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The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley
Andrew Brawley was supposed to die that night. His parents did, and so did his sister, but he survived.
Now he lives in the hospital. He serves food in the cafeteria, he hangs out with the nurses, and he sleeps in a forgotten supply closet. Drew blends in to near invisibility, hiding from his past, his guilt, and those who are trying to find him.
Then one night Rusty is wheeled into the ER, burned on half his body by hateful classmates. His agony calls out to Drew like a beacon, pulling them both together through all their pain and grief. In Rusty, Drew sees hope, happiness, and a future for both of them. A future outside the hospital, and away from their pasts.
But Drew knows that life is never that simple. Death roams the hospital, searching for Drew, and now Rusty. Drew lost his family, but he refuses to lose Rusty, too, so he’s determined to make things right. He’s determined to bargain, and to settle his debts once and for all.
But Death is not easily placated, and Drew’s life will have to get worse before there is any chance for things to get better.
A partly graphic novel.
Now he lives in the hospital. He serves food in the cafeteria, he hangs out with the nurses, and he sleeps in a forgotten supply closet. Drew blends in to near invisibility, hiding from his past, his guilt, and those who are trying to find him.
Then one night Rusty is wheeled into the ER, burned on half his body by hateful classmates. His agony calls out to Drew like a beacon, pulling them both together through all their pain and grief. In Rusty, Drew sees hope, happiness, and a future for both of them. A future outside the hospital, and away from their pasts.
But Drew knows that life is never that simple. Death roams the hospital, searching for Drew, and now Rusty. Drew lost his family, but he refuses to lose Rusty, too, so he’s determined to make things right. He’s determined to bargain, and to settle his debts once and for all.
But Death is not easily placated, and Drew’s life will have to get worse before there is any chance for things to get better.
A partly graphic novel.
297 pages, Hardcover
First published January 20, 2015
202 people are currently reading
17975 people want to read
About the author
Shaun David Hutchinson
30 books5,023 followersShaun is a major geek and all about nerdy shenanigans. He is the author of many queer books for young adults. Find out more information at shaundavidhutchinson.com. He currently lives in Seattle and watches way too much Doctor Who.
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December 7, 2014The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley is a very personal book for me. It's unlike both The Deathday Letter and FML, though it shares with them my love of creating makeshift families for my narrator from secondary characters.
I'm not going to lie or try to sugarcoat it: The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley is the darkest book I've ever written, probably the darkest I'll ever write. But it's not about darkness. It's about finding your way out of the dark.
I'm immensely proud of the comic book inside the book. The artist, Christine Larsen, who took my script and turned it into art, is a bloody genius. She took the pictures out of my head and made them real.
I hope you love reading The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley as much as I loved writing it. But it's okay if you hate it and hate me a little too. The best compliment I ever got on this book was from a friend who, after reading half, threw it at me and told me she hated me. I still don't think she's forgiven me, and I love her for that.
Drew's story is a journey, and not an easy one, and I just want to thank everyone brave enough to take it with him and with me.
I'm not going to lie or try to sugarcoat it: The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley is the darkest book I've ever written, probably the darkest I'll ever write. But it's not about darkness. It's about finding your way out of the dark.
I'm immensely proud of the comic book inside the book. The artist, Christine Larsen, who took my script and turned it into art, is a bloody genius. She took the pictures out of my head and made them real.
I hope you love reading The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley as much as I loved writing it. But it's okay if you hate it and hate me a little too. The best compliment I ever got on this book was from a friend who, after reading half, threw it at me and told me she hated me. I still don't think she's forgiven me, and I love her for that.
Drew's story is a journey, and not an easy one, and I just want to thank everyone brave enough to take it with him and with me.
September 12, 2018
“If death can cry, maybe we all have a chance for redemption.”
3,5/5
If you plan on reading this, you should buy a box of tissues first.
I'm not really sure what to think about it and how to put my feelings into words. I liked the characters, every single one of them was great.
Some parts of this book broke my heart, while other (very emotional) parts did not make me feel anything at all. Often the rawness of the words shocked me completely. Other times they felt melodramatic.
The ending did not surprise me. I wouldn't say it's predictable, but I expected the outcome of Lexi's and Trevor's story. Sometimes Drew annoyed me big time, especially his talks about Death/Miss Michelle and his self-pity.
I'm still not sure what to think of the comic episodes. Do I like them? Did they fit in this novel? Did they not? The ending felt rushed....
Anyway, a big compliment to the author! This is a wonderful novel.
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3,5/5
If you plan on reading this, you should buy a box of tissues first.
I'm not really sure what to think about it and how to put my feelings into words. I liked the characters, every single one of them was great.
Some parts of this book broke my heart, while other (very emotional) parts did not make me feel anything at all. Often the rawness of the words shocked me completely. Other times they felt melodramatic.
The ending did not surprise me. I wouldn't say it's predictable, but I expected the outcome of Lexi's and Trevor's story. Sometimes Drew annoyed me big time, especially his talks about Death/Miss Michelle and his self-pity.
I'm still not sure what to think of the comic episodes. Do I like them? Did they fit in this novel? Did they not? The ending felt rushed....
Anyway, a big compliment to the author! This is a wonderful novel.
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February 15, 2021
After giving it
What you need to know is this : Although I didn't love everything in Drew's story, Shaun David Hutchinson is still quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. There's just something in his writing that gives him the ability to break my heart in one sentence. Beautiful, unexpected, brilliant.
As for We Are the Ants (WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DIDN'T READ IT?! *GASP*), I can't deny the inner weirdness of The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley (and yes, the fact that the entire premise is unbelievable), but it's full of this strangeness that calls to some hidden part of myself that I'm not willing to let go. The one that drove me to read everything Boris Vian ever wrote, even though my teenage self honestly didn't understand everything (I'm not sure I would now, really - I'm not sure anyone could, actually). The one that thought that Nadja was fascinating for a bunch of reasons I forgot now. The one that spent hours writing pseudo-surrealist poems without never being aware that the appeal lay in the ease of it.
Ever since I've started studying literature in College and then reviewing books, my analytic mind slowly seized control of my reading experience and if most of the time I love it, there's nothing more liberating than leaving it there to rust for a little while.
Even now, when I only want to savor the raw feelings and the thoughtful mood The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley awoke in me, I can sense the gears rotating, my mind is spinning, and I feel the urge to write about the uneven pacing, the disbelief lurking, the too quick loving, when I know - I KNOW - that it never spoiled my reading experience but in the contrary, contributed to make The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley so fucking much interesting to me.
Perhaps I should rate it 5 stars solely on the fact that I was able to read an entire book set in an hospital, which is unheard from me. I don't like hospitals, I don't want to hear about hospitals, doctors, nurses or emergency workers. I admire them for their work, but I can't feel guilty over what I feel. Had I read the blurb and known where the story took place, I wouldn't have bought it. Such a shame really. One note about Drew though : Anyone who has already spend some time in a hospital knows that indeed it's pretty easy to hide in plain light (maybe not in intensive care, though, but I already stated that the story wasn't believable - I don't care). This review is all over the place already, so I thought I'd point that at least.
Seriously, though? I will never forget Drew's pain, Trevor's smile, Lexie's wig, Jo's rought temper, Arnold's drawings (there is a joke here somewhere), "Death"'s relentlessness (I saw that some readers were mad because of her, and I can understand why, but I never felt as if it was meant as an insult for . This is only Drew's delusion, and I took it as it is) and Rusty's burning eyes. They're part of me now, with all their imperfections and hopes. When I close my eyes, I see them walking, going forward, forward, forward.
Flawed as The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley may be, it stays unique and that's not something many books manage to be. My analytic mind might give it a 2 for reality sake (among other peeves but my heart loves it fiercely all the same. Do with it what you please.
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March 30, 2016
Al bütün yıldızlarım senin olsun adam
May 21, 2016
4,5
Kitapla ilgili söyleyeceğim ilk şey, karakterlerin ve onların bize yansıttığı duyguların çok gerçekçi olduğu. Hiçbiri güçlü değil. Olaylar karşısında verdikleri tepkiler, hissettikleri duygular, kurdukları cümleler o kadar içten ki. Onlarla birlikte hüzünlendim, gülümsedim, umutla doldum, kızdım. Bu da kitabı elimden bırakamamamı sağladı.
Genel olarak yazarın dilini beğendim. Eğlenceli, okurken sizi yormayan bir üslubu var ki bu da kitabın su gibi akıp gitmesini sağlıyor. Karakterleri okuyuncunun gözünde yüceltmek yerine, onların zayıf yanlarını, yanlış tercihlerini gözler önüne sererek aslında onlara karşı daha da çok sempati beslememe sebep oldu. Ayrıca kitaptaki çizgi roman bölümlerinin kurguyla paralel olarak gitmesi de çok ama çok hoşuma gitti.
Kitap nasıl biticek diye çok telaşlanmıştım. Aslında yazarın hızlı ve saçma bir son yapmasından korkuyordum ama kapağı kapattığımda sonundan oldukça memnundum. Kısacası okurken oldukça keyif aldığım, mükemmel karakterlere sahip, güzel bir kitaptı.
Kitapla ilgili söyleyeceğim ilk şey, karakterlerin ve onların bize yansıttığı duyguların çok gerçekçi olduğu. Hiçbiri güçlü değil. Olaylar karşısında verdikleri tepkiler, hissettikleri duygular, kurdukları cümleler o kadar içten ki. Onlarla birlikte hüzünlendim, gülümsedim, umutla doldum, kızdım. Bu da kitabı elimden bırakamamamı sağladı.
Genel olarak yazarın dilini beğendim. Eğlenceli, okurken sizi yormayan bir üslubu var ki bu da kitabın su gibi akıp gitmesini sağlıyor. Karakterleri okuyuncunun gözünde yüceltmek yerine, onların zayıf yanlarını, yanlış tercihlerini gözler önüne sererek aslında onlara karşı daha da çok sempati beslememe sebep oldu. Ayrıca kitaptaki çizgi roman bölümlerinin kurguyla paralel olarak gitmesi de çok ama çok hoşuma gitti.
Kitap nasıl biticek diye çok telaşlanmıştım. Aslında yazarın hızlı ve saçma bir son yapmasından korkuyordum ama kapağı kapattığımda sonundan oldukça memnundum. Kısacası okurken oldukça keyif aldığım, mükemmel karakterlere sahip, güzel bir kitaptı.
June 4, 2019
*4.5/5
I had a really hard time deciding between a 4 & a 4.5 but I feel fairly good about going with the slightly higher rating. This was incredibly emotional as a journey but didn't personally impact me emotionally until the very, very end so it was hard to gauge my feelings overall. How much I connect to a book emotionally is a huge part of how I rate books so I wanted to make it clear that that is where the rating indecision came from!
Beautifully written and got back to the heart of why I love Shaun David Hutchinson's writing. After adoring one of his books and being less enthusiastic about another, I'm really glad I got to find one I was passionate about again.
TW: depression, grief, familial death, suicide, major characters dealing with severe and life threatening health concerns
I had a really hard time deciding between a 4 & a 4.5 but I feel fairly good about going with the slightly higher rating. This was incredibly emotional as a journey but didn't personally impact me emotionally until the very, very end so it was hard to gauge my feelings overall. How much I connect to a book emotionally is a huge part of how I rate books so I wanted to make it clear that that is where the rating indecision came from!
Beautifully written and got back to the heart of why I love Shaun David Hutchinson's writing. After adoring one of his books and being less enthusiastic about another, I'm really glad I got to find one I was passionate about again.
TW: depression, grief, familial death, suicide, major characters dealing with severe and life threatening health concerns
August 3, 2017
me, reading a shaun david hutchinson book and not getting massively fucked up?
Ok, I don't love any of his books as much as We Are the Ants, and tbh this is probably my least favourite of his BUT I dont say that in a negative way because his "not best" is still fucking great? But theres been so much writing improvement from this book to his newer ones holy shit. But honestly I still really liked this? And omg the epilogue fjghfjgdk bless up
Anyway full review to come
Ok, I don't love any of his books as much as We Are the Ants, and tbh this is probably my least favourite of his BUT I dont say that in a negative way because his "not best" is still fucking great? But theres been so much writing improvement from this book to his newer ones holy shit. But honestly I still really liked this? And omg the epilogue fjghfjgdk bless up
Anyway full review to come
August 26, 2016
Ahh Shaun David Hutchinson sure knows how to hit you in the guts and stir it all around.. Ahh my heart.. I really love his writing *sighs* There is something about his writing that draws you in and keeps you from breaking your heart all over again. I am a fan girl for his writing. This is only the second book I've read from him and he just knows how to hit you right here *points to heart* Not only is there a lovely uplifting story here but there's also a graphic novel in between. I thought it was a little too violent for my liking but aren't graphic novels like that? I did think it was important to the story though because we the reader gets to see how Andrew is dealing with the death of his family.
Andrew Brawley who is this wonderful complex character that is going through the most tramatic moment of his seventeen years. Stuck in a hospital, he passes time by working in the hospital cafeteria, hanging out with his best friends Lexie and Trevor, and sleeping in a closet trying to escape the social worker who he deems "Death." I pretty much loved all the characters, from the nurses, to the priest to Rusty and Andrew, Hutchinson knows how to deliver well developed and emotionally realistic characters to the book audience. There is the sweet romance from Rusty and Andrew which I felt was a little too sudden but okay they're teens and hormones go awry at that age. I loved how they each saw hope in one another that in these little pockets of hope did they find solace in one another. Then there was the cute romance between his best friends. I love how Andrew could see them care about each other so well, and that the two were clueless or were too afraid. All ending in a bittersweet date that he organized to help them.
There were moments of sorrow and I couldn't fathom the relentless way these characters were beating themselves up. It we just so sad, and I grew angry at times. So hard to be sick when you're young and you have your whole life ahead of you. Shaun David Hutchinson's writing will keep you glued to the pages and I will for sure find his backlist titles and devour them as well. If you haven't added this author to your list, you need to! *claps*
RATING 4/5
QUOTES
You'd rather be ready for something you may not even get to attend than something that's here now? (35)
She's got worlds inside her, and being sick is just holding her back. She's going to beat it, dude. She's gonna beat it and grow back her hair and laugh at that fucking wig one day. She's gonna get out from behind these walls and crack the goddamn world wide open. (76)
What if you don't kill yourself? What if you just stop wanting to live? (120)
In order for a hero to be a true hero, he's got to have something worth living for. He's got to love something. (121)
Being punished doesn't mean you should miss out on being loved. (203)
Stop punishing yourself for living and start living. (238)
Life goes on with or without you, and that's just the reality of it. You never move on, you just keep moving forward. (261)
I wanted to feel on the outside the way I felt on the inside. (272)
Andrew Brawley who is this wonderful complex character that is going through the most tramatic moment of his seventeen years. Stuck in a hospital, he passes time by working in the hospital cafeteria, hanging out with his best friends Lexie and Trevor, and sleeping in a closet trying to escape the social worker who he deems "Death." I pretty much loved all the characters, from the nurses, to the priest to Rusty and Andrew, Hutchinson knows how to deliver well developed and emotionally realistic characters to the book audience. There is the sweet romance from Rusty and Andrew which I felt was a little too sudden but okay they're teens and hormones go awry at that age. I loved how they each saw hope in one another that in these little pockets of hope did they find solace in one another. Then there was the cute romance between his best friends. I love how Andrew could see them care about each other so well, and that the two were clueless or were too afraid. All ending in a bittersweet date that he organized to help them.
There were moments of sorrow and I couldn't fathom the relentless way these characters were beating themselves up. It we just so sad, and I grew angry at times. So hard to be sick when you're young and you have your whole life ahead of you. Shaun David Hutchinson's writing will keep you glued to the pages and I will for sure find his backlist titles and devour them as well. If you haven't added this author to your list, you need to! *claps*
RATING 4/5
QUOTES
You'd rather be ready for something you may not even get to attend than something that's here now? (35)
She's got worlds inside her, and being sick is just holding her back. She's going to beat it, dude. She's gonna beat it and grow back her hair and laugh at that fucking wig one day. She's gonna get out from behind these walls and crack the goddamn world wide open. (76)
What if you don't kill yourself? What if you just stop wanting to live? (120)
In order for a hero to be a true hero, he's got to have something worth living for. He's got to love something. (121)
Being punished doesn't mean you should miss out on being loved. (203)
Stop punishing yourself for living and start living. (238)
Life goes on with or without you, and that's just the reality of it. You never move on, you just keep moving forward. (261)
I wanted to feel on the outside the way I felt on the inside. (272)
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April 7, 2017For some reason, I don't feel as though I can rate or review this book. My mind is all jumbled up.
January 17, 2018
“Chaos is an excuse for people who don't have the patience to see the patterns.”
It's the type of book that is so well written it'll make you all types of emotions and you'll probably cry a lot so get your tissues ready. I absolutely enjoyed the writing and I liked pretty much all characters that were involved. Besides Lexi's mom. She sucked.
I feel like the ending wasn't a huge surprise and it felt slightly rushed but that's just a small minus. They also could've explained why Drew kept calling Michelle Death and why he kept freaking out whenever she was around. These were two things that slightly bothered me and made me give the book 4 instead of 5 stars.
Lexi and Trevors ending was pretty predictable too.
I didn't care too much about Drew and Rusty relationship while reading this novel to be all honest. I cared far more about each of them as character and how both of them slowly developed. Don't get me wrong their romance is absolutely well written and they're a pretty good match.
What I liked the most is definitely the fact that the other characters were just as important. For example the guy who always borrowed Drew the books and ended up reading them to Rusty once Drew couldn't come along for a while. I always love it when a novel involves the side characters just as much as the main characters and Hutchinson did a great job doing so.
I am definitely going to pick more of his books up in the near future and I am happy that I got around to read this one.
It's the type of book that is so well written it'll make you all types of emotions and you'll probably cry a lot so get your tissues ready. I absolutely enjoyed the writing and I liked pretty much all characters that were involved. Besides Lexi's mom. She sucked.
I feel like the ending wasn't a huge surprise and it felt slightly rushed but that's just a small minus. They also could've explained why Drew kept calling Michelle Death and why he kept freaking out whenever she was around. These were two things that slightly bothered me and made me give the book 4 instead of 5 stars.
Lexi and Trevors ending was pretty predictable too.
I didn't care too much about Drew and Rusty relationship while reading this novel to be all honest. I cared far more about each of them as character and how both of them slowly developed. Don't get me wrong their romance is absolutely well written and they're a pretty good match.
What I liked the most is definitely the fact that the other characters were just as important. For example the guy who always borrowed Drew the books and ended up reading them to Rusty once Drew couldn't come along for a while. I always love it when a novel involves the side characters just as much as the main characters and Hutchinson did a great job doing so.
I am definitely going to pick more of his books up in the near future and I am happy that I got around to read this one.
February 19, 2016
Odmah na početku, ovo nije sretna knjiga!
U njoj će te uglavnom čitati o smrti, zlosatvljanju, vršnjačkom nasilju, krivici, samokažnjavanju, pa onda opet o smrti i tako u krug.
I sam pisac je rekao da je ovo najmračnija knjiga koju je ikada napisao i da ne veruje da će ikada ponovo napisati nešto ovako teško.
I sad ono najčudnije...
Uživao sam u njoj celim svojim bićem.
Ovo je bila jedna od najemotivnijih priča koju sam pročitao u proteklih godinu dana.
Piščev stil pisanja je tako bogat, dubok, detaljan da me je skoro na svakoj stranici ostavio bez teksta.
Njegov način da iskaže emocije svojih likova i uđe u njihovu suštinu doveo je do toga, da ja, kao čitalac, svaku bol (ili radost) bilo kog lika osetim kao deo sebe.
Paralelno sa romanom ide i strip koji se nadovezuje na samu priču i praktično nam upotpunjuje sliku svega onoga što se glavnom junaku dešava u glavi.
Zanimljiv eksperiment koji je bio pun pogodak!
Knjiga definitivno nije za svakoga ali ako se odlučite na čitanje dobićete jedan zaista odličan roman koji uveliko iskače iz okvira YA književnosti.
Videćete da tuga, krivica, vera, prijateljstvo, ljubav nisu jednodimenzionalne kategorije već čine jedno jedinstvo koje može pomoći da se izađe iz tame koja nas okružuje.
Od mene čista petica!
U njoj će te uglavnom čitati o smrti, zlosatvljanju, vršnjačkom nasilju, krivici, samokažnjavanju, pa onda opet o smrti i tako u krug.
I sam pisac je rekao da je ovo najmračnija knjiga koju je ikada napisao i da ne veruje da će ikada ponovo napisati nešto ovako teško.
I sad ono najčudnije...
Uživao sam u njoj celim svojim bićem.
Ovo je bila jedna od najemotivnijih priča koju sam pročitao u proteklih godinu dana.
Piščev stil pisanja je tako bogat, dubok, detaljan da me je skoro na svakoj stranici ostavio bez teksta.
Njegov način da iskaže emocije svojih likova i uđe u njihovu suštinu doveo je do toga, da ja, kao čitalac, svaku bol (ili radost) bilo kog lika osetim kao deo sebe.
Paralelno sa romanom ide i strip koji se nadovezuje na samu priču i praktično nam upotpunjuje sliku svega onoga što se glavnom junaku dešava u glavi.
Zanimljiv eksperiment koji je bio pun pogodak!
Knjiga definitivno nije za svakoga ali ako se odlučite na čitanje dobićete jedan zaista odličan roman koji uveliko iskače iz okvira YA književnosti.
Videćete da tuga, krivica, vera, prijateljstvo, ljubav nisu jednodimenzionalne kategorije već čine jedno jedinstvo koje može pomoći da se izađe iz tame koja nas okružuje.
Od mene čista petica!
May 5, 2021
This one was sort of a " Todd Special ," which basically means that, like some other difficult-subject books that I've read, a ton of my friends would immediately read the blurb and respond with, "Oh, hell no. Zero way you'll catch me reading that."
[ Total Aside: My very favorite Todd Special story, as I slip into Book Pimp mode yet again, is "Fearless" by Chris O'Guinn, which also shares some of the same YA critical illness themes as this story. If you haven't read "Fearless" yet, do yourself a huge favor and read it now. ]
As with most of my stories like this, the book was very well-written, with great world building and character development, not sparing in the 'feels' department, either.
Also, I would not characterize this story as a romance. There were actually two romance sub-plots in the book, but the story was much more about dealing with loss and learning to move forward than it was about "I love you's."
Actually, the teen M/F romance seemed to play a much more pivotal role in the story than the M/M one, at least as I saw it.
Much of the story was pure perfection, which left me anticipating the next chapters, so in my mind, I was already seeing this book to finish out as a 5-star read.
BUT...
The ending. God, I really wanted to throttle someone.
From the point in the story where the MC and his love interest decide that was officially the beginning of the end of my love affair with this book.
From there through the last page, the story shifted gears entirely and it felt as if the teacher had just called out, "Five minutes, class, then you must pass your papers forward, no exceptions."
It seriously felt like a mad dash to not only map out resolutions to the current open-ended plot points, but also mapping out the entire remainder of the MC's life. And afterlife, even.
Too much material covered, way too quickly. Hated. It.
The rush to the finish line left a very bad taste in my mouth, after truly enjoying the first 90% of the story so much.
My overall rating for this book is 4 stars; however, it's taking everything in me to not rate it lower, due to my profound dislike of how the ending was handled.
------------------------------------------------
This was my own copy of the book and was not provided by the publisher.
** Note: As this will be a huge point of contention for my Goodreads friends deciding to read the story or not, I must divulge that one of the four youths featured in the story does die.
February 12, 2016
4.5 Stars Rated up
“Chaos is an excuse for people who don’t have the patience to see the patterns."
The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley was just as amazing as I hoped it would be. As 2015 came to an end, I picked up an ARC of We Are The Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson. I had never heard of him before, but man do I ever wish that I had. We Are The Ants was fantastic and the moment I finished reading it, I knew I had to make a stop at the bookstore to pick up another novel by Shaun David Hutchinson as soon as possible.
The funny thing is, I had actually heard of The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley before. I remembered seeing the cover before and I knew that it had been recommended to me through Goodreads plenty of times, I just never got around to picking it up. Strange how things work out.
The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley is written just as beautifully as We Are The Ants. The writing style is perfect and is just so well done. Both novels are probably right up there on the list of books that I have sticky noted the crap out of due to the amount of memorable quotes or situations. Shaun David Hutchinson just has this way of writing about life that is beautiful. I know that no one truly knows the meaning of life and all of its secrets, but he truly makes me think about things in ways that I maybe normally wouldn’t have before.
“It’s risky standing here staring at her. Death’s got my name on her list, and though I’m in disguise, it’s only a matter of time before she sees through my mask and discovers not a young man who serves slimy hash but a young man she was meant to collect."
There was actually quite a few characters within this story and usually I’m not a huge fan of that. The more characters there are, the harder it is for me to remember them all and get to know them or relate to them. In this case, I was a little worried at first as I did confuse a few characters for one another initially. But as the story went on, I was able to keep track of who was who. All of these characters really did interact well with one another and I think their relationships with one another were really well done. I do wish however that we were able to learn more about some of these minor characters. We had Drew, Rusty, Lexi & Trevor and I think we learned the most about them, however I wish I was able to get to know characters like Emma, Jo, Steven, Arnold and Aimee, and even Father Mike, a little more. They all seemed like great minor characters that had their own excellent stories to tell, and maybe even secrets to reveal.
Where details lacked in the lives of the minor characters, we did learn more about the primary ones. These are the characters that I was most able to relate to and the ones that I didn’t confuse for others. We learn about their dark pasts and their current life situations. A lot of these moments were tough to read. They were beautifully written, but I couldn’t help but feel sorrowful anytime Rusty mentions the relentless bullying he has to deal with or anytime Drew discusses his troubling past. It was hard reading about Lexi and Trevor and what they have to live with on a day to day basis while being stuck in a hospital. As hard as some of these things were to read, they were all extremely realistic. These things are, without a doubt, happening to multiple teens throughout the world and reading stories like these really opens up your mind.
Another thing I loved was the way that this story dealt with LGBTQIA+ themes. There are a few characters within the novel that identify as gay and each of them is dealt with in a different manner. One is loved by everyone around him regardless of his sexual orientation. No one brings it up, other than within a friendly manner, and no one bothers him about it. On the other side of the spectrum, we have another character who is ridiculed and bullied due to his sexual orientation. Shaun David Hutchinson is so fantastic when it comes to writing about themes such as those present within The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley and I think he deals with these themes in the most beautiful way.
“As I look over at Arnold and Father Mike, I realize that adults are just as fucked as the rest of us. No one really grows up. No one unravels all of life’s many mysteries. They just grow older and become better liars."
Lately, I think my mind has been shaped to expect some big twist ending or something that I just wasn’t expecting to hit me in the face. That style of storytelling has definitely become prominent recently. What I loved so much about The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley, and even We Are The Ants, is that they completely avoid shock endings or twists. Instead, Shaun David Hutchinson expertly unravels the story until all of the details are clear and all of the secrets come out. Nothing hits you blindly, but is rather slowly laid out before you. I can’t tell you how refreshing that is. To know that you’re not going to be blindsided, but instead can enjoy the details of the beautifully written story before you.
As I think I’ve made abundantly clear, Shaun David Hutchinson has become a favourite author of mine and it’s likely to stay that way for a really long time. His writing style is perfect for me and I highly recommend looking in to his novels, especially if you are a fan of writers such as Andrew Smith and Adam Silvera.
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Initial post reading thoughts:
Can somebody just give me a complete collection of everything Shaun David Hutchinson has ever written/everything he will write in the future. I'm going to process all of my thoughts and get back to you all with a full review, but just know that I will read anything this man writes. Full stop. Period. End of story.
March 19, 2017
Kitabın sonunu çok beğenmeme rağmen kitabı ne zaman alışmaya başlasam olayın devamında soluklu bir şey olmuyordu. Kötü bir kitap değil özellikle çizgi roman kısımlarına bayıldım ancak baş karakter kitap boyunca hep tek bir düşünce üzerine yoğunlaştı bu sebeplede hep aynı şeylerden söz etti. Kitaptaki tek çok beğendim karakter Peder Mike oldu. Aslında çok daha güzel bir kitap olabilirmiş.
September 7, 2016
Actual rating: 4.5
I love this guy. Shaun David Hutchinson's novels are so real, heartfelt, and raw that I can't read them without a therapist on speed dial.
"They want to believe, but there are too many villains in the world and not enough heroes for anyone to truly buy into the scam that is hope."
While I had some slight problems with the way it was ended, I feel the same way about Drew and Rusty as I do able Henry and Diego.
That their stories, even if they had never intertwined, were beautiful, complex, and an A+ example of why I read YA contemporary. They pull you in, engulf you in the emotions the characters are feeling, and one of my favorite parts, the side characters are all fascinating and well developed.
This is especially true with The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley. Trevor and Lexi . Jo, Emma, and Steven. Arnold and Grandma Brawley. Every single one of them had a story, and a personality bigger or more powerful than the pages, and I can't fully relay my appreciation for this aspect of the story.
So this is a weird and short tidbit, but I'm in Florida right now, so the setting is just that much more vivid. Every time we pass Disney my mind immediately floats back to Drew and friends and whenever we drift into the smaller or sketchier parts of town, Henry and Diego and their crew pop up in my head. Seriously Mr. Hutchinson; you can't continue to rule my life like this.
So. Now is the time when I get to talk about our main man, and his main man. Oh yes. I'll start with Rusty. I had many points where I was confused on how I felt about him. But I always loved him. Especially once you get his tear jerking back story.
And now for Drew. My adorable, bone headed, stubborn little Andrew Brawley. Child, I'm going to start with the obvious: you are a masochist.
And finally, the ending. How do I feel about it? I don't really know. I just feel that the last few pages were perfect, yet not. It felt a bit too abrupt, and like the author was rushing to the end. But I understand there was nothing left to be said, and that those last few pages were technically an epilogue... I don't know. Something felt off.
Regardless, I adored this novel and would recommend it to anyone and everyone looking for a rising star in contemporary YA literature, or just a good book to make you feel emotional and to remind you what it feels like to fall in love with a book.
I love this guy. Shaun David Hutchinson's novels are so real, heartfelt, and raw that I can't read them without a therapist on speed dial.
"They want to believe, but there are too many villains in the world and not enough heroes for anyone to truly buy into the scam that is hope."
While I had some slight problems with the way it was ended, I feel the same way about Drew and Rusty as I do able Henry and Diego.
That their stories, even if they had never intertwined, were beautiful, complex, and an A+ example of why I read YA contemporary. They pull you in, engulf you in the emotions the characters are feeling, and one of my favorite parts, the side characters are all fascinating and well developed.
This is especially true with The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley. Trevor and Lexi . Jo, Emma, and Steven. Arnold and Grandma Brawley. Every single one of them had a story, and a personality bigger or more powerful than the pages, and I can't fully relay my appreciation for this aspect of the story.
So this is a weird and short tidbit, but I'm in Florida right now, so the setting is just that much more vivid. Every time we pass Disney my mind immediately floats back to Drew and friends and whenever we drift into the smaller or sketchier parts of town, Henry and Diego and their crew pop up in my head. Seriously Mr. Hutchinson; you can't continue to rule my life like this.
So. Now is the time when I get to talk about our main man, and his main man. Oh yes. I'll start with Rusty. I had many points where I was confused on how I felt about him. But I always loved him. Especially once you get his tear jerking back story.
And now for Drew. My adorable, bone headed, stubborn little Andrew Brawley. Child, I'm going to start with the obvious: you are a masochist.
And finally, the ending. How do I feel about it? I don't really know. I just feel that the last few pages were perfect, yet not. It felt a bit too abrupt, and like the author was rushing to the end. But I understand there was nothing left to be said, and that those last few pages were technically an epilogue... I don't know. Something felt off.
Regardless, I adored this novel and would recommend it to anyone and everyone looking for a rising star in contemporary YA literature, or just a good book to make you feel emotional and to remind you what it feels like to fall in love with a book.
January 2, 2015
"There's a hole in me. A gaping wound. Every part of me misses every part of them. And it never stops hurting. I can't bear the thought of missing you, too."
The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley is a lot more emotional read that I expected it to be. With so much pain, loss, and grief, it is no wonder this is one of the book that I was mostly excited about in the new year.
"Life is about more than hate. It takes more than anger to make a hero."
He lost his family and could not stop blaming himself for it. There is no more life outside of the hospital for Andrew because everyone who he considered to love has died because of him. The stupid text that he just had to read while driving. But Death was late coming from him and now he tries to escape Her while living in the hospital and pretending to be one of the staff.
He makes some friends with the nurses and patients, especially Trevor and Lexi. And then there's Rusty. The most beautiful boy that Andrew have seen and who might make him want to live again. Although he was on fire. And the pain and memory of that fire does not escape the mind that easily.
"This hospital isn't my purgatory. It's my hell. The punishment I deserve. I will stay here until the end of my days. Until the sun finally sets. Until the worms rise up and devour me. Until Death extends her long-fingered hand and drags me away."
I'm sure there was definitely something wrong with Andrew. No one can escape the car accident and completely be normal and just walk away. I had to wonder if Death was actually real when everyone was seeing just a regular woman so it was interesting how it was a cross between reality and fantasy. All the characters were lovable, especially Trevor and Lexi. They were so simple but yet perfect for the story itself.
Comic strips between the story were a little off hand but I loved how they ended up playing at the end. Definitely haven't seen that coming & had the *gasp* moment. Just incredible!
October 22, 2015
Bu yıl okuduğum değil, uzun zamandır okuduğum en iyi young adult romanlarından biri kuşkusuz. Bu kitap için ancak tek bir kelime uygun olabilir: Güzel. Sağlam, gerçekçi karakterler, eğlenceli bir üslup, duygusal ve vurucu bir hikâye... İçinde yer alan ve romanın kendisiyle son derece iyi bir şekilde harmanlanmış çizgi roman sayfaları da cabası. Bu türü sevenlere (hatta sevmeyenlere bile) istisnasız önereceğim bir kitap. Okuyun. Sevin. Üzülün. Mutlu olun. Ve tekrar okuyun...
April 22, 2016
4.5 stars
Shaun David Hutchinson is fast becoming one of my favourite YA authors. He writes broken boys like no one else and Drew is a very broken boy. He's suffering from survivor's guilt. He's living in the hospital where his parents and sisters died. "... as long as I was here and I remembered them, then they wouldn't be dead. Out there, time would pass and I'd forget, but here in the hospital, they'd always be alive."
He hasn't left the hospital since they died. He's sleeping in an unfinished part of the hospital and working under the counter at the cafe. The rest of his time is spent visiting his new friends, Lexi and Trevor, two teens with cancer, visiting his grandmother who's in a coma and hiding in the shadows of ER. All the while he writes a comic strip about Patient F who becomes a super hero after his family has been killed.
But his real purpose is to save himself and his friends from Death. First Lexi and Trevor and then Rusty. Drew's in the ER when Rusty shows up at the hospital covered in burns after being doused with alcohol and set on fire. Drew starts reading to Rusty in the evenings. They become close and for the first time Drew starts to fall in love and begins to think maybe he might be able to leave the hospital one day. He becomes more and more determined to save Rusty. "I've evaded Death once. I can do it again. I won't let Rusty go without a fight." But it's still so hard for Drew to move beyond the guilt of his family's deaths. In the end, someone's going to need to help save Drew.
This is another beautiful book by Mr. Hutchinson. He makes me feel so much for his characters and there's always so much depth to all of them. Like We are the Ants, there's lots of heartbreak here. But there's also lots of love and hope for a future.
Shaun David Hutchinson is fast becoming one of my favourite YA authors. He writes broken boys like no one else and Drew is a very broken boy. He's suffering from survivor's guilt. He's living in the hospital where his parents and sisters died. "... as long as I was here and I remembered them, then they wouldn't be dead. Out there, time would pass and I'd forget, but here in the hospital, they'd always be alive."
He hasn't left the hospital since they died. He's sleeping in an unfinished part of the hospital and working under the counter at the cafe. The rest of his time is spent visiting his new friends, Lexi and Trevor, two teens with cancer, visiting his grandmother who's in a coma and hiding in the shadows of ER. All the while he writes a comic strip about Patient F who becomes a super hero after his family has been killed.
But his real purpose is to save himself and his friends from Death. First Lexi and Trevor and then Rusty. Drew's in the ER when Rusty shows up at the hospital covered in burns after being doused with alcohol and set on fire. Drew starts reading to Rusty in the evenings. They become close and for the first time Drew starts to fall in love and begins to think maybe he might be able to leave the hospital one day. He becomes more and more determined to save Rusty. "I've evaded Death once. I can do it again. I won't let Rusty go without a fight." But it's still so hard for Drew to move beyond the guilt of his family's deaths. In the end, someone's going to need to help save Drew.
This is another beautiful book by Mr. Hutchinson. He makes me feel so much for his characters and there's always so much depth to all of them. Like We are the Ants, there's lots of heartbreak here. But there's also lots of love and hope for a future.
February 28, 2017
3 stars. I have such incredibly mixed feelings on this book. It's written well and full of emotion, and yet... something about The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley makes it fall a bit flat.
There's not much to say about plotting, because as anyone who's read Hutchinson's We Are The Ants knows, logic isn't the point. This story is meant to bring up emotional reactions, not entertain you with plot. Honestly, contemporary fiction works best when it's low on plot, high on emotion.
The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley is full of metaphor, with every character being something more than what they seem. Perhaps metaphor is used too much here. Every character seems to represent something; some aspect of the life Drew left behind, or some specific type of grieving. It gets to the point where no character feels like a real person; the side characters feel like chess pieces used to get tears out of you.
But maybe that's going too far. Drew's character arc here is truly special. This is a book about going through terrible pain and surviving. An important message and one I still can't get enough of in literature. This narrative works very well in this book, and it's why I can't complain about the unrealistic ending.
The love plot between Rusty and Drew is... complete instalove. Drew falls in love with Rusty while he's asleep. That's not an exaggeration; the main couple quite literally originates through the protagonist's one-sided staring at a guy's sleeping form. While Rusty and Drew have a well-developed relationship later on, their relationship's beginning made them ultimately fall a little flat to me.
Recommended to fans of Hutchinson, but unfortunately, this doesn't quite live up to We Are The Ants for me.
There's not much to say about plotting, because as anyone who's read Hutchinson's We Are The Ants knows, logic isn't the point. This story is meant to bring up emotional reactions, not entertain you with plot. Honestly, contemporary fiction works best when it's low on plot, high on emotion.
The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley is full of metaphor, with every character being something more than what they seem. Perhaps metaphor is used too much here. Every character seems to represent something; some aspect of the life Drew left behind, or some specific type of grieving. It gets to the point where no character feels like a real person; the side characters feel like chess pieces used to get tears out of you.
But maybe that's going too far. Drew's character arc here is truly special. This is a book about going through terrible pain and surviving. An important message and one I still can't get enough of in literature. This narrative works very well in this book, and it's why I can't complain about the unrealistic ending.
The love plot between Rusty and Drew is... complete instalove. Drew falls in love with Rusty while he's asleep. That's not an exaggeration; the main couple quite literally originates through the protagonist's one-sided staring at a guy's sleeping form. While Rusty and Drew have a well-developed relationship later on, their relationship's beginning made them ultimately fall a little flat to me.
Recommended to fans of Hutchinson, but unfortunately, this doesn't quite live up to We Are The Ants for me.
June 5, 2016
3.6/5
Yorumu için: http://kronikokur.blogspot.com.tr/201...
Yorumu için: http://kronikokur.blogspot.com.tr/201...
January 23, 2015
I won't attempt to describe what this book is about lest I give away any spoilers. It's not a mystery, it's not a tragedy; it's dark but nowhere near grim. It's the kind of story you have to experience to love.
I love Hutchinson's writing style, which was very rich and lovely, while maintaining its simplicity and realism. There were shades of magical realism that shone through occasionally but they only served to characterize our protagonist's mental state. What I loved most remains that while the story deals with tough matter, its tone never overshadows the actual writing and voice of the character.
Andrew Brawley lives and works in a hospital. He's escaping Death, who roams around in a high ponytail with a clipboard.
The story has a diverse set of characters whose stories develop beside Andrew's, and the way the author managed to play out several themes like bullying, cancer, survival et cetra was admirable.
What I didn't actually discern was the progression of Rusty and Andrew's relationship. It was just there. JUST THERE. But whatever: I still ship them (a little). Magic of SH, I guess.
Another peeve:
There's also a graphic novel in parts included in the story, and although I didn't exactly grasp its concept, I loved it, just like most aspects of this story, to which I'm not doing justice.
I know this eenie meenie review seems to be lacking in emotions but that's the way I can manage it right now. Sorry! One final time: I really, really, really liked this book.
I loved that its experience was different, that its telling was unique, that its characters were well-developed. But most of all, the first: it FELT distinct.
Thank you Simon Pulse!
I love Hutchinson's writing style, which was very rich and lovely, while maintaining its simplicity and realism. There were shades of magical realism that shone through occasionally but they only served to characterize our protagonist's mental state. What I loved most remains that while the story deals with tough matter, its tone never overshadows the actual writing and voice of the character.
Andrew Brawley lives and works in a hospital. He's escaping Death, who roams around in a high ponytail with a clipboard.
The story has a diverse set of characters whose stories develop beside Andrew's, and the way the author managed to play out several themes like bullying, cancer, survival et cetra was admirable.
What I didn't actually discern was the progression of Rusty and Andrew's relationship. It was just there. JUST THERE. But whatever: I still ship them (a little). Magic of SH, I guess.
Another peeve:
There's also a graphic novel in parts included in the story, and although I didn't exactly grasp its concept, I loved it, just like most aspects of this story, to which I'm not doing justice.
I know this eenie meenie review seems to be lacking in emotions but that's the way I can manage it right now. Sorry! One final time: I really, really, really liked this book.
I loved that its experience was different, that its telling was unique, that its characters were well-developed. But most of all, the first: it FELT distinct.
Thank you Simon Pulse!
September 6, 2014
My thanks to Simon Pulse & Edelweiss
Point of View: Single (Andrew Brawley)
Writing: First Person | Present Tense
Setting: N/A
Genre: Young Adult | Realistic Fiction/GLBT
After an accident that has killed his parents and his sister, Andrew refuses to leave the hospital. While staying hidden there, he becomes friends with the staff and the patients which leads to heartwarming turns and heartbreaking twists.
In general, I thought it was one great book with so many emotional scenes that I couldn't help weeping when I was reading. It was heartbreaking that Andrew had to go through such a loss.
One thing I really liked about this book was the relationship Andrew managed to have with the patients and the nurses. I liked that they cared for one another and the things Andrew did for them melted my heart. It was absolutely touching reading about the love and supports.
Andrew loved to draw and he created a character called Patient F. I actually liked the drawings, even they were kind of gross and I'm totally not into gross stuff. It added an intriguing element to the story as a whole. However, I didn't exactly get the last part of the comic where the story of Patient F was concluded. I probably need to read that part again. Anyway, it was pretty cool in general.
The storyline was well-developed, and adding the characters with various type of personality, it left this book with no dull moment. I loved every character. Some made me laugh, while some did make me cry.
The ending was better than I had hoped for. I serious liked the drawings in the end that illustrated the life Andrew was going to live after all the stuff he had been through. It was really sweet and emotional.
In short, it was a well-written book about tragedy, bullying, relationship and friendship.
June 10, 2017
4.5
La reseña entera en el blog es una declaración de amor a este autor. Leánlo porfavaaar.
Como sabrán, compré este libro sin saber NADA de él. Solo lo vi en algún lado y lo busqué en Amazon porque me llamó la atención la portada. Y hace poco que lo recibí y sabía que lo leería pronto. Y doloroso ha sido y ha sido una gran decisión.
Andrew es algo parecido a un fantasma, se pasea por los pasillos del Hospital Roanoke General en los días llenos de ajetreo de los médicos y las enfermeras. Tiene un trabajo en el restaurante con Arnold, el encargado que sirve comida que no sabe muy bien. Aparte, visita a dos chicos, Lexy una niña calva que le gusta leer y Trevor, un rubio que antes había superado la leucemia, ambos muy jóvenes y enfermos de cáncer. Además de que pasa tiempo con los enfermeros Steven, Emma y Jo, Andrew se está escondiendo. En su libreta dibuja la historia de Paciente F, un cómic que le ayuda a evadirse, porque Andrew se siente culpable y no quiere que lo encuentren. Hasta que un día traen a un chico llamado Rusty a la sala de emergencias.
Reseña competa: http://rapsodia-literaria.blogspot.co...
La reseña entera en el blog es una declaración de amor a este autor. Leánlo porfavaaar.
Como sabrán, compré este libro sin saber NADA de él. Solo lo vi en algún lado y lo busqué en Amazon porque me llamó la atención la portada. Y hace poco que lo recibí y sabía que lo leería pronto. Y doloroso ha sido y ha sido una gran decisión.
Andrew es algo parecido a un fantasma, se pasea por los pasillos del Hospital Roanoke General en los días llenos de ajetreo de los médicos y las enfermeras. Tiene un trabajo en el restaurante con Arnold, el encargado que sirve comida que no sabe muy bien. Aparte, visita a dos chicos, Lexy una niña calva que le gusta leer y Trevor, un rubio que antes había superado la leucemia, ambos muy jóvenes y enfermos de cáncer. Además de que pasa tiempo con los enfermeros Steven, Emma y Jo, Andrew se está escondiendo. En su libreta dibuja la historia de Paciente F, un cómic que le ayuda a evadirse, porque Andrew se siente culpable y no quiere que lo encuentren. Hasta que un día traen a un chico llamado Rusty a la sala de emergencias.
Reseña competa: http://rapsodia-literaria.blogspot.co...
May 4, 2020
three stars ∗ oh boy. this is one tough book to rate. on one hand, i adored the writing and the plot and the characters and all of the little things in between, but on the other, i wasn’t that big of a fan of the romance, and i felt like the ending was a bit rushed?
despite those negatives, i did really enjoy reading this! it was a good read that definitely made me tear up here and there. shaun david hutchinson really has a way of connecting his books to real emotions and thoughts and that’s something i appreciate. definitely not as good as ‘we are the ants’, but still thought provoking, nonetheless!!
despite those negatives, i did really enjoy reading this! it was a good read that definitely made me tear up here and there. shaun david hutchinson really has a way of connecting his books to real emotions and thoughts and that’s something i appreciate. definitely not as good as ‘we are the ants’, but still thought provoking, nonetheless!!
November 24, 2019
Well this book broke me. I thought We Are the Ants is sad but this was on a whole other level. I'm pretty sure I cried about 4 times so that was fun. I highly recommend this but seriously it is saddddd
March 9, 2015
In the end I found this pretty disappointing, but not enough to be bothered to fully explain why. It was incredibly draggy, and the characters, particularly Rusty, were irritating. Melodramatic, on the nose, and cliched. Some beautiful writing, though, especially in the beginning. Starts off strong but doesn't stay that way. My main issue is that despite the fact that this is a book about people who have either lost everything or are about to, the writing didn't convince me to care about any of them, beyond simply telling me I should. That's not enough.
February 15, 2015
I am in love.
July 21, 2015
Seen at Bookish Antics!
The Five Stages Of Andrew Brawley is easily one of the most important novels I’ve read this year. This is a novel about dealing with pain and grief, falling in love and accepting yourself; making this novel universally relatable and poignant. Hutchinson has written an unbelievably important novel that will hit readers hard emotionally and ultimately fill them with hope. We need more books like Andrew Brawley out there — books that are so raw and powerful that they fill readers with zest and the desire to make a difference in the world.
After Andrew Brawley’s parents and sister died in a car crash, he’s felt immeasurably guilty and has confined himself to the hospital. When Andrew meets Rusty at the hospital, he slowly falls for him but the problem is that Rusty has a lot of baggage. Rusty is the victim of a hate crime and was burned alive by a bunch of homophobic teenagers at a party. The only problem is that Death is after the two of them and Andrew thinks he’s destined to bring tragedy.
Though this book revolves around terminally ill teens, this is not an ‘issue book’, this is a novel about love, life and death. Hutchinson doesn’t recycle any of the trite scenarios that we’re familiar with from other novels about cancer patients. Nor are any of the characters the typical caricatures that we’re familiar with from those novels. These characters are real people with personalities so powerful that these kids are forces to be reckoned with despite the fact that they’re “damaged”.
I think one of the most important things about this novel is the relationships Andrew has with the adults in his life. Most YA novels seem to ignore that adults even exist, but in this novel they play a fundamental role and help dictate the flow of the plot. Drew has a beautiful relationship with Arnold who acts as a father figure and provides Drew with the rock he needs. In addition, Drew finds solace in the nurses who are the angels of the hospital spreading joy in such a bleak place.
The Patient F graphic novel was an interesting addition to this story as it helps parallel Drew’s life. Not only was it thematically and important to the plot, but it was also extremely entertaining to read. The illustrations are extremely well-drawn and help complement the story extremely well, bringing life to Drew’s story in a whole new medium.
I’m so glad that I didn’t pass this book off as another TFIOS wannabe and that this one caught my eye because The 5 Stages is a deep, moving novel that will resonate with readers. Hutchinson really surprised me with this one and it’s damn near perfect. Fans of Winger and It’s Kind Of A Funny Story will find Hutchinson’s latest to be something incredible. With a superb romance, touching personal drama and important thematic messages, The 5 Stages should be moved to the top of your to-read pile.
The Five Stages Of Andrew Brawley is easily one of the most important novels I’ve read this year. This is a novel about dealing with pain and grief, falling in love and accepting yourself; making this novel universally relatable and poignant. Hutchinson has written an unbelievably important novel that will hit readers hard emotionally and ultimately fill them with hope. We need more books like Andrew Brawley out there — books that are so raw and powerful that they fill readers with zest and the desire to make a difference in the world.
After Andrew Brawley’s parents and sister died in a car crash, he’s felt immeasurably guilty and has confined himself to the hospital. When Andrew meets Rusty at the hospital, he slowly falls for him but the problem is that Rusty has a lot of baggage. Rusty is the victim of a hate crime and was burned alive by a bunch of homophobic teenagers at a party. The only problem is that Death is after the two of them and Andrew thinks he’s destined to bring tragedy.
Though this book revolves around terminally ill teens, this is not an ‘issue book’, this is a novel about love, life and death. Hutchinson doesn’t recycle any of the trite scenarios that we’re familiar with from other novels about cancer patients. Nor are any of the characters the typical caricatures that we’re familiar with from those novels. These characters are real people with personalities so powerful that these kids are forces to be reckoned with despite the fact that they’re “damaged”.
I think one of the most important things about this novel is the relationships Andrew has with the adults in his life. Most YA novels seem to ignore that adults even exist, but in this novel they play a fundamental role and help dictate the flow of the plot. Drew has a beautiful relationship with Arnold who acts as a father figure and provides Drew with the rock he needs. In addition, Drew finds solace in the nurses who are the angels of the hospital spreading joy in such a bleak place.
The Patient F graphic novel was an interesting addition to this story as it helps parallel Drew’s life. Not only was it thematically and important to the plot, but it was also extremely entertaining to read. The illustrations are extremely well-drawn and help complement the story extremely well, bringing life to Drew’s story in a whole new medium.
I’m so glad that I didn’t pass this book off as another TFIOS wannabe and that this one caught my eye because The 5 Stages is a deep, moving novel that will resonate with readers. Hutchinson really surprised me with this one and it’s damn near perfect. Fans of Winger and It’s Kind Of A Funny Story will find Hutchinson’s latest to be something incredible. With a superb romance, touching personal drama and important thematic messages, The 5 Stages should be moved to the top of your to-read pile.
April 18, 2015
I'd never heard of this book prior to seeing it on Pulse It and the cover was kinda cool so I picked it up right away. I was pleasantly surprised with this book but at the same time, I was a little disappointed.
The overall premise for The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley is pretty sad. There was a few lines that I smiled at but for the most part, this book just made me sad. I felt so bad for the characters and even sadder knowing that some things that happened in the book, happen in real life.
This whole book was just a big ocean of emotion. The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley is a book that will weigh on my mind for the next few weeks and I'll always remember it as being really sad. I can't say I enjoyed reading this book because I didn't. This book is a really great book but it's not something I enjoyed reading. It was just so sad.
I had a hard time connecting with the characters because I couldn't relate to a lot of the thing they're were going though. It made it hard to really feel for the characters deep down. I felt bad for them but at the same time, it was kind of a disconnected sad.
There was something about the writing that felt a little impersonal, for lack of better word. It felt distant and a little cut off from the characters. This could be some way of the author trying to get some deeper meaning or something to the reader but I just didn't get it.
Overall, this is an amazing book. It's so emotional and something that the Young Adult genre needs right now.
The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley has added to the YA genre and has made a difference. Maybe this isn't the most enjoyable book but it's incredibly important. I'd like to see more people taking about this book because it's beautiful. It may not be one of my personal favorites but I highly recommend checking it out. I'm definitely going to be getting a print copy of this book in the future.
The overall premise for The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley is pretty sad. There was a few lines that I smiled at but for the most part, this book just made me sad. I felt so bad for the characters and even sadder knowing that some things that happened in the book, happen in real life.
This whole book was just a big ocean of emotion. The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley is a book that will weigh on my mind for the next few weeks and I'll always remember it as being really sad. I can't say I enjoyed reading this book because I didn't. This book is a really great book but it's not something I enjoyed reading. It was just so sad.
I had a hard time connecting with the characters because I couldn't relate to a lot of the thing they're were going though. It made it hard to really feel for the characters deep down. I felt bad for them but at the same time, it was kind of a disconnected sad.
There was something about the writing that felt a little impersonal, for lack of better word. It felt distant and a little cut off from the characters. This could be some way of the author trying to get some deeper meaning or something to the reader but I just didn't get it.
Overall, this is an amazing book. It's so emotional and something that the Young Adult genre needs right now.
The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley has added to the YA genre and has made a difference. Maybe this isn't the most enjoyable book but it's incredibly important. I'd like to see more people taking about this book because it's beautiful. It may not be one of my personal favorites but I highly recommend checking it out. I'm definitely going to be getting a print copy of this book in the future.
May 21, 2021
I should have known The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley by Shaun David Hutchinson would get me to cry; from that synopsis and who wrote it, but I was not prepared.
While feeling rushed towards the end, The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley was an engaging story about grief and loss. Andrew's graphic novel about Patient F, did a great job paralleling the main plot and giving insite into Andrew's thoughts and feelings.
The sole survivor of a crash that killed his sister and his parents, Andrew Brawley perpetually lives in the hospital. Not as a patient and not with anyone knowing. As far as others know, he works in the cafeteria and volunteers with the nurses to get experience. But in reality he's sleeping in an abandoned part of the building when he's not working or visiting his friends Lexi and Trevor, who are actual parients.
Andrew believes he shouldn't have survived the crash, that Death has him on her list and if he wants to survive he was to be on the lookout and avoid her. When Rusty arrives at the ER after being set on fire, Andrew decides he has to risk death's notice in order to protect him.
While feeling rushed towards the end, The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley was an engaging story about grief and loss. Andrew's graphic novel about Patient F, did a great job paralleling the main plot and giving insite into Andrew's thoughts and feelings.
The sole survivor of a crash that killed his sister and his parents, Andrew Brawley perpetually lives in the hospital. Not as a patient and not with anyone knowing. As far as others know, he works in the cafeteria and volunteers with the nurses to get experience. But in reality he's sleeping in an abandoned part of the building when he's not working or visiting his friends Lexi and Trevor, who are actual parients.
Andrew believes he shouldn't have survived the crash, that Death has him on her list and if he wants to survive he was to be on the lookout and avoid her. When Rusty arrives at the ER after being set on fire, Andrew decides he has to risk death's notice in order to protect him.
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