A review by mileskayden
Hell Followed with Us by Andrew Joseph White

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-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

5.0

 
This is precisely what I’ve always wanted to read, in all honestly. This story gave me so much joy, fear and sheer excitement from the characters to the formatting, everything about this book hit the spot. 
Benji was a fascinating character to read. 
One who struggled with himself, his belief and where he fits in within himself, the world and who he was around. He was brave and scared all at once. How his life shifted so much in such a small period of time and he could handle so much just to tick himself over to the next thing he needed to hold himself together for. I really enjoyed how honest he was with himself, and with others (especially Nick).
  He felt genuine.
Nick reminds me so much of the type of character I love to write in the same setting. 
Strong-willed because of his training and childhood trauma and creates this narrative of himself in a new group to be the headstrong, always put-together leader (but also not the leader in their eyes). The representation of his autism was so wonderful, how it was just a part of him that existed like everyone else’s traits, no one made a point of treating him differently because of it. I would buy him endless amounts of beads and string.
 
Theo. I am so conflicted about him.
He was so infected with his belief and faith and he did some horrible things—but he also always addressed Benji as his name, and pronouns and reminded him he was a man when he was back with the Angles. But there was always a part of me that thought he was just playing the role to get what he wanted, which was kind of what he did. By the end, I think he really did love and support Benji. I think his love was genuine but it was twisted because of what he was taught to love more, being a soldier and his faith.
 
Representation was spectacular in this novel. Neo pronouns, genders, sexualities, neurodivergence, beliefs and personalities. Though, admittedly, I’m not rounded in my knowledge of a lot of these representations it never felt like that was the point of the story—to show that these people COULD be represented they just WERE and I think that’s so important and wonderful to read. I really never felt like things were over-explained they all just existed, just like people in those real groups do in the world.
The fucking writing. The words held onto me with claws sinking deep in my skin, and I loved every moment. The graphic descriptions and the violence of the things happening 
to Benji and the Graces were just, I don’t even know how to put into words how good it was. Every word was intentionally enveloping and gripping, holding on and making you watch the horror this boy was experiencing.
 

 
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