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A review by dembury
More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera
5.0
No book summary, just my thoughts. :) Spoiler free.
I don't know how I finished this book and was both brokenhearted and happy at the same time. This was a very emotional, often hilarious, and overall sublime novel about identity, loss, growing up, and friendship.
For any film lovers out there, this book definitely had some Spike Lee's "Do The Right Thing" vibes to it. "More Happy" takes place over the summer, burning along with a voice that is strong, sometimes vulgar, but not without meaning. The themes in this book are developed and explored so well, and I don't think there was one chapter that didn't add more meat and meaning to the plot. EVERYTHING matters.
The setting here, the Bronx, is a wonderfully described place, full of fiercely colorful characters and antics. I thought it was perfect, offering both a prime launchpad for many of the smaller conflicts and interactions, and a gritty, scenic backdrop for the story as a whole (ex: the rooftops moments, the neighborhood games, the convenience store, etc.) Silvera does a marvelous job of making his characters seem more than alive in this setting. Along that vein, the characters in "More Happy" really steal the show. Each of them are unique and well-defined, each with a distinct voice. The gang of boys who run around with Aaron, like Baby Freddy and Me-Crazy, are addictively readable.
The plot itself is a little difficult to go into without giving away too much, but I will say that it is NOT what you expect. Think you have it figured out? No you don't. And it is also not what you expect after that! One of the things I appreciate most about "More Happy" is that the plot isn't "Point A to Point B, with added angst in the middle". It doesn't follow a strictly linear path towards a definite ending, but rather it progresses along in a way that seems much more 'lifelike' that many YA novels I've read. In a way, this almost reads like a diary, full of summer nostalgia and boyhood lustiness. It's incredibly atmospheric!
And yes, it hurts. There are heavy topics dealt with in this book, but Silvera handles them deftly and with an invested emotion that reads superbly. I teared up reading this, especially near the end.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an excellent mature YA read, or with an interest in diverse literature (this is included in my list of reads for #DiversityBingo2017). In addition, I would also recommend Silvera's other novel, "History Is All You Left Me", which I read directly after this one- I look forward to seeing more of his work in the future!!
NOTE: There are some mature themes and instances in this book, such as suicide, teenage sex, and language. I would recommend for readers 16+.
I don't know how I finished this book and was both brokenhearted and happy at the same time. This was a very emotional, often hilarious, and overall sublime novel about identity, loss, growing up, and friendship.
For any film lovers out there, this book definitely had some Spike Lee's "Do The Right Thing" vibes to it. "More Happy" takes place over the summer, burning along with a voice that is strong, sometimes vulgar, but not without meaning. The themes in this book are developed and explored so well, and I don't think there was one chapter that didn't add more meat and meaning to the plot. EVERYTHING matters.
The setting here, the Bronx, is a wonderfully described place, full of fiercely colorful characters and antics. I thought it was perfect, offering both a prime launchpad for many of the smaller conflicts and interactions, and a gritty, scenic backdrop for the story as a whole (ex: the rooftops moments, the neighborhood games, the convenience store, etc.) Silvera does a marvelous job of making his characters seem more than alive in this setting. Along that vein, the characters in "More Happy" really steal the show. Each of them are unique and well-defined, each with a distinct voice. The gang of boys who run around with Aaron, like Baby Freddy and Me-Crazy, are addictively readable.
The plot itself is a little difficult to go into without giving away too much, but I will say that it is NOT what you expect. Think you have it figured out? No you don't. And it is also not what you expect after that! One of the things I appreciate most about "More Happy" is that the plot isn't "Point A to Point B, with added angst in the middle". It doesn't follow a strictly linear path towards a definite ending, but rather it progresses along in a way that seems much more 'lifelike' that many YA novels I've read. In a way, this almost reads like a diary, full of summer nostalgia and boyhood lustiness. It's incredibly atmospheric!
And yes, it hurts. There are heavy topics dealt with in this book, but Silvera handles them deftly and with an invested emotion that reads superbly. I teared up reading this, especially near the end.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an excellent mature YA read, or with an interest in diverse literature (this is included in my list of reads for #DiversityBingo2017). In addition, I would also recommend Silvera's other novel, "History Is All You Left Me", which I read directly after this one- I look forward to seeing more of his work in the future!!
NOTE: There are some mature themes and instances in this book, such as suicide, teenage sex, and language. I would recommend for readers 16+.