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A review by reuben_books
The First Third by Will Kostakis
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a lighthearted yet at times powerful novel.
I thought the discussions around family and death were really meaningful, and I found myself tearing up at points.
I also haven't read many books from Australia, so it was refreshing to read this one.
The only thing that drew me out of the story was the weird way the author wrote about social media. I have to assume that Kostakis is quite a bit older than the teenagers in this book, and I was actually shocked that it was published so recently with the social media wording. The characters post new status updates multiple times a day, and I don't know ANY social media like that that's been used in (at least) the last 5 years. The teenagers also sound awkward when talking about technology: 'Theres this app for my phone' - no-one under the age of 30 would EVER say that.
Apart from that point... what an enjoyable and heartwarming novel.
I thought the discussions around family and death were really meaningful, and I found myself tearing up at points.
I also haven't read many books from Australia, so it was refreshing to read this one.
The only thing that drew me out of the story was the weird way the author wrote about social media. I have to assume that Kostakis is quite a bit older than the teenagers in this book, and I was actually shocked that it was published so recently with the social media wording. The characters post new status updates multiple times a day, and I don't know ANY social media like that that's been used in (at least) the last 5 years. The teenagers also sound awkward when talking about technology: 'Theres this app for my phone' - no-one under the age of 30 would EVER say that.
Apart from that point... what an enjoyable and heartwarming novel.