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A review by itsmeyseniab
Only Mostly Devastated by Sophie Gonzales
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Man, this was a huge disappointment. I went into this thinking it was going to be a new favorite based on just the description alone, but sadly I was wrong. :(
The plot was pretty unmemorable to me if I'm being completely honest. It wasn't bad by any means, but I just didn't feel invested in it at all. I didn't really buy into the romance between Ollie and Will and I also didn't really connect with any of the subplots (i.e. Ollie's aunt being sick, Lara's unrequited love, etc.) I left this book feeling very "meh." I have to say though, I REALLY DID NOT LIKE THE ENDING (and I'm still shaking my head at it).
The characters were also... meh. I LOVE how Sophie Gonzales did a bit of a "Grease" re-imagining and you could definitely tell who was supposed to represent who in terms of the main characters, but ultimately that's what it felt like. I didn't think any of these characters brought anything "new" to the table. I loved how this cast of characters was WAY more diverse, but I couldn't really tell you anything about them beyond that. I know Will was a jock and Ollie was a musician but that's about it. It all felt very surface-level.
Maybe my expectations were just too high? If this book is on your radar I would still give it a shot, but I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it over others in the genre.
The plot was pretty unmemorable to me if I'm being completely honest. It wasn't bad by any means, but I just didn't feel invested in it at all. I didn't really buy into the romance between Ollie and Will and I also didn't really connect with any of the subplots (i.e. Ollie's aunt being sick, Lara's unrequited love, etc.) I left this book feeling very "meh." I have to say though, I REALLY DID NOT LIKE THE ENDING (and I'm still shaking my head at it).
The characters were also... meh. I LOVE how Sophie Gonzales did a bit of a "Grease" re-imagining and you could definitely tell who was supposed to represent who in terms of the main characters, but ultimately that's what it felt like. I didn't think any of these characters brought anything "new" to the table. I loved how this cast of characters was WAY more diverse, but I couldn't really tell you anything about them beyond that. I know Will was a jock and Ollie was a musician but that's about it. It all felt very surface-level.
Maybe my expectations were just too high? If this book is on your radar I would still give it a shot, but I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it over others in the genre.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Terminal illness, and Death