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olivialandryxo 's review for:
Leah on the Offbeat
by Becky Albertalli
I liked this book and I absolutely sped through it, but it wasn’t what I hoped for. Seeing Simon and Bram as an adorable, developed couple made me really happy. I loved that Leah mentioned Percabeth and Inej/Nina as some of her favorite ships, and the Hamilton reference amused me even though I’ve never been interested in it. I think Becky does a great job of writing realistic characters that really represent what teenagers are like. I could also relate to the weird combination of stress, nostalgia, and excitement regarding high school graduation. I’m at the end of junior year, so I totally get it.
My issue is the same as many others: the scene where Abby tries to come out as lowkey bi to Leah, who promptly tells her that she’s either bi or not. Obviously, policing sexuality is never okay, and someone‘s label really isn’t anyone’s business but their own. The big thing, I think, is that although Leah calls out her friend’s racism and talks openly about society’s fatmisia, this scene is never corrected. Leah never apologizes, and Abby seems to just move on.
**Here’s a review that explains it in detail, and much more eloquently: http://boricuanbookworms.com/2018/05/06/leah-on-the-offbeat-very-very-offbeat-and-hurtful-to-me/
I also think the end was rather abrupt. I really loved the prom scene, but after that it skipped to an email Leah was writing to Simon that I presume is at least a few months in the future. The end. What happened when Leah and Abby met up with their friends? How did they react? Are Nick and Abby cool? How did graduation go down? How is everyone adjusting to college? I know every book has to end somewhere, and this one couldn’t possibly cover everything. But I feel like a lot of relevant information and scenes were left out. I think another chapter or two before that email would’ve made a world of difference.
I enjoyed this novel for many reasons; there’s humor, a developed fluffy m/m romance, a developing fluffy f/f romance, an emphasis on friendship, effortless and casual diversity, and an accurate depiction of all the emotions that come with the end of high school. However, Leah crossed a line and the end threw a lot of things out the window.
Good, but no more.
My issue is the same as many others: the scene where Abby tries to come out as lowkey bi to Leah, who promptly tells her that she’s either bi or not. Obviously, policing sexuality is never okay, and someone‘s label really isn’t anyone’s business but their own. The big thing, I think, is that although Leah calls out her friend’s racism and talks openly about society’s fatmisia, this scene is never corrected. Leah never apologizes, and Abby seems to just move on.
**Here’s a review that explains it in detail, and much more eloquently: http://boricuanbookworms.com/2018/05/06/leah-on-the-offbeat-very-very-offbeat-and-hurtful-to-me/
I also think the end was rather abrupt. I really loved the prom scene, but after that it skipped to an email Leah was writing to Simon that I presume is at least a few months in the future. The end. What happened when Leah and Abby met up with their friends? How did they react? Are Nick and Abby cool? How did graduation go down? How is everyone adjusting to college? I know every book has to end somewhere, and this one couldn’t possibly cover everything. But I feel like a lot of relevant information and scenes were left out. I think another chapter or two before that email would’ve made a world of difference.
I enjoyed this novel for many reasons; there’s humor, a developed fluffy m/m romance, a developing fluffy f/f romance, an emphasis on friendship, effortless and casual diversity, and an accurate depiction of all the emotions that come with the end of high school. However, Leah crossed a line and the end threw a lot of things out the window.
Good, but no more.