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A review by capesandcovers
Up to This Pointe by Jennifer Longo
3.0
TWs: Depression, eating disorders, grief, racism (brief, and mostly explained in detail below, racist comment towards a Black woman), sexism
I've got really mixed feelings on this book. On one hand, I think that it captures the grieving process amazingly well, and the difficulty of trying to entirely reset your life from it. I loved that it focused on the grief of losing your future and friendships, rather than the death of a loved one or a break up. A lot of time I feel like other forms of grief get passed over or ignored, and they're just as important. The conflict with Kate was very much on both girls part too, and I liked that they both ended up having to take the blame in order to work through things, because that's usually what happens in real life, instead of only one person being right or wrong. The relationships Harper had with Charlotte and Vivian were really interesting too, and I wish we had gotten to see the 3 of them interact more. In fact, I'd have much rather had that because I felt like the romance aspect of the book was a lacking any oomf when it came to
On the other hand, I thought that while Harper was aware of the entitlement she had in order to get to Antarctica, that she wanted to be comforted for it way too much. I'd happily shove Ben into the freezing ocean, but the man had a point when he was mad she got her spot without any scientific background and took it from someone more deserving. And everyone else just excused it because she was having a hard time and her grandfather helped explore Antarctica. Like???
There was also a bunch of super racist shit said about Owen and his mom that was just really unnecessary. I don't think it was intentionally racist, but comparing the Chinese love interest to 'a young Bruce Lee. or Jet Li' was fucking wild. Like those two do not look alike at all. And even if they did, can he not just exist outside of looking like one of two wildly famous (within the West) actors? Anyway, she follows that nice little thought process with a monologue of how if that sounded racist, it wasn't supposed to be, blah blah. Either way, it was! Owen and his parents have the usual stereotypical "my Asian parents and I don't get along, they wanted me to be a doctor/lawyer/etc. thing" and I am tired. If Asian authors want to write that, fine. But I wish that it wasn't always the default from white authors because it really is a stereotype. And finally, Harper calls Owen's mom racist because she doesn't want him to date a white girl. Reverse racism isn't real, and tbh if you showed up with that attitude in my house I wouldn't want you to date my kid either.
Anyway, I loved parts of this (the dancing! the friendships! the grief!) and hated others (the half assed romance! the racism! the entitlement!) so I'm giving it 3 stars right now, but I'm probably going to mull things over and drop it down to 2
I've got really mixed feelings on this book. On one hand, I think that it captures the grieving process amazingly well, and the difficulty of trying to entirely reset your life from it. I loved that it focused on the grief of losing your future and friendships, rather than the death of a loved one or a break up. A lot of time I feel like other forms of grief get passed over or ignored, and they're just as important. The conflict with Kate was very much on both girls part too, and I liked that they both ended up having to take the blame in order to work through things, because that's usually what happens in real life, instead of only one person being right or wrong. The relationships Harper had with Charlotte and Vivian were really interesting too, and I wish we had gotten to see the 3 of them interact more. In fact, I'd have much rather had that because I felt like the romance aspect of the book was a lacking any oomf when it came to
Spoiler
Aidan? Ethan? idk what his name was anymore but he sucked. I know that was part of the point but nothing about their relationship ever felt real. Also, was she gonna tell Owen about that relationship or not? Because he seemed to think they were dating still and she definitely did not.On the other hand, I thought that while Harper was aware of the entitlement she had in order to get to Antarctica, that she wanted to be comforted for it way too much. I'd happily shove Ben into the freezing ocean, but the man had a point when he was mad she got her spot without any scientific background and took it from someone more deserving. And everyone else just excused it because she was having a hard time and her grandfather helped explore Antarctica. Like???
There was also a bunch of super racist shit said about Owen and his mom that was just really unnecessary. I don't think it was intentionally racist, but comparing the Chinese love interest to 'a young Bruce Lee. or Jet Li' was fucking wild. Like those two do not look alike at all. And even if they did, can he not just exist outside of looking like one of two wildly famous (within the West) actors? Anyway, she follows that nice little thought process with a monologue of how if that sounded racist, it wasn't supposed to be, blah blah. Either way, it was! Owen and his parents have the usual stereotypical "my Asian parents and I don't get along, they wanted me to be a doctor/lawyer/etc. thing" and I am tired. If Asian authors want to write that, fine. But I wish that it wasn't always the default from white authors because it really is a stereotype. And finally, Harper calls Owen's mom racist because she doesn't want him to date a white girl. Reverse racism isn't real, and tbh if you showed up with that attitude in my house I wouldn't want you to date my kid either.
Anyway, I loved parts of this (the dancing! the friendships! the grief!) and hated others (the half assed romance! the racism! the entitlement!) so I'm giving it 3 stars right now, but I'm probably going to mull things over and drop it down to 2