Reviews

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli

alinadom2002's review

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

5.0

ha__ah's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Das erste Viertel des Buchs hatte mich nicht so begeistert, was größtenteils daran liegt, dass sich m.M.n. die deutsche Übersetzung immer ziemlich unnatürlich bei Büchern liest, die sich heavy mit queeren Themen auseinandersetzen. 
Dann bin ich zu dem Audiobuch gewechselt und muss sagen Lea Fleck ist eine fantastische Erzählerin. Das hat unter anderem dazu beigetragen dass es mir immer mehr gefallen hat.
Insgesamt finde ich die Themen wie z.B. der Ausschluss aus der queeren Community und erzwungene Coming-Outs mega gut thematisiert und es hat mir auch selbst einige Denkanstöße mitgegeben. 
So eine Repräsentation für queere Mädchen, die erst viel später checken dass sie queer sind, habe ich in so einer ausführlichen und nahbaren Form noch nie gelesen. Ich kann mich selbst viel mit Imogen identifizieren, was in meine LIebe zu diesem Buch natürlich mitreinspielt. Momentan 4 Sterne, da der Schreibstil und auch die Charaktere für mich nicht ganz rund waren, aber wie gesagt die Themen und wie sie thematisiert wurden war super!

Vielen Dank an den Verlag Bastei Lübbe für die Bereitstellung dieses Buches über Netgalley. Jede geäußerte Meinung ist natürlich meine eigene! :)

gayanyway's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

dieblume's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

rosereads_books's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

canopy_'s review against another edition

5.0

Wow just. I need more books like this.

willowlywillow's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

cipotalectora's review against another edition

4.0

“Imogen.” She rolls back down beside me, scoops my hair back, and kisses me. “Do you need me to spell it out? I’ve been”—she kisses me—“losing my goddamn mind”—she kisses me again—“ever since that dog wandered over, and you just—boom”—another kiss—“dropped down and hugged her. The look on your face. And then you’re like, ‘My goat was named Daisy.’”
“She was!”
“I know!” Tessa laughs, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear.
Then she buries her face in the crook of my neck, and every breath she breathes feels like a love letter.

thank you, becky albertalli, for essentially sharing your story through the eyes of a shy bisexual high schooler who was unsure about herself. ♡ and thank you gloria for putting this on my radar. i wouldn’t have grown a strong interest if it weren’t for your review.

Tessa’s eyes catch mine, and her lips tug up at the corners, just barely. And the noise in my brain falls away.
All the times I said I’m straight. All the times everyone’s said I’m straight.
There it was, underlined and written in bold. How could I miss it?
Like finding Waldo and realizing he was never really hiding.

while not exactly a memoir, imogen, obviously is a fictional bisexual awakening story close to the authors heart, essentially because it is somewhat her own story. some may find this to be too much, but i found it courageous. for the author to find strength to write about a character struggling through what she went through takes a lot. the inner monologue imogen has is heartbreaking, especially as many individuals will be able yo relate. there’s a lot of discourse on what makes someone who they are, which imogen struggled with a lot. she’s used to just being an ally, and she’s proud of that. she doesn’t believe you need to be part of the lgbtq+ to be incredibly supportive, and everything she does is for the good of the community. her own realization takes time, but it’s a whole work in progress.

i think the story taking place within a week and a couple days worked so well. although frustrating and sad, i loved seeing imogen’s thoughts. she was so contradicting, but not in a negative way. she was unsure of herself and where she stood, but she was afraid of overstepping or crossing boundaries. imogen is a shy, anxious people pleaser, and i wish i could just wrap her up in a warm blanket and reassure her that no matter how she feels, her experiences and feelings are all valid. i understand peoples annoyance with her constantly apologizing and wanting to please others, but i could even relate to that, so i’m a little biased. for a 17-year-old soon to be in college, her teenage life was clear from the pages. she’s just getting started on embracing on this new journey only to discover a whole new side of her. i found imogen annoying at times but still couldn’t fault her entirely. i can see how she may come across quite immature or as if she doesn’t sound like her age, but again, i think it all stems from her being shy and a people pleaser.

i loved the small confidence imogen started growing as she started hanging out with tessa more. her awakening felt so real. i thought the author pulled off writing the relationship development through a span of a week, and imogens feelings for tessa felt so realistic. the relationship itself is so soft and wholesome. it’s of many firsts for imogen, but it’s also slow. imogen starts off thinking of tessa only as a friend, but the more she hangs out with her and texts her (the text messages were so cute!), she starts questioning why suddenly her heart is beating faster, why she’s feeling butterflies in her stomach, why she’s accepting her invitation to a party, why she’s feeling shy and blushing when in front of her. the romance is a pretty big part of the story, and it’s not something i would consider a side plot. i think the awakening itself and imogen coming to terms with sexuality goes hang in hand with the romance itself. neither felt like it was overpowering the other, and because i’m a romance reader first and everything else second, i loved this approach by the author. it made the story easier to get into and relationship easier to root for.

The way she’s looking at me gives me this liquid-gold feeling. I sink back until I’m sitting on the edge of her bed, pulling her down with me. She tucks a lock of hair behind my ear and kisses me again, until I can barely sit upright. She kisses my forehead, my cheeks, the crook of my neck, and I don’t know if I’m falling or blooming. The way our ankles overlap. The ache below my navel. I kiss her again, and my mind’s as quiet as snowfall.

tessa is downright funny, supportive, and kind. her adhd mind spirals a lot and boasts out random things, making reading the text messages very entertaining. she’s a joyous person, trying her best to lighten the mood. we don’t get her pov, but i didn’t think it was missing it either. we learn a lot about her from imogen, and the necessary information is given. i loved her character from the beginning. she’s mature, intelligent, and always finding a solution for problems. along with that, the other side characters (who are her friends too), were a fantastic addiction to this. we don’t learn almost anything about them besides the very basics, but again, considering this is a coming of age story of imogen and finding her new love, it didn’t feel necessary, or like something was missing. i will admit, sometimes the group did fit a tad bit too young, as if they weren’t the college students they were, and i’m not sure if that comes from not knowing who they really are, or if that’s just how they really are.

the romance in this is one word: soft. imogen starts having these feelings for tessa, which she finds difficult to interpret at first because it’s towards another girl, but she comes to grasp them and unconsciously accept them. the development felt smooth and natural enough. it’s teenage love, after all, but i found myself hopeful. it’s sweet and emotional, tender due to the first experience imogen is having. there’s a few doubts, a little bit of misunderstanding, and a heap of love. the shy glances, tentative touches, and uncertainties felt so open and vulnerable. i loved seeing how imogen came to accept her feelings, even if she started doubting and questioning towards the end. tessa is respectful, consenting, and in no rush. while she’s experienced, she understands the situation imogen is currently facing. i don’t blame imogen because i, too, have a crush on tessa. because this is ya and has more than romance focusing on the story, there isn’t anything graphic, but i can’t begin to state my appreciate and adoration for this girl.

“Oh! Oh no. Scott—Scotty. Hey.” She hugs me, and I bury my face in the spot where her chest meets her shoulder. “Don’t listen to the pink-haired girl, okay?”
I laugh tearfully. “I’m getting your vest wet. And I stole your blazer.”
“I love it on you,” says Tessa.

there’s more to the goodness of this book though, and the villain of the story lies in gretchen. gretchen, who think she can speak for all queer individuals because she’s queer. gretchen, who doesn’t realize she invalidates others itentities because she needs to put herself first. gretchen, who hates stereotypes but will contribute to them. gretchen, who believes one can only look or come off gay. she uses her gaydar to represent how she feels if someone else is gay, and implies that anyone who doesn’t look gay can’t possibility be gay. she’s the type of person who believes girls can’t be queer if they’re girly, wear high heels, or are very feminine, or if you listen to certain music, or hang with certain groups. you need to not only fit the label, but be the label. gretchen believes that only her experience is valid and is the only one to validate the rest. she’s the type to make her bad experiences her personality, ignoring that other people go through different experiences. gretchen, in real life, would be a liberal snowflake. she uses her bad experiences to guilt-trip people and make them feel like their experience can’t compare. she’s manipulating, toxic, and a terrible friend. whether she grew from her mistakes or not, we don’t know, but i don’t wanna know. i wanna pretend that imogen didn’t forgive her and go back to being her friend. i wanna pretend that imogen is in a completely safe space, where she’s accepted, valued, and not questioned. i’m gonna pretend that, now that imogen is attending the same college as tessa, she is currently spending her time there, curled up in her soft butch girlfriends arms, as she gives her forehead kisses and reminds her how beautiful she is.

I almost lose my breath for a second. I can read every freckle on her nose. “Hi.”
She pushes a wet strand of hair aside to kiss my forehead. And then she kisses my lips.
So I cup my hands around her face and kiss her back. In the middle of the day. In the middle of Penn Yan’s beautifully deserted rain-battered Main Street.
Tessa’s so close, but I press in closer, and she lets out the softest-edged sigh. Her hands trail the hem of my waterlogged shirt, and I swear it feels like taking off sunglasses. Clarity and brightness.

a lot of what imogen struggles with internally sometimes felt like i was reading about myself being asexual. sometimes i feel like there’s something about me missing for me to claim a spot in the community. is this not enough? should asexuality count? does asexuality count? but if i’m not attracted to my own gender or other genders besides male, does that still make me different? add in to that how i primarily read mm romance/lgbtq+ novels. i think it was all necessary and valid, showing a complex range of vivid emotions and thoughts. the struggle is a long process of coming through with how you feel, and having these moments of doubts and reassurances is always common. we’re taught from an early age what is right and what is wrong, putting ourselves in a box of one certain label, as if the rest aren’t okay.

It feels bigger than I want it to be. Do I really have to announce this? Can’t I just feel something and live inside it while it’s happening and not analyze it to death?

this is how becky felt, and we see it through imogen. it’s a self battle, and even though we as the reader know imogen will get that clarity she has been looking for, there’s pressure, anxiety, and the uncertainty of taking other people’s spaces. all in all, i really enjoyed this and found it sweet, endearing, and even funny at times. definitely a new favorite ya!

off2explore's review against another edition

4.0

I had to fight my way through a slow start with a lot of angst, but in the end it was worth it.

nala_reads's review against another edition

informative lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0