Posts
Synopsis (from Goodreads):
Summer love...gone so fast.
Ollie and Will were meant to be a summer fling—casual, fun, and done. But when Ollie’s aunt's health takes a turn for the worse and his family decides to stay in North Carolina to take care of her, Ollie lets himself hope this fling can grow to something more. Dreams that are crushed when he sees Will at a school party and finds that the sweet and affectionate (and comfortably queer) guy he knew from summer isn’t the same one attending Collinswood High.
Will is more than a little shocked to see Ollie the evening of that first day of school. While his summer was spent being very much himself, back at school he’s simply known as one of the varsity basketball guys. Now Will is faced with the biggest challenge of his life: follow his heart and risk his friendships, or stay firmly in the closet and lose what he loves most.
Review:
Grease is a classic movie of summer love. I'm old enough to remember when it came out in theaters. It was a magical summer with warm nights, friends hanging out, and the potential for romance just around the corner. I found that same magic in Only Mostly Devastated, by Sophie Gonzales. With a charming cast of characters, and a strong story, this was a fantiastic book.
What I Liked:
Characters:
Ollie is a smart, sweet guy who is going through a difficult family situation (his aunt has cancer). I loved that he stayed kind, even in the face of rude, homophobic behavior from his classmates. He even reaches out to someone who is clearly scared to "come out" and listens attentively. He never gives ultimatums, but does stand up for himself.
I also loved the three female friends of Ollie (The Rose Gold girls!). Lara, Juliette, and Niamh each have distinctive story arcs, and sometimes don't get along. But they are lifelong friends, and are definitely there for each other. I loved that they accepted Ollie into their group and rallied around him.
Themes:
This is a story with so many positive messages. The author used the plot device of the dying aunt to show how worrying over what people think is no way to live. It's a waste of time and energy. Aunt Linda reminds the characters to live fully with whatever time you've got.
I appreciated that not all the characters were heading for college (usually the default in YA books).
As with any coming-of-age book, all the characters must make decisions about their future that are exciting, but scary. Do you have to go to college? How can you balance what you want with what your family expects of you? There are many paths to success, and this book shows all the different paths one could take.
Story:
The story basically follows the plot of Grease, but with a boy meets boy twist. I loved it!!! It was so fun to see how the author found such relevance to the issues facing teens today. I especially loved how the Rizzo story arc was updated.
What I Was Mixed About:
While I totally understood where they were coming from (I myself have taken care of a relative when they had cancer), I thought they were pretty thoughtless about Ollie. Moving in your senior year of high school is a big deal for a teen. They look forward to reaching all those milestones (college choices, Prom, graduation) with the kids they grew up with. But Ollie's parents never acknowledged that.
Also, let's be honest. Being gay in the San Francisco Bay Area is far different than being gay in America's South. They should have known that Ollie would have a challenging time with other students. I would have set my kid up to join a LGBTQ teen center to meet other gay teens. Or I would have, at least, checked in with my kid to make sure there weren't any problems. I wish the author would have done something to show that there were other adults and resources that were looking out for teens like Ollie.
Cancer:
I thought the book dealt honestly about cancer and end of life issues. But I would caution anyone who has been thought this experience, to read it only if you think it won't trigger you. I know I cried and cried at certain scenes because it was so true to life. Ultimately, it was very affirming, but be prepared for all your emotions to come bubbling up to the surface with this book.
Rating:
Release Date: March 3rd, 2020
Author: Sophia Gonzales
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Genre: YA Contemporary
Page Length: 288 Pages
Source: NetGalley
Format: E-Book
Recommendation: This was a charming book. It was surprisingly serious about life and living in the present.
Sounds interesting. I haven’t heard of this one. I love Grease, so I’m in!
ReplyDelete