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A review by justinlife
Out of Character by Annabeth Albert
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Out of Character follows Jasper's story from Conventionally Yours as he finds love in an old friend, Milo, who broke up their friendship and joined the bullying crowd in high school. Now they are 21 and Milo needs Jasper's help. The book is told in back to back first person narrative.
Jasper, who has a sister with an immune disorder, loves helping people out. He always makes himself available to those around him and makes sure things get done. Milo, has made some mistakes and doesn't know how to come out of them in order to be a successful human. He's still hanging out with the crowd that he did in highschool and they haven't changed.
The story itself is fine. Both Jasper and Milo have some good conversations about accountability and holding on to past mistakes which I appreciate. We get to see how they deal with their past, the expectations of those around them, and how having someone in your corner rooting for you can make a difference. There's also some good conversations about boundaries and when not to rush in and save someone. Albert's writing style is light and breezy which makes the book fun.
My main issue with this novel were that the three secondary characters that were villainous felt very two dimensional. It felt right out of a 1980s teen movie. Because they were flat and less complicated, when our protagonists conquered over them, it didn't feel as rewarding.
Overall, though, I liked it. It was a fun sequel. I'd be curious if Albert digs more into this world.
Jasper, who has a sister with an immune disorder, loves helping people out. He always makes himself available to those around him and makes sure things get done. Milo, has made some mistakes and doesn't know how to come out of them in order to be a successful human. He's still hanging out with the crowd that he did in highschool and they haven't changed.
The story itself is fine. Both Jasper and Milo have some good conversations about accountability and holding on to past mistakes which I appreciate. We get to see how they deal with their past, the expectations of those around them, and how having someone in your corner rooting for you can make a difference. There's also some good conversations about boundaries and when not to rush in and save someone. Albert's writing style is light and breezy which makes the book fun.
My main issue with this novel were that the three secondary characters that were villainous felt very two dimensional. It felt right out of a 1980s teen movie. Because they were flat and less complicated, when our protagonists conquered over them, it didn't feel as rewarding.
Overall, though, I liked it. It was a fun sequel. I'd be curious if Albert digs more into this world.