This review is part of Melody’s Summer Reading: Diversity Spotlight. Enjoy!
More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera
Release Date: June 2, 2015
Publisher: Soho Teen
Genre: YA LGBT Sci-Fi
ISBN: 978-1616955601
Source: Bought
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The Leteo Institute’s revolutionary memory-relief procedure seems too good to be true to Aaron Soto — miracle cure-alls don’t tend to pop up in the Bronx projects. But Aaron can’t forget how he’s grown up poor or how his friends aren’t always there for him. Like after his father committed suicide in their one bedroom apartment. Aaron 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 has a sweet movie-watching setup on his roof, and he doesn’t mind Aaron’s obsession with a popular fantasy series. There are nicknames, inside jokes. Most importantly, Thomas doesn’t mind talking about Aaron’s past. But Aaron’s newfound happiness isn’t welcome on his block. Since he can’t stay away from Thomas or suddenly stop being gay, Aaron must turn to Leteo to straighten himself out, even if it means forgetting who he is.
Adam Silvera’s extraordinary debut novel offers a unique confrontation of race, class and sexuality during one charged near-future summer in the Bronx.
Wow. What an absolutely stellar debut. This book is unforgettable in the very best way. The concept reeled me in immediately, the voice and the superb writing hooked me, and the characters kept me turning page after page to see how their journeys in this stage of their lives would end. Talk about a journey for our main character, Aaron. Wow. I am truly speechless at this point in time. I don’t know that anything I say will accurately portray just how moved I was by this story because I love this book SO much and I really need you to get that.
It’s heartbreaking but so beautiful as Aaron learns about love and regret and taking chances and consequences. This exploration of sexuality was riveting. The portrayal of Aaron’s social class was so very much appreciated in a category (YA) that often forgets or stereotypes this class; oh my goodness, you have no idea how refreshing it was to see this portrayed so correctly and I didn’t have to read an “urban” book to see it done right. THANK YOU. This novel is so rich and grounded in its characters, its world, its journey, and how it’s told (those twists!!!) and I wouldn’t want it told by anyone else.
Silvera is fearless in writing the search for confronting honesty. The story is without a doubt tough, a battle in the mind as the main character dares to challenge what he knows and doesn’t want to be true. That couldn’t have been easy to write and I appreciate every single word, all of the blood, sweat, and tears that were poured into making sure every word of this story was written and seen by the masses. More Happy Than Not is a lovely, funny, heart-wrenching story about truth and what we do to live without it and what happens when we realize it’s too late to live with it. I loved it. I loved this book so much. So much that I’m happy to proclaim that Adam Silvera is a master storyteller and you can bet I’ll be on board for everything he writes next.
More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera is available today.