BOOK REVIEW: More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera

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.

“Sometimes pain is so unmanageable that the idea of spending another day with it seems impossible. Other times pain acts as a compass to help you get through the messier tunnels of growing up. But the pain can only help you find happiness if you can remember it.” 

This was one of my most anticipated novels of 2015 and I am so happy to say that it did not disappoint. This book was EPIC. There are so many issues dealt with in this book: depression, suicide, homophobia, poverty. There are parts of this book that are not easy to read, but it is such a beautiful story.

First, let's talk about the setting: the Bronx, New York. World building isn't just for fantasy books, you know. Adam Silvera did a crazy good job with this world. Aaron hangs out with a group of kids in his neighborhood. These boys are your typical teenagers: they are obsessed with sex and video games, they have zero problems sometimes they commit petty crimes and they never, ever talk about their feelings. You know, typical boy stuff. 

Now, the characters. Aaron is a character that I fell in love with very easily. He deals with some tragic  family situations that no one should have to go through. His growing friendship with Thomas was very, very sweet. I honestly wasn't sure whether it was going to turn into a friendship or a romance. But whatever it was, it was his friendship with Thomas that allowed him to realize that he was gay. The scene where he comes out to Thomas was perhaps the most awkward scene in the book and I thought it was so well done. 

The agony that Aaron feels over being gay is heartbreaking. I truly cannot imagine what it must feel like to want to change something so fundamental about yourself. For Aaron, being gay is too hard. He doesn't want to deal with the feelings he has for his best friend or the harassment he will suffer from the kids in the neighborhood. And those kids were seriously homophobic and cruel. So Aaron contemplates going to this new institute, Leteo, who promises to erase any unwanted memories from someone's brain. I really wish they had delved more into the ethics behind this treatment. There were a few scenes where it described protesters and some issues with side effects, but that was about it. I really thought I knew what was going on for most of the book and then BAM! There was this crazy twist that I did not see coming at all. And the twist was done in a pretty glorious way. I loved the ending. Yes, it was a bit open ended but it was pretty well done as well.

Buy/Borrow/Skip: Buy this one!! This book deals with some tough issues, but it is so beautiful.