The book and the film are quite similar, to my surprise. I found Nick Hornby’s writing to be very human, flawed and a little wordy, but ultimately sincere.

I watch a lot of film analysis on Youtube, and was super excited to read this book, particularly because The Good Wife (my favorite TV show) is mentioned in one of Emily Nussbaum’s essays. I’ve always thought TV was a reflection of our culture, and her first essay on All in the Family and the character of Archie Bunker has really stuck with me.

This is shelved as a YA book, but it’s for any mature reader, and let the reader be warned, it’s not for the faint of heart. In some ways, I’m glad Ruta Septys decided to tell the story from the perspective of four teens. It gave some hope to what we know will be a potentially bleak ending for our heroes. But though I read with a sense of foreboding, I also read because it’s important to read through our discomfort: to remember the tragedies of war and honor the many, many innocent lives lost. A haunting but very important read.

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. I have long known I’m an introvert, and didn’t expect many new insights. I was wrong. This book was soothing, even funny in some parts. It was validating, and comforting to read as a new mom.