This Is Why They Hate Us

“So when are you coming home?” 

Who gave Aaron the right to make me cry like this. Queer coming of age stories just hit different when you're a 30 yr old who's still figuring their shit out  apparently.

tldr– I adore everything about this book and you (everyone) should read it and cry with me)

Sometimes it feels like the teens in YA books are polished up to the best versions of themselves but not here. Quique is a chaotic mess. He does messy, teen things. He's real and unfiltered and it was beautiful.

I'll never understand how people can say they can't find anything to relate to in books about people different to them because even though I'm white, it felt like I was looking in a mirror. So many parts of Quique are also parts of me. Growing up in a working, lower class family and dealing with the struggles and mindset that creates. Struggling to find yourself while also measuring yourself up against [literally] everyone you see.
But the most relatable was his struggle with his mental health and learning to recognize when you need to ask for help. It took me a lot longer to figure out than it did for him. 

I love how friendships were portrayed and how platonic love with his friends was just as important as his want/need for romantic love and lust. 

I was worried I wouldn't be able to fall in love with Saleem since he isn't present for a good amount of the book but I did. He showed up and stole my heart. 

I do wish we had been able to have a little bit more time with saleem and be able to see them fall in love a bit more but that might just be because I love them so much