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oraclereadings 's review for:
What If It's Us
by Becky Albertalli, Adam Silvera
“I believe in love at first sight. Fate, the universe, all of it. But not how you’re thinking. I don’t mean it in the our souls were split and you’re my other half forever and ever sort of way. I just think you’re meant to meet some people. I think the universe nudges them into your path.”
Arthur believes that things happen for a reason, that the universe gives signs and things are meant to be. He’s only in New York for the summer for his mom’s job.
Ben thinks that the universe is out to get him, that it’s a cruel world.
The two meet each other on the way to the post office, but they never get each other’s phone number, let alone their names. Luckily for Arthur, he has half of the shipping label of the box Ben was going to ship to his ex-boyfriend. With what little information he has, Arthur searches for Ben, convinced that he’s the one.
“Infinite do-overs.”
“I like that. [...] It sounds like us.”
They keep re-doing their first date together because something doesn’t go the way they wanted or planned. Maybe that’s the universe telling you that you’re actually not meant for each other. 🙄
Representation: Both Arthur and Ben are gay. Arthur also frequently brings up being Jewish and having ADHD. Ben is Puerto Rican and he struggles with his culture because he’s white-passing and doesn’t speak the language. Author Becky Albertalli was raised in a Jewish home and is confirmed bisexual. Author Adam Silvera is Puerto Rican and gay.
This was cute and I did enjoy reading it, but it’s such a lengthy book for a contemporary. Especially since over half of the plot is just jumping back and forth between Arthur pining over Ben while being insecure over Ben’s ex-relationship, and Ben sulking about his breakup and wondering if he’s good enough for Arthur.
Honestly Arthur overreacted a lot. Like, the situation where he finds out that Ben’s ex-boyfriend is in summer school with him. And it even ends up being the reason they break up. Or when he’s confronting his friends about the breakup and they reveal that they’ve been in a relationship for longer than Arthur came out. Give me a break.
Also, I’ve never taken the time to get into Hamilton, but I do believe there are spoilers for the musical. In case you were planning on reading this book but also interested in Hamilton.