Part Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, part Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, Adam Silvera's extraordinary debut confronts race, class, and sexuality during one charged near-future summer in the Bronx. Sixteen-year-old Aaron Soto is struggling to find happiness after a family tragedy leaves him reeling. He's slowly remembering what happiness might feel like this summer with the support of his girlfriend Genevieve, but it's his new best friend, Thomas, who really gets Aaron to open up about his past and confront his future. As Thomas and Aaron get closer, Aaron discovers things about himself that threaten to shatter his newfound contentment. A revolutionary memory-alteration procedure, courtesy of the Leteo Institute, might be the way to straighten himself out. But what if it means forgetting who he truly is?
5 Stars
"Happiness shouldn't be this hard."
This book fucking wrecked me. More Happy Than Not is my first read of Adam Silvera, and I will definitely be coming back for more of his work. He explores depression, suicide, sexuality, homophobia, and more with such unflinching lenses, all with an extremely diverse cast. It's raw and real, and broke my heart. This is the kind of book that reminds me why I read - not always just for an escape, but to look at the not-so-pretty side of life and to feel all the emotions that come with it.
What if there was a procedure that could alter your memory? Take away all the bad, everything that haunts your dreams and stalks your waking hours, and leave only the good behind? What trauma would someone have to suffer to feel driven toward such a thing? This is the 'magic' of the Leteo Institute, bringing happiness to people who cannot seem to find it anymore. Aaron Soto is our main character, and a family tragedy is leaving him reeling. After his father's suicide and his own attempted suicide, you could say things are a little tense at home. Aaron leans on his girlfriend Genevieve for support, but when she goes away for a summer program, Aaron is left adrift. He has his friends, but it's the new guy Thomas that really gets Aaron and has him opening up about his past.
I love Genevieve's character. She is one of the few bright lights in Aaron's life. She has issues too and makes her own mistakes, but I truly do believe she is blinded by her love for Aaron. The heartbreak these two share is what binds them so tightly together, and while things may be messy, that's life. They are navigating this craziness together, for good and bad. *I wish I could see her paintings in real life!
On the opposite side from Genevieve is Thomas. He is there for Aaron in a way most people are not, understands him in a way others don't. They have a kind of friendship that most people don't even know to wish for. But things are complicated between Thomas and Aaron. All I will say without spoiling anything is that they are good for each other, even though it doesn't seem like it at times.
There is a lot that Silvera is tackling in this novel, but one aspect I feel is a bit underappreciated is the presence of family love. Aaron's family is struggling after the death of their father, and the reasoning behind his suicide, but they are there for each other as best as they can, and for the most important things in life.
Silvera really puts us readers in Aaron's mind. Everything that he goes through I felt too, like the worst of all sucker punches. Several times I had to put the book down and just breathe, hoping that Aaron and everyone important in his life would be okay. I was scared reading this, because I didn't know what was going to happen. I'm normally pretty good and guessing twists in a book, but I did not see any of this coming.
This book gets real depressing. I teared up a lot towards the end. But Silvera manages to take something heartbreaking and put a twist of hope on it. It's bittersweet, but the perfect ending. Sometimes happiness has to be chosen. Aaron's outlook on life by the end is something I will not be forgetting anytime soon.
About the Author
Adam Silvera is the New York Times bestselling author of Infinity Son, They Both Die at the End, More Happy Than Not, History Is All You Left Me, and What If It's Us with Becky Albertalli. All his novels have received multiple starred reviews. He worked in the publishing industry as a children's bookseller, community manager at a content development company, and book reviewer of children's and young adult novels. He was born and raised in New York. He lives in Los Angeles and is tall for no reason.
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