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A review by megelizabeth
Upside Down by N.R. Walker
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.5
"He looked right at me, into me. His eyes were intent, searching, questioning, a little wary, but maybe there was a spark of something else there too. Something that looked like hope."
I absolutely adored this book and its characters. I didn't realise going in that it was a romance - I was expecting a contemporary story with maybe a very small dash of romance - but I didn't end up minding at all. The development of the central relationship is wonderful to witness, and there's a fabulous set of side characters too (and don't even get me started on how much I loved the found family element). There are also great conversations about asexuality and related societal expectations, and there was believable conflict and a good balance of the lighthearted and the serious.
I did find the writing a little clunky at times, and it also grated on me how a character's swearing is presented as such a big deal and significant personality trait and it seemed especially odd that older characters are presented as caring the way they do considering the character in question is in his mid-twenties. Ultimately, though, I just had such a great time reading this and truly fell in love with the story and characters, and so I'd still be keen to read more by the author.
I absolutely adored this book and its characters. I didn't realise going in that it was a romance - I was expecting a contemporary story with maybe a very small dash of romance - but I didn't end up minding at all. The development of the central relationship is wonderful to witness, and there's a fabulous set of side characters too (and don't even get me started on how much I loved the found family element). There are also great conversations about asexuality and related societal expectations, and there was believable conflict and a good balance of the lighthearted and the serious.
I did find the writing a little clunky at times, and it also grated on me how a character's swearing is presented as such a big deal and significant personality trait and it seemed especially odd that older characters are presented as caring the way they do considering the character in question is in his mid-twenties. Ultimately, though, I just had such a great time reading this and truly fell in love with the story and characters, and so I'd still be keen to read more by the author.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Acephobia/Arophobia and Homophobia