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A review by dizzyiz
He Forgot to Say Goodbye by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
5.0
He Forgot To Say Goodbye is a story told from the alternating perspectives of Ramiro Lopez and Jake Upthegrove. On the surface, their lives seem very different; Ramiro is a poor Mexican-American boy who is trying to hold his life together with his brother in a coma, while Jake is a rich white boy with anger management issues. But when you delve deeper, the two are much more similar than you would think. Both were abandoned by their fathers when they were young, and both are angry at the world for being the way it is.
I loved this book. The characters are extremely real. I often have trouble relating to characters in young adult novels, because they can feel so fake. Perfection is such an unrealistic view of teenagers, since they are far from it, and this book does a good job of peeling away the layers and revealing the characters’ true selves. Teenagers aren't stoic heroes, they have thoughts and feelings and deep-down insecurities, and this book represented them as such.
I think my favorite part of the whole book is Ramiro’s friendship with Alejandra, because it wasn't some fake-cute thing where they made promises to always be there for each other, and they didn't end up in a romantic relationship. They were always there for each other-a shoulder to cry on, and an open hand in hard times-but they also made bad jokes, forced each other out into the real world, and laughed while surfing the Internet. The interactions between them were the most palpable part of this book.
The one frustrating thing about this book is the way the chapters are styled. The titles of the chapters are very confusing, and it's difficult to tell when the chapters have switched perspectives. However, it's not a problem after the first few chapters.
All in all, I give this book five out of five stars. If you're looking for a good read with a twisting, turning plot and relatable characters, this is the book for you.
I loved this book. The characters are extremely real. I often have trouble relating to characters in young adult novels, because they can feel so fake. Perfection is such an unrealistic view of teenagers, since they are far from it, and this book does a good job of peeling away the layers and revealing the characters’ true selves. Teenagers aren't stoic heroes, they have thoughts and feelings and deep-down insecurities, and this book represented them as such.
I think my favorite part of the whole book is Ramiro’s friendship with Alejandra, because it wasn't some fake-cute thing where they made promises to always be there for each other, and they didn't end up in a romantic relationship. They were always there for each other-a shoulder to cry on, and an open hand in hard times-but they also made bad jokes, forced each other out into the real world, and laughed while surfing the Internet. The interactions between them were the most palpable part of this book.
The one frustrating thing about this book is the way the chapters are styled. The titles of the chapters are very confusing, and it's difficult to tell when the chapters have switched perspectives. However, it's not a problem after the first few chapters.
All in all, I give this book five out of five stars. If you're looking for a good read with a twisting, turning plot and relatable characters, this is the book for you.