July 19, 2014

Review: Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern

Summary-
John Green's The Fault in Our Stars meets Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor & Park in this beautifully written, incredibly honest, and emotionally poignant novel. Cammie McGovern's insightful young adult debut is a heartfelt and heartbreaking story about how we can all feel lost until we find someone who loves us because of our faults, not in spite of them.
Born with cerebral palsy, Amy can't walk without a walker, talk without a voice box, or even fully control her facial expressions. Plagued by obsessive-compulsive disorder, Matthew is consumed with repeated thoughts, neurotic rituals, and crippling fear. Both in desperate need of someone to help them reach out to the world, Amy and Matthew are more alike than either ever realized.
When Amy decides to hire student aides to help her in her senior year at Coral Hills High School, these two teens are thrust into each other's lives. As they begin to spend time with each other, what started as a blossoming friendship eventually grows into something neither expected.
 
Review-
When I first started this book, my immediate thought was that it was very similar to Fault in Our Stars. Two kids with special needs meet and fall in love in a sweet story. Unfortunately, about half-way through, protagonist Amy, who suffers from cerebral palsy, starts making the WORST decisions ever and the story quickly goes downhill. I was terribly disappointed in the direction the plot took. It wasn't a noble story but rather a messy series of incredibly stupid and dangerous mistakes. However, I'm a 45-year-old woman, and looking back on my own youth, I remember getting myself into some predicaments that could have ended tragically if not for God watching over me. So, I can't and won't tell readers not to pick this book up. It might help prevent someone from leaping without looking. I can say that the writing throughout the whole book was absolutely beautiful. Therefore, I will give this 3 stars.
 
Publisher-HarperTeen 
Reviewer Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by~Cindi Clubbs
Thank you to the publisher for the donation of this book to the Read for your Future book program in exchange for a honest review.

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1 comment:

  1. I'm curious to read this story, but I've heard mixed opinions. Great review, very helpful!

    ReplyDelete

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