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polkadotgirl 's review for:
Why We Broke Up
by Daniel Handler
1/5 stars:
I hated this book with a passion, my god.
I went into this story expecting to cry and expecting it to be angsty and to feel raw and sad because I mean Why We Broke Up sounds like a story that's supposed to remind you of your own failed relationships and maybe then feel hopeful by the end, right? WRONG! This book just feels exasperating and its characters are not relatable or even likable at all.
Min is probably the best character of the book but I think that has to do with her being the protagonist and narrator so because you spend the most time with her there are moments when you like her actions but even so, she's annoying at times, she's so much of a YA cliché with the whole book having this "You're different" bullshit throughout it and her being like "'I'm not because I'm so insecure and normal and unremarkable". I may sound insensitive because being insecure and having low self esteem (especially for teenage girls) is not something to take lightly, but this book made it feel like that's what she was meant to say to make her seem even more humble and good and to make you relate more to her.
And don't get me started on Ed. The worst part about this book was definitely the main relationship between Ed and Min which speaks to how bad I thought the book was because it's the heart of the story. How can I feel sad or nostalgic or frustrated or upset when the break up comes when I didn't even like the relationship at all? I wasn't even cheering for Min to break up with Ed, I just rolled my eyes and said "Whatever".
Also, the book has so many questionable things that angered me so much at the beginning and then just tired me out.
First of all, the homophobia that is kind of discussed but also kind of condoned and brushed off. We get it, Ed, you're a homophobe who uses the word gay in a derogatory manner. Jesus, you don't need to do it every five sentences. Also, Min, it's good that you told your boyfriend that what he was doing was bad but the explanation you gave was ridiculously shallow and then you go on to joke about it with him again so like, yeah, great job.
Then, there are so many misoginistic moments and expressions and things happening in this book that I don't think I can mention them all: the "you're not like other girls" shit, the "girls fighting over the jock playboy", the slut shaming (LET GIRLS WEAR WHATEVER THEY WANT ON HALLOWEEN AND ON WHATEVER FUCKING DAY).
And the way that virginity is talked about and handled and treated... Nop, I'm out.
And oh, oh, oh, the great "surprise" by the end where such an innovative twist was introduced where the main character and her best guy friends couldn't, of course, be just best friends with no romantic feelings towards the other because, of course, they're a girl and a guy so how is it possible for them to be friends? No way!
Lastly, the book felt so presumptuous from beginning to end that I just couldn't handle it. I'm not saying the only valid references a book can make are mainstream one and I'm not saying that as soon as I don't understand a reference in a book that makes it presumptuous. I'm just saying that Min mentioning all this old-school, kind of obscure, kind of rare movies didn't make me feel as if it was something she really loved. It made me feel as if the author was really trying to prove how unlike other girls his protagonist is and as I said before, bullshit.
I don't know if this review makes any sense whatsoever but I just have so much rage and disappointment inside after reading this book and I needed to vent.
I hated this book with a passion, my god.
I went into this story expecting to cry and expecting it to be angsty and to feel raw and sad because I mean Why We Broke Up sounds like a story that's supposed to remind you of your own failed relationships and maybe then feel hopeful by the end, right? WRONG! This book just feels exasperating and its characters are not relatable or even likable at all.
Min is probably the best character of the book but I think that has to do with her being the protagonist and narrator so because you spend the most time with her there are moments when you like her actions but even so, she's annoying at times, she's so much of a YA cliché with the whole book having this "You're different" bullshit throughout it and her being like "'I'm not because I'm so insecure and normal and unremarkable". I may sound insensitive because being insecure and having low self esteem (especially for teenage girls) is not something to take lightly, but this book made it feel like that's what she was meant to say to make her seem even more humble and good and to make you relate more to her.
And don't get me started on Ed. The worst part about this book was definitely the main relationship between Ed and Min which speaks to how bad I thought the book was because it's the heart of the story. How can I feel sad or nostalgic or frustrated or upset when the break up comes when I didn't even like the relationship at all? I wasn't even cheering for Min to break up with Ed, I just rolled my eyes and said "Whatever".
Also, the book has so many questionable things that angered me so much at the beginning and then just tired me out.
First of all, the homophobia that is kind of discussed but also kind of condoned and brushed off. We get it, Ed, you're a homophobe who uses the word gay in a derogatory manner. Jesus, you don't need to do it every five sentences. Also, Min, it's good that you told your boyfriend that what he was doing was bad but the explanation you gave was ridiculously shallow and then you go on to joke about it with him again so like, yeah, great job.
Then, there are so many misoginistic moments and expressions and things happening in this book that I don't think I can mention them all: the "you're not like other girls" shit, the "girls fighting over the jock playboy", the slut shaming (LET GIRLS WEAR WHATEVER THEY WANT ON HALLOWEEN AND ON WHATEVER FUCKING DAY).
And the way that virginity is talked about and handled and treated... Nop, I'm out.
And oh, oh, oh, the great "surprise" by the end where such an innovative twist was introduced where the main character and her best guy friends couldn't, of course, be just best friends with no romantic feelings towards the other because, of course, they're a girl and a guy so how is it possible for them to be friends? No way!
Lastly, the book felt so presumptuous from beginning to end that I just couldn't handle it. I'm not saying the only valid references a book can make are mainstream one and I'm not saying that as soon as I don't understand a reference in a book that makes it presumptuous. I'm just saying that Min mentioning all this old-school, kind of obscure, kind of rare movies didn't make me feel as if it was something she really loved. It made me feel as if the author was really trying to prove how unlike other girls his protagonist is and as I said before, bullshit.
I don't know if this review makes any sense whatsoever but I just have so much rage and disappointment inside after reading this book and I needed to vent.