fishreads's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Oliver has just graduated from high school and his plans after graduation are clear, join the military just like his older brother Benjamin, currently doing a tour in Afganistan. He just has to get through the summer first.
Dad wants me to get a job, but Mom wants me to enjoy my last summer “as a kid” (uh, Mom, already an adult). They’ve been arguing about it for almost two months now. Me? I want to enlist. I’ve been waiting for this since I was thirteen and my big brother Benjam went into the service.
I thought the author captured Oliver's character perfectly in all his aimlessness after finishing high school, drifting away from his friends and waiting to join the military. I was amused by Oliver's dedication to find a girlfriend just for the sake of having somebody cry when he enlists. He was just a regular 18 year old, until the day the two officers knock on the door of his family home to deliver the news of his brother dying in the line of duty and Oliver's world comes crashing down. Every member of their family is coping with their grief differently. But actually they are all falling apart at the seams. Oliver meeting Luca, his brother's best friend from the military, at the funeral, provides comfort and distraction from the pain and grief and his own insecurities.
“My folks are zonked out of their heads right now. Mom’s like fucking Betty Homemaker, la-di-da, all’s right with the world, and Dad is sleeping outside in the hammock.” “Grief’s a funny thing.” “Yeah, well. Maybe I want to grieve too,” I say, a touch angrily. “Do it.” “How the hell am I supposed to when they’re hogging all the crazy? I’ve got to be the sane, sensible, considerate one? I should be sneaking into clubs with my friends, drinking too much, trying to get laid.” “Probably.”
The two of them really bond during long late night conversation and when Luca comes out to him, Oliver begins seeing Luca in a different light. They kiss and lose their virginity to each other but Oliver is not dealing with the turmoil his brother's death brought into his life very well. He is lost and angry. Even without enlisting, military was such a big part of Oliver's identity since childhood, so it made sense to see him struggling not only with losing his brother but possibly losing a part of his own identity at the same time. Oliver still insists on wanting to enlist except he is torn between following in his brother's footsteps (and gaining his respect) and breaking his mother's heart going against her wishes.
It was easy to see how much Oliver wanted to be like his big brother, how much he identified with him that he assumed he was straight right until the point he discovered Luca was gay which made him start questioning his own sexuality. I thought Oliver's voice was perfectly captured in all the messiness of somebody who was still a teenager but also becoming an adult. I did love how Luca was supportive and understanding with Oliver If it weren't for him I'm not sure how Oliver would end up handling his grief, but I imagine it would have been a lot worse than it was already. I also enjoyed all the 2000s nostalgia, even if personally I wasn't on Myspace I was amused by the way it was featured in the story.
This story wasn't without flaws. Luca was pretty great as a character but at the same time he was pretty underdeveloped as his main purpose was serving as Oliver's support system. I admit the sex scenes weren't the best and I don't think that the fact the both of them were virgins should be used as the justification for the fact. There was absence of lube (except hand lotion the first time) and hardly any prep, but at least the scenes were short and didn't go into too many details.
I loved this story, it really resonated with me and I found it incredibly touching, so much that I cried a few times reading it and even during the epilogue.
Themes: single POV, coming of age, grieving, brother's best friend, character with an amputation, bi-awakening, virginity
karlijnmerle's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars.
It was sweet, it was sad, it was good, but in the ned it fell a bit too rushed.
It was sweet, it was sad, it was good, but in the ned it fell a bit too rushed.
liza5326's review
4.0
It is 2003 and Ollie has just turned 18 and graduated from high school when his world is shattered. His hero, his big brother is killed overseas and he's lost. Enter his brother's best friend Luca. This was less a romance than a story of Ollie finding himself, defining who he really is now that everything he has known to be true suddenly has fallen apart. What I liked best about this story was the accuracy of Ollie's voice. It was really like being in an 18 year old's head. It was heart-breaking to read how his family was reacting to Benjam's death, but it was so real. I loved every second of this story.
regencyfan93's review
3.0
Ollie was depicted well as a directionless teenager. I could picture him as people I've known. I was impressed with his ready acceptance of Luca's prosthetic and stump.
pjmurphy3's review
5.0
Five stars aren't enough for this book. From page one it was captivating and moving. It made me want to cry and shout and feel happy all at the same time. I was angry, happy and sad with the characters and moved by the plot. Highly recommended. Read this book if you want to be taken along on a great story, but be ready to feel. I am going to have to look up more books by this author if they are in the same way.
rissa53's review against another edition
5.0
I really liked this book!
I like reading in Ollie's POV. :) I like his banters with himself! They made me laugh.
This book also made me cry!
The epilogue was a nice touch. <3
I like reading in Ollie's POV. :) I like his banters with himself! They made me laugh.
This book also made me cry!
The epilogue was a nice touch. <3
shelbanuadh's review against another edition
1.0
DNF @ 13%.
I didn't read much but what I did wasn't jiving with me. Maybe I'm too old to enjoy reading books about whiney 18 year olds.
I didn't read much but what I did wasn't jiving with me. Maybe I'm too old to enjoy reading books about whiney 18 year olds.
achillespatroclus's review
emotional
fast-paced
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0