Why We Broke Up, Daniel Handler, Maira Kalman, reivews

Fun fact:  Daniel Handler is better known to some as Lemony Snicket!!

I listened to this book on audio, and although the CD set included a pdf of the drawings, I didn't take the time to look at them.  I just downloaded the book then returned the CDs to the library. Now I'm disappointed that I didn't do that because I think it would have made a difference in my enjoyment of and engagement in the story.  As it was, I didn't really love the book.  In fact, the only part I really liked was actually the 20 minute interview at the end done by the narrator with Daniel Handler and Maira Kalman.  It was really the only part the grabbed me.

I think that were I a teenage girl or boy with a failed romance (and how many teenagers don't fit in that category??) this story would really have resonated with me.  And since that's the intended audience, it's a fie story. Middle aged me, however, just wasn't in the mood to appreciate the teenage angst and whininess of sixteen year old Min Green writing a letter to her ex-boyfriend about the box of "treasures" that are all that are left of their relationship.  Unfortunately, I couldn't find too much empathy for her.  I feel kind of bad about it still actually, even though she's not even real, because she clearly was deeply hurt by this charmer, but she was not dealing well, and I was over it.

This book is more appropriate for high school students due in part to some of the subject matter but also just because most middle schoolers haven't had such an intense relationship yet and so I don't think they'd appreciate it either.

Available at the Multnomah County Library.