It was really fun getting into the head of Colin Singleton- though, interestingly, this is apparently John’s only 3rd person book. I loved how committed this book was to keeping with a set of metaphors appropriate for Colin’s character and mindset which I felt carried through the book well. It is funny and quirky and light, though still meaningful. (This is much lighter than other John Green books I have read.)

Colin reads as neurodivergent for me and I think John handled that well, though I am not neurodivergent, so let me know if you disagree! The best friend character is Muslim and I feel that was also handled well. According to a note at the end, John’s long time friend helped him bring Arabic into the book, which was cool to see.

This book is very YA, which I enjoyed because I think it is an important genre and it can be fun to remember what it is like to be 18! This book, however, is definitely for a younger audience, so be aware of that going into it if you are over the age of 22.

My qualms: There is a character that uses the word “retarded” a lot, which feels uncomfortable and outdated, and this book is very cis-het (which is mostly awkward because it spends a lot of time talking about the nature of "relationships"), but at least on this second one it is self aware. The characters are teenagers, and the book is 15 years old, so I was able to let these things slide.

Overall, I felt this was a sweet and clever coming of age story that felt very authentic, even if the premise is a bit silly (though so well done). It’s all about stories and I think this one is a good one ☺️.