I remember when this was made into a movie, mostly because it was Jacob Trembaly who had just starred in Room. Which I also didn’t see because the book was so good, I was worried they wouldn’t be able to adapt it well.
So, when my knitting virtual book group selected this as our July book for Disability Pride Month (Wikipedia link) I was glad it was something I was aware of but hadn’t read yet. I randomly started reading it on my phone while waiting for the new pup (pic at end) to come inside and it hooked me almost immediately.
Where Palacio truly excelled was with the various points of views of her characters. Of course there was August who opens the novel, but we also heard from his older sister and a few of his friends. Each time the voice changed the story circled back a little so we were able to experience a few scenes from overlapping points of views. This overlapping circular storytelling style could’ve gotten super tedious, but it added so much to the story.
I didn’t destroy a Death Star or anything like that, but I did just get through the fifth grade. And that’s not easy, even if you’re not me. (94)
What stood out to me with this novel, however, were the little moments where August was just a kid. His parents did such a good job, maybe too good of a job, of raising him to just be a kid that when he finally went to a school with other kids he was aware of his difference, but didn’t let him define everything about him. There were just so many moments where he showed a self-awareness or just pure childish mischievousness that really brought home that he was just a kid trying to exist.
And the same thing happened with his sister, Olivia/Via, and her bff/former bff Miranda. I felt it added much needed context within the family. She was also just a child when he was born and her life was changed drastically and being a middle/high schooler is hard enough but adding in her brother’s health issues and surgeries compounds a lot of the feelings she had.
There was something with both Via and Miranda’s denouement and the overall end of the story that left me a little annoyed. I wouldn’t say I hated them, but I definitely didn’t like them. Both resolutions were a little too sweet, a little too perfect, a little too and everything forever was going to be okay (even though technically they were just happy for now type endings). For me, it felt a lot like when an author adds an epilogue that somehow diminishes the story and just leaves a slightly bitter taste in my mouth because it’s not what I see as the future of the characters. But that’s a me/reader issue and not an author/story issue.
Recommendation: 90% recommend. I think most people would 100% recommend it, but for some reason the final chapter was “too perfect” for me. It wasn’t bad, it was just a little too saccharine sweet and perfect bow tied on the present and put me on edge. That being said, the rest of the novel was really well done and the variety of voices and points of view was so well done.
Opening Line: “I know I’m not an ordinary ten-year-old kid.”
Closing Line: “You really are a wonder, Auggie. You are a wonder.” (Whited out to avoid spoilers, highlight to read.)
