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A review by mjenae
Focused by Alyson Gerber
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Fantabulous.
I feel like the author did a great job of portraying ADHD, which isn't a surprise since she has it herself. She focused mainly on how it affected Clea's schoolwork and relationships, and I came away with a much clearer picture of how ADHD affects a kid Clea's age.
Speaking of the relationships—that was the secondary focus of the story, and can I just say for a moment—YES. THIS IS WHAT I WANT. There was conflict, but it was resolved. All the main characters were fleshed out, each with their own backstories and personal problems. There was a lot of miscommunication and impulsive anger and ridiculing and fighting, but it was always explained and taken care of. There was only one antagonist who didn't have much redeemability, but she didn't play a prominent part in the story except to help track Clea's progress, so I was fine with that. I just love to see a middle grade book modeling growth in relationships and mature conflict resolution (mostly). I can very easily get tired of the "toxic friendship" trope, so I was glad it didn't show up here.
I feel like the author did a great job of portraying ADHD, which isn't a surprise since she has it herself. She focused mainly on how it affected Clea's schoolwork and relationships, and I came away with a much clearer picture of how ADHD affects a kid Clea's age.
Speaking of the relationships—that was the secondary focus of the story, and can I just say for a moment—YES. THIS IS WHAT I WANT. There was conflict, but it was resolved. All the main characters were fleshed out, each with their own backstories and personal problems. There was a lot of miscommunication and impulsive anger and ridiculing and fighting, but it was always explained and taken care of. There was only one antagonist who didn't have much redeemability, but she didn't play a prominent part in the story except to help track Clea's progress, so I was fine with that. I just love to see a middle grade book modeling growth in relationships and mature conflict resolution (mostly). I can very easily get tired of the "toxic friendship" trope, so I was glad it didn't show up here.