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A review by bumblebee
Autoboyography by Christina Lauren
1.5
I really wanted to love this book, and I do LOVE the premise, and I’m glad to see bisexual representation, but I have to admit I found the execution lacking.
I just never really connected with the main character. The story is told in the first person, but I never felt like I really got to know Tanner, and I kept forgetting his name until, like, the last third of the book (when it is mentioned a lot more).
I liked the budding relationship and conflict surrounding Tanner and Sebastian, but I feel like the payoff wasn’t really there in the end, and I found it unsatisfying that a lot of what felt like the resolution of the main plot was tacked on as a sort of afterthought in the prologue, which felt like it should just have been a final chapter.
Also what the fuck was Spoilerthat scene where Tanner suddenly had sex with Autumn??? Just what the fuck. That really bothered me on SO many levels, and I didn’t really recover from the shock of that. I initially (due to the sort of... fade to black) assumed they’d made out or something (which would be weird and bad enough). It really disturbed me when it was revealed he’d just??? Sadly??????? Taken her virginity???? Because he was upset???? Just WHAT.
I also just... hated Tanner’s parents, especially his mum. I understand she has issues and I respect a properly flawed character, but FORBIDDING HER SON TO COME OUT AND FORCING HIM INTO THE CLOSET, and still being portrayed as super progressive and accepting??? And literally never changing as the story progressed? Bothered the fuck out of me.
On another note, this book was VERY America-centric. I’m European, and I had to pull out my phone to Google things that were presented as presumed knowledge, an issue I don’t normally have with American books. I can respect that the authors assume a reader would know where in America Yale and UCLA are located, so I’m not counting that, but stuff like sudden, unexplained abbreviations (LDS????) really annoyed me because there wasn’t enough context given to understand what the author meant without pulling up a Wikipedia article.
Overall, I’m still glad this book exists, gives certain representation, and understand that it will certainly resonate with others, but I simply did not find it more than an acceptably enjoyable read.
I just never really connected with the main character. The story is told in the first person, but I never felt like I really got to know Tanner, and I kept forgetting his name until, like, the last third of the book (when it is mentioned a lot more).
I liked the budding relationship and conflict surrounding Tanner and Sebastian, but I feel like the payoff wasn’t really there in the end, and I found it unsatisfying that a lot of what felt like the resolution of the main plot was tacked on as a sort of afterthought in the prologue, which felt like it should just have been a final chapter.
Also what the fuck was Spoilerthat scene where Tanner suddenly had sex with Autumn??? Just what the fuck. That really bothered me on SO many levels, and I didn’t really recover from the shock of that. I initially (due to the sort of... fade to black) assumed they’d made out or something (which would be weird and bad enough). It really disturbed me when it was revealed he’d just??? Sadly??????? Taken her virginity???? Because he was upset???? Just WHAT.
I also just... hated Tanner’s parents, especially his mum. I understand she has issues and I respect a properly flawed character, but FORBIDDING HER SON TO COME OUT AND FORCING HIM INTO THE CLOSET, and still being portrayed as super progressive and accepting??? And literally never changing as the story progressed? Bothered the fuck out of me.
On another note, this book was VERY America-centric. I’m European, and I had to pull out my phone to Google things that were presented as presumed knowledge, an issue I don’t normally have with American books. I can respect that the authors assume a reader would know where in America Yale and UCLA are located, so I’m not counting that, but stuff like sudden, unexplained abbreviations (LDS????) really annoyed me because there wasn’t enough context given to understand what the author meant without pulling up a Wikipedia article.
Overall, I’m still glad this book exists, gives certain representation, and understand that it will certainly resonate with others, but I simply did not find it more than an acceptably enjoyable read.