Reviewed by layawaydragon on
It’s very long and not much happens. It’s dull. Grief is like that. I don’t think it’s deep, unless just the subject matter makes it qualify. It’s a standard message for these kinds of books.
It is beautifully written most of the time. I was not surprised to find the author has a major in poetry. It reflects Wren’s fucked up perspective due to the mental anguish and being a stupid teen really well. However on point the descriptions of anxiety, depression, and grief, I wish we got out of her head more.
It’s a really difficult place to be and she annoyed me often. I feel for her situation and I’ve been in a depressive state but damn, is she a lucky little brat. Of all her moaning how horrible she is, she never picks up on how her family so privileged to begin with.
It doesn’t fucking matter if you watched your own mother die, if you have jobs, bills, responsibilities, commitments, you get up and do it. Because down here, your mommy and daddy can’t fix it and get you several chances.
Yeah, I know that she’s 18 but she’s going to be fine. She’s going to be able to just pick up and go back to college. The only roadblock is herself. And I got really tired of hearing it after her family clears the fucking way and she doesn’t get it. She like “oh I was so stupid and naive but now I see”. Shiiiiit. You still are, kid. Felt like deceptive depth.
Things finally start to pick up towards the end for me, and then it stops. It’s probably meant to be one of those profound and meaningful open-ended endings, but I was just glad it was over. Maybe if some time, whine, and petty misunderstandings was culled from her journey, I might’ve wanted to see how it progresses.
But why put that extra twist on Wren’s tale of woe? She couldn’t just suffer so long through the grief of seeing her would-be-ex-boyfriend die? Just had add something extra to justify it?
She did make stupid decisions leading up to the accident and they don’t make sense with the picture of who she used to be. That barb thrown by the shrink doesn’t make it fit, it makes him an asshole. Maybe it’s so she could connect with Zara better? But, grief for a life diverged is what brought her and Cal together, so why is grief for Patrick not enough?
I don’t like it. It felt forced to give her another blanket of guilt. Like she needs more justification. Isn’t grief supposed to be needing to deal with it your own way with time? Why add on extra melodrama when clearly Wren doesn’t grieve for it specifically? Pointless. Try-hard. Fake. It’s a useless tidbit that Wren doesn’t even bother with after her “startling confession”.
Wren and Cal are basically insta-lovers. It's ridiculous how she almost blurts “I love you” so quick. They don't know each other and she forgets basic facts about him at first. He calls her “intense”. Intensely sad? I guess. Until the end when she learns to love again. All they seem to have together is grief and life going askew between them.
And this. Mostly this.
People do make connections like that, but I'm wondering what happens when they start talking. Plus, I'm not a fan of the relationship “fix”. Why does it take a man to make her feel again? Why can't they try to be friends? Everyone else is “Oh, you don't see how he looks at you” and I don't get it either. Maybe being too far inside her heads leaves it...flimsy and flaky. I can't see how they're going to make it work beyond a temporary solution because of their paths either.
I just hope they get their shit together and don’t send each other off cliffs. It's scary how emotionally dependent Wren is on Cal. Cal's problem is being a stubborn blockhead.
At least, it showed how MS is invisible and unpredictable well.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 3 April, 2016: Finished reading
- 3 April, 2016: Reviewed