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nicolatte's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book, against better judgement, was phenomenal. I enjoyed every part of it. Although, the second hand embarrassment was still there which was just as fun to read about. Everytime I had to stop reading, I looked forward to the next read.
Evan was such a complex and relatable character, flaws and all. I really resonated with him a lot. The way his emotions are written was so intricate. Like, I was seriously rooting for him despite his actions because he knew he just wanted to help but got carried away with the change in his life. My opinion may be biased because of how much I relate to him but he is by far my favourite mc.
Ghost Connor was an interesting choice. At first, I questioned why they had to keep his character but the more I read his chapters, the more I realized just how genius it is. The other characters were just as fun to read about. I was especially interested in the friendship between Jared and Evan.
The whole story was just as interesting. From the way it went from somewhat a lighthearted comedy to diving into serious topics as the story went on. You could really grasp just how much everything has escalated as the lie continues on from the writing, it doesn't have to be told outright.
The whole thing about Evan breaking his arm was genius. Without that one vital thing in this story, I probably wouldn't have been as attached and empathetic to Evan as I am now. It really shows just what kind of person he is. As I read on, I just thought about how much I relate to him, thinking I'd do the same thing in his situation.
His situation with his family was heartbreaking. His mother loved him but was always too busy, making him think he doesn't really care for him. She really pulled through at the end. Although, I wish there was more closure for his father but I suppose it's from a more realistic point of view. The epilogue was already beautiful in itself.
It was the best closure this book could've had. Evan learned his lesson, the guilt never leaving but it also shows how the Murphys didn't hold anything against him which I feel is something he really needed to finally push forward in life.
There are plenty of things I want to say but I just can't describe it. From the writing to the pace, I loved it so much. I went into this book with low expectations considering the reviews, I went out SOBBING and wondering why people may not like it. Overall, this is hands down my favourite book and I really recommend it.
Evan was such a complex and relatable character, flaws and all. I really resonated with him a lot. The way his emotions are written was so intricate. Like, I was seriously rooting for him despite his actions because he knew he just wanted to help but got carried away with the change in his life. My opinion may be biased because of how much I relate to him but he is by far my favourite mc.
Ghost Connor was an interesting choice. At first, I questioned why they had to keep his character but the more I read his chapters, the more I realized just how genius it is. The other characters were just as fun to read about. I was especially interested in the friendship between Jared and Evan.
The whole story was just as interesting. From the way it went from somewhat a lighthearted comedy to diving into serious topics as the story went on. You could really grasp just how much everything has escalated as the lie continues on from the writing, it doesn't have to be told outright.
The whole thing about Evan breaking his arm was genius. Without that one vital thing in this story, I probably wouldn't have been as attached and empathetic to Evan as I am now. It really shows just what kind of person he is. As I read on, I just thought about how much I relate to him, thinking I'd do the same thing in his situation.
His situation with his family was heartbreaking. His mother loved him but was always too busy, making him think he doesn't really care for him. She really pulled through at the end. Although, I wish there was more closure for his father but I suppose it's from a more realistic point of view. The epilogue was already beautiful in itself.
It was the best closure this book could've had. Evan learned his lesson, the guilt never leaving but it also shows how the Murphys didn't hold anything against him which I feel is something he really needed to finally push forward in life.
There are plenty of things I want to say but I just can't describe it. From the writing to the pace, I loved it so much. I went into this book with low expectations considering the reviews, I went out SOBBING and wondering why people may not like it. Overall, this is hands down my favourite book and I really recommend it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Self harm
Minor: Infidelity
maryam16080208's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
uh_havey's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Suicide attempt
elwh's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
sad
medium-paced
4.75
Having never seen the musical, I was astonished how quickly I was enraptured by this story. And now I get to hear it sung!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Suicide attempt
peachr080's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
frosthetix's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Mike Faist your beautiful voice has enthralled me...
I'm not one of those DEH fans that was obsessed with the musical (unfortunately, you don't get to be a broadway theatre kid if you live half way across the world from America), I've only heard of it and knew of its popularity. Now that I've seen it (a bootleg of course, blue slime tutorial you will always be famous), I can kinda see why it garnered such a big fan base? But I can also see why its downfall came so quickly after the movie's release. Personally I'm not that into the plot, and I don't think I'd have ever looked into the show if it were not for Mike Faist, but I feel a bit bad for the fans because of how fast it went from it's cool to like this show to this show is the most problematic thing to ever exist everyone who likes it is crazy. As an outsider, I think the fandom is just like any other, with its love for their actors, cringey memes and those wild yet widely accepted headcanons. There's just a very morally ambiguous main character in the center of it all, who just so happens to suffer with mental health. Oh, and suicide is used as a macguffin in the show. So yeah. The musical is obviously going to be controversial under the scrutiny of cinephiles.
The book retells the story of the musical, while expanding on some parts, most notably the character of Connor Murphy. Spoiler alert for the show ahead, but Connor, the real Connor not the imaginary one, dies in the beginning of the first act and basically disappears completely for the rest of the entire show. He was basically reduced to a tool to push the plot further. The book however gives Connor a voice and offers the audience a chance to know what he was like, what his life was like before everything and what pushed him onto the path of his final decision. The best thing about the book is definitely Connor's parts. And with it read by the amazing Mike Faist, it gives Connor so much life that he never had the chance to show in the musical (no pun intended). Mike did such a wonderful job portraying this vulnerable version of Connor behind his violent bravado, and I often found myself missing his voice whenever his chapters ended. I loved his story with Miguel. It's cliché-ridden sure, but it still made me feel more than the musical ever did. I enjoyed getting a glimpse of the mind of Connor very much, and I wish that Mike had more to work with on the show. I love his voice (his singing voice too) and I think they really underutilized Mr. Jack Kelly understudy.
There's this thing with books, and especially those in first person POVs (I'm actually not the biggest fan of first person POV when it comes to YA literature, but in some cases it works and it's also different when you're reading an audiobook where it's like the MC is telling you a story about their experience), where there's a certain intimacy and connection you feel with the characters that you won't get with audiovisual media (and I am saying this as the biggest cinephile ever, I am biased towards films, yet I won't hesitate to admit that there are many things books can offer you that a film cannot; but then again, the other way around is also true). It's easier to feel for Evan in the book, at least easier than in the show I feel, because you could see his thought process and the actual mental health struggles he's going through. I don't suffer from anxiety so it's not my place to say how accurate this portrayal is, but I'm certain that many people felt seen and related to the character (which I guess is why the musical was such a big hit in the first place. something something theatre kids mentally unstable depressed kids) in a certain sense. Though of course what the book doesn't have are the fun songs (sincerely, me felt so weird when read out like that) and musical numbers, save for Zoe writing Requiem (sung by Mallory Bechtel, who took over the role of Zoe after Laura Dreyfuss' departure), which was quite sweet.
Again, I feel like I would have never read this book if Mike didn't voice it, but I wouldn't say I absolutely didn't enjoy this either. There is a story to be told here, but whether or not the message is right is of course still up to debate. I'll just sit back and be the casual musical enjoyer instead of getting into the heat of it though. I'm truly just here for Mike Faist.
I'm not one of those DEH fans that was obsessed with the musical (unfortunately, you don't get to be a broadway theatre kid if you live half way across the world from America), I've only heard of it and knew of its popularity. Now that I've seen it (a bootleg of course, blue slime tutorial you will always be famous), I can kinda see why it garnered such a big fan base? But I can also see why its downfall came so quickly after the movie's release. Personally I'm not that into the plot, and I don't think I'd have ever looked into the show if it were not for Mike Faist, but I feel a bit bad for the fans because of how fast it went from it's cool to like this show to this show is the most problematic thing to ever exist everyone who likes it is crazy. As an outsider, I think the fandom is just like any other, with its love for their actors, cringey memes and those wild yet widely accepted headcanons. There's just a very morally ambiguous main character in the center of it all, who just so happens to suffer with mental health. Oh, and suicide is used as a macguffin in the show. So yeah. The musical is obviously going to be controversial under the scrutiny of cinephiles.
The book retells the story of the musical, while expanding on some parts, most notably the character of Connor Murphy. Spoiler alert for the show ahead, but Connor, the real Connor not the imaginary one, dies in the beginning of the first act and basically disappears completely for the rest of the entire show. He was basically reduced to a tool to push the plot further. The book however gives Connor a voice and offers the audience a chance to know what he was like, what his life was like before everything and what pushed him onto the path of his final decision. The best thing about the book is definitely Connor's parts. And with it read by the amazing Mike Faist, it gives Connor so much life that he never had the chance to show in the musical (no pun intended). Mike did such a wonderful job portraying this vulnerable version of Connor behind his violent bravado, and I often found myself missing his voice whenever his chapters ended. I loved his story with Miguel. It's cliché-ridden sure, but it still made me feel more than the musical ever did. I enjoyed getting a glimpse of the mind of Connor very much, and I wish that Mike had more to work with on the show. I love his voice (his singing voice too) and I think they really underutilized Mr. Jack Kelly understudy.
There's this thing with books, and especially those in first person POVs (I'm actually not the biggest fan of first person POV when it comes to YA literature, but in some cases it works and it's also different when you're reading an audiobook where it's like the MC is telling you a story about their experience), where there's a certain intimacy and connection you feel with the characters that you won't get with audiovisual media (and I am saying this as the biggest cinephile ever, I am biased towards films, yet I won't hesitate to admit that there are many things books can offer you that a film cannot; but then again, the other way around is also true). It's easier to feel for Evan in the book, at least easier than in the show I feel, because you could see his thought process and the actual mental health struggles he's going through. I don't suffer from anxiety so it's not my place to say how accurate this portrayal is, but I'm certain that many people felt seen and related to the character (which I guess is why the musical was such a big hit in the first place. something something theatre kids mentally unstable depressed kids) in a certain sense. Though of course what the book doesn't have are the fun songs (sincerely, me felt so weird when read out like that) and musical numbers, save for Zoe writing Requiem (sung by Mallory Bechtel, who took over the role of Zoe after Laura Dreyfuss' departure), which was quite sweet.
Again, I feel like I would have never read this book if Mike didn't voice it, but I wouldn't say I absolutely didn't enjoy this either. There is a story to be told here, but whether or not the message is right is of course still up to debate. I'll just sit back and be the casual musical enjoyer instead of getting into the heat of it though. I'm truly just here for Mike Faist.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide attempt
braytonaubree's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
“No one should ever feel they have to suffer in silence. We need to keep talking about mental health and continue to reach out to those who might be suffering.”
🌳🌳🌳
• I’m pretty familiar with the story through the musical, but loved the expansion on the characters & relationships in this format (I was so shocked by just how many lines from the musical & songs are pulled directly from the text)
• Connor surprised me by being my favorite character- his pov helps the reader delve into his mind & sympathize with his experience, even though his death is the catalyst for the story
• full of impactful & beautifully written quotes
• the main themes of this book (mental health, anxiety, depression, suicide, suicidal ideation, etc.) are heavy & serious & usually tackled in a more adult setting, this story is a way of addressing these topics with an angle towards a younger audience, specifically young men - I think it’s so important that children/teenagers feel represented & heard in spaces like this & that’s a comfort this book can provide
• the way the writing flows makes it such an effortless read
• although I recognize the importance of this story & would still recommend it, as an adult woman, I feel like this book wasn’t really “for me”
⚠️ Content Warnings:
• suicide
• depression/anxiety
• drug use
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
simbarabbit20's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Moderate: Child death, Death, and Suicide attempt
indigocrayon's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying and Gaslighting
kendalljo's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
A very close friend of mine got me to read this by saying I’d love it. She was definitely right since I already had seen the musical and loved that so much. Dear Evan Hansen is such a great story and the book is able to add quite a bit to the that by explaining the characters more. I do think it would be better to read this first before having seen the musical as I personally still liked the musical more, but the book is still so well done. Plus the extra Connor parts are very nice to see in the book. Took me a while to get through, but a good read. (I also wish it was a little less YA, but still a great story!)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt