Review by betweentheshelves - As Far as You'll Take Me

betweentheshelves 's review for:

As Far as You'll Take Me by Phil Stamper

4.0

emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Thanks to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for providing me an advanced copy of this to review! Gravity of Us was a standout for me last year, so I was super excited to read Stamper’s follow up novel. And it definitely didn’t disappoint!

This book excels in the way it portrays anxiety and panic attacks. Marty struggles with this a lot in the book, and I really appreciated the way Stamper included it in Marty’s story. It felt authentic and true to what happens in real life.

The relationships are also where this book excels. This is definitely a character driven book, as it’s more about Marty’s journey than where he’s going. The relationships throughout help propel him on this journey. He has struggles with his best friend back home, realizing their relationship wasn’t what he thought it was. He also jumps into his first romantic relationship, which isn’t what it seems on the surface. Both of these experiences help Marty get to where he is at the end of the book, becoming a stronger person.

One of the reasons this isn’t getting 5 stars from me is due to the way the text deals with eating disorders. While Stamper nails anxiety and panic attacks on the head, Marty’s struggle with eating feels like it was a little brushed under the rug. The two do go hand in hand, and I wish that Marty’s eating disorder was given a little more page time in the book. He seems to get over it rather quickly, despite his continual struggles with anxiety.

Despite that, I had a difficult time putting this book down. Stamper has created a story that is filled with music, found family, and learning your place in the world. It definitely grabs onto your heart and doesn’t let go.

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I loved Marty and his journey. I actually read this entire book in one sitting! Stay tuned for a full review tomorrow!

Content Warnings