Reviews

Not So Pure and Simple by Lamar Giles

mindfullibrarian's review against another edition

5.0

A much-needed and original YA story about masculinity, sexuality, religion and friendship. A must-read.

mdettmann's review against another edition

3.0

I liked this one. I really liked the way Giles took on toxic masculinity, religion, and sex education and had it from the POV of a “nice guy” who thinks just because he likes someone he deserves them. It did feel like altogether the messages of the book could potentially come off really didactic to teens reading it. Of course with the #BabyGettersClub storyline and the whole plot point that Del joins this Purity group at church to get a girl could at least sell teens on giving it a try and maybe the messages will sit with them. I almost feel like this one is more for adults than for teens since it really hits home that we need to provide open and honest education about love, sex, consent, and all of that. It also is pretty long and some of the day-to-day teenager action made it drag a little.

killerpancake's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

While the ending is almost too perfect and clean, I absolutely loved this book. Giles really nails writing teenaged characters who are so complex! They are mini-adults but also still kids and he just threads the needle perfectly. 

Del is in love with Kiera since forever. He agrees to join a purity pledge to get in her good graces and both hilarity and chaos erupt. But Giles deftly weaves Del’s story with larger issues about what it means to “be a man” and the pressures that young people experience that send them down darker paths. That sounds so corny but honestly I wish I had something like this book when I was younger.

I felt things in this story so personally 💕

magic_lady's review against another edition

dark funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

kiperoo's review against another edition

5.0

Loved this book! So funny but at the same time so serious and meaningful in addressing this real issue teens face. I especially loved that not only Del's sister and female friends set him straight, but that his male ones do too. Great read for anyone who likes contemporary YA!

lucasgarner's review against another edition

2.0

I understand the good intentions behind this book, but... ugh no. It’s like the author looked up “toxic masculinity” on the internet, read the first sentence, and then quit and wrote this book with no further knowledge. The story is about Del, who has a crush on a girl, and goes to extreme lengths to try to get her to like him. This novel is touted as a comedy, but when the entire novel is so extremely problematic, I had a hard time finding the humor. First of all, toxic masculinity is a lot more than just men asserting themselves toward women without reciprocation, but at least the novel tackles that issue well enough. Toxic masculinity is more about the multitude of things that we label as “masculine” and how we expect boys to inherit these traits for fear of them being labeled as feminine. Del inhibits many of these problems, but most of those are not touched on. It’s like writing a guide to fish but only describing a trout.

Religion is another large subject poorly tackled in the novel. The church that Del and his mother attend is horrendously toxic in its own right, and (trying to avoid spoilers here) does not get the severe scrutiny is deserves. Father Newsome is a horrendous, horrendous person and is given the lightest slap on the wrist I’ve ever witnessed. You want to talk about toxic masculinity? Let’s start with the guy manipulating an entire community to fit his agenda, and demanding young woman bare their sexuality in front of their entire community. What. The. Fuck?

Once again, I see the intention behind the novel, and I believe that Giles was on the right track, but there needed to be far more consequences for these characters to succeed in delving into the topics at hand. This book exists on surface level, and everything that really needed to be discussed was seemingly tossed aside for comedy that never lands. I do not recommend this one.

keahreads's review against another edition

challenging funny hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

katreadsalot's review against another edition

4.0

I do not read a lot of romance books from the perspective of the male protagonist, but after reading this I think I should read more. I liked Del and felt for him throughout the story. The message of the story was so important and meaningful and I liked seeing how Giles got there.

the_mickstape's review against another edition

3.0

This book was easy to read, but the middle took some time to get through. I started the book and easily got to the first few hundred pages and lost steam! Mainly because Del’s coming of age journey involved various subplots that tended to meander. But in the end, the amount of backstory and character development was paired with a lesson in toxic masculinity and feminism. This would be a great read for young male readers, if they’re willing to stick with the narrative.

amslersf's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

An excellently plotted story about toxic masculinity. Rich in atmosphere and complex characters. This book hella stands out in the YA field for its narrative, character, and thematic complexity.