The sentiment of wanting to burn everything down isn't new, particularly when we are talking about high school students. I'm sure not all of us, but equally sure a lot of us, can empathize with that idea. Maybe you've even had it yourself a time or two. It's not even an earth shatteringly different idea for a kid in a fiction novel to try to do just that: to create chaos, to right wrongs, to get revenge. This book isn't shocking and it's plot isn't a revolutionary one. The cool thing is, that's not the point at all.
Love, Heather is about the pain you feel when you find yourself alone. High school freshman, Stevie, is alone. Her parents divorced and both her mom and her dad are more worried about making their new lives than trying to make sure Stevie's life is working out. Her best friend since childhood, Lottie, has started hanging out with a new crowd (friendship breakups: what's more relate-able than that?). In short, everyone that Stevie should be able to count on is gone.
Enter Dee, a new friend who helps Stevie find the power to burn it all to the ground. Who seems to know her thoughts from the inside out. Who is exactly what Stevie was missing.
Now, given the title and references to the book, it's pretty clear that "Dee" is just a platonic, female version of J.D. from Heathers. Even the name smacks of intertextuality, so this goes a little deeper than mild references (hello, even the title and movement within the book is a nod to the film). That's not to say you can't enjoy this book if you haven't seen Heathers, but honestly, if you haven't I have two questions for you: what's your damage? Did you have a brain tumor for breakfast? Watch it. Winona Ryder, Shannon Doherty, Christian Slater . . . there's no risk here.
Movie gushing aside, this book was really good. Personal overshare here: I have three children, so while I read more than most, it takes a lot for me to put it all on hold and read for hours on end. I had trouble putting this one down because a) there's a thing I wanted to see if I was right about and b) it was really fast paced and enjoyable.
Okay, so you know how books about high school usually fall into the two extremes of being overly precious or so overly dramatic they read like a Lifetime movie script? this one, one that had so much chance of going totally off the cliff, really didn't. It felt very authentic to what it's like to be in that weird, liminal space of adolescence. sure, Stevie was self-absorbed and had a tendency to make things about her: isn't that the hallmark of being a teenager? But the other stuff, the big, thematic stuff, worked. Petrou discussed sexuality and gender and consent in ways that actually felt like they were just things the character was experiencing, rather than some super edgy, look-at-this-social-problem manifesto. this is a worthwhile read for anyone middle school aged or older. Obviously it's a bit dark for anyone younger than that and I'm sure many will even say it's too much for a middle school kid, but. . . I would argue they are forgetting what middle school really looks like. This is it, y'all. This is youth at its meanest and most honest.
Loved it.
5/5
No comments:
Post a Comment