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A review by jennifermreads
We Are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielsen
2.0
Stewart is book smart but socially immature. Ashley is atop the social pyramid but is not cutting it at school. Their worlds join together when their parents move in together. Stewart is ecstatic to finally be gaining a sister but Ashley lives in fear that Stewart will hinder her social standing.
Several other Goodreads reviewers pointed out what also struck me: Stewart didn’t seem 13 and Ashley didn’t seem 14. Going into this book, I thought that maybe Stewart would be reminiscent of Sheldon from Big Bang Theory or Don from The Rosie Project: book smart but socially stunted. But with both Stewart and Ashley, if the ages hadn’t been stated, I never would have placed them in high school. Their voices were much too immature.
I also was very disappointed that any morals that this story would have had seemed very glossed over rather than deeply discussed and/or addressed.
I was looking for a contemporary read as a distraction. This book served that need. But the book could have been so much more with deeper examination of the social issues it glossed over. As others have said, I’m just not sure to whom I could “sell” this story – or if I even want to try.
Several other Goodreads reviewers pointed out what also struck me: Stewart didn’t seem 13 and Ashley didn’t seem 14. Going into this book, I thought that maybe Stewart would be reminiscent of Sheldon from Big Bang Theory or Don from The Rosie Project: book smart but socially stunted. But with both Stewart and Ashley, if the ages hadn’t been stated, I never would have placed them in high school. Their voices were much too immature.
I also was very disappointed that any morals that this story would have had seemed very glossed over rather than deeply discussed and/or addressed.
Spoiler
A confrontation with Ashley and Michael, her father’s boyfriend, would have brought Ashley’s prejudice and fear to the forefront and laid the groundwork for a moral about loving people and treating them with respect regardless of sexuality. In addition, I feel like the almost rape of Ashley was glossed over. Jared suffered no real-life affects for his actions. At least there was a wonderful scene with Stewart putting an end to possible sexting by destroying Jared’s phone and, thus, the picture of Ashley.I was looking for a contemporary read as a distraction. This book served that need. But the book could have been so much more with deeper examination of the social issues it glossed over. As others have said, I’m just not sure to whom I could “sell” this story – or if I even want to try.