Please Note: I have received an advance audio copy of this book from Listening Library in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence the opinions of my review in any way.
Synopsis (From Goodreads):
Around the time that Freya
loses her voice while recording her debut album, Harun is making plans
to run away from everyone he has ever loved, and Nathaniel is arriving
in New York City with a backpack, a desperate plan, and nothing left to
lose. When a fateful accident draws these three strangers together,
their secrets start to unravel as they begin to understand that the way
out of their own loss might just lie in helping the others out of
theirs.
Review:
Although most readers know Gayle Forman from her popular YA books, such as If I Stay, I have only read her recent general fiction novel, Leave Me. I really enjoyed it, so I happily started listening to this audio book. With an eclectic mix of main characters, this book pulled me in and I couldn't stop listening.
What I Liked:
Characters:
There are three main characters, each with a powerful backstory: Freya, an aspiring singer, Huran, a boy from a traditional immigrant family who is secretly gay, and Nathaniel, who has been neglected by a parent with mental health issues. Each is wrapped up in their own problems when a chance incident in New York's Central Park throws them together.
I really liked Freya, and was fascinated by her quest to become a famous singer. But is this her dream (to impress an absent father), or her mother's? After showing some talent in a Youtube video, Freya is packaged and groomed to flourish on social media by her pushy mother. Everyone seems to want to cash in on Freya's talent. This is a potent reminder of how young people are treated in the music industry. No wonder there are so many one-hit wonders out there!
Huran, is also a wonderful character. We follow his backstory going back to his childhood when he first understands he is gay, to present day, where he must find the courage to come out. He loves his family, religion, and culture and feels he will be ostracized if his family knew he was gay. When he finds love, he must face losing his boyfriend, or losing his family.
I was less enthusiastic about Nathaniel, but I will get to that later.
Themes:
All three characters show a longing to have a strong, supportive home life. I think this is something everyone needs, particularly teens, today. With so much divisiveness, and cruelty in this world, shouldn't our families be filled with loving, accepting people who will have our backs? I know lots of teens and it breaks my heart that some of them can't find this at home. Even though the three teens have very different problems, it all boils down to them desperately wanting a support system.
Audio Production:
This is one instance where I think listening to the audio book is preferable to just reading the novel. Not only are the narrators (Nicole Lewis, Sunil Malhotra, and Michael Crouch) wonderful, but there is original music that is important to the story, as well. With words and music by Gayle Forman, an Libba Bray (who knew?), this is such a lovely song. It really adds so much to the story.
What I Didn't Like:
Characters:
I had some problems with Nathaniel. While I was really rooting for him, and was touched by his difficult circumstances, I felt some of his actions were beyond credible. Without giving too much away, Nathaniel is neglected to such a degree that something life-altering happens to him. Rather than getting help, he just pretends that everything is okay. He doesn't even seem that upset about this extremely terrible thing that will change his whole life. The father's oft quoted line, "Don't tell your mother", is taken to beyond reason. I don't know of any teen who would have accepted this.
Rating:
Release Date: April 1st, 2018
Author: Gayle Forman
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publisher: Listening Library
Listening Length: 7 Hours, 29 Minutes
Page Length: 368 Pages
Source: Listening Library
Format: Audio Book
Recommendation: With solid performances and original music, this is a very entertaining novel about every teen's need to be loved by their family.
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Please Note: I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence the opinions in my review in any way.
Synopsis (From GoodReads):
For every woman who has
ever fantasized about driving past her exit on the highway instead of
going home to make dinner, for every woman who has ever dreamed of
boarding a train to a place where no one needs constant attention--meet
Maribeth Klein. A harried working mother who's so busy taking care of
her husband and twins, she doesn't even realize she's had a heart
attack.
Afterward, surprised to discover that her recuperation
seems to be an imposition on those who rely on her, Maribeth does the
unthinkable: She packs a bag and leaves. But, as is so often the case,
once we get to where we're going, we see our lives from a different
perspective. Far from the demands of family and career and with the help
of liberating new friendships, Maribeth is finally able to own up to
secrets she has been keeping from those she loves and from herself.
With
big-hearted characters who stumble and trip, grow and forgive, Leave Me
is about facing our fears. Gayle Forman, a dazzling observer of human
nature, has written an irresistible novel that confronts the ambivalence
of modern motherhood head-on.
Review:
I have only read one other Gayle Forman book, If I Stay which, to be blunt, I didn't care for. Yet this book, the author's first adult novel, was wondrous. I think it's because I wasn't the target audience for If I Stay, but I could completely relate to Leave me.
The story is about a woman who is so busy taking care of her family that she doesn't realize she having a heart attack. While I have not had that particular thing happen to me, I did have breast cancer a few years ago. While I did get help with my kids from my friends, I still felt an intense pressure to pretend that everything was okay.
What I liked:
Characters:
Maribeth:
Maribeth is living the life she aspired to (sort of). She has the husband, the kids, and the career. But she also has tremendous responsibilities. It takes a lot to run a household and, despite the changing times, the majority of it still falls to Maribeth. Gayle Forman gets the details just right: the bills that need to get paid, the lessons the kids must attend, the playgroups and parent-to-parent relationships that take effort to maintain. It is a juggling act that is bound to fall apart when Maribeth becomes ill.
Jason:
At first, I found Jason to be infuriating. He is completely clueless as he expects Meribeth to hurry up and quickly resume her hectic schedule. He doesn't seem to get that she just survived a terrible ordeal. I was expecting Jason to fall into the role of the scapegoat for the book. But the author didn't go the easy route. As the story progresses, Jason's character develops where I can see why Meribeth fell in love with him in the first place. It was a delightful turn that I didn't expect.
Secondary Characters:
There are many wonderful characters in this book. The neighbors, Sunita and Todd offer a glimpse into how relatively easy young adulthood is compared with Maribeth's current life. Stephen is a doctor who has been through his own life-altering incident. There is also Janice, who is helping Maribeth look for her birth mother. Each character is well-developed and I wound up caring about each of them.
What I Was Mixed About:
Although I think that Maribeth had to leave in order to heal herself, I think this could only happen in a book. It was very convenient for her to have a small inheritance to rely on so money wasn't an issue. This, however, was a very minor annoyance for me. I think she had to get away in order to sort out her life.
This was a wonderful book, full of winning characters.
Rating:
Release Date: September 6th
Source: NetGalley
Format: ARC E-book
Recommendation: This would make a perfect book club selection, especially for women who are mothers.
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