This book accomplished exactly what it had to. The relationship between Gene, Finny, and the world around them is extremely complex and interesting. IThis book accomplished exactly what it had to. The relationship between Gene, Finny, and the world around them is extremely complex and interesting. I think you have to be older than the characters to really get this book, which is why I'm lost on how many eighth graders have left reviews here... Of course you don't get it, the book is about growing up and puberty hasn't even hit yet....more
Likes: -Becky was cute, I liked her when she was just being herself. She was also pretty relatable. -Alek is a good guy. -Ethan is also relatable in the Likes: -Becky was cute, I liked her when she was just being herself. She was also pretty relatable. -Alek is a good guy. -Ethan is also relatable in the way that he reminded me of some of my friends and even myself. -This book's focus on Armenian culture was definitely one of the best parts.
Dislikes: -Ethan and Alek's relationship makes me uncomfortable. I'm Alek's age, and I would be pretty weirded out if anyone older than 16 liked me. The ages were just, very strange. What made it worse was that Alek was kinda forced by the narrative to serve as the girl in the relationship, which is also gross because it's heteronormative and nasty. -Slutshaming and otherwise sexist tropes. Becky was seen as 'not like other girls' because she wasn't shallow and whatever. Most of the women I know are complex, multi-faceted human beings. Even my girlier friends will hang out in the woods and get their hands dirty. Because I'm a feminist, this struck a chord and I couldn't really enjoy the book the same way. -Bisexuality was dismissed and unrepresented. Not that big of a deal, but it's annoying when there are multiple gay people in a story and bisexuals aren't so much as mentioned when we're a majority of the LGBT community. -Alek is too young to be an interesting protagonist in a book like this. He's fourteen, but it feels like he should be in college or something. The way sexuality was discussed seemed way too much. It's not like that's not a thing in kids that young, but the maturity was way overstated.
Ages were actually my biggest issue with this book. I really wish the characters were older so it didn't have such a creepy undertone (and that's coming from someone Alek's age)....more
In fact, I generally don't think I like David Levithan's writing. But that's not the big issue here.
LoI have to be honest, I'm not a fan of this book.
In fact, I generally don't think I like David Levithan's writing. But that's not the big issue here.
Look, the LGBT rep is important to me. I am the B in LGBT. Many of my friends are trans or gay or bi, as well. Some LGBT characters have become very close to my heart when they're written well. Prudence from Across the Universe has my whole heart, and I love her. However, the reason I love many of the characters I love is that they are actual characters. Every character in this was the same person. This is an issue in Every Day, too. Every person in this was either bland or a stereotype, which also isn't great.
The thing that's most insulting to me is that David seems to think the world he's created is reality. This is like what conservatives think Sanders getting elected will do to the world. This is the most ridiculously progressive fake world I've ever seen.
I live in a very progressive liberal college town. I go to high school. I may go to church. My church is tolerant and caring of all people, but the biggest churches in our area are anti-muslim and anti-gay conservative propaganda machines. For the last few weeks, we've had anti-gay, anti-abortion, and anti-muslim protesters at my high school, harassing girls with hijabs and boys with trans flag pins. I've seen kids cry and get comforted by their friends because of some of the things the signs say.
I live in one of the most accepting places on earth, and yet every day I am confronted by intolerance. Biphobia is even a problem in LGBT circles. There are girls out there who think that because I like more than just girls I am faking my attraction to the same gender, and will actively make fun of bisexual people for their identities. I can't go to my school's GSA without hearing something a little off about bi people. So this book, where my and my friend's identities are portrayed so incredibly unrealistically, in which we're paraded instead of ignored, really really bothers me.
I felt like this book slapped me in the face with the phrase 'a few bad apples' instead of recognizing institutionalized oppression for what it is....more
I hate most typical boy band music (Brockhampton's an exception) but I had close relations to people in P!ATD and Twenty One Pilots and even My ChemicI hate most typical boy band music (Brockhampton's an exception) but I had close relations to people in P!ATD and Twenty One Pilots and even My Chemical Romance's weird combined fandom, so this book really spoke to a part of these people I knew closely (and kind of was for a little while). I've never seen a book about fandom that gets it so right....more
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