rachelcranko's review against another edition
2.0
this book is stupid and dumb and makes little sense but also i do love it a little bit like who let them do that???
sara_beth_11's review against another edition
3.0
A tour-de-force of bleakness, this book is a proverbial ticket to Bummertown. I rated the book as highly as I did because the prose is solid, although there were a couple of instances of "LOL no teen would actually say that."
anneduff's review against another edition
5.0
This book has knocked me for six! It's a very clever plot and incredibly well written. The range of emotions I experienced while reading it shocked and pleased me - I love being moved by a book. I wish I had the skill that this author has; the way he can write a sentence that reaches right into your heart reminds me that I'll only ever be someone who reads books but, as long as there are books like this to be read, I'm happy with that.
I would sort of, probably, definitely recommend this book to a friend
I would sort of, probably, definitely recommend this book to a friend
readingwithhippos's review against another edition
4.0
This is a hard recommendation to write, because no matter how many different ways I come up with to describe what this book is about, none of them sound like a book I would actually read, much less recommend to others. I am so over the whole “teenager dealing with tough issues” thing. Too many times, authors end up trivializing serious subjects in an effort to make them accessible for younger audiences.
But More Happy Than Not is so highly regarded by so many readers I trust, and then I was in the mood for a quick read, and one thing led to another…
And yeah. It’s good. It’s worth your time to get a copy and read it. Beyond that, I’m not sure what to say. I could rattle off a bunch of themes or plot points, but I’ve drafted those lists about six times now and I’m still not satisfied with how they came out. This is what happens when a book is more than the sum of its parts.
Very, very generally, it’s about pain, and what we’re willing to do to escape it. It’s about who we are at a fundamental level, the parts of us that can’t be changed no matter how hard we try. It’s about healing, scarring over, and getting better even though we can’t go back and reverse all the damage. We can’t undo what’s been done, but we can keep living, if we choose to engage with the hurt instead of pushing it down deep.
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
But More Happy Than Not is so highly regarded by so many readers I trust, and then I was in the mood for a quick read, and one thing led to another…
And yeah. It’s good. It’s worth your time to get a copy and read it. Beyond that, I’m not sure what to say. I could rattle off a bunch of themes or plot points, but I’ve drafted those lists about six times now and I’m still not satisfied with how they came out. This is what happens when a book is more than the sum of its parts.
Very, very generally, it’s about pain, and what we’re willing to do to escape it. It’s about who we are at a fundamental level, the parts of us that can’t be changed no matter how hard we try. It’s about healing, scarring over, and getting better even though we can’t go back and reverse all the damage. We can’t undo what’s been done, but we can keep living, if we choose to engage with the hurt instead of pushing it down deep.
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
gabrielreads_'s review against another edition
2.0
Nope- no no no. Idk why I thought I was liking this book in the beginning.
icmcmx's review against another edition
5.0
I don't know why I keep reading Adam Silvera , because everytime I finish a book by him I'm mad and sad.
The hurt is exceptionally good. A good read for anyone struggling with identity, angst and loss.
Or anyone basically, just read the damn book.
The hurt is exceptionally good. A good read for anyone struggling with identity, angst and loss.
Or anyone basically, just read the damn book.
dathoe's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
simon_reads03's review against another edition
3.0
What a ride! More Happy Than Not takes the reader through a heart-wrenching journey of self-discovery and identity when it introduces Aaron, a sixteen-year-old boy living in South Bronx with his mother and brother, and dealing with his father's recent suicide. After a tornado of events that sets Aaron into a spiraling confusion, he is determined to receive the Leteo procedure, an advanced medical surgery that allows one to forget bad memories. But changing who you are proves to be more difficult than Aaron ever imagined.
I had a really fun time reading this. Contrary to many, it was joyous to me rather than sad, even when tragic events occurred. I was in distress, yes, but nonetheless, I was captivated by Silvera's narration and addictive story. I wanted to learn more or at least understand everything that was unfolding in Aaron's life, and that forced me to keep reading. More and more kept happening, and at times I had to stop and process Aaron's fragile life, the turns it took, and most importantly, the heaviness of it all. This book, in my opinion, is a modern tragedy.
There is a lot to learn from this piece and I truly believe it should be read by many more, no matter who they are. Most books teach empathy and tolerance, but all do in such different ways, and More Happy Than Not does it in a way that is impossible to dismiss. Tolerance, that's what this book preaches, but most importantly it does it in a way that makes one think, really think, and that's what's remarkable. It was difficult to read at times, especially its more explicit and language-heavy scenes, but after finishing it, you understand why it was necessary to live through that. It truly is a gift to read this book, and I believe it should be recognized on a grand scale.
Perhaps this read will help people, perhaps it will open people's minds, make them sit and think, reflect, and that's all that matters. Every single character in this book did the same.
I had a really fun time reading this. Contrary to many, it was joyous to me rather than sad, even when tragic events occurred. I was in distress, yes, but nonetheless, I was captivated by Silvera's narration and addictive story. I wanted to learn more or at least understand everything that was unfolding in Aaron's life, and that forced me to keep reading. More and more kept happening, and at times I had to stop and process Aaron's fragile life, the turns it took, and most importantly, the heaviness of it all. This book, in my opinion, is a modern tragedy.
There is a lot to learn from this piece and I truly believe it should be read by many more, no matter who they are. Most books teach empathy and tolerance, but all do in such different ways, and More Happy Than Not does it in a way that is impossible to dismiss. Tolerance, that's what this book preaches, but most importantly it does it in a way that makes one think, really think, and that's what's remarkable. It was difficult to read at times, especially its more explicit and language-heavy scenes, but after finishing it, you understand why it was necessary to live through that. It truly is a gift to read this book, and I believe it should be recognized on a grand scale.
Perhaps this read will help people, perhaps it will open people's minds, make them sit and think, reflect, and that's all that matters. Every single character in this book did the same.
adorechia's review against another edition
3.0
soo fun but the thing w the memories was kind of confusing at first and it could've been better and also they should've been together/implying gen and thomas get together was lame