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A review by ceena
The Past and Other Things That Should Stay Buried by Shaun David Hutchinson
4.0
*I voluntarily read and reviewed and ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
I went into this one not sure exactly what to expect, but at the end of it I had given it part of my heart.
These characters are flawed. They can be self-absorbed, selfish, and insensitive, but it makes them real. Also, all these flaws are called on. This is a book about platonic friendship and closure. It is about improving ourselves and being honest with and about ourselves. I didn't like all the characters, yet I still felt myself pulled to them and being empathetic with their situations. I was rooting for Dino to speak up for himself, wishing I could give July a hug when she came to terms with her situation, and was so happy with their growth as people.
In terms of representation: There is a slew of LGBT characters with Dino being gay in a relationship with a trans person of color-- who is probably the most mature character. As far as I could tell July is a cis white female and we get a lot of good discussion regarding her mindset of LGBT people. She makes some jokes and gets called out. I think the whole discussion and outcome are done really well.
This book is about character growth, which I think is done so well. So, don't go into this for the undead factor and hoping for a resolved explanation. The coming back to life part is dealt with, but I don't think much is really explained especially since this isn't a fantasy novel.
I very much enjoyed reading this book and will be recommending it to more people.
I went into this one not sure exactly what to expect, but at the end of it I had given it part of my heart.
These characters are flawed. They can be self-absorbed, selfish, and insensitive, but it makes them real. Also, all these flaws are called on. This is a book about platonic friendship and closure. It is about improving ourselves and being honest with and about ourselves. I didn't like all the characters, yet I still felt myself pulled to them and being empathetic with their situations. I was rooting for Dino to speak up for himself, wishing I could give July a hug when she came to terms with her situation, and was so happy with their growth as people.
In terms of representation: There is a slew of LGBT characters with Dino being gay in a relationship with a trans person of color-- who is probably the most mature character. As far as I could tell July is a cis white female and we get a lot of good discussion regarding her mindset of LGBT people. She makes some jokes and gets called out. I think the whole discussion and outcome are done really well.
This book is about character growth, which I think is done so well. So, don't go into this for the undead factor and hoping for a resolved explanation. The coming back to life part is dealt with, but I don't think much is really explained especially since this isn't a fantasy novel.
I very much enjoyed reading this book and will be recommending it to more people.