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shelves_by_sim 's review for:
When Haru Was Here
by Dustin Thao
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is my first Dustin Thao book and I obviously really want to read You've Reached Sam but haven't gotten around to it! I've heard about the heart breaking this author does and even knowing that, I was still not prepared for the things that happened in this book! I loved the feel of this story, honestly nothing better than a young adult queer romance! I love this genre so much, there is just something about it that feels so sweet and cozy and gaaaaah, everything!! But when you introduce grief and heartache? Gosh!!
I loved Eric, he feels exactly like what a lost teenager struggling with grief would feel like. Obviously, we do not know the extent of this grief and what lead to it up until almost the very end - which, let me tell you, is even more heartbreaking - and this makes the overall feel of the book sad and at some sections, quite heavy. I do think that Thao tried to have Eric live in his head, making up scenarios where he'd ultimately be happy instead of having to face his life but this does get a little confusing, because it reads more as someone who is struggling mentally and it can be hard to distinguish between these hallucinations and what is actually real.
Eric also comes off as a confused person, he very obviously has feelings for Haru, even though the entire situation with Haru is unexplainable - is he real? How is he here? - but at the same time, he also seems to have feelings for different characters throughout this book too. I don't think that was necessary because it leads to situations where Eric allows himself to fall in with the wrong crowd and get used. I did really enjoy this book though, and the end really did clear up any questions I had. It really was heartbreaking story and I shed a tear for the letters from and to his sister!
@panmacmillansa, thank you for this beautiful book 🌸
I loved Eric, he feels exactly like what a lost teenager struggling with grief would feel like. Obviously, we do not know the extent of this grief and what lead to it up until almost the very end - which, let me tell you, is even more heartbreaking - and this makes the overall feel of the book sad and at some sections, quite heavy. I do think that Thao tried to have Eric live in his head, making up scenarios where he'd ultimately be happy instead of having to face his life but this does get a little confusing, because it reads more as someone who is struggling mentally and it can be hard to distinguish between these hallucinations and what is actually real.
Eric also comes off as a confused person, he very obviously has feelings for Haru, even though the entire situation with Haru is unexplainable - is he real? How is he here? - but at the same time, he also seems to have feelings for different characters throughout this book too. I don't think that was necessary because it leads to situations where Eric allows himself to fall in with the wrong crowd and get used. I did really enjoy this book though, and the end really did clear up any questions I had. It really was heartbreaking story and I shed a tear for the letters from and to his sister!
@panmacmillansa, thank you for this beautiful book 🌸