A review by hmatt
The State of Us by Shaun David Hutchinson

hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

I've had it out from the library for ages and just needed to get through it. At first wasn't sure if it was the YA-ness or the actual writing that was turning me off, but after finishing, reflecting, and looking into reviews... it's the writing. It felt a lot too much like trying to both ramp up the politics of RW&RB and also shy away from being too controversial. Many identities and concepts were thrown in just to have them there, imo (... Mexican-American family dynamics... Demisexuality). I think I had high hopes for this and I wanted to like it more while reading it, but it just didn't get there. Would recommend reading Dante & Aristotle and then RW&RB instead, if you're looking for these vibes.  
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