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I am very hard to please when it comes to contemporaries, and I'll be the first to admit that. Contemporaries usually don't get 5 stars from me -- they can be fluffy and fun or heartfelt or whatever, but for me, they often just lack that lksdaldsfasomg feeling (yes that is the scientific term) that I need in order to rate a book 5 stars.
The Anatomical Shape of a Heart gave me that feeling.
In short: I adored this book. I think I adored this book from the moment I read the synopsis, honestly, because how can you not read that synopsis and not want a book that fulfills all that potential?! I loved that potential book -- and that potential book turned out to be real.
I love it when that happens.
From the very beginning, Bex is wonderful. The Anatomical Shape of a Heart is written in first-person from her POV, and she is amazing. She describes herself as "pleasantly dour and serious," which is pretty much spot-on. Her humor is fantastic (not over-the-top, just real), and she's not perfect (not nearly -- she can be not-nice, and she's got her weaknesses). But I think my favorite thing about her was that she's an incredibly driven character -- she knows what she wants and she's not afraid to fight for it, whether it's an art scholarship, or, eventually, a relationship...
But it wasn't just anyone. It was a boy.
A boy about my age.
A really hot boy about my age.
Loose-limbed and slim, he slouched against the telephone pole, pushing away an unruly slash of dark hair that fell over one eye. He was dressed from head to toe in black, as if he'd landed a starring role in some Italian caper movie and was ready to break into a bank: jeans, snug jacket, knit hat pulled low. Tight black gloves covered his hands, and a scuffed backpack (probably filled with explosive devices for the bank safe) sat on the sidewalk against his leg.
[...] "Too much black?"
"Not if you're planning a heist. Then it's the perfect amount, especially if you have a Hamburglar mask in your pocket."
"Damn," he said, patting his jacket. "Knew I forgot something."
Jack is literally everything I wanted out of his character after reading the synopsis -- and so much more. He's an amazing mix of genuine and mysterious; very open about some things, but very secretive about other parts of his life, because he's dealing with a lot. More than anything, Jack is one of those characters who's real and good (but not too good -- notorious graffiti artist here) and he just gives me all the feels omg.
And speaking of 'omg'... Bex and Jack together? O. M. G. That snippet above is a very small sample of their initial meeting, and from then on, their rapport and banter are flawless. They can be hilariously, adorably cute; their chemistry is off the charts; and their relationship progresses so beautifully and realistically. It's not love-at-first-sight -- Bex is a bit abrasive the first few times she and Jack hang out, even though the attraction is mutual 'at-first-sight.' But as they get to know one another, their relationship just happens, and I loved that.
I also loved that their character growth wasn't all about their relationship. Their lives independent from one another are so complex and heart-wrenching, and they're both going through a lot. But they're there for each other, and the two of them together are just... I believed them. I believed in them. The two of them, even with their shared artistic interest, were so different -- but they fit together so perfectly.
Bex and Jack are probably my favorite contemporary couple since Sky and Josh in Heather Demetrios's I'll Meet You There. This book isn't as dramatic, but it had the same feeling of realness, for me, which is so hard for me to find in contemporaries -- and that's what gives me that aslkdjfalsdkomg feeling I mentioned earlier.
The secondary characters -- especially Bex's and Jack's families -- were so well done. I adored Bex's brother. Jack's family is just... well, spoilers, but there are many feels involved where his family is concerned. And both Bex's and Jack's parents were (gasp!) present and attentive to their children's lives! How novel! But that shouldn't surprise you about this book, because everything is treated so realistically.
Finally, I have to touch on the ending. (Very slight spoilers-but-not-really, but I'm paranoid so you get a spoiler cut anyway...) I often have a hard time dealing with both the overly-tied-up YA contemps, and the super-realistic-but-very-open-ended ones. I get that a lot of endings just can't be tied up with a bow, but gosh darn it I want some real closure!! Thankfully, the ending to this book took a middle road that I really, really liked.
In conclusion...
I really, truly believe that this book is the best of ALL worlds when it comes to the YA contemporary genre. Do you like your YA contemps to be funny and cute? This book is for you. Do you like them to deal with some more serious topics? This book is for you, too. Do you have trouble with a lot of contemps, like me? Do you find them overly fluffy? Or too serious? Or unrealistic? Guess what -- this book is for you, too. (I feel like Oprah -- YOU GET A BOOK YOU'LL LOVE, YOU GET A BOOK YOU'LL LOVE, EVERYONE GETS A BOOK THEY'LL LOVE!!!)
Seriously though. The Anatomical Shape of a Heart has it all -- honesty, humor, heartfelt emotion, a wonderful romance... girls who sneak into hospitals to draw cadavers, and guys who dress all in black to spraypaint graffiti at night... ;) What's not to love?!
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There were books involved...