Jo
Written on Jul 21, 2013
Anatomy of a Boyfriend is a book I've had my eye on for a while. I bought it several weeks back and have finally gotten round to reading it, and I'm so glad I did! Such a good story!
Dominique has never been all that interested in guys. Little crushes has all she's ever had. Then, in her final year of high school, she meets Wes, and everything changes. We follow Dominique and Wes as they try and keep their relationship alive as they head off to college, struggling through the time and distance keeping them apart. Anatomy of a Boyfriend is the story of firsts; first relationship, first love, first time, and the intense emotions experienced.
Anatomy of a Boyfriend is such a good story! It's the first book I've ever read that shows a relationship from it's beginning to it's end. Because of this, it made me really sad. Normally when relationships end in books, I tend to be angry and annoyed on behalf of the female protagonist, because it tends to be the guy screwing up, which will lead to her finding someone knew while going through heartbreak. But you never get to see their whole relationship; you don't get to see the highs, the first smiles and touches, their milestones, their love blossoming. We don't get to see the great stuff, just the end. With Anatomy of a Boyfriend, we see it all, and it's because of all the good times that I just felt to sad at the ending, because we have the same memories as Dom.
Anatomy is also a fantastic book when it comes to sex. It is often compared to Forever by Judy Blume, and I can see why; it's so honest. This is not a book where it all feels so good, and it may hurt a bit that first time, but it's otherwise all perfect. Dom is curious and surprised throughout, what things feel like to touch, what happens, how she herself feels. It's not a step-by-step guide by any stretch of the imagination - both Dom and Wes are virgins before they get together, and neither know exactly what they're doing, so some mistakes are made - but it's real and honest. There are embarrassing things and feel-bad things as well as the feel-good things. Because of this, I'd say it's a fantastic book for teens to read; it doesn't give any unrealistic expectations, or guarantee an absolutely beautiful, magical experience. Also, Anatomy of a Boyfriend is also the first book I've read that mentions dentals dams, and I think it's also the first I've read to mention diaphragms, as well as condoms, as protection for safe-sex, so props to Snadowsky for introducing these things to teens. And the first book I've read since Deenie by Judy Blume who doesn't shy away from discussing masturbation, and discusses it like it's a perfectly normal thing for girls to do, without acting like it's something to be embarrassed about. (Seriously, how many books are out there that talk about guys "jerking off", yet never any mention of girls doing the same? Why? What's the problem?)
If I had to criticise at all, I thought Dom was a little melodramatic for her age sometimes about the things that happened. To me, it felt more like she was acting like a young teen rather than someone in her late teens. Saying that, it was her first relationship though, so perhaps it's understandable and can be excused.
Anatomy of a Boyfriend is a fantastic, important novel, and one I would highly recommend! And it spans the YA and New Adult border by starting in high school and finishing at college! So excited to read Anatomy of a Single Girl, the stand alone companion novel!