Another forced storyline.
Spoiler
Then because their parents fight they break up but after few weeks they realise that they can't live without each other and they decide to get married.Mattie: well, I feel sorry for her. But again I feel like there was no build up for her story, although it's probably the best part of this book. BUT she has a love interest and I feel like it should be more developed. She's in love, he doesn't see her, then suddenly they talk and he becomes nice to her. OKAY BUT WHAT'S NEXT.
Quinn: OH MY GOD.
Spoiler
That death scene was probably the worst death scene I've ever read. Usually I cry even when some side character dies and here I felt nothing. Also I feel like she had no story at all. The only thing I remember about her is that she pierced her nose and I don't even know what was that for, because that was one scene (that was written as if it was something important) and then it didn't lead up to anything. And I feel like the author killed her just because she didn't have any idea what to do with her.We also have their parents (five of them, to be specific), but they're all the embodiment of a cliche. We have mom that is mean and she also cheated because she "didn't feel happy", we have dad that his main feature is that he's rich, we have another mom that is the shadow of her husband and his ex-wife and we have another dad that we know nothing about because he's that boring. Oh, and we also have yet another dad but we only find out about him after 20 years and it turns out that he has a life of his own.
Basically I feel like this book was a bunch of random ideas thrown everywhere but none of the storie was actually told. The only advantage of this book is that it's quick.