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A review by markwillnevercry
All Together Now by Hope Larson
2.25
This is a very confusing experience. I loved the first book in the series, the story might not have been too great, but it made me feel good and I loved it for that. In contrast to the first book, the second book makes leaps and jumps, that make you question what is happening and why you are here.
I would begin by adressing 3 incredible "what the fuck is even happening" moments that I witnessed in this book: (mild spoilers?)
1. When the bullying of Enzo began, I assumed that we might get a little bit of a lesson about how it is a racial stereotype to assume, that Asian people are "cold and robotic", instead, we got a Denmark cope-out. My credentials on this topic? I saw too much media with "cold and robotic" Asian characters and it was pointed out to me that that is an issue + I am currently living in Denmark and has now lived here for almost half of my life. Telling, that Enzo doesn't smile, because people in Denmark do not smile is the equivalent of watching a single video about LA and saying that everyone in LA is an actor. It is not true, it is a sterotype and it does absolutely nothing to help you with your characters or story.
2. Everyone in this book shares 2 collective braincells and they sometimes get to rub them together. There are 2 events that happen, separately, to different characters just so characters can relate to each other more. You do not have to live the exact same life as someone else to understand how they feel and it feels so empty seeing the same stuff happen to different characters for the same reasons.
3. Close to the end of the story Austin says: "If you really were nice, this wouldn't be happening." Which made me blink, look up at the ceiling, reconsider my stance on religion and go back to reading. The context is making it look as if Bina expressing her emotions and feelings is her being not nice. And that is said by her supposed best friend.
Extra stuff I disliked:
- Bina still owns the rights to the lyrics
- Bina forgives Darcy and Enzo just because
- Bina is a dick to people and they are dicks to her, vol. 2
In conclusion, it was still a kinda okay book, but this was such a dissapointment after the first book and I feel like so much stuff was handled in terrible ways.
I would begin by adressing 3 incredible "what the fuck is even happening" moments that I witnessed in this book: (mild spoilers?)
1. When the bullying of Enzo began, I assumed that we might get a little bit of a lesson about how it is a racial stereotype to assume, that Asian people are "cold and robotic", instead, we got a Denmark cope-out. My credentials on this topic? I saw too much media with "cold and robotic" Asian characters and it was pointed out to me that that is an issue + I am currently living in Denmark and has now lived here for almost half of my life. Telling, that Enzo doesn't smile, because people in Denmark do not smile is the equivalent of watching a single video about LA and saying that everyone in LA is an actor. It is not true, it is a sterotype and it does absolutely nothing to help you with your characters or story.
2. Everyone in this book shares 2 collective braincells and they sometimes get to rub them together. There are 2 events that happen, separately, to different characters just so characters can relate to each other more. You do not have to live the exact same life as someone else to understand how they feel and it feels so empty seeing the same stuff happen to different characters for the same reasons.
3. Close to the end of the story Austin says: "If you really were nice, this wouldn't be happening." Which made me blink, look up at the ceiling, reconsider my stance on religion and go back to reading. The context is making it look as if Bina expressing her emotions and feelings is her being not nice. And that is said by her supposed best friend.
Extra stuff I disliked:
- Bina still owns the rights to the lyrics
- Bina forgives Darcy and Enzo just because
- Bina is a dick to people and they are dicks to her, vol. 2
In conclusion, it was still a kinda okay book, but this was such a dissapointment after the first book and I feel like so much stuff was handled in terrible ways.