Who Would Like This Book:
If you love stories that blend raw, emotional realism with a dash of the supernatural, you'll be hooked right from the first page. 'Release' gives an intimate, heart-tugging look into Adam Thorn's life as he navigates family, heartbreak, identity, and first love - all in a single life-changing day. Patrick Ness's empathetic writing makes the characters feel right beside you, and if you appreciate thoughtful explorations of queer identity and the complexity of growing up, this book is a must-read. Fans of character-driven YA with a literary touch (think 'Mrs Dalloway' for the modern teen) will especially enjoy this.
Who May Not Like This Book:
If you're not a fan of magical realism or parallel storylines that tie the real and supernatural, this might not be for you. Some readers felt distracted by the dual plot and wished the focus stayed just on Adam's journey. Others found the pacing slow, or felt the explicit content made it more suitable for older teens. Religious characters are generally not painted in a positive light, which may bother some readers.
About:
'Release' by Patrick Ness is a coming-of-age story that follows Adam Thorn, a teenager dealing with revelations, heartbreaks, and choices on a single eventful day. The book intertwines two narratives - one focusing on Adam's struggles with family expectations, rejection, and first love, and the other on a ghost story involving a murdered girl, Katherine, and a Queen. The writing style is praised for its deep insights into the characters' emotions and the parallel fantasy element that adds mystery to the plot.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings for the book include high levels of sexual content, themes of homophobia, sexual harassment, and family dynamics that may be distressing.
Has Romance?
The novel contains a significant romantic element, focusing on Adam's relationships, particularly with his boyfriend Linus.
From The Publisher:
Inspired by Judy Blume's Forever and Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway, this novel that Andrew Smith calls "beautiful, enchanting, [and] exquisitely written" is a new classic about teenage relationships, self-acceptance-and what happens when the walls we build start coming down. A Kirkus Best Book of 2017!
Adam Thorn doesn't know it yet, but today will change his life.
Between his religious family, a deeply unpleasant ultimatum from his boss, and his own unrequited love for his sort-of ex, Enzo, it seems as though Adam's life is falling apart. At least he has two people to keep him sane: his new boyfriend (he does love Linus, doesn't he?) and his best friend, Angela.
But all day long, old memories and new heartaches come crashing together, throwing Adam's life into chaos. The bindings of his world are coming untied one by one; yet in spite of everything he has to let go, he may also find freedom in the release.
From the New York Times bestselling author of A Monster Calls comes a raw, darkly funny, and deeply affecting story about the courage it takes to live your truth.
Ratings (8)
Incredible (3) | |
Loved It (1) | |
Liked It (2) | |
It Was OK (2) |
Reader Stats (17):
Read It (9) | |
Want To Read (4) | |
Did Not Finish (1) | |
Not Interested (3) |
2 comment(s)
ever heard of magic realism?
here, read this, it's more accessible than
100 years of solitude but gets the technique of magic realism just as well
(i'm not saying they're equal in quality, i'm saying magic realism is hard to do and this ya author kicked the crap out of it)
ness includes fantastic elements in his novel just as well as he did in
a monster calls, for a different audience
the beats of this book come at all the right moments, and ness explores the danger of losing yourself while trying too hard to find yourself
the relationships in this book are all so real, from the crappy ex who treats you like it was never a big deal that you gave him your entire heart, to the best friend who will be with you for the rest of your life because your friendship is bigger than high school
this is why adults should read ya: to get perspective on their own youth, to realize that a lot of the issues we had as kids we are still carrying
****4.5****
Review soon
What can you read after
Release?
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