A review by dlrosebyh
Anything But Fine by Tobias Madden

emotional fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Luca is prepared for his Australian Ballet School audition. One misstep is all it takes to dash his hopes… a broken foot, too. Jordan is Luca's new school's stunning rowing star and captain. Although everyone claims that he is straight, Luca isn't so sure… Luca begins to question, "Who is he without ballet?" as their strange friendship gets deeper. And is he putting himself on the hook for yet another breakup?

This one will appeal to you if you liked Heartstopper and The Passing Playbook. We watch as Luca's career comes to an end due to a fractured foot. And if you turned Charlie and Nick's narrative into prose, it reminded me so much of Heartstopper. Having saying that, I truly enjoyed the book. I only gave it 3.5 stars because I wanted to see more of Lucas' mother. That was really dismissed. When it comes to writing from the perspective of a teenager, Tobias Madden is exceptional.
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