A review by isadreamsof
Dear Evan Hansen: The Novel by Val Emmich

emotional hopeful sad tense
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I definitely think this is only something you can fully appreciate as a fan of the musical. Supplementary reading, if you will. Dear Evan Hansen doesn’t feel as great without the music, but to the book's credit, it wasn't bad. The strength of the novelization is that the structure gives more nuance to the characters because there's just more time and space for them. The most notable addition, of course, would be Connor's point of view and his backstory, along with the addition of Miguel.

Overall, a good read for a seasoned fan of the stage version, but I'd probably pass on it if I wasn't familiar with the source material. 
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