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What an absolutely unlikable protagonist and unbelievable ending. If Natalie Naudus weren't the narrator I would have DNF'd.

Everything fun in this book happened off-page. Elijah becoming a person, Ella visiting, the big bad confrontation between Jessica and Elijah's dad. 

The cover is gorgeous and the title funny, and casual Muslim rep is wonderful, but this book suffers from intensely unbelievable situations that made me feel disconnected from it. I haven't seen Four Weddings and a Funeral, so I don't know if the weird scenarios are referencing it.

1 - Ladoo the Cat. How are these two teenagers inheriting this cat together? Why didn't the librarian tell them about it in advance? Assuming she is a responsible human being, why would she put that in her will, which she had time to update given her death wasn't sudden? Do these kids ever go to the pet store, take this cat to the vet, etc.? How are they splitting finances? What on earth?

2 -An Islamic Center burning down and there not being an investigation of arson. I grew up in the 2000s in New Jersey. To me an Islamic Center burning down is an arson until proven otherwise. 

3 - Everything around the Islamic Center's replacement. First, the book seems to imply that the city owns the Islamic Center, which is... illegal? Under the first amendment. Presumably this land is owned by the Islamic Center, which would likely have a board made of local community members, which would likely be working to restore it immediately and have insurance. The lack of any adult activity around the Islamic Center literally burning down is baffling to me. No LaunchGood or GoFundMe? No community involvement at all until these two kids come up with it, despite being an active enough community to warrant an Islamic Center? Why doesn't Tiwa have any friends or connections there aside from the one Not-Imam? I feel so disconnected from this supposed traumatic event. 

Also, I don't claim to know Vermont zoning law, but presumably the land is zoned for community use and can't instantly be converted into apartments because the mayor (and only the mayor) wants that, especially because the apartments also wouldn't be owned by the city, so there would need to be a firm involved who is interested in this property and submitted paperwork about it months ago. Which would be weird. And how are we scheduling a demolition within a a week or so of the fire?

Actually, does this story take place elsewhere in the original draft? Both authors are from Europe and the word “knobhead” made it in without anyone talking about it. But then do cities own religious institutions in the UK??

4 - Despite all of the above, bylaws suddenly become relevant at the end.

5 - The large absence of Tiwa's brother from the story is supposed to be important and sad and dramatic but, again, just makes me feel disconnected and not care.

6 - The reveal of what split Tiwa and Said apart was super contrived. Why don't these kids just text each other. What.

I listened to the audiobook, which was okay prose-wise, but not with dialogue; both of the narrators struggled to create clear, differentiated voices for at least the main trio. Tiwa's voice routinely said “Ladoo” wrong, and Said's pronounces Tiwa's name differently than Tiwa does. Both of them mispronounce “Ghibli.”

This could have been really cute, but these glaring errors were in the way. 

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to listen to the audiobook ahead of release.

wow that was wild

first 50% - 4/5
last 50% - 1/5
overall 2/5

i'm fine with murdering serial killers but the full seven hours of “The Gang Gets Away With Murder” melodrama was... a lot

Two teenagers meet in an extra-dimensional space after their deaths. Through a TV in this room, they watch the lives of their loved ones following their passing, communicate the best they can, and learn how their lives were intertwined.

This was a tender book that wormed its way into my heart. The cast was strong; Kenny and Caroline are sweet and loving people, and seeing their stories unfold along with them was more affecting on me than I expected. I especially liked the characterization of Caroline, who wears her heart on her sleeve and chooses kindness after moments of desperation, as well as her brother and father.

I would've liked to see more of Kenny's past; I understand depression, especially as a second-gen immigrant, and feel like I was told more about Kenny's rather than shown. His father was also a favorite.

All in all, a strong character-driven book about grief that I would recommend for book clubs.

I was given a free audiobook download of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review. Thank you!