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A review by katiescho741
More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera
3.0
This is one of those books where you think you know where it's going, but then it takes a sharp turn somewhere else. After reading the blurb on my edition I thought I knew what was going to happen, but then something happens about halfway in that changes everything.
This is tough book to review without any spoilers...it's got a definite "Black Mirror" vibe and the Leteo Institute makes it science fiction but the rest of the story is very much down to earth.
The one criticism I have, which may sound a little petty, is the names of Aaron's friends...Me-Crazy, Baby Freddy, Skinny Dave etc...they grated on me a bit and I felt they were all a little one dimensional. I lost track of who was who and I found them all really abrasive an annoying, but I guess they were there to show the world Aaron lives in.
Other than names annoying me, More Happy Than Not is a decent book about memory, forgetting, relationships, and attitudes towards different sexualities. The ethics of Leteo are interesting in themselves...should the guilty be left to feel their guilt? Is it ever wise to offer such a service? how do they chose who is in need of it?
Aaron is an interesting protagonist because, much like in a Black Mirror episode, bad stuff happens but he makes thing worse in his attempts to deal with it. He didn't have my sympathy 100% but he had enough of it to make him a good main character.
This is tough book to review without any spoilers...it's got a definite "Black Mirror" vibe and the Leteo Institute makes it science fiction but the rest of the story is very much down to earth.
The one criticism I have, which may sound a little petty, is the names of Aaron's friends...Me-Crazy, Baby Freddy, Skinny Dave etc...they grated on me a bit and I felt they were all a little one dimensional. I lost track of who was who and I found them all really abrasive an annoying, but I guess they were there to show the world Aaron lives in.
Other than names annoying me, More Happy Than Not is a decent book about memory, forgetting, relationships, and attitudes towards different sexualities. The ethics of Leteo are interesting in themselves...should the guilty be left to feel their guilt? Is it ever wise to offer such a service? how do they chose who is in need of it?
Spoiler
I had a slight issue with the concept that they would accept a case of a boy who wants to forget he is gay. It may be nit-picking but the other examples of their work are based on PTSD or horrific incidents that happened that have affected them. But I don't think they would ever attempt to erase something like sexuality from someone because it's not memory based, it's more integral than thatAaron is an interesting protagonist because, much like in a Black Mirror episode, bad stuff happens but he makes thing worse in his attempts to deal with it. He didn't have my sympathy 100% but he had enough of it to make him a good main character.