A review by oneanjana
Learning to Swear in America by Katie Kennedy

4.0

It’s an unexpected reading joy for me. I’m starting this book with no high expectation, just read the synopsis and it looks like a light yet fun read, so I take it. Turns out that this book is very good.

I love all the characters here. Yuri, the 17-years-old scientist from Russia who worked on the NASA to save the earth from the asteroid, dedicated his life to his dream of winning the Nobel Prize. So serious all the time, calculating everything with his mathematical ability, awkward for socializing, and kind of lonely till he meets with Dovie and Lennon. Dovie is such a bold hippie quirky girl, which is, I like her so much! Her energy is so extra, and I like the way she thinks. Like when she didn't let herself down with the treatment of his teacher who limited her expression in art. She understood that it’s all about putting her in a box but she just keeps being herself. And don’t forget about Lennon, a truly spotlight stealer here. I think all of us must admire his big heart and his self love. He’s in a wheelchair and don’t give a damn about it. Oh, also I think he is the one who mostly make me snorted and laugh with all his lines.

One thing I don’t really like is the slow pace of the story. Oh, and, where’s the swearing part? Like, I am literally waiting when the part of learning to swear is coming. But no, it didn’t come, and it makes me feel like I was lied to. Lol.

Despite the false advertising for the title, I really enjoy reading this book. I hardly put it down, the banter was all laughable, all the funny part was really really funny.

I’ll end this review with one of my favorite quote about rainbow from this book:

Dovie? Do you love rainbows?”
“Yeah”
“Why?”
She looked at him for a moment. “Because they start with us, reach up to touch God, and still come back down to be with us. The treasure isn't at the end of the rainbow; it's that the rainbow cared enough to come back.”