aliciaclarereads's Reviews (1.25k)

I was so enamored with this book when I first read it at 16. It's funny how much my perspective has changed at 22. Maybe it's because I already knew the story or maybe it's because I've grown up more, but I don't find it as charming and engaging as it once was. In my children's lit class where we read this book, many people discussed how harmful the "Manic Pixie Dream Girl" is to Margo, and how her development as a character is really stunted. Honestly, Q's obsession with Margo is harmful to himself and Margo. There's no development of Q as a complex character; his entire identity in the novel is shaped around Margo, which is really sad. No 16 year old should ever let themselves be defined by one other person.

I thought I was going to like this much more. I don't think the back of the book properly prepares you for what this book has in store. Time passes by so quickly in this novel that it was overwhelming. The plot would sometimes gear in one direction, then change course and laugh at you for thinking it would be going in such an expected direction. I only really got into it in the last quarter of the novel. And the part where you would expect the author to spend the most time was actually the smallest section. All in all, I just have a dissatisfied feeling after this book, which will probably prompt me to read it's sequel.

It's just so obvious to me that a dude wrote this based off Molly's character alone.