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alisonalisonalison's review
3.0
Likeable. Nice writing. It took a while to warm up to Adam, but he grew on me in the end. I quite liked Tork, though he remained a bit of a mystery throughout. I liked the subtlety. This an enjoyable little story and I am tempted to check out the sequels.
regencyfan93's review
5.0
I feel at the end of the book that I still don't know Adam and Tork. This is a window into a period of time. Most of the book is from Tork's point of view. We only see his recent past and some of his relationship with Steve.
I liked the chapter device of different origami, depending on who was speaking in the chapter.
I liked the chapter device of different origami, depending on who was speaking in the chapter.
kaje_harper's review
5.0
These two authors excel at giving us men who are a bit atypical, guys whose thoughts and emotions run outside the usual rails. In this book we meet Tork, a young man who has been living on the street for a while. He's sleeping in hidden places like under a stairwell, scrounging in dumpsters, and barely surviving. He has a set of rules he uses to give shape to his days, and he's brilliant, but he's haunted by his past and mistakes, and on the edge of giving up.
And then Adam, who is a wonderfully obnoxious young man as the story opens. In college, living on his parents' money and spending much of his time partying and drinking and screwing around with guys he really doesn't care anything about. In order to meet his parents' expectations of getting into university, he's been told he needs a volunteer service on his resume, so he goes to a charity kitchen and food shelf. Adam figures it'll be an easy job and he won't have to really interact with the bums off the street. Then he sees Tork, with his green hair, his remote elegance under the poverty, his disdain for Adam's posturing, and his secret brilliance that lets him fold an origami star, fix a bike, or finish off a crossword in the time it takes Adam to fetch a food package.
Adam is intrigued against his will, and in a way, his dismay at being outmatched by someone with nothing reveals the emptiness he hides under the loud friends and the money. Adam wants to get to know Tork better, but it's hard to know a person in five minutes of handing over charity. Especially one who reacts to being touched by swiftly leaving.
There is a lot of emotion in subtle moments here, and a lot of character revealed in word choices and actions. This story of how two dissimilar young men find a way to connect was well worth the read.
And then Adam, who is a wonderfully obnoxious young man as the story opens. In college, living on his parents' money and spending much of his time partying and drinking and screwing around with guys he really doesn't care anything about. In order to meet his parents' expectations of getting into university, he's been told he needs a volunteer service on his resume, so he goes to a charity kitchen and food shelf. Adam figures it'll be an easy job and he won't have to really interact with the bums off the street. Then he sees Tork, with his green hair, his remote elegance under the poverty, his disdain for Adam's posturing, and his secret brilliance that lets him fold an origami star, fix a bike, or finish off a crossword in the time it takes Adam to fetch a food package.
Adam is intrigued against his will, and in a way, his dismay at being outmatched by someone with nothing reveals the emptiness he hides under the loud friends and the money. Adam wants to get to know Tork better, but it's hard to know a person in five minutes of handing over charity. Especially one who reacts to being touched by swiftly leaving.
There is a lot of emotion in subtle moments here, and a lot of character revealed in word choices and actions. This story of how two dissimilar young men find a way to connect was well worth the read.
gabi90's review
5.0
Oh! WOW! More! Please gimme MORE!
It was everything I love in a good YA bok. I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. I didn't though, the authors knew how to keep it light but emotional and meaningful.
Tork and Adam hate each other at first. Adam is a dick, he thinks he's superior, that everyone should kiss he's beautiful feet. Tork is reserved, and shy for a good reason, living on the streets and all. I loved how at first Adam was the one who pushed (or pull? He couldn't decide that either I think), and by the end their role got a bit reversed, and Tork was the one who pushed.
Loved it!
It was everything I love in a good YA bok. I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. I didn't though, the authors knew how to keep it light but emotional and meaningful.
Tork and Adam hate each other at first. Adam is a dick, he thinks he's superior, that everyone should kiss he's beautiful feet. Tork is reserved, and shy for a good reason, living on the streets and all. I loved how at first Adam was the one who pushed (or pull? He couldn't decide that either I think), and by the end their role got a bit reversed, and Tork was the one who pushed.
Loved it!
susanscribs's review
5.0
A sweet, sad and occasionally funny romance between a brilliant, homeless young man and an arrogant, entitled rich boy. So much emotion portrayed within its brief pages, I'm almost afraid to read the sequel. ETA on re-read (changed rating to 5 stars): This book is perfect. I wouldn't change a word.
rhodered's review
4.0
I enjoyed this novella a great deal. It’s fun writing as the brilliant homeless kid sees totally through the arrogant young stud.
That said, is it politically correct in that would a homeless person be upset by it? IDK. I do know that the services provided in this British fictional world are better than in many American cities, and that sadly in the UK many of them are being cut.
That said, is it politically correct in that would a homeless person be upset by it? IDK. I do know that the services provided in this British fictional world are better than in many American cities, and that sadly in the UK many of them are being cut.
jsedge's review
2.0
Both characters were just far too stereotype-y to get on board with. Their introspection's were smack-about-the-head repetitive, and their conversations felt so forced and stiff (I found the lack of contractions hugely distracting).
Tork started the story as a guy who's hit rock bottom. Living on the streets, he's caught up in the past that landed him there, follows a bunch of made up rules and self harms. He ends the story with a place to live and a nonsensical attraction to an obnoxious moron, somehow seeming in a much better mental place despite the fact none of his core issues are ever properly addressed.
Adam starts the story as a douche who delights in hating on the homeless, and he ends the story as a douche who decides that, actually, one of the 'great unwashed' is sexy enough to have his repulsive status overlooked.
Neither character had any depth, with the flimsiest of flimsy backstorying and a non-existant supporting cast.
So many things didn't add up for me in this, too. Like:
- Tork got seriously ill, and I thought something would be made of that - perhaps Adam would save him from a near death or even just realise the extent of his feelings because of how worried he becomes - but, no. Tork just miraculously gets better. Tork's self-harming, also, seemed included for no reason other than to highlight just how dire his situation is.
- Tork eats from bins but manages to maintain his green hair.
- Despite knowing Adam hardly at all, I'm supposed to believe Tork could have rewritten an exceptional college statement for him, and in only the few minutes he was left alone with it?
- As if getting sorted with benefits and council housing happens that fast and with so little effort!
Tork started the story as a guy who's hit rock bottom. Living on the streets, he's caught up in the past that landed him there, follows a bunch of made up rules and self harms. He ends the story with a place to live and a nonsensical attraction to an obnoxious moron, somehow seeming in a much better mental place despite the fact none of his core issues are ever properly addressed.
Adam starts the story as a douche who delights in hating on the homeless, and he ends the story as a douche who decides that, actually, one of the 'great unwashed' is sexy enough to have his repulsive status overlooked.
Neither character had any depth, with the flimsiest of flimsy backstorying and a non-existant supporting cast.
So many things didn't add up for me in this, too. Like:
- Tork got seriously ill, and I thought something would be made of that - perhaps Adam would save him from a near death or even just realise the extent of his feelings because of how worried he becomes - but, no. Tork just miraculously gets better. Tork's self-harming, also, seemed included for no reason other than to highlight just how dire his situation is.
- Tork eats from bins but manages to maintain his green hair.
- Despite knowing Adam hardly at all, I'm supposed to believe Tork could have rewritten an exceptional college statement for him, and in only the few minutes he was left alone with it?
- As if getting sorted with benefits and council housing happens that fast and with so little effort!