What if it’s Us
Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera
(Some disclosure, I read, and wrote a review for this book way back when and due to depression, anxiety, and zero Wi-Fi this never made its way onto the blog. I think the book helped to navigate my way through some of the gloom. It was an enjoyable experience
)
The complexities of a new romantic relationship, in which one person has just spilt from their ex, and the other never having been in a relationship before, privilege, sex and consent, summer, pop culture references, contemporary, realistic, and best of all that had me singing was REPRESENTATION. This book has gay characters and a character with ADHD and none of that is driving the story.
Those are the positives, followed by a BUT
Negatives, the two characters Ben and Arthur. The pair equally share POV. One is annoying to begin with and you get to like them and then vice versa. The first dates between the two are high cringe and you think how is this relationship going to go anywhere. Then suddenly the two are coupled up and can’t live without each other. Love is strange.
The whole upset where they spilt temporarily you could see coming from page ten? and was saved by the realistic (slightly disappointing) ending. Also in here there is a homophobic incident on public transport that while you should love who you love, do you, there will be people who, inexplicably, think women should date men and men should date women, like there isn’t a whole spectrum of sexualities and genders, so that was a reminder for readers I suppose that dinosaurs do still walk the earth.
Don’t you love starting a New Year off with an incredible book.
Poetic Insights 
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