A Teen Relationship Gone Wrong: Why We Broke Up, By Daniel Handler

Why We Broke Up
Author: Daniel Handler
Art By: Maira Kalman
Published By:  Little Brown Books
Date Published:  December 2011
Genre: Young Adult
Pages:  368
Recommended For: Young Adults, Mature Teen
Review By:  K
Rating:  3
Borrowed Audio Book From Library


Summary:
Min is dumping Ed. She's loading up all of her tokens from their relationship into a box and tossing them out- just like she's tossing him out of her life. But along the way to drop off the box, she compiles a letter explaining each item and exactly Why They Broke Up.



K's Thoughts:
This was a very interesting and unique coming of age book. It chronicles the relationship between Min, an aspiring Director, and Ed Slaterton- the Basketball co-captain and popular kid at school. Yes its true, sometimes opposites do attract. Its also true that in high school you often times date the completely wrong for you guy you should have avoided or at least realized early on that it was all wrong. On those points, this is a very realistic view of what high school relationships are like. But its so dang frustrating to read!

I loved the character of Min. I loved her quirks and crazy antics with her fantastic group of friends. I loved several of the supporting characters, namely the boy she should have been dating, Al. I guess what really ruined the book for me wasn't the characters or the base of the book at all. It was the sexual relationship between the two characters. I just felt like Min was better then all of that. Like those were not the choices she really would have made with this dork she was dating. But again, high school relationships are retarded. It just added insult to injury that she gave up so much of herself, ultimately for nothing.

Anyway, an intriguing premis. I wasn't so drawn in that I was dying to turn it on again- but I wasn't about to shut it off in the middle and never return either. A good read if you have the time and patience for some frustration in your reading regime.


Audio Book Review:
The woman who read the book has an obnoxious "girl character voice" for Min, but I got over it quickly because she had a lot of dynamic difference in her voice for each character. It really helped to keep each character seperate and not distract from the content. A good listen.


Parents/Content:
Language: Yes. Moderate use of strong language.
Adult Content: Underage Drinking, main character setting boundaries for sexual relationship, virginity and giving up virginity, sexual encounters described, sexual relationship labeled as "everything but", petty theft.
Violence: None.