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A review by realadhdoug
The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang
4.5
This ended up being my favorite book in the series in the “Kiss Quotient” series, and I think it really brought the series to a satisfying conclusion. Unlike the first two novels, this one was written in first person (alternating between the male and female characters). I thought this choice was especially meaningful from the perspective of Ana—the female protagonist who discovers she’s autistic as the story unfolds.
That’s right—it’s also different from the first two novels in that the autistic character doesn’t already know they’re autistic when the story begins. The story is as much—if not more—about the female protagonist’s self-discovery as it is about her romance with the male protagonist. Getting the story from the male’s perspective is really the only thing that keeps him from becoming a vehicle for her self-discovery. Because of that, I would actually classify this story as a literary novel with romantic elements.
Don’t get me wrong—there was lots of cute romantic encounters and lots of steamy—though sometimes awkward—sex scenes. That being said, I would argue that the story’s climax is the of the literary and not the sexual sort—although both kind of happen around the same time, LOL. The real turning point of the story is when Ana is finally able to stand up for herself and choose her own dignity over the expectations of her family.
I highly recommend this story—even if you haven’t read the first two. If you’ve ever dealt with social anxiety, overstimulation, a shitty family, burnout, or just being an autistic in society, you’ll find it particularly meaningful—but probably also quite triggering. In either case, though, the characters are deep, the narration is intimate, and the plot unfolds at a solid pace. Give it a shot!
That’s right—it’s also different from the first two novels in that the autistic character doesn’t already know they’re autistic when the story begins. The story is as much—if not more—about the female protagonist’s self-discovery as it is about her romance with the male protagonist. Getting the story from the male’s perspective is really the only thing that keeps him from becoming a vehicle for her self-discovery. Because of that, I would actually classify this story as a literary novel with romantic elements.
Don’t get me wrong—there was lots of cute romantic encounters and lots of steamy—though sometimes awkward—sex scenes. That being said, I would argue that the story’s climax is the of the literary and not the sexual sort—although both kind of happen around the same time, LOL. The real turning point of the story is when Ana is finally able to stand up for herself and choose her own dignity over the expectations of her family.
I highly recommend this story—even if you haven’t read the first two. If you’ve ever dealt with social anxiety, overstimulation, a shitty family, burnout, or just being an autistic in society, you’ll find it particularly meaningful—but probably also quite triggering. In either case, though, the characters are deep, the narration is intimate, and the plot unfolds at a solid pace. Give it a shot!