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A review by literatehedgehog
If It Makes You Happy by Claire Kann
4.0
YAY I won a giveaway! I can't wait to receive this book! If it's as delicious as Let's Talk About Love, I'm in for a treat. I'm so very here for a fat queer girl of color protagonist. Thanks to Fierce Reads of Macmillan for the ARC!
review
In other hands, this story could be your basic summer romance. It could easily be simplified to best-friend-jealous-of-crush conflict during absurd-or-quaint-summer-gimmicky-adventure. It could even be bisexual-protagonist-struggles-with-her-label-and-who-she-really-wants. But Kann respects her readers and her characters and gives us so much more.
best parts
*The lack of labeling, and the explanation of why. Winnie and Kara have a unique relationship that doesn't fit readily within lesbian/asexual/romantic/poly/queer categories, and they don't care if you don't understand what they are to each other. They know they're important and special to each other, and they have established rules and communication to make that work.
*The romance. It's not a lusty crush. There's no pining for soulful kisses. It's not even a love triangle or a "team so and so" debate. Rather, the tension is whether Dallas will respect Winnie and Kara's relationship, how Winnie will balance her relationships, and how Kara deals with her feelings about it. Much more real and meaningful than choosing between say, vampires and werewolves.
*Winston! And to a lesser degree, Sam! Winnie's brother and cousin are integral parts of her life and they are vividly part of her daily activities and conversations. Their feelings are of equal import to hers. Secondary characters, especially in YA, can serve all too basic purposes, but these characters live in their own rights.
*Winnie's weight. The conflict with Granny is painfully nuanced. There are layers to Granny that we don't get to see - just like in real life, even if you desperately want a reason for why people do things, you aren't necessarily going to get it. But Kann has another character acknowledge how Granny's experience has made her who she is - she's not just an antagonist for conflict's sake. Winnie's view of diet and exercise is not argumentative or commercial body positivity, she makes great points about choice. It's unfortunately too real that her audience doesn't hear her, but I don't think that's Kann's point. I felt like she was (subtly) showing the reader how this kind of conversation can go. Here are some talking points, here are some perspectives, and here is how to gracefully exit because not everyone is willing or able to hear them.
room to grow
*plenty of "telling" over "showing", or telling in addition to showing. A character shouldn't have to tell me her values or personality, I should be able to see that in her actions. Even if she's explaining herself to someone else, it's too much. I don't think this was as much of a problem in Let's Talk About Love, although that book had much more pacing and characterization issues.
*As much as the characters were developed, some of their motivations fell flat, or didn't have enough intensity to match their actions. It felt a little forced, as if the plot needed a certain action or conflict to progress, but it didn't quite fit with the characters. Similarly, their attributes and actions weren't always continuous through the book. Kara's introduced as a baker, but she does no baking for a giant swath of the book. If she's constantly baking and making gluten-free things for Winnie, wouldn't they appear occasionally?
*The "puns"...that are really just references. They weren't very interesting, didn't add to any relationship, and I'm glad they dropped off partway through the book (plus, continuity of characterization!)
*Some plot threads never wrapped up - when they should be. I think yes, Winnie should stay out a toxic relationship but because it's a family member she's leaving that metaphorical door open. But what about the Haven Summer Royalty thing? It's weird but I'm giving it the "YA pass", but what really bothers me is that Winnie never entered the contest and we never hear again about HOW she could have been picked! They even reference Harry Potter's Goblet of Fire, but that is eventually explained! Perhaps it isn't explained because there isn't someone who would have sufficient reason to do it (back to clarity and depth of motivation). Maybe it will be fixed in the final copy.
OVERALL!
+ Representation! Relationships! Weight, race, sexuality & intersectionality! Real complex riffing on YA tropes!
- Telling! Puns! Plot holes! Continuity!
review
In other hands, this story could be your basic summer romance. It could easily be simplified to best-friend-jealous-of-crush conflict during absurd-or-quaint-summer-gimmicky-adventure. It could even be bisexual-protagonist-struggles-with-her-label-and-who-she-really-wants. But Kann respects her readers and her characters and gives us so much more.
best parts
*The lack of labeling, and the explanation of why. Winnie and Kara have a unique relationship that doesn't fit readily within lesbian/asexual/romantic/poly/queer categories, and they don't care if you don't understand what they are to each other. They know they're important and special to each other, and they have established rules and communication to make that work.
*The romance. It's not a lusty crush. There's no pining for soulful kisses. It's not even a love triangle or a "team so and so" debate. Rather, the tension is whether Dallas will respect Winnie and Kara's relationship, how Winnie will balance her relationships, and how Kara deals with her feelings about it. Much more real and meaningful than choosing between say, vampires and werewolves.
*Winston! And to a lesser degree, Sam! Winnie's brother and cousin are integral parts of her life and they are vividly part of her daily activities and conversations. Their feelings are of equal import to hers. Secondary characters, especially in YA, can serve all too basic purposes, but these characters live in their own rights.
*Winnie's weight. The conflict with Granny is painfully nuanced. There are layers to Granny that we don't get to see - just like in real life, even if you desperately want a reason for why people do things, you aren't necessarily going to get it. But Kann has another character acknowledge how Granny's experience has made her who she is - she's not just an antagonist for conflict's sake. Winnie's view of diet and exercise is not argumentative or commercial body positivity, she makes great points about choice. It's unfortunately too real that her audience doesn't hear her, but I don't think that's Kann's point. I felt like she was (subtly) showing the reader how this kind of conversation can go. Here are some talking points, here are some perspectives, and here is how to gracefully exit because not everyone is willing or able to hear them.
room to grow
*plenty of "telling" over "showing", or telling in addition to showing. A character shouldn't have to tell me her values or personality, I should be able to see that in her actions. Even if she's explaining herself to someone else, it's too much. I don't think this was as much of a problem in Let's Talk About Love, although that book had much more pacing and characterization issues.
*As much as the characters were developed, some of their motivations fell flat, or didn't have enough intensity to match their actions. It felt a little forced, as if the plot needed a certain action or conflict to progress, but it didn't quite fit with the characters. Similarly, their attributes and actions weren't always continuous through the book. Kara's introduced as a baker, but she does no baking for a giant swath of the book. If she's constantly baking and making gluten-free things for Winnie, wouldn't they appear occasionally?
*The "puns"...that are really just references. They weren't very interesting, didn't add to any relationship, and I'm glad they dropped off partway through the book (plus, continuity of characterization!)
*Some plot threads never wrapped up - when they should be. I think yes, Winnie should stay out a toxic relationship but because it's a family member she's leaving that metaphorical door open. But what about the Haven Summer Royalty thing? It's weird but I'm giving it the "YA pass", but what really bothers me is that Winnie never entered the contest and we never hear again about HOW she could have been picked! They even reference Harry Potter's Goblet of Fire, but that is eventually explained! Perhaps it isn't explained because there isn't someone who would have sufficient reason to do it (back to clarity and depth of motivation). Maybe it will be fixed in the final copy.
OVERALL!
+ Representation! Relationships! Weight, race, sexuality & intersectionality! Real complex riffing on YA tropes!
- Telling! Puns! Plot holes! Continuity!