Scan barcode
A review by _reedmylife_
When Haru Was Here by Dustin Thao
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
I cannot believe I am rating Dustin Thao's sophomore novel a one-star but here I am.
When I read You've Reached Sam I was completely stunned that it was a debut novel and the way it tore me apart. Sadly, When Haru Was Here did not have the same effect on me. I never felt connected with any of the characters as they felt so flat. The sad parts in this book felt formulaic and almost forced as if Thao knew what parts he wanted the readers to cry at but did it in such fashion that it was way too basic. There was no depth to any of the writing in this novel and I didn't understand why Haru was being used as a grief device.
Some might say that I just didn't understand this book, but I understand that this was a book about grief and how Eric was so weighed down by losing two important people in his life that he would have rather stayed in the dream-like state with those people, but I never quite understood Haru. He didn't add any substance to the story and even was quite annoying after a while. I understand that Eric needed somewhere to hold his grief but if Thao wanted to make this an impactful statement on grief like he did in You've Reached Sam, I think he might have gone about it the wrong way by not expanding upon his characters.
When I read You've Reached Sam I was completely stunned that it was a debut novel and the way it tore me apart. Sadly, When Haru Was Here did not have the same effect on me. I never felt connected with any of the characters as they felt so flat. The sad parts in this book felt formulaic and almost forced as if Thao knew what parts he wanted the readers to cry at but did it in such fashion that it was way too basic. There was no depth to any of the writing in this novel and I didn't understand why Haru was being used as a grief device.
Some might say that I just didn't understand this book, but I understand that this was a book about grief and how Eric was so weighed down by losing two important people in his life that he would have rather stayed in the dream-like state with those people, but I never quite understood Haru. He didn't add any substance to the story and even was quite annoying after a while. I understand that Eric needed somewhere to hold his grief but if Thao wanted to make this an impactful statement on grief like he did in You've Reached Sam, I think he might have gone about it the wrong way by not expanding upon his characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief