"What if it's us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera is the romantic tale of two boys in which destiny seems to be interfering. Overall, the story is very cute and enjoyable. However, it is not perfect. The characters are unique and likeable but, their relationship and chemistry can be questionable. The beginning and ending of the story are very well structured. In my opinion, the ending and epilogue are the best part of the story. However, the middle can feel too fast paced and could have benefited from more development. In conclusion, the book is a cute story about the importance of good relationships whether they be romantic, familial or friendships. If you enjoy cute romances and like to read books with diverse characters, then I recommend "What if it's us".
A More In Depth Review
PRO:
Diversity: The story and characters are very diverse. The authors explore different aspects of the LGBT+ community like its impact on family, friendships and romantic relationships. It also explores the conflicts of race and social standings by contrasting the differences of these between the two main characters. Ben's character is the gateway to explore the struggle of living as a Puerto Rican gay teen in the United States. He is mostly conflicted by feelings of inadequacy and not fitting in since he is discriminated for being Latino by the locals and for not being Latino enough by the Puerto Ricans. Furthermore, he represents the struggles of the working class. On the other hand, Arthur's struggles are more related to the LGBT+ community since he's from a more conservative area than Ben. He has just "come out" and is now adapting to the new freedom that comes from not keeping this secret. Furthermore, his economic status is far superior than Ben's as are his educational prospects. These creates an interesting clash between the boys as Ben insecurities are tested.
CON:
Characters: The characters on their own are likeable and well developed. However, as a unit, the character's chemistry is questionable. On their first dates, it is evident that they do not have much in common and it seems that they are forcing themselves to like each other for the wrong reasons. It is obvious that Ben is not ready for a new relationship and Arthur seems to enjoy more the idea of having a boyfriend than actually having one. Besides these conflicts, they suddenly start acting like they are in love with each other, getting over their lack of chemistry instantaneously.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
PRO:
The ending somewhat fixed the "instalove" aspect of the story by turning their love story into a summer love story that taught both characters the importance of good relationships and moving forward. Furthermore, the character's relationship helped them grow in order for them to have better relationships in the future. Arthur gained the confidence to try new things and matured enough to realize that relationships need work and are not always flowers and kisses. On the other hand, Ben realized he needed time by himself since, he needs to learn to love himself before trying to love anyone else.
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