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A review by akira_outofthegravity
Heartstream by Tom Pollock
challenging
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I think I’m finally getting too old for YA…
I skimmed this book, mostly. The book has an interesting premise where you can stream your emotions to random people. For Amy this means she has gained a cult following as she documents her mothers cancer journey, and her death.
It’s a dual narrative from the perspective of Amy (as above) and Cat- a fan of a boy band who is secretly in a relationship with the lead member. Her best friend is a total freak obsessed with them.
Like, it’s fine? I guess? But to be frank I couldn’t stand Cat for a good portion of the book. I skimmed most of her chapters. She had all the personality of a wet sponge. But I liked that as time went on she gained some kind of feeling that separated her from being just a blank canvas.
Amy was pretty good too, I liked her as a character. I think her actions were pretty rational and I liked her.
It’s not the worst story in the world, at all, but it’s not good. I don’t like the writing style, I think it could have done with another draft, and I think the story is dumb.
Evie as a villain doesn’t make logical sense. A fan so obsessed with her blorbo’s being gay that she traps her best friend (who is pregnant with her blorbo’s child) in an asylum and steals her baby and blackmails the psychiatrist with a dick pick?
Also, Ryan being the mayor was a fuckin stupid plot point. It just???? The last 100 pages was a clusterfuck of “reasons” why Cat couldn’t become public. Most of which were dumb. The only legit one is that the police/Ryan could silence her.
I guess I just don’t understand what the author was trying to say. There is a clear parallel between Amy and heartstream and Cat with Tumblr. But like, okay? So what? I don’t like when people try to make critiques of fandom spaces because they usually get it wrong. They don’t understand the fandom space- not to say they aren’t toxic, they absolutely can be, but it’s clear that the only point they can make is “obsessive fan bad”, but then make them comically obsessive, so much so that it’s funny and not creepy. I dunno. This book felt very wishywashy, but like I said maybe I’m too old for it lolz
I skimmed this book, mostly. The book has an interesting premise where you can stream your emotions to random people. For Amy this means she has gained a cult following as she documents her mothers cancer journey, and her death.
It’s a dual narrative from the perspective of Amy (as above) and Cat- a fan of a boy band who is secretly in a relationship with the lead member. Her best friend is a total freak obsessed with them.
Like, it’s fine? I guess? But to be frank I couldn’t stand Cat for a good portion of the book. I skimmed most of her chapters. She had all the personality of a wet sponge. But I liked that as time went on she gained some kind of feeling that separated her from being just a blank canvas.
Amy was pretty good too, I liked her as a character. I think her actions were pretty rational and I liked her.
It’s not the worst story in the world, at all, but it’s not good. I don’t like the writing style, I think it could have done with another draft, and I think the story is dumb.
Also, Ryan being the mayor was a fuckin stupid plot point. It just???? The last 100 pages was a clusterfuck of “reasons” why Cat couldn’t become public. Most of which were dumb. The only legit one is that the police/Ryan could silence her.
I guess I just don’t understand what the author was trying to say. There is a clear parallel between Amy and heartstream and Cat with Tumblr. But like, okay? So what? I don’t like when people try to make critiques of fandom spaces because they usually get it wrong. They don’t understand the fandom space- not to say they aren’t toxic, they absolutely can be, but it’s clear that the only point they can make is “obsessive fan bad”, but then make them comically obsessive, so much so that it’s funny and not creepy. I dunno. This book felt very wishywashy, but like I said maybe I’m too old for it lolz
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Forced institutionalization, Toxic friendship, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Suicide, Death of parent, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Cancer, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse