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mia_stew's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
gem114's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-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
4.0
Early Departures is about life and death, comedy and tragedy, grief and moving on.
Jamal is no stranger to grief. Two years ago, both of his parents died in a car crash. Since then, he's struggled to keep it together--he's not doing well in school, he had a falling out with his best friend, and he's walking on eggshells with his girlfriend for fear of losing her too.
The novel takes a sci-fi twist when Jamal's ex-best friend (Quincy aka "Q") dies and is temporarily resurrected by a top-secret medical facility known only as "The Center." The only people outside The Center that know Q is living on borrowed time are Jamal, his sister Whitney, and Q's mom--not even Q himself. Jamal knows this is his chance to make things right with his friend, but can he do that while also holding this massive secret?
Despite Q's looming death, this book is still funny and uplifting. I really enjoyed the banter between the characters, and I loved the flashbacks to Jamal and Q's comedy videos. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book and would love to have a copy in my classroom. It normalizes dealing with grief in healthy ways, like celebrating the lives of lost loved ones, crying (even for men!), and seeking professional help. Finally, I read this as an audiobook, and I think the narration was well done.
Jamal is no stranger to grief. Two years ago, both of his parents died in a car crash. Since then, he's struggled to keep it together--he's not doing well in school, he had a falling out with his best friend, and he's walking on eggshells with his girlfriend for fear of losing her too.
The novel takes a sci-fi twist when Jamal's ex-best friend (Quincy aka "Q") dies and is temporarily resurrected by a top-secret medical facility known only as "The Center." The only people outside The Center that know Q is living on borrowed time are Jamal, his sister Whitney, and Q's mom--not even Q himself. Jamal knows this is his chance to make things right with his friend, but can he do that while also holding this massive secret?
Despite Q's looming death, this book is still funny and uplifting. I really enjoyed the banter between the characters, and I loved the flashbacks to Jamal and Q's comedy videos. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book and would love to have a copy in my classroom. It normalizes dealing with grief in healthy ways, like celebrating the lives of lost loved ones, crying (even for men!), and seeking professional help. Finally, I read this as an audiobook, and I think the narration was well done.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Car accident, and Death of parent
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Alcohol
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