Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by frutsbasket
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
2.0
2.5 stars rounded downn
FIRST: I appreciate Ali Hazelwood for being dedicated to writing stories about women in STEM. I can very much understand why her books have such an appeal an fanbase. I want to see more of that unique perspective moving forward and I hope that this catches on more or at least becomes more mainstream. I will say that this book is written STRIDES better than Love on The Brain. I could actually understand WHY there's nonstop hype. I have some gripes with the writing but it was nowhere nearrr distasteful as I felt like Love on the Brain was.
Some books I'm able to let a lot of things go because I'm having fun but this is sadly not one of those books. First, I didn't appreciate the only real (annoying) external force being Ahn for a good majority of the book. Her personality was literally summed up as being being the sole WOC character "POC bestie trope" who is also a super champion for women of color in STEM felt really lazy (but not too lazy because there wasn't much to any other character). I get that the story isn't about her but it was a little disappointing that the reader is almost forced to cringe and be understandably annoyed by Olive's only real girl friend, a FELLOW GIRL IN STEM. I felt the same about Malcom. Olive's friends felt like high schoolers instead of grad school students. I wish that instead of sooo much playful, silly banter we got more real moments with them?? Like some of the stuff they'd say made no sense to them as science people? Like I really did not get the gripes everyone had about SPF and Ahn's insistence on using SUNSCREEN??
Olive and Adam both felt SO hollow to me. I couldn't exactly gage Olive's personality which as frustrating on top of the fact that we're given SO many lines about how Adam was sooooo BIG and about to burst out of his Henley. Adam's personality as well!! we're told about how he's a big "heartless meanie evil grump" but we aren't shown it in any way? Like to ME that did not sell Adam as being mean as much as he's a tough grader who cares about his students work? Like he's 30 years old very set in his career? and you guys expect him to draw smiley papers and smile when your research isn't up to par? IDK!!!
THE BIG VILLIAN REVEAL. I don't think that the reveal of Tom being "bad" was all that daunting like idk what it was but that was so unserious to me. I don't think Ali Hazelwood writes twists or villain particularly well. it felt so cheesy and scooby doo like. "RAWR I HATE WOMEN IN SCIENCE! AND THERE IS NOTHING U CAN DO AND I WORK AT HARVARD AND AM SO MUCH BETTER THAN YOU! EVEN THO YOU ARE THE GIRLFRIEND OF THE BESTPROFESSOR AT STANFORD NOTHING WILL GET ME FIRED RAWRRRR"
UMM besides that, I mean it was okay?? I think my biggest problem is that it feels super hollow and unfinished in a way?? I think that this lost stars for me because I need depth to a character/ a world that this book just didn't give me! The "feel" of Adam is there with him loving the color black and being "grumpy(?)" but I don't feel like there is a LOT to his character besides a Pinterest board of ideas? Nothing feels solid and this is the same with Olive. Her driving factor is her mother who died from pancreatic cancer, she rides a bike because she's a poor college grad, she loves stupidly sugary drinks, and that's IT. I feel as though the reader has to do work to figure out the personalities of the main characters. For someone who has no idea who Rey and Kylo are, it falls flat imo, and the reader will have to do work to figure out what these people are like besides their thoughts? idk if that makes sense but there felt like there was 0 life breathed into these characters (maybe bc it's fanfiction and these characters are someone ELSES, but I've also read GOOD fanfiction so idk about that) anyway BYEEEE
Anyway I could see how this could be a 3 star read but this was not an enjoyable experience or a good read for me so :P
FIRST: I appreciate Ali Hazelwood for being dedicated to writing stories about women in STEM. I can very much understand why her books have such an appeal an fanbase. I want to see more of that unique perspective moving forward and I hope that this catches on more or at least becomes more mainstream. I will say that this book is written STRIDES better than Love on The Brain. I could actually understand WHY there's nonstop hype. I have some gripes with the writing but it was nowhere nearrr distasteful as I felt like Love on the Brain was.
Some books I'm able to let a lot of things go because I'm having fun but this is sadly not one of those books. First, I didn't appreciate the only real (annoying) external force being Ahn for a good majority of the book. Her personality was literally summed up as being being the sole WOC character "POC bestie trope" who is also a super champion for women of color in STEM felt really lazy (but not too lazy because there wasn't much to any other character). I get that the story isn't about her but it was a little disappointing that the reader is almost forced to cringe and be understandably annoyed by Olive's only real girl friend, a FELLOW GIRL IN STEM. I felt the same about Malcom. Olive's friends felt like high schoolers instead of grad school students. I wish that instead of sooo much playful, silly banter we got more real moments with them?? Like some of the stuff they'd say made no sense to them as science people? Like I really did not get the gripes everyone had about SPF and Ahn's insistence on using SUNSCREEN??
Olive and Adam both felt SO hollow to me. I couldn't exactly gage Olive's personality which as frustrating on top of the fact that we're given SO many lines about how Adam was sooooo BIG and about to burst out of his Henley. Adam's personality as well!! we're told about how he's a big "heartless meanie evil grump" but we aren't shown it in any way? Like to ME that did not sell Adam as being mean as much as he's a tough grader who cares about his students work? Like he's 30 years old very set in his career? and you guys expect him to draw smiley papers and smile when your research isn't up to par? IDK!!!
THE BIG VILLIAN REVEAL. I don't think that the reveal of Tom being "bad" was all that daunting like idk what it was but that was so unserious to me. I don't think Ali Hazelwood writes twists or villain particularly well. it felt so cheesy and scooby doo like. "RAWR I HATE WOMEN IN SCIENCE! AND THERE IS NOTHING U CAN DO AND I WORK AT HARVARD AND AM SO MUCH BETTER THAN YOU! EVEN THO YOU ARE THE GIRLFRIEND OF THE BESTPROFESSOR AT STANFORD NOTHING WILL GET ME FIRED RAWRRRR"
UMM besides that, I mean it was okay?? I think my biggest problem is that it feels super hollow and unfinished in a way?? I think that this lost stars for me because I need depth to a character/ a world that this book just didn't give me! The "feel" of Adam is there with him loving the color black and being "grumpy(?)" but I don't feel like there is a LOT to his character besides a Pinterest board of ideas? Nothing feels solid and this is the same with Olive. Her driving factor is her mother who died from pancreatic cancer, she rides a bike because she's a poor college grad, she loves stupidly sugary drinks, and that's IT. I feel as though the reader has to do work to figure out the personalities of the main characters. For someone who has no idea who Rey and Kylo are, it falls flat imo, and the reader will have to do work to figure out what these people are like besides their thoughts? idk if that makes sense but there felt like there was 0 life breathed into these characters (maybe bc it's fanfiction and these characters are someone ELSES, but I've also read GOOD fanfiction so idk about that) anyway BYEEEE
Anyway I could see how this could be a 3 star read but this was not an enjoyable experience or a good read for me so :P