Book Bits: Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

This year, I realized I've been reading a lot of Young Adult books and Why We Broke Up is one of the few I've read. This is the book I chose to do my first review on, because it's the first book on my 2013 Reading List (I am now on my 10th book) that generated a strong reaction from me.

And that reaction is that I didn't like it. I know, it's straightforward. But it's true.

Why We Broke Up is about Min Green, who writes an extremely long letter to her ex-boyfriend Ed, detailing the reasons why they broke up and revealing to the readers their love story in the process. The letter goes inside a box full of mementos collected throughout their relationship.

It's a good book. It has a good and relatable story, but what I didn't like was how it was written. Daniel Handler wrote it in the main character's stream of consciousness, and that's what made it problematic. The sentences were too long, the thoughts too crowded, the words losing their meaning. I had to skip several pages because I couldn't stand getting stuck inside Min's head. The characters also talk weird for some reason, like they were Yoda. Wrong, is what you did. Sorry, is what she said. Also, I'm not an expert on literature and writing styles, but it stressed me out whenever I saw the author use double adjectives.

Another thing that annoyed me was how Min kept referencing scenes from old movies. It was established from the get-go that she was a film buff, and not just an ordinary one, but an art film buff. You know, the kind who likes movies no one's ever heard of, let alone watched. Later on after finishing the novel, I find out it's because the movies and the stars were all made up. So, it wasn't me.

When I got to the end of the book, I learned that Daniel Handler is more popularly known as Lemony Snicket, best known for the A Series of Unfortunate Events books. I haven't read those books, or any other book he's written, so I don't know if this is really his writing style.

But here are the reasons why I gave the novel a chance and actually finished it: I could relate to Min. I am a sentimental person, and found it normal how she saved all those trinkets (bottle caps from when they first met, a container of sugar they stole, a basketball game pennant). I wouldn't have gone as far as giving them back to my ex, but that's the whole point of the novel so I will let that slide. Ed was her first love, and when you were in high school, didn't you save those little trinkets too, thinking it would make a conversation piece in the future? Hey, I save them until now!

I also understood how Min felt around Ed's jock friends, and how she wanted her friends to like Ed. I even related to her relationship with her guy best friend Al, who Ed thinks is gay.

Handler also created a strong character in Ed, the jock who was good in Math. Ed the romantic and ready to defy his friends, didn't care about their opinions, and was also weird in his own way. But also, the guy you wanted to hate because of what he did to Min.

Maira Kalman's animated illustrations appear at the start or the end of every chapter.

But if I will be honest, the reason you need to buy the book is because of Maira Kalman's wonderful illustrations.