What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I loved this book! This book was exactly what I needed right now. It’s been hard for me to get into books recently, and this one pulled me out of my rut.
Synopsis:
This book is about two very different individuals. Kit is a vivacious teen who recently went through a tragedy that left her feeling like she doesn’t even know who she is anymore. Every minute of every day is torture and she is stuck in a deep depression she cannot get out of. One day she sits next to David, a very strange boy who always sits by himself. This sets in motion an interesting chain of events and an unlikely friendship no one would have predicted.
Plot:
I think this story had a solid plot. I really don’t have much to say about it otherwise. It’s a YA fiction novel, so obviously it’s not meant to have a super intricate multi-layered plot. It had a good arc and were some fun twists and turns along the way. I have to admit that I was rather upset with myself that I didn’t foresee the twist that came at the end because it was pretty obvious. Overall, nice plot.
Writing:
Julie Buxbaum often breaks the rule of “show, don’t tell”. She is very tell-y, but honestly, I don’t mind. She does a good job of really letting us in on what is going on in the character’s heads. I also appreciate her balance of tragedy and comedy, which is hard to come by. She has a way of putting confusing and difficult feelings into words, and I think that really helped me connect with the characters.
Characters:
My favorite part! Okay, I LOVED David! He is just precious and I want to put him in my pocket and take him home and keep him safe from all the stupid bullies. David is on the Autism spectrum and is very different from his peers. He’s been bullied all his life, but by the time he gets to high school he’s just sort of ignored. I just loved being in his strange head. He may be awkward, but he is so sweet and funny. I loved the way Julie Buxbaum took the time to think out all of his interesting thoughts that are often extremely complex and literal, but also very earnest and kind. Kit is also a great character. I feel bad that I wasn’t as obsessed with her as I was with David, but it wasn’t her fault at all. This book takes place during the worst time in her life and she really is not her fun-loving self anymore. I thought this was great though. We all go through times in our life when we have to re-figure out who we are, because tragedy does change us.
Overall:
This book is great! It was fun, exciting, heartbreaking, and very, very cute! I highly recommend it!