Scan barcode
A review by knobbyknees
The Evolution of Jeremy Warsh by Jess Moore
3.0
(I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a review.)
What drew me to this book, after I read the synopsis, was the setting: a small midwest town, 1997 or 98. I feel like the 90s are blowing up again (especially in fashion) and it's super weird to see teens of now consuming it the way they are. I lived through it once, and the evolution of it as cool again is a little much for me. But this was the perfect amount of nostalgia: this was when the internet was on the cusp of becoming a thing, cell phones were scarce, grunge was in. Jeremy and his hip friend Kasey and his music-obsessed buddy Stu wear Nirvana shirts, Doc Martens, studded belts, candy-flavored lip balm, unironically.
The story centers around Jeremy, who hasn't drawn since his grandfather passed away. His home life is a mix of good and bad: he has an amazing mother but they're struggling to make ends meet. We follow Jeremy on a slice-of-life story, from the start of the school year to Homecoming in October, so just a few short months, as he grows a little bit as a person.
My issue with the story was that a lot of things just happen to Jeremy. Yes, he has some autonomy, and he nudges the story a little bit here and there, but it never really felt like he had huge outside obstacles to overcome -- just himself. Maybe that was the point of the book, but it read a little bit dully to me. I never actually worried for him, or whispered to myself that he was making a bad decision, or that he was being a good or bad person. He just *was.* And a character that you have no feelings about, well, that's just kind of a blob, you know?
I expected to feel more for Jeremy, who is confused about his feelings for his best friend Kasey, but who also kisses a guy at a party. I wanted to feel something for him when he picked up a pencil and started drawing again, or when he stood up to his school bully, but I didn't. I wondered about the repercussions of those actions, sure, but nothing really fleshed out. Small example:Like, Jeremy stands up to his bully, and the bully punches him. After going to the doctor, where nothing happens, he goes home and his mom suggests pressing charges. Jeremy says no, because he had instigated the fight. So the mom drops it. Nothing happens. Or Kasey comes out to her parents, and they want to send her to conversion therapy. Kasey moves in with Jeremy, but that affects nothing. She chooses to move out of town to live with her brother, but we don't see how that affects Jeremy until the epilogue (and it doesn't really affect him). I never once worried about Jeremy, and the plot to "prank" the school by having everyone show up to the Homecoming dance as zombies was just... okay?
I think I understand where the author was coming from, setting the story in the 90s, and having two of her main characters come out. 20 years ago, things were not great for gay people. 1998 is when Matthew Shepard was dragged to death because of his sexuality. The threat to be out, especially in a small midwestern town, was a very real thing. However, I never got the sense of the characters' fear. Even Jeremy's bully, who inferred Jeremy's sexual orientation, was no real threat outside of school. I don't know, it was just... flat.
I expected a little more texture to the story -- it felt very much like, "this happened, and then this happened," rather than "because this happened, the consequence happened." I wish the writing had been more dynamic. In short, I think this was fine, but only fine.
What drew me to this book, after I read the synopsis, was the setting: a small midwest town, 1997 or 98. I feel like the 90s are blowing up again (especially in fashion) and it's super weird to see teens of now consuming it the way they are. I lived through it once, and the evolution of it as cool again is a little much for me. But this was the perfect amount of nostalgia: this was when the internet was on the cusp of becoming a thing, cell phones were scarce, grunge was in. Jeremy and his hip friend Kasey and his music-obsessed buddy Stu wear Nirvana shirts, Doc Martens, studded belts, candy-flavored lip balm, unironically.
The story centers around Jeremy, who hasn't drawn since his grandfather passed away. His home life is a mix of good and bad: he has an amazing mother but they're struggling to make ends meet. We follow Jeremy on a slice-of-life story, from the start of the school year to Homecoming in October, so just a few short months, as he grows a little bit as a person.
My issue with the story was that a lot of things just happen to Jeremy. Yes, he has some autonomy, and he nudges the story a little bit here and there, but it never really felt like he had huge outside obstacles to overcome -- just himself. Maybe that was the point of the book, but it read a little bit dully to me. I never actually worried for him, or whispered to myself that he was making a bad decision, or that he was being a good or bad person. He just *was.* And a character that you have no feelings about, well, that's just kind of a blob, you know?
I expected to feel more for Jeremy, who is confused about his feelings for his best friend Kasey, but who also kisses a guy at a party. I wanted to feel something for him when he picked up a pencil and started drawing again, or when he stood up to his school bully, but I didn't. I wondered about the repercussions of those actions, sure, but nothing really fleshed out. Small example:
I think I understand where the author was coming from, setting the story in the 90s, and having two of her main characters come out. 20 years ago, things were not great for gay people. 1998 is when Matthew Shepard was dragged to death because of his sexuality. The threat to be out, especially in a small midwestern town, was a very real thing. However, I never got the sense of the characters' fear. Even Jeremy's bully, who inferred Jeremy's sexual orientation, was no real threat outside of school. I don't know, it was just... flat.
I expected a little more texture to the story -- it felt very much like, "this happened, and then this happened," rather than "because this happened, the consequence happened." I wish the writing had been more dynamic. In short, I think this was fine, but only fine.