♥ Favorite Line(s):
♥ Summary: When you piss off a bridge into a snowstorm, it feels like you’re connecting with eternal things. Paying homage to something or someone. But who? The Druids? Walt Whitman? No, I pay homage to one person only, my brother, my twin.
In life. In death.
Telemachus.
Since the death of his brother, Jonathan’s been losing his grip on reality. Last year’s Best Young Poet and gifted guitarist is now Taft High School’s resident tortured artist, when he bothers to show up. He's on track to repeat eleventh grade, but his English teacher, his principal, and his crew of Thicks (who refuse to be seniors without him) won’t sit back and let him fail.
"That's the secret--to close your hand on jagged glass, then open it and find a butterfly."
"As a poet, I know that truth hides in the nuance."
"The nurse looked up from her clipboard.
'Who are you?'
'Good question,' I say."
♥ My thoughts:
I honestly do not think I can review this in the way I've been doing most of my reviews lately. ADIOS, NIRVANA is too lyrical, too raw, too poetic, to be discussed in a list format. That being said, this is one of the best books I've read in not only the past year, but ever. The story of Jonathan's triumphs and downfalls is up there on my list of "books I would marry if it were legal."
I am a huge fan of contemporary YA. Although I read more books with a supernatural element, I can honestly say I enjoy reading contemps. way more. I feel that it's harder to get a plot moving in realistic fiction. In paranormal romance, someone can vamp out or blow something up and BAM! there's a new challenge, a new plot twist waiting to be steered in the right direction. Contemporary twists and turns {when done well} seem more subtle, more sinuous to me. Almost lyrical in their delivery. I love the soft, smooth styles of Jandy Nelson and Melina Marchetta, love the raw, blunt style of authors like Hannah Moskowitz. When an author manages to weave both of these somewhat clashing elements into one story, he has my heart. Hence why John Green forever owns my soul {and I still think KATHERINES is one of his best and deserves to stop being treated like the middle child}. Ahem, anyway. Conrad Wesselhoeft manages what many struggle with, in ADIOS. He twists and bends the story into a completely believable, relatable, and utterly engrossing tale without losing sight of the message he wants to get across.
Throughout the novel, we see life through the eyes of Jonathan, 1/2 of the polar opposite pair he makes up with Telemachus. The twins are light and dark. Telly is talented, Jonathan's okay. Telly's a confident leader, Jonathan hangs in the back. Sounds cliche, right? Except it totally doesn't feel that way while reading. Jonathan's voice is so crisp and distinct that absolutely nothing seems overdone or cliche. And my lord, the internal dialogue is to. Die. For. While music is a big part of this novel, even the story itself seems like a song. The words practically flow from page to page. It's completely addicting, and I had a hard time taking a break half-way through because I felt I would lose the rhythm I'd grow accustomed to.
I know throughout this review I haven't really said much about the plot. Mostly because it's so simple when described. Twin dies. Remaining brother finds a kind of peace in the last place he imagined. So simple. Wesselhoeft's writing and language takes the simple plot and transforms it into a coming-of-age story for the ages. Had anyone else tried to pull this story off...well, I highly doubt I would've enjoyed it half as much. I cannot wait to read more from this author as he is now one of my favorite YA voices.
♥ Summing it up:
If you couldn't tell from the review, or didn't read it, I absolutely adored this novel. I want to marry this book.
P.S. Have you noticed my newest link in the sidebar? Click on "To Swap" to see the books I'm trying to swap for new ones. Also, don't forget to vote in the poll on the side of my blog!
P.P.S. I'm not posting about DH until I've seen the movie with my momma on Saturday. Afterwards, expect a lengthy, spoilery tribute to the books, movies, and world of Harry Potter in general.
Happy Friday!
"Here Comes the Sun"-The Beatles,
