More Happy Than Not

This is one of few books I have read almost completely in one sitting. It was that captivating. It left me an emotional mess feeling heartbroken, which lasted for days after finishing the book. The reading experience felt as if my heart was ripped from my chest, stomped on, lit on fire, and then put back with the expectation it would function the same as before. Needless to say, tears were shed multiple times, and the book left me in a very contemplative state by the time I had finished it. It started out innocuous enough following Aaron Soto as he navigated his day to day life in the Bronx after losing his father to suicide. It was definitely already sad because of that but not devastatingly so. The story followed Aaron as his summer began and he met a new friend. Their blossoming relationship led to him beginning to have feelings for said friend, which upends his relationships with his girlfriend and his group of friends. He decided that using a new procedure to remove memories of that part of him would solve his problems and allow him to live a 'normal' straight life. Then the twist happened and my heart absolutely shattered. The rest of the book just twisted the knife over and over again, and the original ending left me speechless. The supplemental ending was a nice touch that provided an update on the main characters and left things on a slightly happier note. The characters and environment were both brilliantly executed. It felt like I was dropped on the streets of the Bronx, and all of the main characters behaved like I would imagine real teens would act in a similar situation. Many of the characters exhibited the identity confusion so common in this age range, and I particularly enjoyed reading about how Thomas approached this iconic conflict of adolescence. The somewhat sci fi element of the memory-altering procedure was also interesting and added an intriguing mechanism by which to explore some deep themes. However, the author was able to use it skillfully without needing to include drawn out technical explanations, which I appreciated as I think it would have just distracted from the overall narrative. So many interesting themes and ideas were explored in this book, it will be impossible to go over them all here. Ultimately, it was a book about learning to accept oneself despite the opinions of others and the necessity of finding happiness within the bad things that may happen in life. One of the key takeaways of this book was the message that bad things will inevitably happen to every single person but how we respond to them is the determining factor in our happiness. It also illustrated that attempting to erase, change, or bury who we are or the bad things that happen to us does nothing to help us move forward but instead keeps us trapped in the past. Furthermore, this story pointed out the healing power of acceptance, friendship, and love while also demonstrating the devastating psychological impacts of toxic masculinity, homophobia, and poverty. More Happy Than Not was a book that broke my heart but also gave me a great deal of hope. If the main character could not only survive his ordeals but find happiness within them, there is no reason I, or anyone else, cannot do the same. I recommend it for everyone as it teaches an important lesson, but I think anyone who has trouble reading about death, suicide, or extreme homophobia should approach this book with caution. The impact of this book on me is hard to put into words, but I can't think of another book that made me feel so much in such a short period of time. It was a book I will never be able to forget, and I foresee reading it again multiple times in the future. Therefore, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.

More Happy Than Not was incredibly heartbreaking and truly transformative. The story follows a Aaron Soto, a young teenager trying to maneuver a life after the death of his father, a death of a close friend, and the fact that he has feelings for guys. The story unravels from there and we see Aaron trying to navigate these complex emotions. More Happy Than Not is a true insight into life not always being happily ever after. It was so easy to read and I definitely felt like I was reading a story with a character who has sort of been through what I have been through. My one complaint is that the ending felt a little too rushed for my liking and since this is the deluxe edition, I almost found the new ending a little unnecessary. Please be aware before going into this book that there are a plethora of trigger warnings. I appreciated the original ending way more, even if it was MORE HAPPY THAN NOT.

Aaron Soto has a lot going for him, and a lot against him. While he's surrounded by a great group of friends and has a quirky artist girlfriend by his side, he's also still mourning the death of his father (who took his own life) and recovering from a stupid suicide attempt of his own. When his girlfriend leaves for a few weeks, Aaron meets a guy named Thomas and they start to hang out. Slowly, he starts to pull away from his childhood friends in favor of spending time with the new one. Things are starting to change for Aaron. His feelings for his girlfriend are disappearing, and he can't stop thinking about Thomas. Meanwhile, there are all these protests going on around his home because of a new institute called Leteo, which can apparently erase people's bad memories in order to give them a better life. When Aaron finally confesses his feelings to Thomas, the hurt and rejection that follow make him desperate to erase it all and start over. But what if erasing your memories doesn't really get rid of who you are? There is no better way to put yourself in someone else's shoes than by reading a book. The main character in More Happy Than Not probably couldn't be more different from me if he tried, except in one very important way -- he likes men. That might be a little bit of a spoiler, but if you've heard anything about this book at all, you probably already know. That's because Adam Silvera's debut novel is not only a New York Times bestseller, but it's also being lauded as one of the most poignant, touching coming out stories in modern fiction, and I would have to say I agree. If you can, set aside any prejudices you might have to read this book. No matter what you think about poverty, suicide, homosexuality, underage drinking, sex, and psychology -- set it all aside and read this book. There is so much inside it that is needed in our society today, messages that need to be conveyed, stories that must be told. It deals with young love, confusion, heartache, finding out who you are, and my favorite -- the power of memories. I love reading books that mess with characters' minds and consider the possibilities of experimentation on the brain (after all, I wrote one). This does all of that, and deals with the pain and trauma of growing up in the most beautiful, relatable way. Silvera writes about rejection in a way that I always wished I could after a crappy breakup. His character sees the world in much the same way I do when I'm heartbroken and feeling alone: ugly, broken, but still worth living in -- no matter how bad it gets. “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.” For everyone who thinks that your memories are the only things that make you who you are, maybe you're right. But Silvera poses the question: what if you're wrong? What if who you are, what you like, and what you want in life are all ingrained in you? What if things really wouldn't be easier if you could erase all the hurt in your past? If everything happens for a reason, then maybe we should accept the things that happen to us -- good and bad -- and learn from them in whatever way we can. More Happy Than Not is bold, brash, and something completely different. For that reason alone, I highly recommend it -- but it's also written with such empathy, care, and life-affirming humor. It's a really special book. I hope you enjoy it.

I purchased this book as part of a 30 Days of Pride Book Review project. This is that review: “Here Today, Gone Tomorrow! Suffering from unwanted memories? Call the Leteo Institute at 1-800--I-Forget to learn more about our cutting-edge memory-relief procedure!” This past year hasn’t exactly been easy for Aaron Soto. He is still dealing with the fall out from his father’s suicide and his own suicide attempt that followed it. Things in the neighborhood are changing and it is hard to know where to fit himself in the changing landscape. With his girlfriend, Genevieve, away at art camp for the summer, he might have found himself slipping back into old patterns of unhappiness, but he meets Thomas, who quickly becomes his new best friend, and possibly the answer to where he belongs. That is until Aaron starts to realize there is a side of himself that will make it impossible for him to be truly happy, and he decides he is willing to do anything to scrub that part of him out, even if it means changing who he is. This is one of those stories where the author tries to make you believe that they are going to tell you one kind of story, and then half-way through you realize they have been telling a totally different kind of story. Of course, if you are used to the device at all, you can tell what is happening before the reveal, but it is still rewarding when it delivers. And this book has a hell of a one-two gut punch. Adam Silvera’s near-future rendering of the race, class, and sexual-identity politics of this Bronx neighborhood is a perfect canvas for Aaron Soto’s voyage of heart rending mistakes and consequences. It is a story of love, friendship, and trauma… and of self-discovery at great personal cost. I became helplessly engrossed in this book. It is one of those books that stays with you for a while, sitting on your chest and weighing on your mind. Do you remember the way you felt the first time you read the last page of Flowers for Algernon? I mean that was probably at least 22 years ago in my case, but I still remember that feeling, and it was the same feeling when I finished this book. (Seriously, I just assume, as a matter of course, that everyone has read and been deeply affected by Flowers for Algernon. If not… spoiler alert: it’s kind of a bummer.) Aaron is a fascinating character, because he is confused, depressed, and angry, like so many teenagers are… but he is also a pot whose contents have settled to the bottom and Silvera, with a careful hand, is slowly stirring those things back up to the surface, revealing them, not just to the reader, but to Aaron as well. It is a powerful debut novel. And, if you can’t tell, I recommend it. I recommend it to Sci-fi fans, because the Leteo plot line is so delicately woven in. I recommend it to Young Adult Fiction fans, because I think it makes an important addition to this genre, particularly in the growing collection of coming out stories now becoming available. I recommend it to introspective fiction fans, who like to be made to think about things long after they finish them… because if you are like me… you will. I think you should read this book. Okay, ready at last to throw this book onto my Pride-Book-Review-Project Scales. On the first scale, my Queer Counterculture Visibility Scale, which I invented to quantify how much a book shed light onto less visible parts of the community, I really think this book does well. This book is about intersecting identities, no doubt. Characters are dealing with the cross section of race, class, and sexuality and facing the limitations of community and family when you find that you don’t fit the exact mold of the social group that has always insulated and supported you from the rest of the world. It is also a book that deals head on with depression and the complicated nature of grief. Easily: 4 out of 5 stars On the second scale, The Genre Expectation Scale, this book also does well. I really like the way Adam Silvera used some classic sci-fi devices to explore themes of identity. And, especially, for a debut novel, I think he had a steady hand in how and when he revealed the machinations of his story. It is a solid Young Adult story and I think it delivered what he offered and then some. 4.5 out of 5 stars

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.

There were some really beautiful things about More Happy than Not, and then there were some things I didn't like so much about it. I feel like my review will be a bit controversial, so I do want to clarify that I love the ideas this book brought about and the life lessons, but I wasn't huge on the execution. I can't do this review without some spoilers, so be warned. There are spoilers in this review, but it won't ruin the book for you. (I don't think). This is a fantasy novel, so there are some elements of a futuristic world, or at least a medical procedure that doesn't exist (that I know of). But everything else is really rooted in reality for the most part. The book follows Aaron post his grieving process over his loss of his father and his near loss of himself. His father killed himself, and then Aaron tried to kill himself by carving a smile into his arm. The reader follows Aaron post his grief and as he was figuring things out and trying to move past it. Aaron then discovers he is gay, pretty abruptly. One day, he's having sex with his girlfriend, Genevieve, and then she leaves for three weeks. When she come back, he's got a crush on a boy, and he has no real internal struggle against it. This is explained later. Aaron seems to be a little angst-y, in my opinion, but he has reason to be. When he finds out that he is gay, and the guy he has a crush on is straight, he wants to undergo the surgery that wipes his memory. He feels rejected, and crushed. However, I hate how he goes about it... he uses the fact that he tried to kill himself to get his way. I have to admit, what he is going through overall is really too much for any teenager to have to experience. His dad is the worst human on the planet (you'll understand if you read), and he has some pretty scummy friends as well. The twist mid-book builds and explains story flaws in the first part of the book. More Happy than Not is really, really sad. It has some important lessons in it. But, I think it could have been executed just as beautifully without the memory wipe surgery being part of the story line. I think if it was just the normal world, and it was told in a chronological order without the fantasy element, without the twist, it would have been more beautiful and powerful. I truly felt that the ending was just depressing, and that the procedure brought in so much more hurt and pain than it did anything else, and maybe that's the point of the book. A big lesson in this novel is that memories make you who you are, happy memories or not. I fear that this novel might scare kids to be afraid to tell the truth about themselves if they are gay. Aaron faces a lot of adversity because of his sexuality, and although I hope that isn't the case for all kids, it may be. Aaron comes out, and so many bad things happen afterwards that he wants to kill himself. That's very disheartening to me, and I would think for many readers as well. More Happy than Not was a good book, it teaches valuable lessons, and it exposes some of the hate in the world that exists that is meaningless and horrible. I loved the lessons it taught, I loved how the romance was written, I liked the characters. It's definitely worth the read. I just didn't quite like the execution or the ending. I thought the story was written so well, it could stand without the memory procedure part of it. I also had a hard time figuring out what the lesson was because it seemed to say that memories make you who you are, but at the same time, you become who you are without memories. Read it and let me know what you think!

More Happy Than not is a likable story about a likable character, despite a pretty glaring plot hole. The story is set in the near future, or perhaps even modern day in a slightly alternate universe where memories can be erased. One of the people who receives the procedure, a secondary character at best, is a boy who lost his twin brother when the murderer mistakes the brother for him. He receives the procedure in order to forget his brother. His parents move to a different neighborhood where no one will tell him about the missing piece. There lies where you have to roll with it, have to buy into an internet age where you can effectively erase someone in a permanent way. When everyone isn't a Google or Ancestry.com search away from the truth. But rolling with it is worth it for the question this raises about the torture the parents go through in being the ones who remember their other son, but must keep him a secret. The central character is Aaron. When we meet him he is very in love with his girlfriend, but attracted to a boy he meets, and battling depression over his father's suicide. I think most readers will suspect why the situation might not be as it appears on the surface long before it's explicitly stated. The book asks if the relief from pain that comes from forgetting is worth what's lost. Is it fair to take away the memory of a twin, a past love, an experience that might otherwise help the person grow? Doesn't doing so rob the person, even if the person is the one wanting the procedure, of their identity? What would the world be like if we didn't get a chance to learn from the obstacles in our way? Aaron, his girlfriend, and the boy he meets, as well as Aaron's mother, are all terrific characters. I think in lesser hands Genevieve, the girlfriend, would be not just unlikable, but dull. Instead, she is one of the many characters who my heart broke for. She is an interesting, talented girl, who fell in love with a boy who may not be able to love her the way she loves him. She would easily carry her own book. The neighborhood kids were well-drawn, each one unique even while playing the same games, going through the same rituals. I respected the talent it took to make everyone a real person. There's a lot of sadness in this story, and don't be surprised if the ending breaks your heart.

More Happy Than Not was hands-down my most anticipated debut this year. Adam Silvera's first novel combines two of my favorite things: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. I'll be completely honest here and admit that I don't even know how to "review" this book. Much like Aristotle and Dante, it's difficult to explain why I was so affected by More Happy Than Not. Aaron lives in a place where it's dangerous to be himself, and has to deal with the added burdens of poverty and his father's suicide. There were moments when the harsh realities of Aaron's world made me feel slightly uncomfortable, but they served as moments for me to check my privilege and get a glimpse into what LGBTQ people have to experience. More than anything, this book was enlightening, and so damn powerful. The cast of characters is a remarkable ensemble, every single person from our protag to MeCrazy feels real, and their conversations and interactions read like actual people would, not just ways to move the plot forward. The relationship between Aaron and Thomas develops so genuinely, and it was almost disarmingly heartwarming to witness Aaron find a true best friend. There comes a point in which certain things are revealed, and in that shocking moment of realization I had to stop reading, cry it out, and pull myself together. I pride myself on spotting plot twists and being unsurprised by big reveals, but More Happy Than Not caught me off guard (and I loved it). More Happy Than Not brings into question some major themes: identity and memory most of all. The Leteo Institute allows people to repress certain memories so that they can live "better" lives. Aaron wants Leteo to make him forget that he's gay, but can you ever really forget who you are? Silvera brilliantly tackles this question, and while reading you can't help but wonder...what would I forget? If it forgot it, would I still be me? Or would I become a new, edited version of myself, forever split into pre- and post-forgetting? Aaron Silvera's debut novel is a truly extraordinary read that brings sexuality, class, and race to the forefront of discussion. For a novel that confronts such heavy topics, More Happy Than Not is ultimately hopeful. Despite painful memories and self doubt, you have to make the choice to live your life, and realize that you can choose to be more happy than not (sorry, couldn't help myself).

As all of his books are after 'They both die in the end' this book made me cry like a baby. I would highly recommend you to read it. Although it is heartbreaking but it gives a wonderful message and I hope you get it💙

4.5/5 stars. I got so sucked into this book and these characters! This was a fantastic story and I couldn't stop telling everyone I knew about it, there came a part in the book where I couldn't believe what I'd just read and I sat for a minute in shock! I love when a book can get you so wrapped up into it, however the end wasn't 100% how I would have loved it to end and the first 50 pages were a little bit hard for me to get into the book hense the 4.5 instead of a full 5 stars but I loved it and recommend it to everyone! A fantastic story about discovering who you are, I went straight ahead and ordered another book by Adam Silvera after finishing this one!

“I don’t want to be me. I don’t want to second-guess if my friends are going to be okay with me being me, and more importantly, I don’t want to see what happens if they’re not.” Mr. Silvera has a beautiful way with words and Aaron’s story is heartbreakingly addictive. This remains one of the most diverse books I’ve read, with depth and care taken with each and every character. It’s important to pay attention with all of the side story components running at the same time. Lessons learned with hard life topics are emotional and gut wrenchingly beautiful. I own multiple copies of MHTN and it’s a privilege to read this author. His work will take you outside of your comfort zone with every book.

Le sujet est difficile. Les émotions ressenties à lire ce qui est le premier roman d'Adam Silvera sont très fortes. Je n'étais jamais passé par autant de mouvements émotionnels en lisant quoique ce soit de toute ma vie et pourtant je suis un très grand lecteur. Silvera réussi le pari d'être brillant avec ce premier roman : brillant dans le choix du sujet, dans la forme de l'écriture, dans la concision de ce qu'il donne à voir. Sans doute à mes yeux le meilleur roman que j'ai lu en plus de 25 ans.

Fiz uma releitura com essa edição especial e, por eu saber tudo o que viria a acontecer, senti que foi uma leitura muito mais dolorosa do que a primeira... Eu absolutamente amo o Adam Silvera por me fazer sentir tanto. Nessa edição "deluxe" temos um capitulo extra contanto o que veio depois dos acontecimentos finais do livro e só posso dizer que Adam Silveira mais uma vez fez TUDO. Definitivamente não estava preparada para esse novo final mas amei tanto vocês não tem ideia. Recomendo esse livro com todas as minhas forças.