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A review by inkstndfngrs
The Handsome Girl & Her Beautiful Boy by B.T. Gottfred
4.0
I started reading this book at around like 6 PM. Took a break to watch POSE, then went back to it. Went to bed around midnight. Had weird dreams, and subsequently started reading again at 6 AM in order to get the story out of my head.
It's that kind of story.
That said, before I launch into criticism about the book's plot, let's talk about the manufactured product first. I mean, the book as you hold it in your hand. Feel the pages in your fingers. This sucker is heavy. It doesn't feel like it should be, but considering that many times each character's view point takes less than a page...and rather than being broken into chapters, they are broken into titled "parts". It's a lot of pages, but it's not -really- a long book. You understand what I mean? Don't let the 1 3/4" thickness fool you.
Yes, I seriously just measured that. Covers included, so it's probably more like an inch and a half.
Besides the weight of the book, I was also bothered by the minuscule text. I am not old (...dear god, I am not old yet!), but the text made me feel like I had to hunch over this book to read it. As I was finally trying to get some sleep last night, I was thinking, "Dang, my shoulders are really tight...what the heck did I do?" Then I realized: I was reading this book, hunched over in bed, and previously in my recliner and my desk chair. Not fun.
Anyhoo. As for the book itself. I kind of didn't like Art. But I saw a lot of myself in Zee. Art just came across as overwhelming. He's got a big personality, he thinks he's funny (...and if I hate any kind of person, it's the ones who -think- everything they say is hilarious...). I kind of just wanted to shake him until his teeth rattled.
So, if I didn't really like one of the main characters, why would I give this book four stars? ...Why do any of us do anything? I did legitimately enjoy the book. I think the characters definitely made some headway on their self-discovery journeys and the idea that we don't all fit into pre-described boxes (a theory I've been shuffling along with for at least a decade). That's an important enough message that was conveyed well to earn it an extra star. I wish I'd had this kind of story when I was an awkward seventeen year old, questioning what the hell it was that I wanted to be and the kind of person I was most attracted to.
The most important part of this book though is the very last page, and really should be the forerunner to the book. "The Universe wants you find partnership (purpose/happiness/pleasure/love/peace) with whoever (boy/girl/both/many/yourself) you want in whatever way (emotionally/sexually/intellectually/chemically/spirtually) you want."
Because life isn't always about being attached to a person just romantically. Every person we meet serves a different purpose for us. So, I hope everyone that reads this book, remembers to flip to that last page for the reminder.
It's that kind of story.
That said, before I launch into criticism about the book's plot, let's talk about the manufactured product first. I mean, the book as you hold it in your hand. Feel the pages in your fingers. This sucker is heavy. It doesn't feel like it should be, but considering that many times each character's view point takes less than a page...and rather than being broken into chapters, they are broken into titled "parts". It's a lot of pages, but it's not -really- a long book. You understand what I mean? Don't let the 1 3/4" thickness fool you.
Yes, I seriously just measured that. Covers included, so it's probably more like an inch and a half.
Besides the weight of the book, I was also bothered by the minuscule text. I am not old (...dear god, I am not old yet!), but the text made me feel like I had to hunch over this book to read it. As I was finally trying to get some sleep last night, I was thinking, "Dang, my shoulders are really tight...what the heck did I do?" Then I realized: I was reading this book, hunched over in bed, and previously in my recliner and my desk chair. Not fun.
Anyhoo. As for the book itself. I kind of didn't like Art. But I saw a lot of myself in Zee. Art just came across as overwhelming. He's got a big personality, he thinks he's funny (...and if I hate any kind of person, it's the ones who -think- everything they say is hilarious...). I kind of just wanted to shake him until his teeth rattled.
So, if I didn't really like one of the main characters, why would I give this book four stars? ...Why do any of us do anything? I did legitimately enjoy the book. I think the characters definitely made some headway on their self-discovery journeys and the idea that we don't all fit into pre-described boxes (a theory I've been shuffling along with for at least a decade). That's an important enough message that was conveyed well to earn it an extra star. I wish I'd had this kind of story when I was an awkward seventeen year old, questioning what the hell it was that I wanted to be and the kind of person I was most attracted to.
The most important part of this book though is the very last page, and really should be the forerunner to the book. "The Universe wants you find partnership (purpose/happiness/pleasure/love/peace) with whoever (boy/girl/both/many/yourself) you want in whatever way (emotionally/sexually/intellectually/chemically/spirtually) you want."
Because life isn't always about being attached to a person just romantically. Every person we meet serves a different purpose for us. So, I hope everyone that reads this book, remembers to flip to that last page for the reminder.