hannahlewis's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
So. I have a lot of thoughts about this book. First of all, if you enjoy fall out boy lyrics, you’ll probably like this book, because in a lot of ways it’s sort of one long fall out boy song. Second of all, Pete Wentz claims this isn’t autobiographical, but that’s a load of BS. While events are definitely exaggerated or contrived, these all clearly come from emotions the author has felt. Plus, the main character is from Chicago and is in a band with “the animal” who is a straight edge vegan drummer and “Martin” who is a kind musical talent concerned for his best friend… you can see the resemblance to Fall Out Boy. So both of these things are nice to know going in. But to actually talk about the book now. First of all, it has no semblance of a real plot. I mean, what does the MC do? He’s in a band, they get successful, they tour, he has bipolar disorder, he has a drug addiction, he has sex with girls, he has a toxic on and off relationship with Her. He simply exists, there’s no forward motion or point to the story, which would normally kill a novel but… this book works. For two reasons. Number one- it reads a lot more like poetry than a story. Most of the story is pretentious ramblings very similar to Pete’s blogging back in the day, and so each chapter exists to serve a theme/metaphor/parallels, instead of pushing a narrative along. It feels like a stream of consciousness, because it is, and so the meaning of the story is contained in the imagery and emotions the events conjure up, in the introspection of the narrator, not in the forward motion of the events themselves. Number two- I think the whole point of the book is that the characters don’t change. There is no need for strong character development because the MC is supposed to end right where he started— alone, self-loathing, *gray*. The characters go in circles, always going back to what they know will hurt them, never learning anything from it. It’s repetitive and annoying and under any other circumstances would be terrible characterization and writing, but… it’s what a lot of people do. There’s a reality about humanity in the refusal of these characters to grow as people, and it leaves them broken, it leaves them self-aware and hating themselves, and there’s a level of relatability in that which makes the insufferable nature of the main character much more tolerable. He’s annoying and a horrible guy, but he knows it, and you can’t help but forgive him for it in the end. So all in all, the book works, even if it can be clunky and melodramatic. I did hate the ending though, because so yeah. I really don’t know if I’d say I recommend this book. It depends what kind of reader you are. I personally enjoyed it and will definitely be remembering certain quotes for a long time.
Spoiler
having Her die felt like an easy cop out for the author so that he could break the on and off relationship without having to make the characters grow as people in a positive direction. I think this could’ve been accomplished differently and the last couple chapters just didn’t really fit the overall mood of the book for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Drug use and Sexual content
amiralynor's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Self harm
Moderate: Death, Abandonment, and Addiction
sugarmountain's review
dark
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide attempt
Spoiler
major character death
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