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A review by emmareadstoomuch
The Calculus of Change by Jessie Hilb
1.0
I FORGOT TO MENTION THE MOST IMPORTANT DETAIL: the characters in this book are nonstop throwing small pieces of food at each other. it's unreal. popcorn kernels, chocolate-covered raisins, sour patch kids - these children cannot ingest small foodstuffs without tossing them in the general direction of one another.
i'm at a loss.
---
here is a phenomenon that i hate:
when a book is really popular, and you hate it, and then other books start copying that book and you hate the books that copy it because you hated the original, and really all these books that follow are pale imitations of something bad. like a watercolor painting of a garbage can by someone who does Not know how to paint.
anyway.
i hated The Upside of Unrequited, and this book is The Upside of Unrequited. sans happy romantic don't we all just love each other ending.
our main character, Aden, whose name i just completely forgot even though i finished the book under two minutes ago, has a whole hell of a lot in common with Molly, our horrendous protagonist from The Upside of Unrequited. they are both fat, they both have never been kissed, they both embark on ill-advised quests to get that kiss that end up in their leading-on of boys they're not interested in. they both have cooler versions of themselves in their life who they constantly compare themselves to (Molly's sister; Aden's best friend Marissa; literally every other female character). they both have body image issues so debilitating that they are unable to see themselves as beings worthy of attention, except for random moments when they can, and at the end, when they are magically healed.
the major differences? The Upside of Unrequited is diverse, and this isn't. also, Aden decides she's in love with a boy with a girlfriend, and, in the process:
- repeatedly touches him (despite knowing he has a girlfriend)
- sh*t talks said girlfriend, who is so. nice. to. her.
- enables cheating behavior in herself while condemning it in others
- declares her love multiple times to said boy-in-relationship, who says repeatedly that he can't be with her, due to the fact that he's IN A RELATIONSHIP
- and, in the grand finale, makes out with and sleeps in the bed of this boy with a girlfriend
also, none of this is resolved. Aden just says "i can't be your friend anymore, Tate!!!" and Tate is so physically jarred by this information that he's ejected from the remainder of the story. (which is like 15 pages but still.)
a lot of social issues are just dumped in here without regard. Marissa, the best friend, is a vehicle for: an emotionally abusive parent with addiction issues; an absentee parent; a relationship with a teacher; slut-shaming; and, none of which is given the attention it deserves.
also, at one point, Aden is (TW sexual assault) this is never addressed after the morning after the party.
cool!
bottom line: girl hate, poor handling of social issues, unlikable protagonist, and sooooo muuuuuch moooooore!!
thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Clarion Books for the review copy.
i'm at a loss.
---
here is a phenomenon that i hate:
when a book is really popular, and you hate it, and then other books start copying that book and you hate the books that copy it because you hated the original, and really all these books that follow are pale imitations of something bad. like a watercolor painting of a garbage can by someone who does Not know how to paint.
anyway.
i hated The Upside of Unrequited, and this book is The Upside of Unrequited. sans happy romantic don't we all just love each other ending.
our main character, Aden, whose name i just completely forgot even though i finished the book under two minutes ago, has a whole hell of a lot in common with Molly, our horrendous protagonist from The Upside of Unrequited. they are both fat, they both have never been kissed, they both embark on ill-advised quests to get that kiss that end up in their leading-on of boys they're not interested in. they both have cooler versions of themselves in their life who they constantly compare themselves to (Molly's sister; Aden's best friend Marissa; literally every other female character). they both have body image issues so debilitating that they are unable to see themselves as beings worthy of attention, except for random moments when they can, and at the end, when they are magically healed.
the major differences? The Upside of Unrequited is diverse, and this isn't. also, Aden decides she's in love with a boy with a girlfriend, and, in the process:
- repeatedly touches him (despite knowing he has a girlfriend)
- sh*t talks said girlfriend, who is so. nice. to. her.
- enables cheating behavior in herself while condemning it in others
- declares her love multiple times to said boy-in-relationship, who says repeatedly that he can't be with her, due to the fact that he's IN A RELATIONSHIP
- and, in the grand finale, makes out with and sleeps in the bed of this boy with a girlfriend
also, none of this is resolved. Aden just says "i can't be your friend anymore, Tate!!!" and Tate is so physically jarred by this information that he's ejected from the remainder of the story. (which is like 15 pages but still.)
a lot of social issues are just dumped in here without regard. Marissa, the best friend, is a vehicle for: an emotionally abusive parent with addiction issues; an absentee parent; a relationship with a teacher; slut-shaming; and
Spoiler
teen pregnancyalso, at one point, Aden is (TW sexual assault)
Spoiler
extremely drunk at a party, goes upstairs with a boy, and repeatedly says no as he puts his fingers in her without her consent. she narrowly avoids being raped.cool!
bottom line: girl hate, poor handling of social issues, unlikable protagonist, and sooooo muuuuuch moooooore!!
thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Clarion Books for the review copy.