DiverseCity discussion

Post your spoilery thoughts about Chapters 16-20 of TSIYH!

I liked Makani until now. I am slowly beginning to dislike her. Now that she has been targeted and survived, I don't know, I'm getting a kind of "I'm special and this is all my fault and I should be dead" kind of vibe if you know what I mean.

I really disliked the way she told the story of her past. I guess it was done like that to make it make sense for us. But for me all I kept thinking was she is telling this to her friends in a story format and calling herself Makani. And we know we are supposed to be reading it as if she is saying it directly to her friends because they interrupt a coupl of times. I don't know if this was done by Perkins as a way to show that Makani has removed herself from the situation in the past. The only way she can cope with it is if she tells it as if it is a story. I don't know but I didn't like it.

I am glad we are once again seeing more of Alex and Darby. Alex I think is a hilarious character and so it's a shame that she and Darby were kind of pushed out of the narrative for the majority of the book. We are only now seeing them more and it's almost the end. I think Perkins could have used these characters more.

When we find out her past and all she did was CUT OFF HER FRINDS PONY TAIL?! Seriously?! I am so disappointed?... I thought there was more but no. That was it. And she makes it seem like it's the end of the world?! I guess yeah she was arrested. But it seems to me like the police in Hawaii need to be told what a crime is...

So she was arrested for third degree murder and public intoxication right?... She DID NOT push Jasmine into the water. She DID NOT pour alcohol down Jasmine's throat. She DID NOT pour alcohol down her own throat. I do not understand why no one will talk to her. Jasmine ran into the sea herself because the stupid girls on the swim team put tabasco sauce in their eyes. I am sorry how would Makani have been able to save Jasmine anyway if she was drunk and couldn't see herself?... The whole group that were on the beach were drunk not just Makani... I did not like this scene at all. The swim team are NASTY!

Finally I am super disappointed with the reasons behind David killing his victims... Or the theories that Makani, Alex, Darby and Ollie have come up with. So they have been bullies in the past supposedly. Why does that mean David has to take matters into his own hands and BRUTALLY murder people? Especially considering Roberto and Matt have kind of learned from their mistakes and Makani left hers in Hawaii. I don't really get it.

One good thing about this chapter is I liked the us following Zachary. We are able to get a little bit more of an insight into David's brain and behaviour.

Other than that, this group of chapters have really not been great for me. It is such a shame because I was really enjoying this book until now!

Are we being serious right now? She cut off a PONYTAIL? I thought she's freaking killed someone. I was hoping she'd killed Kayla or Gabrielle I was so ready for it. I'm just not convinced that cutting off someone's ponytail would make the news. And why the hell would everyone take out their frustrations on Makani? It makes no sense! Why would Gabrielle not be blamed as the captain of the team?
And I'm also very confused at what everyone was so angry over? We they angry over the fact that Makani gave Jasmine an impromptu haircut, or are they mad about Jasmine nearly dying?! Because I'm with you Nicole, Makani had no part in that! I'm so confused!
I was SO looking forward to the reveal of Makani's back sorry, but what the hell is this? I don't understand why Stephanie Perkins has suddenly lost her basic story writing ability!