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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.