I don't usually do book reviews, like full on ones, but this book is just something else. I finished it last night, and I set it down, and let it all soak in.
This book sort of touched me in a way no other book has, and maybe it was the aspect that it wasn't fantasy and it was different than a fantasy and made me feel different than how I usually feel when I read a book.
So on with the actual real review. I don't really know what I'm doing, so I might mess up, but I don't fricking care.
we are the ants by Shaun David Hutchinson (it seems right in all lowercase: it doesn't seem right with proper title capitalization)
Description:
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Initial Thoughts: "Cool, a science fiction with a gay guy. Cool. Sort of sounds like it'll have a liiiiittle cliche ending. Love wins woooo"
But I picked it up and checked it out of the library because of the aliens and it just intrigued me. And I read the first chapter right away and was struck by how different this book is. There is no holding back on the beliefs of this main character, Henry Denton. He comes right out and tells us we don't matter. Humans don't matter. And that means it doesn't matter and life just doesn't amount to anything in the end. And this is how ants connect to the title.
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That's one of the quotes from the first chapter. Like I'm already in love with all of this, and then the story starts.
Plot: This entire story was so interesting and different, and I loved the plot line. The story is certainly original and even though it wasn't a huge twist-of-events change, the story left me wondering what had actually happened. And the way it was written, like it's an extra credit assignment. That's what the first chapter is called. "Chemistry: Extra Credit Assignment" and that's the rest of the book, too.
Characters: Because these character are so. Realistic. Is on of the reasons I love this book so much. They all have their quirks, their happiness, their sadness, but they all are broken and they all have something happening in their lives that Henry either doesn't know or just refuses to understand. Henry Denton: so broken and doesn't always make the right choices, or he says the wrong thing. He just seems so real, and his look on the whole story - his life - is hilarious and heartbreaking. Diego Vega: super mysterious until like 3/4 of the way through. Super cute and nice, though. He's often the source of Henry's troubles. Charlie Denton: official determined dad-to-be. Jerk. Horrible brother for the most part. Henry hates him. Nana: Henry's grandmother is just such a contradictory person because she's losing her memories, and she forgets how to act sometimes, and I just don't know what to say about her other than I just loved her and how much Henry cared for her. Mom: okay I don't think Henry's mom's name is mentioned, so she's just mom here. She's amazing. Cares about Henry, too. And she is just struggling to get through life, just like literally every other character in this book.
And I won't say anyone else because I wouldn't be able to say anything about them without ruining the story for you.
Warnings!: Heavy content. Depression, suicide, abuse, drugs, assault, bullying, language. But it's so great. I loved it anyway.
Overall: my. god. I have no words. I loved this book, and that's that. I loved it.
