More Happy Than Not
Ratings51
Average rating4.2
When it first gets announced, the Leteo Institute's memory-alteration procedure seems too good to be true to Aaron Soto-miracle cure-alls don't tend to pop up in the Bronx projects. Aaron can't forget how he's grown up poor, how his friends all seem to shrug him off, and how his father committed suicide in their one bedroom apartment. He 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 doesn't mind Aaron's obsession over the Scorpius Hawthorne books and has a sweet movie set-up on his roof. There are nicknames. Aaron's not only able to be himself, but happiness feels easy with Thomas. The love Aaron discovers may cost him what's left of his life, but since Aaron can't suddenly stop being gay Leteo may be the only way out.
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What
What do you mean I previously gave this book two stars
I don't understand
All my memories of this book include me loving it???
Ignore my previous rating because obviously it was bullshit this book is amazing. Adam Silvera is amazing.
So I'd heard a ton about this book and did that thing I don't do very often and pre-ordered a book from an author I hadn't read before. And while More Happy Than Not wasn't quite what I was expecting, I definitely didn't regret it.
It's kind of hard to write about this one without spoiling anything, but I do have several thoughts:
Firstly, the intersectionality in this book was so great to see. I loved reading a protagonist who is Latino but not necessarily Spanish-fluent (which doesn't sound like a big deal, but as a Latina but not exactly Spanish-fluent person myself, it was very nice to see we exist), and I realized while reading this is one of the few YA books I've seen with characters from a lower socioeconomic background.
Secondly, this book broke my heart so many times. Emotions go all over the place with this one, with big highs and really sad lows, and I absolutely loved the twist. Aaron and many of the other characters are complicated, layered characters who felt completely real, and they were a treat to read.
I will say that the pacing in the first third of the book or so was a little slower than my liking, and for a while I wasn't really sure where the plot was going (and when I did think I knew where the plot was going, I was so wrong which was great). But as things began coming together, the whole story wove together really nicely and I definitely enjoyed it.
More Happy Than Not will bring on the feels and really make you connect with the characters. This book was a delight to read and I definitely recommend it to those looking for something different, gritty, and honest.
I'm giving 4/5 stars to this wonderful YA and I can't wait to read Silvera's next book!
Diversity note: The protagonist is Latino, gay, and like many of the characters, from a lower socioeconomic background. Other major characters were also PoC, including the main love interest, and the protagonist also suffers from depression.
Okay, so this is not a book to read if you're already sad! You might be smiling by the end but the middle is just a whole lot of gut punches. Triggers for suicide and homophobia as well. Silvera is a great writer but, yeah, just really excels at the painful stories.
