When it first gets announced, the Leteo Institute's memory-alteration procedure seems too good to be true to Aaron Soto-miracle cure-alls don't tend to pop up in the Bronx projects. Aaron can't forget how he's grown up poor, how his friends all seem to shrug him off, and how his father committed suicide in their one bedroom apartment. He has the support of his patient girlfriend, if not necessarily his distant brother and overworked mother, but it's not enough. Then Thomas shows up. He doesn't mind Aaron's obsession over the Scorpius Hawthorne books and has a sweet movie set-up on his roof. There are nicknames. Aaron's not only able to be himself, but happiness feels easy with Thomas. The love Aaron discovers may cost him what's left of his life, but since Aaron can't suddenly stop being gay Leteo may be the only way out.
So this was just about as angsty as I expected from an Adam Silvera book. The twist hit me like a truck, and to be honest I'm not sure I'm over it yet. I am really glad that we don't have anything like the Leteo Institute (yet?).
However I had one major problem, that knocked the rating down by a star: the casual transphobia regarding a minor character. There was absolutely no reason for it, and while cis people may not even have picked up the handful of lines, seeing something like this completely unaddressed can be really hurtful; a reminder that no matter what, people, even lgb+ people, will not take us seriously.
Reading updates
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Started reading
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26 August, 2019:
Finished reading
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26 August, 2019:
Reviewed