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Dear Universe
A wildly witty and deeply profound chronicle of teenage anxiety and yearning, perfect for fans of Jesse Andrews and Robyn Schneider.
Dear Universe,
Sorry for interrupting you with my presence, but I'm wondering if you could have my back for once. I recently had a massive chin zit and a period stain you could see from space and my boyfriend kissed someone else and also my dad is dying faster than usual. If you could show up during my last English class so I can graduate and like achieve my potential or something, I'd appreciate it.
It's senior year, and Chamomile Myles has whiplash from traveling between her two universes: school (the relentless countdown to prom, torturous college applications, and the mindless march toward an uncertain future) and home, where she wrestles a slow, bitter battle with her father's terminal illness. Enter Brendan, a man-bun- and tutu-wearing hospital volunteer with a penchant for absurdity, who strides boldly between her worlds—and helps her open up a new road between them.
Dear Universe is the dazzling follow-up to Florence Gonsalves's debut, Love & Other Carnivorous Plants, hailed by School Library Journal as "a must-have sharp, powerful, and witty immersion into the complexities of...mental health."
Dear Universe,
Sorry for interrupting you with my presence, but I'm wondering if you could have my back for once. I recently had a massive chin zit and a period stain you could see from space and my boyfriend kissed someone else and also my dad is dying faster than usual. If you could show up during my last English class so I can graduate and like achieve my potential or something, I'd appreciate it.
It's senior year, and Chamomile Myles has whiplash from traveling between her two universes: school (the relentless countdown to prom, torturous college applications, and the mindless march toward an uncertain future) and home, where she wrestles a slow, bitter battle with her father's terminal illness. Enter Brendan, a man-bun- and tutu-wearing hospital volunteer with a penchant for absurdity, who strides boldly between her worlds—and helps her open up a new road between them.
Dear Universe is the dazzling follow-up to Florence Gonsalves's debut, Love & Other Carnivorous Plants, hailed by School Library Journal as "a must-have sharp, powerful, and witty immersion into the complexities of...mental health."
352 pages, Hardcover
First published May 12, 2020
12 people are currently reading
2110 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
May 25, 2020
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Cham was looking forward to filling her senior year time capsule box with all the expected memory markers - ticket stub, corsages, prom pictures, but the stress and strain of trying to keep her two worlds apart finally takes it toll, and things begin to fall apart.
Though I didn't necessarily understand all of Cham's choices, I respected her need to compartmentalize her life. For four years, she kept her life at school separate from her life at home. She made excuses and left out details in order to keep her friends from discovering her father's illness. She carried the weight of watching her father fade, and worrying that he would die, sooner than later, to herself. I found it sort of heartbreaking, that she forced herself to go through this alone, and was sort of happy, when he worlds began to collide. Brenden might have been a bit odd, but it was easy to see how huge his heart was. I liked that he became part of his world. I wish Gonsalves had given more time to that friendship, because it was one worth exploring more. I also wish there had been a bit more resolution with respect to her family and her father's illness. There was time dedicated to how they didn't really accept it, but I needed there to be more to that story.
Overall: This was a rather honest, and sometimes heartbreaking, look at the messy parts of life, and I enjoyed spending this time with Cham as she tried to figure out her place in the universe.
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Cham was looking forward to filling her senior year time capsule box with all the expected memory markers - ticket stub, corsages, prom pictures, but the stress and strain of trying to keep her two worlds apart finally takes it toll, and things begin to fall apart.
Though I didn't necessarily understand all of Cham's choices, I respected her need to compartmentalize her life. For four years, she kept her life at school separate from her life at home. She made excuses and left out details in order to keep her friends from discovering her father's illness. She carried the weight of watching her father fade, and worrying that he would die, sooner than later, to herself. I found it sort of heartbreaking, that she forced herself to go through this alone, and was sort of happy, when he worlds began to collide. Brenden might have been a bit odd, but it was easy to see how huge his heart was. I liked that he became part of his world. I wish Gonsalves had given more time to that friendship, because it was one worth exploring more. I also wish there had been a bit more resolution with respect to her family and her father's illness. There was time dedicated to how they didn't really accept it, but I needed there to be more to that story.
Overall: This was a rather honest, and sometimes heartbreaking, look at the messy parts of life, and I enjoyed spending this time with Cham as she tried to figure out her place in the universe.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
April 30, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
The book is about a Black girl named Chamomile who has anxiety as well as anger management issues that she went to therapy/counseling/classes for. Her father has Parkinson’s and her and her mother are struggling to deal with how the illness is changing him and his needs and they’re trying to help support him and take care of him while he’s sick.
He has good days and bad days like all of us. Sometimes the illness manifests as meanness and it hurts Cham’s and her moms feelings but they try not to take it to heart because the illness is taking a toll on him.
Cham dates some jerk names Gene. They want to go to prom and have sex on prom night. However Gene is really dragging his feet and taking his sweet time to ask her. He shows subtle red flags throughout the relationship, so I’m glad that the little red flags that could easily be ignored later become an obviously bigger red flag problem. For example, he offers Cham a “surprise”—and all it turns out to be is that Cham is allowed to sleep over at some point so they can have sex later. Cham is very disappointed in this surprise but puts aside her feelings and pretends to be stoked.
Cham’s two best friends (who I think are both white) are closer to each other than they are to her and this hurts Cham’s feelings. However, Cham also admits she is never vulnerable with anyone, never completely honest, never really opened up to anyone because she is scared, guilty, and ashamed of the state her family is and her dad’s illness. She doesn’t want to show the pain they’re in and she wants to take care of and protect her dad. So she hides and lies about her family to her best friends for a very long time so they have no idea what’s she going through. They’ve never been to her house or met her parents. This goes the same with her crappy boyfriend Gene.
Then kind of by accident she befriends the weird, goofy, edgy, manic-pixie-dream-boy Brendan. This is a manic pixie dream girl trope reversed—he is kind and smart and free-thinking, cares deeply about authenticity and possesses great empathy and humor. At first Cham thinks he is cringey but she warms up to him once she realizes that being cringey and nonjudgmental is much better than trying to impress people. She accidentally opens up kind of early to him. He finds out by accident about her father. They share moments of vulnerability together and form a friendship that blossoms into a romance. It’s more of a slow-burn of mutual pining, and the relationship is built on sharing vulnerability and their true selves rather than sex and chemistry, like her relationship with Gene.
She feels physically and emotionally safe with Brendan, which is something I think needs to be explored, shown, and celebrated in media as well as our real lives.
Cham discovers that there is bravery in being vulnerable with her life, her flaws, her hardships, her weaknesses—and it is inherently vulnerable to be your authentic self, knowing people will judge you and leave you when things get tough or they don’t like the real you. But life is too short and too difficult to pretend, to be unhappy, to not take chances and not just embrace who you are and who other people are.
Not exactly spoilery, but I was happy that Cham could repair her friendships and become closer to them once she realized it was okay to be vulnerable and rely on other people. Sure, maybe she could do it alone. But she doesn’t have to. No one does.
I loooooved this book. Please read it. My only concern was that her name was Chamomile. Like the tea. I guess because it was ironic that she needed to chill out and relax. I also loved the humor in it. I didn’t really love her letters to the universe—I could have done without the letters only because I thought that Cham’s feelings and thoughts were obvious without the letters. I wasn’t really sure what the letters really brought to the story except for the title, but she also says “dear universe” and basically prays to the universe in the narrative outside of the letter format. It was fun and creative though, but I didn’t really need it.
The book is about a Black girl named Chamomile who has anxiety as well as anger management issues that she went to therapy/counseling/classes for. Her father has Parkinson’s and her and her mother are struggling to deal with how the illness is changing him and his needs and they’re trying to help support him and take care of him while he’s sick.
He has good days and bad days like all of us. Sometimes the illness manifests as meanness and it hurts Cham’s and her moms feelings but they try not to take it to heart because the illness is taking a toll on him.
Cham dates some jerk names Gene. They want to go to prom and have sex on prom night. However Gene is really dragging his feet and taking his sweet time to ask her. He shows subtle red flags throughout the relationship, so I’m glad that the little red flags that could easily be ignored later become an obviously bigger red flag problem. For example, he offers Cham a “surprise”—and all it turns out to be is that Cham is allowed to sleep over at some point so they can have sex later. Cham is very disappointed in this surprise but puts aside her feelings and pretends to be stoked.
Cham’s two best friends (who I think are both white) are closer to each other than they are to her and this hurts Cham’s feelings. However, Cham also admits she is never vulnerable with anyone, never completely honest, never really opened up to anyone because she is scared, guilty, and ashamed of the state her family is and her dad’s illness. She doesn’t want to show the pain they’re in and she wants to take care of and protect her dad. So she hides and lies about her family to her best friends for a very long time so they have no idea what’s she going through. They’ve never been to her house or met her parents. This goes the same with her crappy boyfriend Gene.
Then kind of by accident she befriends the weird, goofy, edgy, manic-pixie-dream-boy Brendan. This is a manic pixie dream girl trope reversed—he is kind and smart and free-thinking, cares deeply about authenticity and possesses great empathy and humor. At first Cham thinks he is cringey but she warms up to him once she realizes that being cringey and nonjudgmental is much better than trying to impress people. She accidentally opens up kind of early to him. He finds out by accident about her father. They share moments of vulnerability together and form a friendship that blossoms into a romance. It’s more of a slow-burn of mutual pining, and the relationship is built on sharing vulnerability and their true selves rather than sex and chemistry, like her relationship with Gene.
She feels physically and emotionally safe with Brendan, which is something I think needs to be explored, shown, and celebrated in media as well as our real lives.
Cham discovers that there is bravery in being vulnerable with her life, her flaws, her hardships, her weaknesses—and it is inherently vulnerable to be your authentic self, knowing people will judge you and leave you when things get tough or they don’t like the real you. But life is too short and too difficult to pretend, to be unhappy, to not take chances and not just embrace who you are and who other people are.
Not exactly spoilery, but I was happy that Cham could repair her friendships and become closer to them once she realized it was okay to be vulnerable and rely on other people. Sure, maybe she could do it alone. But she doesn’t have to. No one does.
I loooooved this book. Please read it. My only concern was that her name was Chamomile. Like the tea. I guess because it was ironic that she needed to chill out and relax. I also loved the humor in it. I didn’t really love her letters to the universe—I could have done without the letters only because I thought that Cham’s feelings and thoughts were obvious without the letters. I wasn’t really sure what the letters really brought to the story except for the title, but she also says “dear universe” and basically prays to the universe in the narrative outside of the letter format. It was fun and creative though, but I didn’t really need it.
July 26, 2021
I really loved this one! The characters were (mostly) lovely and the storyline was just great. Maybe i loved this book so much because of my weakness for YA- books but this one deserves much love due to the fears and doubts mentioned that happen to everyone during their life and that's why I think it's great that the author has made the whole thing authentic, funny and easy to fall in love with.
May 16, 2020
*Thanks to The Novl for providing me with a review copy of this book
DEAR UNIVERSE is a beautiful, insightful story of a girl who has her life divided into two universes with the hope that they’ll never collide. I loved the main character immediately. She has such a realistic, relatable voice from the beginning of the story. She’s unsure of what to do with her future and she’s even lost in regards to the present. Her narrative is reflective of so many people today, and that really made the story for me. She has a great way of telling the story and is someone everyone can relate to. I cried two different times reading this book because of how impactful it was. Cham deals with things like college and applications, friendship and relationship struggles, and of course her dad’s terminal illness. This book asks such real, necessary questions and does a great job of making the reader think. All of these elements come together to form an incredible story of love, family, and the meaning of life and the universe.
DEAR UNIVERSE is a beautiful, insightful story of a girl who has her life divided into two universes with the hope that they’ll never collide. I loved the main character immediately. She has such a realistic, relatable voice from the beginning of the story. She’s unsure of what to do with her future and she’s even lost in regards to the present. Her narrative is reflective of so many people today, and that really made the story for me. She has a great way of telling the story and is someone everyone can relate to. I cried two different times reading this book because of how impactful it was. Cham deals with things like college and applications, friendship and relationship struggles, and of course her dad’s terminal illness. This book asks such real, necessary questions and does a great job of making the reader think. All of these elements come together to form an incredible story of love, family, and the meaning of life and the universe.
February 19, 2022
* słabe 2⭐
Oj złe to było. A dokładniej główna bohaterka. Brrr, okropna. Denerwująca, zachowująca się jakby dopiero zaczynała szkole, a nie ją kończyła.
Koncept dobry
Oj złe to było. A dokładniej główna bohaterka. Brrr, okropna. Denerwująca, zachowująca się jakby dopiero zaczynała szkole, a nie ją kończyła.
Koncept dobry
June 7, 2020
Cham's voice pulled me in right away. I loved the humor. And the way her brain worked while dealing with her family and school and friends was interesting to read.
Also, Brendon, the unapologetic weirdo 😍
This is definitely one of my new favorites!
Also, Brendon, the unapologetic weirdo 😍
This is definitely one of my new favorites!
May 16, 2020
DEAR UNIVERSE follows Chamomile (Cham) during her senior year. She is trying to focus on living this year to its fullest by looking forward to prom, graduation, and the senior service trip far away. Her friends are talking about who is hooking up with whom and about college. Cham cannot imagine the future where she can be in college and therefore cannot write the critical college application essay.
She is angry with the universe for what is happening to her father. She keeps it a secret from everyone she knows that her father has Parkinson's and seems to be on a slow march to death. Never knowing when his last day might be, Cham is torn between wanting to be with him and just wanting to be normal. As no one knows, no one can relate. However, when a volun-cheer from the hospital turns out to be Brendan, the somewhat odd but unapologetically himself guy who wears tutus and has a bun, Cham feels an unwilling connection to someone who might understand what she is going through.
This book is interesting in a lot of ways. The reader is completely pulled into Cham's world and her anger. She seems to have a lot of anger for what is happening and the things that seem important but maybe just aren't. She had an anger incident that left her exiled from public school, and past anger management is mentioned (I do wish there had been some therapy for Cham, as she is dealing with a lot, especially with the familial denial of what is happening). In some ways, this was a really tough read, because Cham is falling apart on the inside and no one can really see it (except maybe Brendan).
This was definitely a page-turner, but I would have liked to get more resolution for Cham in terms of dealing with her anger and her father's terminal illness- therapy or family counseling or something along those lines. There are some places where she connects with Brendan, but there was the potential to really go deeper.
Overall, this was an engaging YA contemporary fiction that tackles some major themes in an approachable way. Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.
She is angry with the universe for what is happening to her father. She keeps it a secret from everyone she knows that her father has Parkinson's and seems to be on a slow march to death. Never knowing when his last day might be, Cham is torn between wanting to be with him and just wanting to be normal. As no one knows, no one can relate. However, when a volun-cheer from the hospital turns out to be Brendan, the somewhat odd but unapologetically himself guy who wears tutus and has a bun, Cham feels an unwilling connection to someone who might understand what she is going through.
This book is interesting in a lot of ways. The reader is completely pulled into Cham's world and her anger. She seems to have a lot of anger for what is happening and the things that seem important but maybe just aren't. She had an anger incident that left her exiled from public school, and past anger management is mentioned (I do wish there had been some therapy for Cham, as she is dealing with a lot, especially with the familial denial of what is happening). In some ways, this was a really tough read, because Cham is falling apart on the inside and no one can really see it (except maybe Brendan).
This was definitely a page-turner, but I would have liked to get more resolution for Cham in terms of dealing with her anger and her father's terminal illness- therapy or family counseling or something along those lines. There are some places where she connects with Brendan, but there was the potential to really go deeper.
Overall, this was an engaging YA contemporary fiction that tackles some major themes in an approachable way. Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.
June 21, 2020
Thank you to the Novl for sending me this copy. All thoughts are my own.
This one missed the mark for me. Although I did connect with certain aspects of the book, I found it to be less than satisfying.
Dear Universe follows Chamomile (Cham) Myles, as she navigates her way through senior year and school expectations, as well as family matters and her father’s terminal illness. Trying to bridge her two worlds together is harder than she would like though. Until she starts hanging out with Brandon, a classmate and hospital volunteer. He may be the help she needs to open up and connect the two parts of her life.
I wish there was more to this story. I feel like there should have been more help for Cham, more discussions, and more resolution. As a teenager, especially a senior, this can be a hard time. Add in family issues into the mix and it can be very overwhelming. Things were laid out but it just didn’t feel like much was addressed.
Although there is some resolution, I wish that there would have been more development. Especially with the events that happen throughout the book. I think that if more had been added, everything would have tied up more nicely. Now don’t get me wrong, the ending wasn’t actually that bad. There was some wrap up to the story and the last quarter had more going for it. Cham had better character development and the relationships between the characters were finally becoming deeper.
This was an entertaining book, did bring me back to my high school days, but I just wish there had been a better way of organizing the substance of the book.
This one missed the mark for me. Although I did connect with certain aspects of the book, I found it to be less than satisfying.
Dear Universe follows Chamomile (Cham) Myles, as she navigates her way through senior year and school expectations, as well as family matters and her father’s terminal illness. Trying to bridge her two worlds together is harder than she would like though. Until she starts hanging out with Brandon, a classmate and hospital volunteer. He may be the help she needs to open up and connect the two parts of her life.
I wish there was more to this story. I feel like there should have been more help for Cham, more discussions, and more resolution. As a teenager, especially a senior, this can be a hard time. Add in family issues into the mix and it can be very overwhelming. Things were laid out but it just didn’t feel like much was addressed.
Although there is some resolution, I wish that there would have been more development. Especially with the events that happen throughout the book. I think that if more had been added, everything would have tied up more nicely. Now don’t get me wrong, the ending wasn’t actually that bad. There was some wrap up to the story and the last quarter had more going for it. Cham had better character development and the relationships between the characters were finally becoming deeper.
This was an entertaining book, did bring me back to my high school days, but I just wish there had been a better way of organizing the substance of the book.
December 30, 2020
I really enjoyed the plotline as a whole, but the characters made this book hard to love. Let's begin with the main character - Cham. Cham, is the character we are supposed to root for in the book; however, I find that hard to do so when she's a massive jerk to most of the other characters. From criticizing others for their personality quirks and outward appearances to continually bashing her best friends other friend. Cham constantly puts others down without it having any meaning to the plot. Granted if Cham was being a jerk and it actually tied in to elements of the plot, then I could excuse it. I know she had reasons for being upset an all, but in some cases it felt irrational. As far as the other characters go, they were simply names without personalities. Every other character had one thing that they enjoyed and it was their entire being. Abigail - becoming valedictorian. Gene- running. Hilary- talking like a British person. The only character I actually enjoyed was Brandon, and he only appeared in 1/3 of the book.
Overall, I think this book was a YA high school cliché ridden book, but with more philosophy.
Overall, I think this book was a YA high school cliché ridden book, but with more philosophy.
July 3, 2020
the mc is so damn whiny, like i get your dad is sick and your boyfriend broke it off with you but my GOD girl stfu
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2020
This review is based on an ARC of this book.
3.5 ⭐️ I started off pretty into this book and was flying through it. In the end, though, I think it self destructed in terms of everything but the family situation, which remained relevant and strong throughout. Cham’s bf and friends were pretty much shallow, self-centered a*holes. For having had to go through anger management, Cham felt pretty blah about almost everything in life. Once it hit a certain point, it started dragging and becoming repetitive. I also had a few technical issues with it, mainly regarding school related issues and timelines. It wasn’t a bad read, but it didn’t feel completely put together. Maybe that’s because Cham turned out to be an admitted mess.
3.5 ⭐️ I started off pretty into this book and was flying through it. In the end, though, I think it self destructed in terms of everything but the family situation, which remained relevant and strong throughout. Cham’s bf and friends were pretty much shallow, self-centered a*holes. For having had to go through anger management, Cham felt pretty blah about almost everything in life. Once it hit a certain point, it started dragging and becoming repetitive. I also had a few technical issues with it, mainly regarding school related issues and timelines. It wasn’t a bad read, but it didn’t feel completely put together. Maybe that’s because Cham turned out to be an admitted mess.
September 28, 2022
Zdecydowanie polecam
Krótka, przyjemna młodzieżówka poruszająca wiele przyziemnych tematów.
17-letnie Kamila boryka się z wieloma problemami, choroba ojca, chłopaki, bal na koniec roku, esej na studia i one same…
Na plus dobre wydanie i ciekawa forma książki
Warto wspomnieć o listach do wszechświata, które były fajnym przerywnikiem i pokazywały podejście bohaterki do życia.
Na minus ogrom przemyśleń dziewczyny, która miała dość infantylne podejście do wielu tematów, ale też na taką wykreowała ją autorka i wydaje mi się, że chodziło właśnie o coś niekonwencjonalnego.
Lekka forma i ciekawe przerywniki sprawiły, że książkę przeczytałam stosunkowo szybko i nie nudziła mnie w trakcie.
Krótka, przyjemna młodzieżówka poruszająca wiele przyziemnych tematów.
17-letnie Kamila boryka się z wieloma problemami, choroba ojca, chłopaki, bal na koniec roku, esej na studia i one same…
Na plus dobre wydanie i ciekawa forma książki
Warto wspomnieć o listach do wszechświata, które były fajnym przerywnikiem i pokazywały podejście bohaterki do życia.
Na minus ogrom przemyśleń dziewczyny, która miała dość infantylne podejście do wielu tematów, ale też na taką wykreowała ją autorka i wydaje mi się, że chodziło właśnie o coś niekonwencjonalnego.
Lekka forma i ciekawe przerywniki sprawiły, że książkę przeczytałam stosunkowo szybko i nie nudziła mnie w trakcie.
November 18, 2020
I read this book earlier this year and wasn't a big fan. The book description says it has wit, and I don't recall any. It says it's profound, and while it does discuss serious subjects, the execution of the plot and characters was nothing remarkable.
May 12, 2020
3/5 ⭐️ for Dear Universe by Florence Gonsalves!
Thank you to Hachette Canada for sending me an ARC for review!
This is the kind of YA Contemporary that is full of honest, messy teenage feelings, and I really appreciate it for that. This book follows Chamomile (Cham) who is finishing up her senior year of high school, and Cham feels torn between two worlds. At school, she’s trying her best to create that ideal bundle of memories that embodies what high school is about, a boyfriend, and what prom night and the future has for her and her friends. At home she is dealing with her Dad, who is facing rapidly-progressing Parkinson’s Disease and is in denial about it, and her Mom, who is trying to support the family and care for him. Cham is trying to juggle these things, along with some anger issues, and therefore has so many questions and requests for The Universe.
I will admit that there were quite a few ways I couldn’t relate to our MC, Cham, but that didn’t stop me from being able to connect to her and her story. I also felt like she was the most well-fleshed out character in the book (which makes sense as she’s the MC), but I feel like characterization was not the strongest element. Again, I was still able to enjoy this book, but would have liked to have seen side characters (especially Cham’s two best friends and Brendan) who were more 3D.
Where this book is strong is emotionally. The combination of writing and Cham’s perspective really translates her emotions well to the reader, and we feel what she’s feeling-anger, excitement, confusion, hurt, and apathy. I also really liked all of Cham’s letters and questions to the Universe! They were real, raw, and relatable. We all have big and small questions we put out to ourselves and the universe, especially during transitions such as graduating from high school. These emotions come through beautifully in scenes with Cham and her family as they journey through her Dads Parkinson’s diagnosis and denial. There is frustration, anger, sadness, and eventually a bit of happiness and healing.
If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, definitely give it a go!
Thank you to Hachette Canada for sending me an ARC for review!
This is the kind of YA Contemporary that is full of honest, messy teenage feelings, and I really appreciate it for that. This book follows Chamomile (Cham) who is finishing up her senior year of high school, and Cham feels torn between two worlds. At school, she’s trying her best to create that ideal bundle of memories that embodies what high school is about, a boyfriend, and what prom night and the future has for her and her friends. At home she is dealing with her Dad, who is facing rapidly-progressing Parkinson’s Disease and is in denial about it, and her Mom, who is trying to support the family and care for him. Cham is trying to juggle these things, along with some anger issues, and therefore has so many questions and requests for The Universe.
I will admit that there were quite a few ways I couldn’t relate to our MC, Cham, but that didn’t stop me from being able to connect to her and her story. I also felt like she was the most well-fleshed out character in the book (which makes sense as she’s the MC), but I feel like characterization was not the strongest element. Again, I was still able to enjoy this book, but would have liked to have seen side characters (especially Cham’s two best friends and Brendan) who were more 3D.
Where this book is strong is emotionally. The combination of writing and Cham’s perspective really translates her emotions well to the reader, and we feel what she’s feeling-anger, excitement, confusion, hurt, and apathy. I also really liked all of Cham’s letters and questions to the Universe! They were real, raw, and relatable. We all have big and small questions we put out to ourselves and the universe, especially during transitions such as graduating from high school. These emotions come through beautifully in scenes with Cham and her family as they journey through her Dads Parkinson’s diagnosis and denial. There is frustration, anger, sadness, and eventually a bit of happiness and healing.
If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, definitely give it a go!
May 13, 2020
Note: I received an advanced readers copy of this book through the NOVL. This review is reflective of that ARC, and not the final published book.
Dear Universe was one of those stories I could not put down. I started it late at night expecting to get through one or two chapters before going to bed, but I ended up reading until the very last page. I simply became enraptured with the heartfelt story—all based in the experiences of a young girl named Chamomile during her senior year of high school—and I could not put it down without seeing how it would end.
What moved me most was the total unbarred and unfiltered honesty of the book. Though Chamomile guards her inner-thoughts from the rest of the world, each page is a record of her anxieties. Readers get to see her mind unrestrained as it grapples with family, friendship, love, growing up, and more. There were times where her honesty shocked me, occasionally frustrating or angering me in other instances. Gonsalves does not create a perfect character; she creates a human one—capable of being wrong as much as she is right. I found myself annoyed by her selfishness, empathetic to her struggles, angry for the transgressions made against her, and happy for her triumphs. Essentially, Cham didn't feel like a character, she felt like a friend that was letting someone in for the first time, with as many emotions as that entails.
In the end, this book felt like an encapsulation of the senior high school experience. While not all individuals suffer the same experiences or struggles as Chamomile, the string of anxiety she struggles with is one that we all can ultimately relate to in the end. There were several threads left unresolved that I'm left curious over, but I ultimately continue to find myself delighted by this book.
While I would recommend this book to all (especially high school seniors), keep in mind that Cham's total honesty in the book can be quite crass and occasionally vulgar. If this is something that might bug you, consider reading a preview before totally diving in.
Dear Universe was one of those stories I could not put down. I started it late at night expecting to get through one or two chapters before going to bed, but I ended up reading until the very last page. I simply became enraptured with the heartfelt story—all based in the experiences of a young girl named Chamomile during her senior year of high school—and I could not put it down without seeing how it would end.
What moved me most was the total unbarred and unfiltered honesty of the book. Though Chamomile guards her inner-thoughts from the rest of the world, each page is a record of her anxieties. Readers get to see her mind unrestrained as it grapples with family, friendship, love, growing up, and more. There were times where her honesty shocked me, occasionally frustrating or angering me in other instances. Gonsalves does not create a perfect character; she creates a human one—capable of being wrong as much as she is right. I found myself annoyed by her selfishness, empathetic to her struggles, angry for the transgressions made against her, and happy for her triumphs. Essentially, Cham didn't feel like a character, she felt like a friend that was letting someone in for the first time, with as many emotions as that entails.
In the end, this book felt like an encapsulation of the senior high school experience. While not all individuals suffer the same experiences or struggles as Chamomile, the string of anxiety she struggles with is one that we all can ultimately relate to in the end. There were several threads left unresolved that I'm left curious over, but I ultimately continue to find myself delighted by this book.
While I would recommend this book to all (especially high school seniors), keep in mind that Cham's total honesty in the book can be quite crass and occasionally vulgar. If this is something that might bug you, consider reading a preview before totally diving in.
September 1, 2020
Funny, poignant and charming. The narrative was relatable and can we take a moment to appreciate the cover? The color scheme and the artwork are really pretty.
About
I really liked Cham. She was charming and relatable and I absolutely loved her narrative. She was really funny and it gave her a fun personality even with everything that was going through in her life. She starts off avoiding her home problems and trying to infuse herself in her senior year but ultimately learns that holding her feelings in isn't the best and learns to open up.
I enjoyed the plot enough. Cham is going through a lot in her home life and trying to figure out what to do with her life, which is something that everyone can relate too not matter the age. Throughout the book, we see her doubt what she wants to do after high school. In fact, she has a pretty clear idea of what she doesn't want. However, I would have liked more of a resolution towards the end. Although she's in a better place and open to where the universe may take her, she still hasn't figured out what she's going to do. It leaves you wondering what will happen next and if that's how things end. Still, there's a sense of hope and that things will work out at the end.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. From the beginning, I was pulled into Cham's story and wanted to be beside her on her journey. I really liked her narrative. Cham was funny without taking away from the seriousness of her home life. I found myself smiling and relating throughout the book.
About
I really liked Cham. She was charming and relatable and I absolutely loved her narrative. She was really funny and it gave her a fun personality even with everything that was going through in her life. She starts off avoiding her home problems and trying to infuse herself in her senior year but ultimately learns that holding her feelings in isn't the best and learns to open up.
I enjoyed the plot enough. Cham is going through a lot in her home life and trying to figure out what to do with her life, which is something that everyone can relate too not matter the age. Throughout the book, we see her doubt what she wants to do after high school. In fact, she has a pretty clear idea of what she doesn't want. However, I would have liked more of a resolution towards the end. Although she's in a better place and open to where the universe may take her, she still hasn't figured out what she's going to do. It leaves you wondering what will happen next and if that's how things end. Still, there's a sense of hope and that things will work out at the end.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. From the beginning, I was pulled into Cham's story and wanted to be beside her on her journey. I really liked her narrative. Cham was funny without taking away from the seriousness of her home life. I found myself smiling and relating throughout the book.
February 3, 2020
Thanks to KidLitExchange and Little Brown Young Readers for sharing Dear Universe by Florence Gonsalves. This book publishes on 5/12/2020, and I love that it’s going to come out right around graduation season, since finishing high school is such a poignant plot in this book.
Chamomile is counting down the days to prom - and the window for her boyfriend to ask her is dwindling. She tries not to think about it too much, and it’s not hard, because all her friends are looking forward to the senior volunteer trip to Nicaragua. The trip isn’t really on Cham’s radar, because she hasn’t finished her college admissions essay, which is a requirement to go. Cham isn’t even sure she’ll go to college in the fall - she’s too worried about her dad, whose disease is progressing quicker than anyone thought it would.
Cham is determined to keep her home life separate from her school world. She’s constantly pleading with the universe to help her pull it off, but she knows she can’t keep it up forever.
This story makes the reader incredibly invested in Cham’s life - or lives, as she’d prefer to have it. Some of the sentences made me gasp because they capture being seventeen so perfectly - on the brink of a huge life transition, with the world ready for you, while also fearing what might come next.
Chamomile is counting down the days to prom - and the window for her boyfriend to ask her is dwindling. She tries not to think about it too much, and it’s not hard, because all her friends are looking forward to the senior volunteer trip to Nicaragua. The trip isn’t really on Cham’s radar, because she hasn’t finished her college admissions essay, which is a requirement to go. Cham isn’t even sure she’ll go to college in the fall - she’s too worried about her dad, whose disease is progressing quicker than anyone thought it would.
Cham is determined to keep her home life separate from her school world. She’s constantly pleading with the universe to help her pull it off, but she knows she can’t keep it up forever.
This story makes the reader incredibly invested in Cham’s life - or lives, as she’d prefer to have it. Some of the sentences made me gasp because they capture being seventeen so perfectly - on the brink of a huge life transition, with the world ready for you, while also fearing what might come next.
November 16, 2020
3.5/5 full review on thegraduatedbookworm.com
First, I would like to thank Hachette Book Group Canada for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!
So this was definitely a sweet YA with a touch of heaviness in my opinion. I really do wish there was more talk about her father, especially after prom. I felt like there could've been more "oomph" if you will, to make the story next level if that makes sense.
Personally for me, I found her mother to be way too much in denial over her father's illness throughout the book, and I really think that had been playing into Chamomile's head as well until things came out more, and reality finally sunk in... Honestly there were moments that I was like...what?!
Overall, this was a good book, but I just felt like there were things missing for me to really LOVE it. It was definitely a heavy book, as it deals with real issues, and I know that there were light-hearted moments, but something was just not there.
First, I would like to thank Hachette Book Group Canada for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!
So this was definitely a sweet YA with a touch of heaviness in my opinion. I really do wish there was more talk about her father, especially after prom. I felt like there could've been more "oomph" if you will, to make the story next level if that makes sense.
Personally for me, I found her mother to be way too much in denial over her father's illness throughout the book, and I really think that had been playing into Chamomile's head as well until things came out more, and reality finally sunk in... Honestly there were moments that I was like...what?!
Overall, this was a good book, but I just felt like there were things missing for me to really LOVE it. It was definitely a heavy book, as it deals with real issues, and I know that there were light-hearted moments, but something was just not there.
July 7, 2020
Don't remember where I came across this book, but I was excited to read it to see if it would be something my teenager would enjoy. I give it 1 star for basically the first third of the book where *SPOILER ALERT* all Cham cares about is losing her virginity to her boyfriend (first boyfriend ever too), it gets old and her curse words and crude language used are a bit too much. I understand some people talk this way, but still it was a lot and not necessary. I get she was trying to talk about her two worlds and not wanting them to collide, but it really didn't dig into that part until like half way through. I almost stopped reading, but it picked up. So I'd give the last third of the book a 3...so maybe a 2.5 overall. Will I suggest this to my 14 year old though? No, there are plenty of other better books out there for her age.
October 15, 2021
Its a decent read, but I skipped chapters. Chamomile lives in two realities, one where she is a popular high school student and the other where her father is sick and her family is in denial. Denial seems to be the theme of the story. When Chamomile's father's health gets worse, her friends come looking for her and find out the truth.
I felt the book spent way too much time on her fantasy of a perfect senior year, and not enough resolving of her feelings of abandonment and belonging. It ends fine, but needed some editing to make the story balance better.
I felt the book spent way too much time on her fantasy of a perfect senior year, and not enough resolving of her feelings of abandonment and belonging. It ends fine, but needed some editing to make the story balance better.
February 9, 2020
Dear Universe is poorly written in spots and full of coarse language, but the readers that can get past those short comings may enjoy the struggles high school senior Cham is dealing with as she navigates senior year and a father with Parkinson’s disease. Grades 10+
July 30, 2021
The dialogue was surprisingly natural but I wasnt a big fan of the romance plot. I did enjoy the plot woth her father and college essay.
May 20, 2020
(ARC received May 2020; thanks to NOVL and YALLWEST/YALLSTAYHOME)
DEAR UNIVERSE is a beautiful book about learning how to deal with unconquerable challenges: death, illnesses with no cure, and the ever-present, terrifying "not-knowing" of who you are or what your future entails in light of all these hardships. It's about how you find peace in the midst of hopelessness, and the important role that your friends and family play in this. Most of all, it's about learning it's okay not to know how to deal with all this, and not to know anything about who you really are. Life goes on, you'll still be here, and things will be okay.
I have to say, I was expecting something more lighthearted than what this book actually provided. I went into it thinking it was a book on healing (which it is), but did not think the author would be so bold to address hard-hitting topics like death and existentialism along the way. I completely underestimated this book AND the author.
DEAR UNIVERSE is about a high school senior, Cham, who struggles to reconcile her two selves: a young girl fully intending to end high school with a bang, and a daughter trying to cope with the reality of her dad's challenges with Parkinson's disease. Cham has been careful keeping these two identities separate, even from her two best friends and her athlete boyfriend, but her unwillingness to face her problems head-on threatens to ruin the bonds she's made and her senior year experiences. Worse, she can't figure out how she's gonna write her college essay and pass English if she doesn't know what's lying ahead for her and her family.
While I was really dragging myself through the first part of the book, I think it has to do with the fact that I was underestimating how deep this book was intending to go. I thought this would be a light-hearted book focusing on the positives en route to emotional healing, so much of the set-up completely went over my head. It wasn't until I got through half the book (specifically, when I really met Brendan, the other character featured in the book's summary) that I understood what Gonsalves was trying to get at. Once I realized, my entire perspective of the characters and the plot so far changed, and I'm so glad to have given this book the chance it deserves. I also can't wait until it comes out!!
DEAR UNIVERSE is a beautiful book about learning how to deal with unconquerable challenges: death, illnesses with no cure, and the ever-present, terrifying "not-knowing" of who you are or what your future entails in light of all these hardships. It's about how you find peace in the midst of hopelessness, and the important role that your friends and family play in this. Most of all, it's about learning it's okay not to know how to deal with all this, and not to know anything about who you really are. Life goes on, you'll still be here, and things will be okay.
I have to say, I was expecting something more lighthearted than what this book actually provided. I went into it thinking it was a book on healing (which it is), but did not think the author would be so bold to address hard-hitting topics like death and existentialism along the way. I completely underestimated this book AND the author.
DEAR UNIVERSE is about a high school senior, Cham, who struggles to reconcile her two selves: a young girl fully intending to end high school with a bang, and a daughter trying to cope with the reality of her dad's challenges with Parkinson's disease. Cham has been careful keeping these two identities separate, even from her two best friends and her athlete boyfriend, but her unwillingness to face her problems head-on threatens to ruin the bonds she's made and her senior year experiences. Worse, she can't figure out how she's gonna write her college essay and pass English if she doesn't know what's lying ahead for her and her family.
While I was really dragging myself through the first part of the book, I think it has to do with the fact that I was underestimating how deep this book was intending to go. I thought this would be a light-hearted book focusing on the positives en route to emotional healing, so much of the set-up completely went over my head. It wasn't until I got through half the book (specifically, when I really met Brendan, the other character featured in the book's summary) that I understood what Gonsalves was trying to get at. Once I realized, my entire perspective of the characters and the plot so far changed, and I'm so glad to have given this book the chance it deserves. I also can't wait until it comes out!!
August 2, 2020
Honestly, there are already a lot of good coming-of-age Young Adult Contemporaries out there, and new ones really have to have something different. Dear Universe, to me, did not disappoint.
Cham, the main character, was obviously addicted to prom, and hadn't passed her college essay yet. Typical lazy teenager in school.
She was a boring character, at first. I guess what saved the book in the earlier parts was the humorous writing. I really was laughing while reading this book.
When her character's depth starts to show, the humor also went down. But I guess that's for the better because I'd rather see a character development for Cham than laugh all the way through this book.
Romance~
The thing between Cham and Gene
Whatever happened to these two, I love how it was executed. I don't want to spoil anything here, so I'll just mention that I accept what happened to their relationship because, it just felt right.
The thing between Cham and Brendan
Dear Universe,
Wanted: A giant claw to come down and pluck Brendan from my house because he is an intruder from my other world, and home is my other other world, which is only safe for me, my family, and carpenter ants, which are like family, given that they eat all our food.
Brendan arriving to Cham's other world is the part where it all finally gets interesting. I got more of Cham's thoughts about her two worlds which she doesn't want to connect.
Her having two worlds is relatable, you know. People say you act differently at school versus how you act at home. But what if it's gone too different that you don't know who you really are anymore? It's a problem.
The book showed how our worlds connect with each other, because after all, we are just one person. We can't camp up in just one world alone. Accepting our different worlds may just be the thing that connects us to a whole lot more.
Honorable mentions
Quotes. Because, why not.
I put up with so much shit from people about how fat girls can’t dance, and I just keep shaking my ass anyway.
Oh, I love her friend Abigail. This book is also against body shaming! Let us all be proud of what we are, and let's not make other people feel less because of their body. Don't feel superior by letting others down. That is called being an asshole.
“Last day, last day, last day,” Jared chants as he walks through the doorway.
Ah, last day of high school. Reading about it just made me kind of dramatic for a second. My last day of high school isn't what I expected at all. It's just one day, we were told classes were suspended. But I never got back to school and meet my friends again before graduation. I also just wanted to feel that last day vibe, where I imagine myself from a corner, looking at the school and thinking how I'll miss reading in that corner, or maybe in that other corner too. But I never got that moment, and I confess, I was kinda jealous of Cham in the book. Yes, ya boi is dramatic like that.
That's the end of this review.
Cham, the main character, was obviously addicted to prom, and hadn't passed her college essay yet. Typical lazy teenager in school.
She was a boring character, at first. I guess what saved the book in the earlier parts was the humorous writing. I really was laughing while reading this book.
When her character's depth starts to show, the humor also went down. But I guess that's for the better because I'd rather see a character development for Cham than laugh all the way through this book.
Romance~
The thing between Cham and Gene
Whatever happened to these two, I love how it was executed. I don't want to spoil anything here, so I'll just mention that I accept what happened to their relationship because, it just felt right.
The thing between Cham and Brendan
Dear Universe,
Wanted: A giant claw to come down and pluck Brendan from my house because he is an intruder from my other world, and home is my other other world, which is only safe for me, my family, and carpenter ants, which are like family, given that they eat all our food.
Brendan arriving to Cham's other world is the part where it all finally gets interesting. I got more of Cham's thoughts about her two worlds which she doesn't want to connect.
Her having two worlds is relatable, you know. People say you act differently at school versus how you act at home. But what if it's gone too different that you don't know who you really are anymore? It's a problem.
The book showed how our worlds connect with each other, because after all, we are just one person. We can't camp up in just one world alone. Accepting our different worlds may just be the thing that connects us to a whole lot more.
Honorable mentions
Quotes. Because, why not.
I put up with so much shit from people about how fat girls can’t dance, and I just keep shaking my ass anyway.
Oh, I love her friend Abigail. This book is also against body shaming! Let us all be proud of what we are, and let's not make other people feel less because of their body. Don't feel superior by letting others down. That is called being an asshole.
“Last day, last day, last day,” Jared chants as he walks through the doorway.
Ah, last day of high school. Reading about it just made me kind of dramatic for a second. My last day of high school isn't what I expected at all. It's just one day, we were told classes were suspended. But I never got back to school and meet my friends again before graduation. I also just wanted to feel that last day vibe, where I imagine myself from a corner, looking at the school and thinking how I'll miss reading in that corner, or maybe in that other corner too. But I never got that moment, and I confess, I was kinda jealous of Cham in the book. Yes, ya boi is dramatic like that.
That's the end of this review.
May 31, 2020
Funny, poignant and charming. The narrative was relatable and can we take a moment to appreciate the cover? The color scheme and the artwork are really pretty.
About
I really liked Cham. She was charming and relatable and I absolutely loved her narrative. She was really funny and it gave her a fun personality even with everything that was going through in her life. She starts off avoiding her home problems and trying to infuse herself in her senior year but ultimately learns that holding her feelings in isn't the best and learns to open up.
I enjoyed the plot enough. Cham is going through a lot in her home life and trying to figure out what to do with her life, which is something that everyone can relate too not matter the age. Throughout the book, we see her doubt what she wants to do after high school. In fact, she has a pretty clear idea of what she doesn't want. However, I would have liked more of a resolution towards the end. Although she's in a better place and open to where the universe may take her, she still hasn't figured out what she's going to do. It leaves you wondering what will happen next and if that's how things end. Still, there's a sense of hope and that things will work out at the end.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. From the beginning, I was pulled into Cham's story and wanted to be beside her on her journey. I really liked her narrative. Cham was funny without taking away from the seriousness of her home life. I found myself smiling and relating throughout the book.
*Thanks to The Novl for providing me with a review copy of this book
About
I really liked Cham. She was charming and relatable and I absolutely loved her narrative. She was really funny and it gave her a fun personality even with everything that was going through in her life. She starts off avoiding her home problems and trying to infuse herself in her senior year but ultimately learns that holding her feelings in isn't the best and learns to open up.
I enjoyed the plot enough. Cham is going through a lot in her home life and trying to figure out what to do with her life, which is something that everyone can relate too not matter the age. Throughout the book, we see her doubt what she wants to do after high school. In fact, she has a pretty clear idea of what she doesn't want. However, I would have liked more of a resolution towards the end. Although she's in a better place and open to where the universe may take her, she still hasn't figured out what she's going to do. It leaves you wondering what will happen next and if that's how things end. Still, there's a sense of hope and that things will work out at the end.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. From the beginning, I was pulled into Cham's story and wanted to be beside her on her journey. I really liked her narrative. Cham was funny without taking away from the seriousness of her home life. I found myself smiling and relating throughout the book.
*Thanks to The Novl for providing me with a review copy of this book
June 6, 2020
𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙐𝙣𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙚 𝙗𝙮 𝙁𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙂𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙖𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙨
💙
#DearUniverseBook #NOVLNation @TheNOVL #LBYRPartner
@heavy_flo
So grateful to have received a copy of this book! It’s out now
mental health, family member with terminal illness, graduation & transition periods, romance, self discovery
💙
This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
💙
A highly enjoyable follow up to Florence Gonsalve’s debut, Love and Other Carnivores Plants.
💙
A powerful young contemporary novel, that captures the life of Chamomile Myles, {Cham}
as she is drawing near the end of senior year. A lot has happened and she is trying to keep it all together. As she struggles to overcome the normal demands placed on her, there is something else that is so heavy that isn’t even really discussed.
This is raw and captivating story, that I absolutely loved. It touches on so many issues. Well developed characters that I was drawn to, along with seamless narration.
An authentic read, that grabs you and pulls you in to its witty, dramatic banter and thought provoking storyline.
This was faced paced book that I literary inhaled, romance, anger issues, along with a terminally ill parent, and a teenager trying to survive with an uncertain future.
💙
#DearUniverseBook #NOVLNation @TheNOVL #LBYRPartner
@heavy_flo
So grateful to have received a copy of this book! It’s out now
mental health, family member with terminal illness, graduation & transition periods, romance, self discovery
💙
This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
💙
A highly enjoyable follow up to Florence Gonsalve’s debut, Love and Other Carnivores Plants.
💙
A powerful young contemporary novel, that captures the life of Chamomile Myles, {Cham}
as she is drawing near the end of senior year. A lot has happened and she is trying to keep it all together. As she struggles to overcome the normal demands placed on her, there is something else that is so heavy that isn’t even really discussed.
This is raw and captivating story, that I absolutely loved. It touches on so many issues. Well developed characters that I was drawn to, along with seamless narration.
An authentic read, that grabs you and pulls you in to its witty, dramatic banter and thought provoking storyline.
This was faced paced book that I literary inhaled, romance, anger issues, along with a terminally ill parent, and a teenager trying to survive with an uncertain future.
November 21, 2021
Historia przedstawia nam Kam i jej ostatni rok liceum. Próbuje skoncentrować się na tym, by w tym roku żyć pełnią życia, czekając na bal maturalny, ukończenie szkoły i podróż służbową dla seniorów. Jest zła na wszechświat za to, co dzieje się z jej ojcem. Utrzymuje w tajemnicy przed wszystkimi, że jej ojciec ma chorobę Parkinsona i wydaje się, że zmierza powoli na śmierć. Nie wiedząc, kiedy może nadejść jego ostatni dzień, Kam jest rozdarta między byciem z nim a po prostu chęcią bycia normalną.
Ta książka jest interesująca pod wieloma względami. Czytelnik jest całkowicie wciągnięty w świat Kamili. W to, jak pełna złości i gniewu jest ta dziewczyna. Pewien incydent sprawił, że została wyrzucona ze szkoły publicznej.
Pod pewnymi względami była to naprawdę trudna lektura, ponieważ Kam rozpada się w środku i nikt tak naprawdę tego nie widzi ( może z wyjątkiem Brendana). To, co mnie najbardziej poruszyło, to całkowita nieskrępowana i niefiltrowana szczerość książki. Chociaż Kamila chroni swoje wewnętrzne myśli przed resztą świata, każda strona jest zapisem jej niepokojów. Gonsalves nie tworzy idealnego charakteru; tworzy ludzką - zdolną do mylenia się realną osobę.
Jako nastolatka pewnie pokochałabym te książkę, ale nawet teraz skłoniła mnie do wielu refleksji. Gratka dla fanów YA!
Ta książka jest interesująca pod wieloma względami. Czytelnik jest całkowicie wciągnięty w świat Kamili. W to, jak pełna złości i gniewu jest ta dziewczyna. Pewien incydent sprawił, że została wyrzucona ze szkoły publicznej.
Pod pewnymi względami była to naprawdę trudna lektura, ponieważ Kam rozpada się w środku i nikt tak naprawdę tego nie widzi ( może z wyjątkiem Brendana). To, co mnie najbardziej poruszyło, to całkowita nieskrępowana i niefiltrowana szczerość książki. Chociaż Kamila chroni swoje wewnętrzne myśli przed resztą świata, każda strona jest zapisem jej niepokojów. Gonsalves nie tworzy idealnego charakteru; tworzy ludzką - zdolną do mylenia się realną osobę.
Jako nastolatka pewnie pokochałabym te książkę, ale nawet teraz skłoniła mnie do wielu refleksji. Gratka dla fanów YA!
April 28, 2022
"Drogi Wszechświecie" to historia Kamili, która musi zmierzyć się z trudnym okresem, jakim jest kończenie liceum. Zaliczenia ostatnich przedmiotów, wolontariat, bal, mnóstwo rozterek z chłopakiem i przyjaciółmi to jedna strona życia nastolatki. Drugą jest dom, a w nim rodzice, próbujący radzić sobie z tym, co na nich spadło - chorobą ojca. Kamila za wszelką cenę broni granicy między tymi dwoma światami i chociaż wydaje się jej, że to jedyny sposób na przetrwanie, to chwilami bywa to bardzo trudne.
Czy podobała mi się ta książka? Nie jestem pewna. Naprawdę lubię historie, takie jak ta - o takim zwykłym życiu i zwykłych problemach, szczególnie kiedy bohaterami są nastolatki. One mi chyba zawsze przypominają o tym, jak sama byłam w gimnazjum i liceum i sprawy, które dziś wydają mi się błahe, wtedy były jak małe końce świata. I tutaj też to jest i właśnie to mi się podobało. Problemem okazali się bohaterowie, do których nie umiałam się przywiązać, bo należą chyba do grupy ludzi, których raczej nie polubiłam w rzeczywistości. Szczególnie Kamila, bo nie do końca rozumiałam jej zachowania. Mam wrażenie, że gdyby Kamila była innym typem człowieka, to ta książka byłaby naprawdę super, a tak.. jest po prostu spoko.
Czy podobała mi się ta książka? Nie jestem pewna. Naprawdę lubię historie, takie jak ta - o takim zwykłym życiu i zwykłych problemach, szczególnie kiedy bohaterami są nastolatki. One mi chyba zawsze przypominają o tym, jak sama byłam w gimnazjum i liceum i sprawy, które dziś wydają mi się błahe, wtedy były jak małe końce świata. I tutaj też to jest i właśnie to mi się podobało. Problemem okazali się bohaterowie, do których nie umiałam się przywiązać, bo należą chyba do grupy ludzi, których raczej nie polubiłam w rzeczywistości. Szczególnie Kamila, bo nie do końca rozumiałam jej zachowania. Mam wrażenie, że gdyby Kamila była innym typem człowieka, to ta książka byłaby naprawdę super, a tak.. jest po prostu spoko.
August 3, 2020
Holy teenage anxiety! I was really unsure if I was going to like this book when I first started reading it. The main character was unbelievably shallow and only talked about how much she wanted to hook up with her boyfriend (it was actually cringey at the beginning). Additionally, the conversations between her and her friends seemed so inauthentic and lacked any depth. I know that teenagers are often in their own little universe, but they aren't SOLELY preoccupied by prom, hook ups, etc. With that being said, the story did take a more positive turn about a third of the way in. We start to see more complexity from Cham and some other characters. All in all, I think I would have loved this book as a younger person, but it's not one of those YA books that also resonate with adults.
Things I loved:
-All the emo quotes throughout DEFINITELY would have made it to my MySpace page back in the day. Cham's angst kind of took me on a stroll down memory lane, and I didn't hate it.
-There is some dark humor throughout the book because that's kind of Cham's way of dealing with stuff. I was laughing out loud at some parts.
Things I loved:
-All the emo quotes throughout DEFINITELY would have made it to my MySpace page back in the day. Cham's angst kind of took me on a stroll down memory lane, and I didn't hate it.
-There is some dark humor throughout the book because that's kind of Cham's way of dealing with stuff. I was laughing out loud at some parts.
June 16, 2024
An absolutely lovely, well-written YA contemporary that gracefully blends lighter topics (senioritis, college essays, feeling like a third wheel in your own friend group) with heavy ones (a parent's terminal illness). I can imagine this book being a breath of fresh air to so many young readers.
Also, I generally don't like to call out other readers but a number of the more negative reviews I skimmed commented on Cham's selfishness and lack of compassion toward her dad, who's sick with Parkinson's, and I just... did we read the same book? This novel is *saturated* with Cham's concern for her father. She's literally paralyzed at the thought of leaving for college or going on a senior trip because she's terrified her dad will die while she's gone. Sure, her fear and anger about her dad's illness lead to selfishness, but she's a teenager dealing with extraordinarily difficult circumstances which virtually no support or guidance. My heart absolutely ached for Cham while I was reading.
ANYWAY. This is one of the best YA novels I've read in a while and I'd recommend it to everyone.
Also, I generally don't like to call out other readers but a number of the more negative reviews I skimmed commented on Cham's selfishness and lack of compassion toward her dad, who's sick with Parkinson's, and I just... did we read the same book? This novel is *saturated* with Cham's concern for her father. She's literally paralyzed at the thought of leaving for college or going on a senior trip because she's terrified her dad will die while she's gone. Sure, her fear and anger about her dad's illness lead to selfishness, but she's a teenager dealing with extraordinarily difficult circumstances which virtually no support or guidance. My heart absolutely ached for Cham while I was reading.
ANYWAY. This is one of the best YA novels I've read in a while and I'd recommend it to everyone.
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