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Here's the Thing
It’s only for a year. That’s what sixteen-year-old Zel keeps telling herself after moving to Sydney for her dad’s work. She’ll just wait it out until she gets back to New York and Prim, her epic crush/best friend, and the unfinished subway project. Even if Prim hasn’t spoken to her since that day on Coney Island.
But Zel soon finds life in Sydney won’t let her hide. There’s her art teacher, who keeps forcing her to dig deeper. There’s the band of sweet, strange misfits her cousin has forced her to join for a Drama project. And then there’s the curiosity that is the always-late Stella.
As she waits for Prim to explain her radio silence and she begins to forge new friendships, Zel feels strung between two worlds. Finally, she must figure out how to move on while leaving no one behind.
But Zel soon finds life in Sydney won’t let her hide. There’s her art teacher, who keeps forcing her to dig deeper. There’s the band of sweet, strange misfits her cousin has forced her to join for a Drama project. And then there’s the curiosity that is the always-late Stella.
As she waits for Prim to explain her radio silence and she begins to forge new friendships, Zel feels strung between two worlds. Finally, she must figure out how to move on while leaving no one behind.
202 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 19, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
September 8, 2016
Consistency must be Emily O’Beirne’s middle name. She consistently writes amazing characters that steal your heart and dazzle your imagination. Her latest novel, Here’s the Thing, is a wonderfully sweet story and honest reflection from the main character, Zel.
Zel, is sixteen and is probably smarter and more aware than most thirty-year-olds. This character is open, honest and level headed. You don’t often hear that with teenagers, levelheaded, but Zel just is. She gets people for who they are, she sees past the veneers, bad attitudes, and silence. Which is how she meets Prim, and an unlikely friendship develops on the subway system on NYC.
Zel has been in New York for a few months, not really developing any strong relationships or exploring her new city. Until she meets and connects with a young model, in her mother’s modeling agency. Primulka is an enigma of a girl. One who rarely smiles and spends most of her time acting nonchalant and blank. She inwardly hates everyone, thinking most of her peers are silly and mundane. To say this girl is challenging is an understatement! You know as the reader someone has hurt this young woman terribly, making her build a fortress around herself to self-preservation. Zel figures this out too and proceeds with caution slowly pulling Prim into a friendship. These two take off on an epic weekly adventure with the end goal of riding all of the subway lines. Sounds awesome right, I can only imagine the people you would meet. It is epic to them as well, and while Zel harbors a crush on Prim, she knows that this friendship is something. Then the monkey-wrench thwarts the plans of finishing the lines, Zel is moving back to Australia. Her time in NYC is up.
This is a story that shifts back and forth between real-time, Zel in Sydney and memories of her time with Prim in Australia. The story builds upon the friendships that Zel makes. Her friendship with Prim is on a pause because of a misunderstanding and hurt feelings, and this causes Zel much anguish. One the other side she is plowing ahead with her life is Sydney and befriends a group of enigmatic young people in her drama class. Through her new school and this group of friends, Zel really begins to branch out. Her photography passion is ignited again and she becomes part of something more. She also meets a Stella and that is a really great part of this book, as sweet and tender as only that first love can be.
I don’t think I did a very good job of summing this book up for you. So I’ll say this, read it. This one is fantastically written by one of the very best authors in the genre. The characters have depth and the story is captivating. Overall a great story, that I was sad to see it end. Another winner from Emily O’Beirne.
Zel, is sixteen and is probably smarter and more aware than most thirty-year-olds. This character is open, honest and level headed. You don’t often hear that with teenagers, levelheaded, but Zel just is. She gets people for who they are, she sees past the veneers, bad attitudes, and silence. Which is how she meets Prim, and an unlikely friendship develops on the subway system on NYC.
Zel has been in New York for a few months, not really developing any strong relationships or exploring her new city. Until she meets and connects with a young model, in her mother’s modeling agency. Primulka is an enigma of a girl. One who rarely smiles and spends most of her time acting nonchalant and blank. She inwardly hates everyone, thinking most of her peers are silly and mundane. To say this girl is challenging is an understatement! You know as the reader someone has hurt this young woman terribly, making her build a fortress around herself to self-preservation. Zel figures this out too and proceeds with caution slowly pulling Prim into a friendship. These two take off on an epic weekly adventure with the end goal of riding all of the subway lines. Sounds awesome right, I can only imagine the people you would meet. It is epic to them as well, and while Zel harbors a crush on Prim, she knows that this friendship is something. Then the monkey-wrench thwarts the plans of finishing the lines, Zel is moving back to Australia. Her time in NYC is up.
This is a story that shifts back and forth between real-time, Zel in Sydney and memories of her time with Prim in Australia. The story builds upon the friendships that Zel makes. Her friendship with Prim is on a pause because of a misunderstanding and hurt feelings, and this causes Zel much anguish. One the other side she is plowing ahead with her life is Sydney and befriends a group of enigmatic young people in her drama class. Through her new school and this group of friends, Zel really begins to branch out. Her photography passion is ignited again and she becomes part of something more. She also meets a Stella and that is a really great part of this book, as sweet and tender as only that first love can be.
I don’t think I did a very good job of summing this book up for you. So I’ll say this, read it. This one is fantastically written by one of the very best authors in the genre. The characters have depth and the story is captivating. Overall a great story, that I was sad to see it end. Another winner from Emily O’Beirne.
February 3, 2017
Emily O'Beirne is the queen of amazing
March 23, 2017
I found this to be a pretty subdued read. I didn't read the blurb or other reviews with hints of the plot so I went into the book blind. I was over half way through when I was still wondering what the book was ultimately about because it's split between Zel's present day in Australia and flashbacks of her previous year in New York with her friend Prim. In a certain way, I wasn't sure if I should be ramping up my investment in Prim or if I should stick to the life Zel was making in Australia...
Which, to be fair, ended up echoing Zel's experience. She herself is split between the two places with a precarious investment in both. I don't know if that was the author's intention or not but it was my experience.
Whatever feelings I had through the book, it all ties up in the end and we get a clear resolution. However, because that resolution came so late in the story and because so much time was spent on Zel and Prim's storyline, I felt okay there but the Australia arc didn't feel fulfilled enough. I think I would've liked more of it before the end of the story.
I was also curious if the refugee storyline seen in the drama class was a hint of Prim's past? I don't know.
Emily O'Beirne has a knack for making her characters well-defined and that continued here. I also liked that Zel was a "good kid" with good parents...it means the drama has to come from elsewhere. :) ...or that it taps into a teenage experience I don't often see in books.
Like O'Beirne's other books I've read so far, the plot has bittersweet moments and goes in a completely unexpected turn from my prediction so that's always refreshing. There is romance but I wouldn't exactly call this romance, either. And, though Zel is lesbian, this is not a coming out story so if you're looking for that type of book this is a good fit.
In the end, I felt the book was more about friendships and putting or keeping people in your life that you want to be present even if things don't always work out the way you wanted them to and, of course, themes around "home".
"Here's the Thing" is definitely YA but, overall, the drama is minimal. There are some profound ideas that the author conveys so it's not without impact but my impression of the book was similar to my experience exploring a creek in my childhood...an interesting yet serene experience that was punctuated with some excitement upon going down a small, unexpected rapid or spotting a reclusive animal...but mostly, I just had a chilled and relaxed feel.
I didn't walk away with a "this is amazing" impression but I did like the read and would recommend.
Which, to be fair, ended up echoing Zel's experience. She herself is split between the two places with a precarious investment in both. I don't know if that was the author's intention or not but it was my experience.
Whatever feelings I had through the book, it all ties up in the end and we get a clear resolution. However, because that resolution came so late in the story and because so much time was spent on Zel and Prim's storyline, I felt okay there but the Australia arc didn't feel fulfilled enough. I think I would've liked more of it before the end of the story.
I was also curious if the refugee storyline seen in the drama class was a hint of Prim's past? I don't know.
Emily O'Beirne has a knack for making her characters well-defined and that continued here. I also liked that Zel was a "good kid" with good parents...it means the drama has to come from elsewhere. :) ...or that it taps into a teenage experience I don't often see in books.
Like O'Beirne's other books I've read so far, the plot has bittersweet moments and goes in a completely unexpected turn from my prediction so that's always refreshing. There is romance but I wouldn't exactly call this romance, either. And, though Zel is lesbian, this is not a coming out story so if you're looking for that type of book this is a good fit.
In the end, I felt the book was more about friendships and putting or keeping people in your life that you want to be present even if things don't always work out the way you wanted them to and, of course, themes around "home".
"Here's the Thing" is definitely YA but, overall, the drama is minimal. There are some profound ideas that the author conveys so it's not without impact but my impression of the book was similar to my experience exploring a creek in my childhood...an interesting yet serene experience that was punctuated with some excitement upon going down a small, unexpected rapid or spotting a reclusive animal...but mostly, I just had a chilled and relaxed feel.
I didn't walk away with a "this is amazing" impression but I did like the read and would recommend.
October 6, 2016
Well, I think Emily O'beirne is officially one of my favorite author. I've read all her books and I love them all.YA is definitely my least favorite genre but Emily somehow always makes me fall in love with her books.
I love all the characthers in this book. I love Zel as a narrator, she's really likeable, funny and can stand up for herself. I love the interaction between the characters. Between Zel and her friends, Zel and her parents. I love Prim with all her quirkiness. I love the friendship between Zel and Prim. It feels really natural between them. I can feel their chemistry.
I also like that the romance is not an 'instalove'. It really is feel normal between them to develop feelings. I also love that the novel is not all about love but more about Zel's life as a teenager with her problems, sadness, and happiness. Basically, I just love this book.
5 stars.
ARC for Netgalley
I love all the characthers in this book. I love Zel as a narrator, she's really likeable, funny and can stand up for herself. I love the interaction between the characters. Between Zel and her friends, Zel and her parents. I love Prim with all her quirkiness. I love the friendship between Zel and Prim. It feels really natural between them. I can feel their chemistry.
I also like that the romance is not an 'instalove'. It really is feel normal between them to develop feelings. I also love that the novel is not all about love but more about Zel's life as a teenager with her problems, sadness, and happiness. Basically, I just love this book.
5 stars.
ARC for Netgalley
November 2, 2016
*Book received by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Emily O'Beirne is a good writer and, despite some interpolations from the MC to the reader that I found out of context and a bit annoying, it shows in her book.
My main concern about this book is that the author seems to touch the most important subjects from the surface only, such as the main love story, Prim's reasons for her behavior, or Ashani's relationship or lack of thereof with the 2 guys. There is also a lack of depth and emotion that seems unfitting for a YA story.
Emily O'Beirne is a good writer and, despite some interpolations from the MC to the reader that I found out of context and a bit annoying, it shows in her book.
My main concern about this book is that the author seems to touch the most important subjects from the surface only, such as the main love story, Prim's reasons for her behavior, or Ashani's relationship or lack of thereof with the 2 guys. There is also a lack of depth and emotion that seems unfitting for a YA story.
October 15, 2016
Copy received through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review
Here's the Thing is a wonderful coming of age story with a realistically written LGBT herione.
The best thing about this book is everything. From the beautiful plot, to the perfectly developed characters, and one of the best writing styles that I have stumbled onto recently. I'm just now learning of Mrs. O'Beirne's talent for telling stories, and her ability to give soul to every dialogue.
I enjoyed this story, especially the voice that the main character Zel was given. It made me feel like I'm involved in the story, as if I'm not reading a book, I'm being told the story over a cuppa. And this warmth is why I'm looking forward to reading everything Mrs. O'Beirne has ever written.
I recommend this book.
Here's the Thing is a wonderful coming of age story with a realistically written LGBT herione.
The best thing about this book is everything. From the beautiful plot, to the perfectly developed characters, and one of the best writing styles that I have stumbled onto recently. I'm just now learning of Mrs. O'Beirne's talent for telling stories, and her ability to give soul to every dialogue.
I enjoyed this story, especially the voice that the main character Zel was given. It made me feel like I'm involved in the story, as if I'm not reading a book, I'm being told the story over a cuppa. And this warmth is why I'm looking forward to reading everything Mrs. O'Beirne has ever written.
I recommend this book.
February 22, 2017
At this point I don't know what to say anymore about Emily O'Beirne's writing. It's so good. I wish I had a new book of hers to read every week because the way I feel while reading her books is exactly the pick up I need from the world right now. It's like I can feel joy warming up my little soul from somewhere deep inside me. She does it with her characters, all of whom seem like the type of people I want to be friends with. She does it with her prose, which is light when it needs to be and heavy when it needs to be and so liquid in the way it flows that you might as well be on a raft floating gently along a river while you read.
I loved this. I loved how so very real it felt. It feels so grounded. Never stop writing, Emily O'Beirne, and also, can we be best friends?
I loved this. I loved how so very real it felt. It feels so grounded. Never stop writing, Emily O'Beirne, and also, can we be best friends?
September 13, 2019
I think I've read most of Emily o'Beirne's work and I really enjoy the way she writes. Her characters are always... I'm not entirely certain how to describe it, but... they're just "chill." Even when they're figuring out life altering things about themselves, there's a certain chill and calm factor to her writing. I never get a weird feeling reading her books.
Also, her characters are also extremely self aware and eccentric in their own individual, beautiful ways.
So, what about this particular book - well, I think I read somewhere that Emily o'Beirne considers this her favourite amongst her own work, and I can kind of see why.
It doesnt have the cool, self assured awesomeness of "a story of now", nor does it have the quirky sweetness of "future leaders." If I had to pick a favourite amongst her works, I'd definitely say "a story of now" - i loved that series.
Having said that, I've never felt or been more attuned to her characters' feelings as I was in this. And that's what makes this special.
Zel's back and forth between her unresolved near past, and not being able to fully immerse herself in her present, because of the not knowing - this constant state of limbo - it was written and described so well, without being showy or preachy or overly telling... and it was so eerily reminiscent of my own life at one time that i could have been reading about me and not zel. And so many feelings that I'd never even analyzed, or felt, but never actually known or realised were put forward in words on a page by this author, making my reading this book an extremely surreal experience.
I definitely think Emily o'Beirne is one of the best contemporary ya lgbt authors out there, and can't wait to see what she puts out next.
3.75 stars
Also, her characters are also extremely self aware and eccentric in their own individual, beautiful ways.
So, what about this particular book - well, I think I read somewhere that Emily o'Beirne considers this her favourite amongst her own work, and I can kind of see why.
It doesnt have the cool, self assured awesomeness of "a story of now", nor does it have the quirky sweetness of "future leaders." If I had to pick a favourite amongst her works, I'd definitely say "a story of now" - i loved that series.
Having said that, I've never felt or been more attuned to her characters' feelings as I was in this. And that's what makes this special.
Zel's back and forth between her unresolved near past, and not being able to fully immerse herself in her present, because of the not knowing - this constant state of limbo - it was written and described so well, without being showy or preachy or overly telling... and it was so eerily reminiscent of my own life at one time that i could have been reading about me and not zel. And so many feelings that I'd never even analyzed, or felt, but never actually known or realised were put forward in words on a page by this author, making my reading this book an extremely surreal experience.
I definitely think Emily o'Beirne is one of the best contemporary ya lgbt authors out there, and can't wait to see what she puts out next.
3.75 stars
September 5, 2016
There were two things that attracted me to this book , the first of course was the cover of the Subway lines in New York and the second was the author as I had just a couple of weeks ago finished reading her book Points of Departure and quite enjoyed it. In Here's the Thing we meet Zelda aka Zel whose parents have moved back to Australia from New York for their jobs. While in New York, Zel's mother worked for a modelling agency and that is where she met Prim. The two of them one day based on a book they both read, decided that they would begin a project to ride the Subway lines together . This went on till she moved and also the last time they talked before she left to come to Australia. While in Australia , Zel is beginning a new school with a new set of friends courtesy of her cousin Anthony welcoming her into his group. In this group of friends , Zel meets Stel aka Stella. Stella comes from a hectic household where she has an autistic brother Ollie. I could relate to this in a way as I have two siblings and my mother who all fell on the Autism spectrum. Here's the Thing features Zel's life before Australia with Prim and the Subway Project and After New York with her new friends and their Home Project which they are doing for a drama assessment. What I liked about this book besides being set in Australia which was nice for a change and being a GLBT story was that though the book was a GLBT story, that wasn't oversexualised and over-played on. I found this book to be more of a YA friendship story and a tale of discovering who you are and what your family, friends , home means to you.
October 16, 2016
I'm torn about this one. I usually enjoy young adult and I generally enjoy first person. I don't mind flashbacks, even though, goodness me, there were a lot of flashbacks. The characters were really well written, and I thought the way the Zel was thinking about her family, her school work, and the way her friendships grew felt right. All of that was lovely. Her drama friendship group was great, and I loved the way we saw the drama group and the separate, but important, friendship with James in her art class. It was really nice that the main friendship group were from different ethnic backgrounds and didn't feel stereotyped.
My biggest issue with this was that the emotions didn't really engage me. It all seemed at arm's length. That was a real shame, because I really wanted to love this and I didn't. It wasn't that I didn't like it, but I didn't love it, either.
Not a lot happens, but that's ok. I'm used to school stories where the biggest drama is the school play and the minutiae of friendships and betrayal. What I want, though, is for the drama, and the heightened teenage emotions, to make it off the page, and unfortunately, it mostly just felt bleak.
ARC received from the publisher for an honest review.
My biggest issue with this was that the emotions didn't really engage me. It all seemed at arm's length. That was a real shame, because I really wanted to love this and I didn't. It wasn't that I didn't like it, but I didn't love it, either.
Not a lot happens, but that's ok. I'm used to school stories where the biggest drama is the school play and the minutiae of friendships and betrayal. What I want, though, is for the drama, and the heightened teenage emotions, to make it off the page, and unfortunately, it mostly just felt bleak.
ARC received from the publisher for an honest review.
March 29, 2024
A young adult novel told by Zelda. She and she grew up in Canberra and then went to NYC for a year because of her mothers job. Now she has moved to Sydney for her father’s work. The story has her trying to make friends and adjust to a new school. It also alternates with her doing the same thing in New York. There she met Prim, a young fashion model, who does work for her mother’s modeling agency. Now she is getting to know Stella as they work on a project together for her Drama class.
This is about making friends and first dips into relationships and first kisses. Zel is out to her supportive family so this is really her adjusting to being away from home twice. It makes for an okay story but the two parts didn’t really connect or resonate with me. I could just have easily read the Sydney chapters with Stella and be at the same place at the end of the book. Geared towards younger YA readers and up, there is no intimacy, hard partying or dangerous activities. (3.5 Stars)
This is about making friends and first dips into relationships and first kisses. Zel is out to her supportive family so this is really her adjusting to being away from home twice. It makes for an okay story but the two parts didn’t really connect or resonate with me. I could just have easily read the Sydney chapters with Stella and be at the same place at the end of the book. Geared towards younger YA readers and up, there is no intimacy, hard partying or dangerous activities. (3.5 Stars)
September 26, 2016
Sixteen-year-old Zel moves back to Sydney, Australia, after spending eight months in New York. She misses Prim, her best friend and crush. Zel and Prim were working on their subway project, following the idea in Prim's favorite book to ride to the end of every subway line in New York. But before they finish, something drives a wedge between the girls. The compelling and touching opening scene makes us wonder what happened between them. Meanwhile, Zel finds a new group of friends in Sydney: her cousin Antony and his Drama class buddies - Michael, Ashani, and Stella.
The Sydney story is told in the present tense, interspersed with past tense flashback of Zel's New York subway trips with Prim, as Zel reminisces while examining the photos she took at the time. The narrative is carefully timed to reveal what happened in New York just as Prim finally contacts Zel in Sydney. The author draws some nice parallels throughout. Stella's story in Sydney mirrors Prim's story in New York. In addition, as the Drama group works on a project centered on the theme of "home", we see how Zel was uprooted just when New York started feeling like home, and how she is now struggling to make a new home in Sydney. In the end, she discovers that "home" is more about the people than the place.
It's great to read a book set in Australia and featuring places I know. Zel, as the narrator, is extremely engaging, speaking directly to the reader, and making you feel like you're in the room with her, as she tells you her story. The writing is beautiful, heart-felt, and full of humor and astute observations. This is the first book I've read featuring gay girls, and the story highlights their difficulty distinguishing between friendship and romance.
This is a wonderful coming-of-age story especially suited to young women struggling with their sexual identity.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Full blog post:
The Sydney story is told in the present tense, interspersed with past tense flashback of Zel's New York subway trips with Prim, as Zel reminisces while examining the photos she took at the time. The narrative is carefully timed to reveal what happened in New York just as Prim finally contacts Zel in Sydney. The author draws some nice parallels throughout. Stella's story in Sydney mirrors Prim's story in New York. In addition, as the Drama group works on a project centered on the theme of "home", we see how Zel was uprooted just when New York started feeling like home, and how she is now struggling to make a new home in Sydney. In the end, she discovers that "home" is more about the people than the place.
It's great to read a book set in Australia and featuring places I know. Zel, as the narrator, is extremely engaging, speaking directly to the reader, and making you feel like you're in the room with her, as she tells you her story. The writing is beautiful, heart-felt, and full of humor and astute observations. This is the first book I've read featuring gay girls, and the story highlights their difficulty distinguishing between friendship and romance.
This is a wonderful coming-of-age story especially suited to young women struggling with their sexual identity.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Full blog post:
October 4, 2016
I like this type of narration. It's like I'm just talking with my friend, Zel. She's just telling me stories over a cup of tea or coffee.
I'm in love with this book.
I can totally understand how Zel
felt about the constant comparison of the places. Somehow I also experienced that and it's really hard.
But if you're to ask me, I think Zel only like New York because of Prim and her heart will always be at home in Australia.
This is a story of friendship, first heart break, starting over. If you're looking for a coming out book, this is not for you.
Everything is very realistic.
Stella and Zel! I want more!
And I think Zel would be a great psychologist.
The author is really an amazing story teller, first you get curious then before you know it you're hooked. Wow! And I think she has a thing with red heads?
I'm in love with this book.
I can totally understand how Zel
felt about the constant comparison of the places. Somehow I also experienced that and it's really hard.
But if you're to ask me, I think Zel only like New York because of Prim and her heart will always be at home in Australia.
This is a story of friendship, first heart break, starting over. If you're looking for a coming out book, this is not for you.
Everything is very realistic.
Stella and Zel! I want more!
And I think Zel would be a great psychologist.
The author is really an amazing story teller, first you get curious then before you know it you're hooked. Wow! And I think she has a thing with red heads?
October 9, 2016
** I was given a copy from Ylva Publishing for an honest review.**
This is another good story by Emily O'Beirne. She's just excellent at that - telling meaningful stories of ordinary queer youngsters in quite an extraordinary way.
She picks up moments that usually has been (or probably will be) part of any queer girl growing up - in this case the falling in love with your best friend scenario - and builds up a compelling story around it. Unlike most other authors of this genre though, she carefully steer us away from the 'fairytale' outcome. There usually is more of a sweet/bittersweet feeling to her novels as she honestly tries to tackle some of the real issues of being a queer teen in a more realistic way. And I, for one, appreciate that approach.
However, the general feeling I had of this book was that it was a lukewarm reading.
Now, as I've become used to, O'Beirne protagonists tend to be quite strong, complex and interesting characters. Even if they end up being in opposite sides of the personality spectrum. They can be gentle and yet somewhat insecure like Liza from and end up being profoundly endearing, or they can be a bit of an asshole but with a good heart like Claire from and still be very captivating, because their qualities as well as their shortcomings it's what makes them reliable and interesting as characters.
Unfortunately I didn't felt quite this way about Zel.
Zel was nice. But the bland kind of nice. Good daughter, good friend and probably just absolutely average at anything she does, yet for me she seems to have this almost way too subdued atitude towards life. She acts like a 30 years-old in a 16 years-old body. And I know all about these 'old soul' teenagers out there, I was actually one of them. But the fact remains that they don't exactly make for a very interesting protagonist of a novel in my opinion.
Also, the self-consciousness of the narrative didn't quite do it for me. I might be wrong, as it's been awhile since I read her previous books, but I think this was her first book written in first person and where the main character is constantly breaking the fourth wall to address the readers. And it can be indeed a fantastic writing device, but to work properly it must be executed flawlessly and by a character with a really strong personality and inner voice. Once again, Zel is not one of those characters, in my opinion.
And then there is Prim. Well, if Zel was bland to me, Prim was just absolutely obnoxious. Not even Zel seemed able to defend her atitude properly to the readers, and she was actually the one who was in love with her. Now I get it, most of us have been there, the inappropriate crush on the unapproachable, standoffish, yet profoundly alluring acquaintance or friend. I get that, like I said, that's one of O'Beirne greatest qualities as a writer in my opinion, writing fiction that could pass as a memoir of any queer girl growing up, but then there is also the other side of this equation, the one where just because you can write about something, it doesn't mean you should.
And I am aware that this is mostly a preference thing ("Reviews are opinions, opinions are subjective" and all that...) but for my taste, I found myself a bit disconnected from actually caring for anyone in this story and not only because of the characters, but also because I felt that with the constant flashbacks, the story ended up a bit everywhere, or more precisely not here nor there, since a huge part of this story is actually just Zel recollecting her relationship with Prim in NY. And to be quite honest there was nothing too remarkable about that time to justify the time spent doing so. It's not exactly bad, really. It's just that it wasn't really that intriguing for me, and I also ended up missing that certain sense of urgency that usually comes with stories like this.
Stella on the other hand, was the most interesting character in the story for me. But although she has a very key part to play in this book, her possible growth as a character ends up limited by Zel and Prim story. Which actually makes sense, even if I ended up watching the unfold of why that makes sense feeling quite unenthusiastically about the whole deal.
To her credit, Emily O'Beirne is an extremely capable writer and you can easily notice that there is a perfectly reasonable justification behind all her choices for the direction of her stories, so as a reader, even if you disagree with her choices as a storyteller, you can't say they don't make sense. They do. Even if you don't exactly find the final result of said choices very exciting.
So I actually felt a bit conflicted in rating this book. It is a good book, don't get me wrong, it's just that, I suppose I ended up spoiled by the quality of her previous 3 books and this one ended up a bit on the lower end of my expectations.
3.7 stars in my opinionated, yet honest assessment.
This is another good story by Emily O'Beirne. She's just excellent at that - telling meaningful stories of ordinary queer youngsters in quite an extraordinary way.
She picks up moments that usually has been (or probably will be) part of any queer girl growing up - in this case the falling in love with your best friend scenario - and builds up a compelling story around it. Unlike most other authors of this genre though, she carefully steer us away from the 'fairytale' outcome. There usually is more of a sweet/bittersweet feeling to her novels as she honestly tries to tackle some of the real issues of being a queer teen in a more realistic way. And I, for one, appreciate that approach.
However, the general feeling I had of this book was that it was a lukewarm reading.
Now, as I've become used to, O'Beirne protagonists tend to be quite strong, complex and interesting characters. Even if they end up being in opposite sides of the personality spectrum. They can be gentle and yet somewhat insecure like Liza from and end up being profoundly endearing, or they can be a bit of an asshole but with a good heart like Claire from and still be very captivating, because their qualities as well as their shortcomings it's what makes them reliable and interesting as characters.
Unfortunately I didn't felt quite this way about Zel.
Zel was nice. But the bland kind of nice. Good daughter, good friend and probably just absolutely average at anything she does, yet for me she seems to have this almost way too subdued atitude towards life. She acts like a 30 years-old in a 16 years-old body. And I know all about these 'old soul' teenagers out there, I was actually one of them. But the fact remains that they don't exactly make for a very interesting protagonist of a novel in my opinion.
Also, the self-consciousness of the narrative didn't quite do it for me. I might be wrong, as it's been awhile since I read her previous books, but I think this was her first book written in first person and where the main character is constantly breaking the fourth wall to address the readers. And it can be indeed a fantastic writing device, but to work properly it must be executed flawlessly and by a character with a really strong personality and inner voice. Once again, Zel is not one of those characters, in my opinion.
And then there is Prim. Well, if Zel was bland to me, Prim was just absolutely obnoxious. Not even Zel seemed able to defend her atitude properly to the readers, and she was actually the one who was in love with her. Now I get it, most of us have been there, the inappropriate crush on the unapproachable, standoffish, yet profoundly alluring acquaintance or friend. I get that, like I said, that's one of O'Beirne greatest qualities as a writer in my opinion, writing fiction that could pass as a memoir of any queer girl growing up, but then there is also the other side of this equation, the one where just because you can write about something, it doesn't mean you should.
And I am aware that this is mostly a preference thing ("Reviews are opinions, opinions are subjective" and all that...) but for my taste, I found myself a bit disconnected from actually caring for anyone in this story and not only because of the characters, but also because I felt that with the constant flashbacks, the story ended up a bit everywhere, or more precisely not here nor there, since a huge part of this story is actually just Zel recollecting her relationship with Prim in NY. And to be quite honest there was nothing too remarkable about that time to justify the time spent doing so. It's not exactly bad, really. It's just that it wasn't really that intriguing for me, and I also ended up missing that certain sense of urgency that usually comes with stories like this.
Stella on the other hand, was the most interesting character in the story for me. But although she has a very key part to play in this book, her possible growth as a character ends up limited by Zel and Prim story. Which actually makes sense, even if I ended up watching the unfold of why that makes sense feeling quite unenthusiastically about the whole deal.
To her credit, Emily O'Beirne is an extremely capable writer and you can easily notice that there is a perfectly reasonable justification behind all her choices for the direction of her stories, so as a reader, even if you disagree with her choices as a storyteller, you can't say they don't make sense. They do. Even if you don't exactly find the final result of said choices very exciting.
So I actually felt a bit conflicted in rating this book. It is a good book, don't get me wrong, it's just that, I suppose I ended up spoiled by the quality of her previous 3 books and this one ended up a bit on the lower end of my expectations.
3.7 stars in my opinionated, yet honest assessment.
November 10, 2016
Zel, an Australian teenager moves to the EEUU, makes a friend (Prim) and then moves back to Australia. She finds then herself with the doubts of her past actions, with the unknown of what is going on the head of Prim and with the uncertainty of her current life.
That would be my sum up fot this book. Not to much spoilers. But it best this way.
This book is good, so good. Like always Emily O'Beirne has been able to capture the essence of her characters. There is not much development but there is not a need for that. I love it how Zel slowly realizes everything about Prim. And i definitely love Prim, her character and her fears, just the way he behavies. I think is a very relatable character.
So, why only 4 stars instead of 5? Well, in reality if 4.5 stars for me. The only but i can put in this book is that it didn't catch me from the start. I was well in the middle when i though "I can't stop reading, i want to know the end".
I recomend this book. And everything that come from this author. I have still have to read a book write by her that i don't like.
Note: I was given a copy from Ylva Publishing for an honest review.
That would be my sum up fot this book. Not to much spoilers. But it best this way.
This book is good, so good. Like always Emily O'Beirne has been able to capture the essence of her characters. There is not much development but there is not a need for that. I love it how Zel slowly realizes everything about Prim. And i definitely love Prim, her character and her fears, just the way he behavies. I think is a very relatable character.
So, why only 4 stars instead of 5? Well, in reality if 4.5 stars for me. The only but i can put in this book is that it didn't catch me from the start. I was well in the middle when i though "I can't stop reading, i want to know the end".
I recomend this book. And everything that come from this author. I have still have to read a book write by her that i don't like.
Note: I was given a copy from Ylva Publishing for an honest review.
October 23, 2016
I am officially calling it, Emily O'Beirne is by far my favourite author!
The characters and stories she creates just feel so real. I am pulled into every story where I struggle to move on after it finishes. Here's the Thing was the same in that we were brought into the world of these interesting characters with the best dynamic that I fell in love with.
This is a young adult book and as an adult I enjoyed the read as Zel was such a well-rounded character you just enjoyed being a part of her growth and discovery of love and friendships. What a wonderful book for young adults helping them through their own discovery in the big world of teens.
Also as usual I loved the Aussie setting! So pretty obvious I am highly recommending this book and if you haven't read any of her other books you need to do that as well.
I was given this book by NetGally for an honest review.
The characters and stories she creates just feel so real. I am pulled into every story where I struggle to move on after it finishes. Here's the Thing was the same in that we were brought into the world of these interesting characters with the best dynamic that I fell in love with.
This is a young adult book and as an adult I enjoyed the read as Zel was such a well-rounded character you just enjoyed being a part of her growth and discovery of love and friendships. What a wonderful book for young adults helping them through their own discovery in the big world of teens.
Also as usual I loved the Aussie setting! So pretty obvious I am highly recommending this book and if you haven't read any of her other books you need to do that as well.
I was given this book by NetGally for an honest review.
October 25, 2019
I don't understand the high rating for this one. The plot lacks direction and purpose - the storylines don't connect, nor do they add to a resolution of any kind. The characters, especially Prim, were unlikeable or not very interesting. The basis of Zelda's infatuation toward Prim didn't feel realistic, and I didn't harbour any kind of emotion toward the New York flashbacks she had. I also found the fourth-wall breaking moments tacky, and it made the book even more juvenile and lacking complexity. I did enjoy the family dynamics, though, and it redeemed the plot somewhat. Overall, a forgettable read which would have benefitted from more fine-tuning.
Shelved as 'sadly-dnf'
February 9, 2021I've loved the Emily O'Beirne books I've read but I just can't get through this one right now. I have no interest in reading with what happened with Prim and it takes my interest in the book away. Its a DNF, for now at least
September 3, 2017
Here's the Thing follows the story of Zel who has moved with her family from New York to Sydney, leaving her best friend and 'epic crush' Prim behind. Zel faces radio silence from Prim, whilst trying to navigate her new surroundings and friendships. She has to figure out how to move on without leaving anyone behind.
I actually really enjoyed this read. It was cute, and fast paced and I really enjoyed O'Beirne's writing. Zel was a great character, and I loved seeing her deal with her changing relationships and the flashbacks to her life in NYC. The group of drama nerds that she befriends are great too and it was nice to see into their lives.
My only criticism is that some of the issues were only lightly touched upon and I felt they needed a bit more depth - But I do like my YA contemporaries to be quite harrowing 😂
I keep telling myself I need to read more books with LGBT main characters, and whilst this is a lesbian romance, it isn't it's main focus. The narrative focuses on friendships, and keeping the 'right people' in your life if they matter to you.
Overall I really enjoyed it and gave it 4 🌟
I actually really enjoyed this read. It was cute, and fast paced and I really enjoyed O'Beirne's writing. Zel was a great character, and I loved seeing her deal with her changing relationships and the flashbacks to her life in NYC. The group of drama nerds that she befriends are great too and it was nice to see into their lives.
My only criticism is that some of the issues were only lightly touched upon and I felt they needed a bit more depth - But I do like my YA contemporaries to be quite harrowing 😂
I keep telling myself I need to read more books with LGBT main characters, and whilst this is a lesbian romance, it isn't it's main focus. The narrative focuses on friendships, and keeping the 'right people' in your life if they matter to you.
Overall I really enjoyed it and gave it 4 🌟
August 1, 2020
I received a copy of this book from Ylva Publishing in return for an honest review.
Note added August 2020: I'm going through all my reviews for the purpose of cross-posting them onto a new blog. It's been a few years since I read this book, and I most remember it for its aphobia and its girl hate. I've left the rest of my review below unchanged, but I do not recommend this book.
This novel is about a girl who has just moved from New York to Sydney due to her parents' work. Unfortunately for her, the move happened soon after an incident with her best friend who now isn't talking to her. In Sydney she makes new friends, but desperately wants to reconnect with her friend back in New York.
I will start by saying that the cover art of the book is amazing. I love it. However the novel itself was a frustrating read.
I liked the character of Stella. She seems to be a sensible, responsible girl who isn't afraid to be enthusiastic about what she loves. I want to read her story.
My main issue, however, was that Zelda, the protagonist and narrator, is annoying. The novel opens with her describing another girl, who she doesn't actually know, in an extremely negative light. This is followed with her informing the reader that she's 'not a bitch'. Straight away, I knew I was going to have issues with her. At one point she describes herself as 'easygoing' which was surprising, seeing as she spends a lot of time thinking about how much better she is than other people. Show don't tell? Later on in the novel she takes a dislike to another girl because she's 'bossy'. The 'bossy' girl cares about doing well in their drama piece, and is good at what she does. It was a shame that the story is told from Zelda's point of view, because I'd have liked to get to know Ashani better. But Zelda decided she didn't like her for arbitrary reasons so she remained in the background.
Zelda doesn't introduce herself to the reader until 17% of the way through the book (according to my e-reader). When she finally decided that the reader should probably know her name, she halts the narrative entirely to share it. She also described a lot of activities as being 'not [her] thing' without giving any hint as to what she actually enjoys, leaving me under the impression that she doesn't really like anything for a large chunk of the book.
The novel reads like Zelda herself is telling you the story. I quite liked the switching between the past and present. It allowed the question of what exactly happened between her and Prim to stay unanswered for a while longer, which is one of the reasons I kept reading (that and I don't like leaving books unfinished). However, through the first quarter the phrase 'did I tell you...?' showed up whenever a previously unmentioned detail about her life became even mildly relevant. That may seem like an unimportant thing to complain about, but I felt like I was going to scream if I had to read that sentence starter again. It is possible I'm overreacting. After all, I'm fairly certain I've reused phrases in my own writing before. There are also instances where events aren't described properly, and the reader is told to just 'trust' Zelda's opinion. This goes beyond ignoring the 'show don't tell' rule, by not even telling you anything. It is sort of in character for her to not describe it properly, but that doesn't make it any less annoying.
By the time I was halfway through the novel, nothing of note had happened. Even by the end, there was absolutely no character development for any of the characters. There's nothing wrong with having a couple of flat characters, but not a whole cast of them. It's a shame, because this could have turned out to be great if the development was there!
I personally wouldn't recommend this novel. It's alright if you're, like me, looking to read more lgbt+ fiction. But I found it disappointing even despite that. I feel that it would have been greatly improved if it hadn't been from a first person perspective, as really my only problem was with the protagonist herself.
There's nothing wrong with enjoying this book despite everything I've said here; my opinion is not law. A lot of people seem to really like this book and that's okay! I just personally don't think it lives up to it.
Note added August 2020: I'm going through all my reviews for the purpose of cross-posting them onto a new blog. It's been a few years since I read this book, and I most remember it for its aphobia and its girl hate. I've left the rest of my review below unchanged, but I do not recommend this book.
This novel is about a girl who has just moved from New York to Sydney due to her parents' work. Unfortunately for her, the move happened soon after an incident with her best friend who now isn't talking to her. In Sydney she makes new friends, but desperately wants to reconnect with her friend back in New York.
I will start by saying that the cover art of the book is amazing. I love it. However the novel itself was a frustrating read.
I liked the character of Stella. She seems to be a sensible, responsible girl who isn't afraid to be enthusiastic about what she loves. I want to read her story.
My main issue, however, was that Zelda, the protagonist and narrator, is annoying. The novel opens with her describing another girl, who she doesn't actually know, in an extremely negative light. This is followed with her informing the reader that she's 'not a bitch'. Straight away, I knew I was going to have issues with her. At one point she describes herself as 'easygoing' which was surprising, seeing as she spends a lot of time thinking about how much better she is than other people. Show don't tell? Later on in the novel she takes a dislike to another girl because she's 'bossy'. The 'bossy' girl cares about doing well in their drama piece, and is good at what she does. It was a shame that the story is told from Zelda's point of view, because I'd have liked to get to know Ashani better. But Zelda decided she didn't like her for arbitrary reasons so she remained in the background.
Zelda doesn't introduce herself to the reader until 17% of the way through the book (according to my e-reader). When she finally decided that the reader should probably know her name, she halts the narrative entirely to share it. She also described a lot of activities as being 'not [her] thing' without giving any hint as to what she actually enjoys, leaving me under the impression that she doesn't really like anything for a large chunk of the book.
The novel reads like Zelda herself is telling you the story. I quite liked the switching between the past and present. It allowed the question of what exactly happened between her and Prim to stay unanswered for a while longer, which is one of the reasons I kept reading (that and I don't like leaving books unfinished). However, through the first quarter the phrase 'did I tell you...?' showed up whenever a previously unmentioned detail about her life became even mildly relevant. That may seem like an unimportant thing to complain about, but I felt like I was going to scream if I had to read that sentence starter again. It is possible I'm overreacting. After all, I'm fairly certain I've reused phrases in my own writing before. There are also instances where events aren't described properly, and the reader is told to just 'trust' Zelda's opinion. This goes beyond ignoring the 'show don't tell' rule, by not even telling you anything. It is sort of in character for her to not describe it properly, but that doesn't make it any less annoying.
By the time I was halfway through the novel, nothing of note had happened. Even by the end, there was absolutely no character development for any of the characters. There's nothing wrong with having a couple of flat characters, but not a whole cast of them. It's a shame, because this could have turned out to be great if the development was there!
I personally wouldn't recommend this novel. It's alright if you're, like me, looking to read more lgbt+ fiction. But I found it disappointing even despite that. I feel that it would have been greatly improved if it hadn't been from a first person perspective, as really my only problem was with the protagonist herself.
There's nothing wrong with enjoying this book despite everything I've said here; my opinion is not law. A lot of people seem to really like this book and that's okay! I just personally don't think it lives up to it.
October 17, 2016
*ARC from Ylva for review*
Somehow two books in one.
One book is about New York City, the other is about a teenager in Sydney.
While I read I kept thinking: what was the author's intention of this book?
Let's see. The literary ego is a sixteen year old Australian girl from Canberra. She was uprooted and lived a year in New York City, then was relocated to Sydney, Australia. In NYC she connected with Prim together they explored the city through the subway system.
We learn about that in retrospection while our protagonist, Zelda (supposedly named after Zelda Fitzgerald, but I suspect the video game), has to meddle through drama class.
Conscripted by her cousin to this class she, who has performance anxiety, finds a way off stage to contribute to the group project.
In the process of developing and realizing the project - about what's home, refugees and their treatment - she gets to know Stella, who is a dancer and project group member, and after some start-up difficulties they connect and fall in love.
Meanwhile she reminisces about Prim and their relationship - which settles into a long distance friendship.
Over the length of the book I was not sure what the intentions of the author were. Did she want to write a book about NYC? Or about a teen girl in Sydney?
And then I couldn't find out when the story took place. In the last five years analog photography has been becoming something exotic. The personal development of the analog material has become something even more exotic. So it seems to take place at least five to ten years back. But then there is the Syrian refugee problem which wasn't that a problem then. So I can only assume that Zelda is an analog enthusiast otherwise the whole timeline gets implausible.
That leads to the next problem: no smartphones - and that in a time where they are essentially glued to teenage hands.
Switching to the characters.
There we have Zelda, our story teller. She likes to take photographs. And girls. The main problem with the latter is, she had to relocate twice, which is not helping with relationships. She is attracted to the not so sociable girls. But they take time to become friends with.
In NYC she met Prim, who is a social recluse and, as we learn at the end of the book, is not able to connect romantically at all. That leaves Zelda with a half broken heart, especially as Prim need a lot of time to be able to confess her inability of romantic love.
But luckily there is Stella, who has a loud home and an autistic little brother, which stilts her social life because she has to sometimes watch him. Right around the corner, when Prim confesses to Zelda, Stella confesses to Zelda too - about the mutual attraction.
In the background are Zelda's parents, loving but not interfering. Just relocating because of work. Next are Anton, her cousin, Michael and Ashani - the other members of the drama project group.
The boys compete against each other for the attention of Ashani, but this gets only mentioned, not resolved.
And there are the drama teacher Peter and the art teacher MrsÌýStedman. They intimidate Zelda but finally their pushing leads to Zelda's growing.
All in all the Sydney part was a nice pace with the focus of Zelda's projects in drama and art, the latter being the photos taken in NYC. This functions also as the connection to the NYC story line that I personally did find interesting in a documentary way but not emotionally.
Somehow two books in one.
One book is about New York City, the other is about a teenager in Sydney.
While I read I kept thinking: what was the author's intention of this book?
Let's see. The literary ego is a sixteen year old Australian girl from Canberra. She was uprooted and lived a year in New York City, then was relocated to Sydney, Australia. In NYC she connected with Prim together they explored the city through the subway system.
We learn about that in retrospection while our protagonist, Zelda (supposedly named after Zelda Fitzgerald, but I suspect the video game), has to meddle through drama class.
Conscripted by her cousin to this class she, who has performance anxiety, finds a way off stage to contribute to the group project.
In the process of developing and realizing the project - about what's home, refugees and their treatment - she gets to know Stella, who is a dancer and project group member, and after some start-up difficulties they connect and fall in love.
Meanwhile she reminisces about Prim and their relationship - which settles into a long distance friendship.
Over the length of the book I was not sure what the intentions of the author were. Did she want to write a book about NYC? Or about a teen girl in Sydney?
And then I couldn't find out when the story took place. In the last five years analog photography has been becoming something exotic. The personal development of the analog material has become something even more exotic. So it seems to take place at least five to ten years back. But then there is the Syrian refugee problem which wasn't that a problem then. So I can only assume that Zelda is an analog enthusiast otherwise the whole timeline gets implausible.
That leads to the next problem: no smartphones - and that in a time where they are essentially glued to teenage hands.
Switching to the characters.
There we have Zelda, our story teller. She likes to take photographs. And girls. The main problem with the latter is, she had to relocate twice, which is not helping with relationships. She is attracted to the not so sociable girls. But they take time to become friends with.
In NYC she met Prim, who is a social recluse and, as we learn at the end of the book, is not able to connect romantically at all. That leaves Zelda with a half broken heart, especially as Prim need a lot of time to be able to confess her inability of romantic love.
But luckily there is Stella, who has a loud home and an autistic little brother, which stilts her social life because she has to sometimes watch him. Right around the corner, when Prim confesses to Zelda, Stella confesses to Zelda too - about the mutual attraction.
In the background are Zelda's parents, loving but not interfering. Just relocating because of work. Next are Anton, her cousin, Michael and Ashani - the other members of the drama project group.
The boys compete against each other for the attention of Ashani, but this gets only mentioned, not resolved.
And there are the drama teacher Peter and the art teacher MrsÌýStedman. They intimidate Zelda but finally their pushing leads to Zelda's growing.
All in all the Sydney part was a nice pace with the focus of Zelda's projects in drama and art, the latter being the photos taken in NYC. This functions also as the connection to the NYC story line that I personally did find interesting in a documentary way but not emotionally.
December 11, 2016
Full review coming on my blog, the Snark Theater.
There's a good book in the middle of this…like, half of a good book, basically. The present-day timeline with protagonist Zelda dealing with moving to a new place, new people, fitting in, and of course the obligatory romance…that was all good. Like, really good. The book uses a stage play about home and refugees in order to relate to Zelda's own issues, and while I think it is…perhaps a little too heavy of a subject for such a metaphor, it works well enough.
But that's only half of the book (if even that). For some reason we also devote a good chunk of the page count learning about Zelda's old life in New York and, of course, the crush she had there. And these segments are…unbearable. "The Quirk", as I dubbed that indescribable thing that irks me about YA contemporaries, is strong with this subplot, and especially said crush Prim "Primulka, but she hates the name but also hates people other than Zel calling her that" "I'm a model but I'm not shallow and I think glamour is ridiculous because that's totally how poor people think" "I am just so special all the goddamn time" "I'd probably be thought of as a toxic person if this wasn't a lesbian romance novel".
And I could almost forgive it…if there was a point. But…no, the Prim subplot, while it gets a resolution in the present (as it should), doesn't really impact anything else beyond "well, now I'm over this old crush and can realize I like this new girl who likes me back". Which…wouldn't have been an obstacle to overcome at all if you hadn't introduced it. It doesn't help the character grow in any way, make any kind of thematic point. It's trying to go for a Paper Towns-esque "I idealized this girl and that's why I fucked up", but…no.
The only other way the Prim subplot influences the present day is with Zel's art class project, which…also doesn't pay off in any meaningful way. Suddenly Zel finds her "concept" which I guess means it's now good, but that concept is all about the pictures she took and has nothing to do with Prim or their relationship, and also, once that happens, the project is hardly ever mentioned again.
So there was half of a good book (3 stars-worth good IMO, maybe more if you're partial to YA contemporary romance, which I admittedly am not) cobbled together with an unbearable one. Hence the final rating.
The publisher provided a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
There's a good book in the middle of this…like, half of a good book, basically. The present-day timeline with protagonist Zelda dealing with moving to a new place, new people, fitting in, and of course the obligatory romance…that was all good. Like, really good. The book uses a stage play about home and refugees in order to relate to Zelda's own issues, and while I think it is…perhaps a little too heavy of a subject for such a metaphor, it works well enough.
But that's only half of the book (if even that). For some reason we also devote a good chunk of the page count learning about Zelda's old life in New York and, of course, the crush she had there. And these segments are…unbearable. "The Quirk", as I dubbed that indescribable thing that irks me about YA contemporaries, is strong with this subplot, and especially said crush Prim "Primulka, but she hates the name but also hates people other than Zel calling her that" "I'm a model but I'm not shallow and I think glamour is ridiculous because that's totally how poor people think" "I am just so special all the goddamn time" "I'd probably be thought of as a toxic person if this wasn't a lesbian romance novel".
And I could almost forgive it…if there was a point. But…no, the Prim subplot, while it gets a resolution in the present (as it should), doesn't really impact anything else beyond "well, now I'm over this old crush and can realize I like this new girl who likes me back". Which…wouldn't have been an obstacle to overcome at all if you hadn't introduced it. It doesn't help the character grow in any way, make any kind of thematic point. It's trying to go for a Paper Towns-esque "I idealized this girl and that's why I fucked up", but…no.
The only other way the Prim subplot influences the present day is with Zel's art class project, which…also doesn't pay off in any meaningful way. Suddenly Zel finds her "concept" which I guess means it's now good, but that concept is all about the pictures she took and has nothing to do with Prim or their relationship, and also, once that happens, the project is hardly ever mentioned again.
So there was half of a good book (3 stars-worth good IMO, maybe more if you're partial to YA contemporary romance, which I admittedly am not) cobbled together with an unbearable one. Hence the final rating.
The publisher provided a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
September 30, 2016
Read this review and more at 'Here's the Thing' is a LGBT coming of age story. When sixteen year old Zelda moves back toÌýAustralia from New York, she struggles to fit in . She misses New York city and her friend/crush, Prim. Prim is a model who hates most people and things and gives Prim aÌýnewÌýoutlook on life.
The story alternates between the present (Zelda in Australia) and the past (Zelda in New York). In the present Zelda makes new friends and begins taking drama. While she does like her new life, she still yearns for her old one. In her new life she also struggles to settle her feelings for Prim.
Ìý
I found this novel to beÌýa fresh change from many young adult novels. Ithink an important topic in this book was how teenagers often struggle to fit in after aÌýmove. Zelda's move is somewhat extreme as she moves to a different country with a different sub-culture but I think this is an important topic and is often overlooked as such a difficult time for teenagers.
Ìý
I liked the characters of Zelda and Prim and I loved their personalities. The story has a good pacing to it and I flew through it. I was, however, a little lost at the beginning of the book. In the beginning Zelda is talking about Prim but it takes a little while for Zelda to explain who she is and what happened.
Ìý
I did enjoy 'Here's the Thing'Ìýand I would recommend as both a LGBT novel and as a novel that approaches the subject of the difficulties children or teenagersÌýexperienceÌýwhen adapting to a new environment.
Ìý
The story alternates between the present (Zelda in Australia) and the past (Zelda in New York). In the present Zelda makes new friends and begins taking drama. While she does like her new life, she still yearns for her old one. In her new life she also struggles to settle her feelings for Prim.
Ìý
I found this novel to beÌýa fresh change from many young adult novels. Ithink an important topic in this book was how teenagers often struggle to fit in after aÌýmove. Zelda's move is somewhat extreme as she moves to a different country with a different sub-culture but I think this is an important topic and is often overlooked as such a difficult time for teenagers.
Ìý
I liked the characters of Zelda and Prim and I loved their personalities. The story has a good pacing to it and I flew through it. I was, however, a little lost at the beginning of the book. In the beginning Zelda is talking about Prim but it takes a little while for Zelda to explain who she is and what happened.
Ìý
I did enjoy 'Here's the Thing'Ìýand I would recommend as both a LGBT novel and as a novel that approaches the subject of the difficulties children or teenagersÌýexperienceÌýwhen adapting to a new environment.
Ìý
August 16, 2017
ADORABLE AHHHHHHH
Full review to come when I finish flailing but I loved this one a lot!
Full review to come when I finish flailing but I loved this one a lot!
November 10, 2016
I loved everything about this book especially the characters and setting. This author is quickly becoming one of my favourites and as an Australian myself, I love that she's telling Australian based LGBT stories as I feel they are quite rare.
I loved Zel and I also related to the feeling of not being able to let someone go, especially some who still influences you and that you love. I think that struggle is very interesting but I could also understand Prim's point of view as well.
The romance is more subtle in this book than her previous novels but that made it moreover believable, you can't possible have Insta-love when you're still pining over somebody else. It's just not possible if any author wants an effective narrative.
One thing I would have changed was probably to focus more on Zel's life in Sydney.
This is a must buy, along with every other book this author has written thus far.
*I was provided a copy of this book by Ylva Publishing for an honest review
I loved Zel and I also related to the feeling of not being able to let someone go, especially some who still influences you and that you love. I think that struggle is very interesting but I could also understand Prim's point of view as well.
The romance is more subtle in this book than her previous novels but that made it moreover believable, you can't possible have Insta-love when you're still pining over somebody else. It's just not possible if any author wants an effective narrative.
One thing I would have changed was probably to focus more on Zel's life in Sydney.
This is a must buy, along with every other book this author has written thus far.
*I was provided a copy of this book by Ylva Publishing for an honest review
December 26, 2016
Here's the thing, I loved Zel and the way she talk to us through this book. I love the dynamic, the story, the details. Half of the book I spent googling the parts of NY they were visiting - btw, this took a long more to finish the book, but totally worth it.
I wish it were bigger, because it is always hard to finish a book we are so connected with. Also, I wish we had like an extra chapter to understand better about Prim*, it is so hard to have a book exploring this subject.
But this is just a detail. This is for sure my fav book from Emily. Maybe because I found SO many *right* quotes? Or because I saw in Zel a lot of my old teen, or maybe because I finish it one day before my bday and it feels like a bday gift? Or maybe it is all of that and the fact that Emily is always surprising us? Yeah, probably.
*I am trying to avoid spoilers
I wish it were bigger, because it is always hard to finish a book we are so connected with. Also, I wish we had like an extra chapter to understand better about Prim*, it is so hard to have a book exploring this subject.
But this is just a detail. This is for sure my fav book from Emily. Maybe because I found SO many *right* quotes? Or because I saw in Zel a lot of my old teen, or maybe because I finish it one day before my bday and it feels like a bday gift? Or maybe it is all of that and the fact that Emily is always surprising us? Yeah, probably.
*I am trying to avoid spoilers
April 23, 2017
Ok, this book is really really well written. It ia narrated by the main character and it mainly encompasses her past and present. I gave it 4 stars because it took me about 40% of the book to actually get into it. But then I will also admit that I would not have normally read this kind of book , but again saying that I’m glad I did. It’s more a teen coming to terms with her sexuality and how she integrates that into her every day life, fortunately she also has very liberal, understanding parents. The author has very obvious talent and an extremely challenging way of expressing that talent. Yes I would read this author again. It is definately worth the read.
July 15, 2017
Wow. Thank you Emily for making very good books. The way this story told is unique. It gets back n forth from the past and to the present.
The story is about friendship and misunderstandings. I'm really convinced that the story focuses on her friendship with Prim and how she fell in love with her friend. And now she ruined it. Then in the present, she founds another girl that she's interested. She now realized that her realtionship with prim is meant to be friends only.
The flashbacks is really interesting. Prim is really interesting character (well, the mc knows how to choose interesting people). Stella is cute and mysterious but you'll know her better as the story goes.
The story is about friendship and misunderstandings. I'm really convinced that the story focuses on her friendship with Prim and how she fell in love with her friend. And now she ruined it. Then in the present, she founds another girl that she's interested. She now realized that her realtionship with prim is meant to be friends only.
The flashbacks is really interesting. Prim is really interesting character (well, the mc knows how to choose interesting people). Stella is cute and mysterious but you'll know her better as the story goes.
November 22, 2024
I am very grateful to have received an advanced reader copy of here's the thing in the format of an audiobook e-galley!
what isn't to love about a photographer and contemporary/modern dancer sapphic romance??
our main character zel messily navigates her relationships and friendships while also trying to understand better the role she plays in the bigger picture of her life, especially through art. she's young and is discovering her privilege and her capacity to use her skill sets to make a difference, while also maneuvering this empathy into her interpersonal relationships. these characters are messy and young and there's something very special about watching a queer coming-of-age story unfold with the transparency and vulnerability that o'beirne allows.
while I found that the narrative style of "breaking the fourth wall" to speak to and with the readers was youthful and playful, it began to feel overdone and sometimes as if it was speaking down to the reader. when used sparingly, this storytelling method is fun and can feel immersive as a reader, a la Percy Jackson The Lightning Thief, but for me, it began to take me out of the plot.
stella and prim, as well as the group of friends zel finds herself within are warm and multi-dimensional, but I didn't find myself as attached to out protagonist, zel. it's important to remember that she is young! and learning! and ever-exploring and changing! but occasionally she fell a little flat, in my opinion.
i enjoyed the role of art in this book, in all of the various explored mediums! it was such a beautiful way to paint this image of youth and exploration, and using art as a vessel for better understanding our characters added vibrancy to the coming-of-age narrative!
overall, a very fun read! could be a better read for those straddling the line between middle grade and young adult, but enjoyable and artistic! perfect for those who have had to move and reestablish themselves in different places. this translated well to audiobook, so I recommend the audio format! very playful and funny!
what isn't to love about a photographer and contemporary/modern dancer sapphic romance??
our main character zel messily navigates her relationships and friendships while also trying to understand better the role she plays in the bigger picture of her life, especially through art. she's young and is discovering her privilege and her capacity to use her skill sets to make a difference, while also maneuvering this empathy into her interpersonal relationships. these characters are messy and young and there's something very special about watching a queer coming-of-age story unfold with the transparency and vulnerability that o'beirne allows.
while I found that the narrative style of "breaking the fourth wall" to speak to and with the readers was youthful and playful, it began to feel overdone and sometimes as if it was speaking down to the reader. when used sparingly, this storytelling method is fun and can feel immersive as a reader, a la Percy Jackson The Lightning Thief, but for me, it began to take me out of the plot.
stella and prim, as well as the group of friends zel finds herself within are warm and multi-dimensional, but I didn't find myself as attached to out protagonist, zel. it's important to remember that she is young! and learning! and ever-exploring and changing! but occasionally she fell a little flat, in my opinion.
i enjoyed the role of art in this book, in all of the various explored mediums! it was such a beautiful way to paint this image of youth and exploration, and using art as a vessel for better understanding our characters added vibrancy to the coming-of-age narrative!
overall, a very fun read! could be a better read for those straddling the line between middle grade and young adult, but enjoyable and artistic! perfect for those who have had to move and reestablish themselves in different places. this translated well to audiobook, so I recommend the audio format! very playful and funny!
May 15, 2017
Zel moves from New York to Sydney for her Dad's job. She leaves behind her best friend Prim and an almost finished Subway project. She hasn't spoken to Prim since the fateful weekend just before she left, when they shared a confusing but amazing kiss. Zel doesn't know where they stand and now she's thousands of miles away. On top of all the emotional turmoil brought over from New York, in Sydney, Zel is trying to make a place for herself at school, with new friends and her continued passion for photography.
I feel like this author really loves projects, in both books I've read by her they've been a main focus. I found the Subway project fascinating though. This book was focused a lot on Zel's drama project, her subway project, and a lot of self discovery. There wasn't a lot of action. I loved the story, I was halfway done the book in just a few hours without even realizing it. But if you need action and drama and dialogue this might be a slow read for you.
I love the intelligence and independence of the young women in Emily O'Beirne's novels. I also really liked the description of all the various art forms in this novel from dance, to acting and different types of photography, and how these art forms fit each character. It was a really fascinating novel.
This is a first person story. The only thing I didn't love about it though was how Zel sometimes directly spoke to the reader and mentioned them turning pages or the electronic version of turning pages. I can see some people would really love that and see it as a connection to the narrator but for me it took me out of the story and I had to refocus.
I received a copy from YLVA in exchange for an honest review.
I feel like this author really loves projects, in both books I've read by her they've been a main focus. I found the Subway project fascinating though. This book was focused a lot on Zel's drama project, her subway project, and a lot of self discovery. There wasn't a lot of action. I loved the story, I was halfway done the book in just a few hours without even realizing it. But if you need action and drama and dialogue this might be a slow read for you.
I love the intelligence and independence of the young women in Emily O'Beirne's novels. I also really liked the description of all the various art forms in this novel from dance, to acting and different types of photography, and how these art forms fit each character. It was a really fascinating novel.
This is a first person story. The only thing I didn't love about it though was how Zel sometimes directly spoke to the reader and mentioned them turning pages or the electronic version of turning pages. I can see some people would really love that and see it as a connection to the narrator but for me it took me out of the story and I had to refocus.
I received a copy from YLVA in exchange for an honest review.
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