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A review by worm_on_the_books
As Far as You'll Take Me by Phil Stamper
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I’ve read a number of reviews about this book saying how they didn’t like/enjoy it due to the toxic relationships in it instead of a fluffy gay romance piece, like they thought it would be. It is also important to note that Marty is a somewhat unreliable narrator at times, which should be taken into account when reading this.
In my opinion I feel like this isn’t a romance book, it’s a book about healing and finding yourself within the larger world, and the toxic relationships come with that.
While I didn’t particularly like any of the characters, their complex character arcs made for an interesting read, exploring emotional connections and how people deal with life.
I also felt like Marty’s anxiety was written rather well, many of his thoughts and anxiety spirals often reminded me of my own thoughts.
The one thing that made me cringe slightly though was the way Stamper portrayed the instruments in the book, particularly the oboe.
As an oboist and flautist myself, some of his descriptions of sound and how to play certain instruments weren’t exactly correct, even if he does apparently have a bachelor of music.
Overall an interesting story exploring the lgbtq community, starting anew and relationships.
In my opinion I feel like this isn’t a romance book, it’s a book about healing and finding yourself within the larger world, and the toxic relationships come with that.
While I didn’t particularly like any of the characters, their complex character arcs made for an interesting read, exploring emotional connections and how people deal with life.
I also felt like Marty’s anxiety was written rather well, many of his thoughts and anxiety spirals often reminded me of my own thoughts.
The one thing that made me cringe slightly though was the way Stamper portrayed the instruments in the book, particularly the oboe.
As an oboist and flautist myself, some of his descriptions of sound and how to play certain instruments weren’t exactly correct, even if he does apparently have a bachelor of music.
Overall an interesting story exploring the lgbtq community, starting anew and relationships.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship
Moderate: Homophobia and Toxic relationship