You Started It: A Tumultuous High School Journey
I picked up You Started It by a debut author with a commendable name, hoping for a cute escapade into high school romance. The premise was intriguing: fake dating, a bucket list, and the tangled web of teenage emotions. However, as I turned the pages, I found myself wrestling with frustrations that overshadowed the light-hearted charm I was expecting. My rating? A generous 1.75 stars.
Following Jamie Taher-Foster, a high school senior navigating newfound heartbreak after her long-term boyfriend, Ben, calls it quits, the novel promised to explore the familiar high school tropes. But instead of delightful shenanigans, I encountered an avalanche of contradictions in Jamie’s character—the proverbial "pick-me" girl who oscillated between yearning for her ex and developing feelings for Axel, the younger guy she reluctantly fake-dates. This constant struggle between her affections led to a whirlwind of emotional immaturity that often left me exasperated.
One key theme that stood out was mental health. Jamie’s experiences with anxiety were depicted with earnestness, yet they often felt overshadowed by her obsession with winning Ben back. The balance between her internal struggles and her external actions felt disproportionate; it was hard to empathize with her when her decisions seemed perpetually self-sabotaging. I found myself asking, Is Jamie really this oblivious to her own shortcomings?
The writing style felt uneven, with moments of relatable teenage dialogue flipping into awkward prose about relationships. Jamie’s fixation on Ben was mentioned an exhausting 668 times, making it hard to connect with her budding friendship with Axel, who, while charming in his own TikTok-dancing way, seemed more like a prop than a fully realized character. I kept wishing for more depth from him and the whirlwind surroundings of high school life. Where were the other vibrant personalities that should have been bustling around in such a setting?
Though the story attempted to tackle heavy subjects like LGBTQ+ representation and familial dynamics, it often felt like a box-ticking exercise. Jamie’s family was portrayed as non-religious Greek Orthodox, yet they seemed to lack the cultural richness that could have offered more depth. Also, characters like Diesel, Axel’s non-binary friend with an unusual name that felt out of place, fell flat, lacking the nuanced development that might have conveyed a more authentic portrayal of their identities.
Despite my concerns, I did appreciate how the author attempted to craft a relatable narrative for teens. But I can’t shake the feeling that it strayed a bit too far from the authenticity needed to resonate with younger audiences. As someone currently navigating high school, I pondered how my middle school sister would react—probably not favorably.
In conclusion, while some readers may find enjoyment in Jamie’s tumultuous high school journey, I struggled to see who would benefit most from this read. Fans of light, fluffy teen rom-coms might grasp the humor, but those seeking relatable depth in character development and narrative cohesion may feel disheartened. Overall, my interaction with You Started It made me reflect on the expectations we set for stories shaped around high school life, and how sometimes, heartfelt intentions can get lost in execution. If anything, it left me craving a deeper exploration of youth experiences—one not solely clouded by unrequited love.
Happy reading, fellow book lovers!