Name: Em Thomas's review of More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera
Item: More Happy Than Not
Rating: 4.5
Author: Em Thomas

Adam Silvera

In his twisty, gritty, profoundly moving debut--called "mandatory reading" by the New York Times--Adam Silvera brings to life a charged, dangerous near-future summer in the Bronx. In the months after his father's suicide, it's been tough for 16-year-old Aaron Soto to find happiness again--but he's still gunning for it. With the support of his girlfriend Genevieve and his overworked mom, he's slowly remembering what that might feel like. But grief and the smile-shaped scar on his wrist prevent him from forgetting completely. When Genevieve leaves for a couple of weeks, Aaron spends all his time hanging out with this new guy, Thomas. Aaron's crew notices, and they're not exactly thrilled. But Aaron can't deny the happiness Thomas brings or how Thomas makes him feel safe from himself, despite the tensions their friendship is stirring with his girlfriend and friends. Since Aaron can't stay away from Thomas or turn off his newfound feelings for him, he considers turning to the Leteo Institute's revolutionary memory-alteration procedure to straighten himself out, even if it means forgetting who he truly is. Why does happiness have to be so hard? "Silvera managed to leave me smiling after totally breaking my heart. Unforgettable." --Becky Albertalli, author of Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda "Adam Silvera explores the inner workings of a painful world and he delivers this with heartfelt honesty and a courageous, confident hand... a mesmerizing, unforgettable tour de force." --John Corey Whaley, author of Where Things Come Back and Noggin From the Hardcover edition.

More Happy Than Not

In the months after his father's suicide, it's been tough for 16-year-old Aaron to find happiness. With the support of his girlfriend Genevieve he's slowly remembering what that feels like. When Genevieve leaves for a couple of weeks, Aaron spends his time with this new guy, Thomas. Aaron can't deny the happiness Thomas brings, despite the tensions their friendship is stirring with his friends. Since Aaron can't turn off his newfound feelings for Thomas, he considers turning to the Leteo Institute's revolutionary memory-alteration procedure, even if it means forgetting who he truly is.

i'm being encouraged to continue my weird obsessions' by god

faith hurren

"You mean you're done playing with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle toys?"

Etre heureux ne devrait pas être aussi difficile Par l'auteur du best-seller Et ils meurent tous les deux à la fin De mauvais souvenirs vous poursuivent ? Appelez l'Institut Leteo au 1-800-J-OUBLIE pour en savoir plus sur notre procédure révolutionnaire de soulagement de la mémoire ! Lorsque Aaron Soto découvre la technique d'ablation de la mémoire développée par l'Institut Leteo, il n'en croit pas ses yeux (les miracles arrivent rarement au fin fond du Bronx)... Entre le suicide de son père, sa propre tentative, l'infinie tristesse de sa mère et leur vie dans un petit appartement misérable, le jeune homme est tenté par la procédure. Bientôt, plusieurs gouttes d'eau successives font déborder le vase et finissent de le convaincre : s'il veut enfin être heureux, il doit se faire reformater à l'Institut Leteo... Mais le bonheur peut-il vraiment naître de l'oubli ? " Inoubliable ! " Becky Albertalli, autrice de Love, Simon Elu parmi les " cent meilleurs livres YA de tous les temps " par Time Magazine.

Plus heureux que jamais

Ambre

- Je te propose un Rencard-Echange inversé – n'a pas besoin d'appeler ça Rencard-Echange inversé. ni même rencard -, juste tu m'emmènes dans un endroit qui compte pour toi, et ensuite je ferai pareil. 

Emily

When it first gets announced, the Leteo Institute's memory-alteration procedure seems too good to be true to Aaron Soto-miracle cure-alls don't tend to pop up in the Bronx projects. Aaron can't forget how he's grown up poor, how his friends all seem to shrug him off, and how his father committed suicide in their one bedroom apartment. He has the support of his patient girlfriend, if not necessarily his distant brother and overworked mother, but it's not enough. Then Thomas shows up. He doesn't mind Aaron's obsession over the Scorpius Hawthorne books and has a sweet movie set-up on his roof. There are nicknames. Aaron's not only able to be himself, but happiness feels easy with Thomas. The love Aaron discovers may cost him what's left of his life, but since Aaron can't suddenly stop being gay Leteo may be the only way out.

More happy than not

read this book before i knew how much it could mean. coming back to it recently tore me to pieces. 

Em Thomas

Kellie Davis

"-she's holding out her palm as a landing place for a firefly. It's easy to forget it's there when it's not glowing, until all of a sudden it comes back and surprises you; it reminds me of grief."

Wow. Such an emotional book. I picked this on a whim because I'm trying to read more books out of my comfort zone and my library had this on its staff picks display. I'm so glad I did. I couldn't put it down. Adam has a way of writing raw and relatable characters in a way that makes you want more. 4.75 stars. I can't wait to read more of Adam's writing.

Bria

Silvera writes about sad topics and acceptance so well. His books are heartbreaking but allow you to handle it with the MCs. It's crazy how talented he is at that.

(view spoiler)[
I hate how Aaron treated Genevieve, but I'm glad she realized she deserved better.
 (hide spoiler)]

kelsey

*update 8/7/21

fuck adam silvera lol 😂

From the author of the INTERNATIONAL NO.1 BESTSELLER THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END. In his twisty, gritty, profoundly moving New York Times bestselling-debut, Adam Silvera brings to life a charged, dangerous near-future summer in the Bronx. Life hasn't been easy for sixteen‑year‑old Aaron Soto, but with the help of his girlfriend, Genevieve, he's slowly remembering what happiness might feel like. Then Thomas shows up . . . Thomas is smart and funny, and before long Aaron is spending all his time with him. But as Aaron's feelings for Thomas intensify, tensions with his other friends start to build. Soon Aaron is faced with a choice - one that will make him question what it is he wants, and how far he'll go to get it. PRAISE FOR MORE HAPPY THAN NOT: 'Silvera managed to leave me smiling after totally breaking my heart. Unforgettable.' Becky Albertalli, author of Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda 'Gut-wrenching' Guardian 'Mandatory reading' New York Times

shru

** spoiler alert **
           this suprised me cuz i don't usually like romance novels, but i finished this quite quickly and idk if that's cuz i actually enjoyed it or cuz i'm on a reading high lol. but at the same time i didn't love it. the problems that aaron faces are very real and i love that. sometimes with all the people on social media being allies of lgbtq+ i forget that there are things like this happening, and i'm ashamed of that. for that reason i love the story. but aaron 'knowing' that thomas is gay isn't the best, then again he is a teenager and we all make mistakes don't we. also the ending man, damn

What the hell?? This was devastating. My heart hurts. The ending sure did brought an emotional blow. MY HEART HURTS.

You know how there are times you can't help but root for the main characters no matter what? Aaron is one of them. I hope he do achieve his happy ending someday. *sniffs*

This book also reminds us all about the ugly effects of homophobia. The book potrays depression and suicide and friendship and the relationship with your family. Which reminds me to PLEASE BE KIND TO ANYONE. This is an ugly world so let's help each other.

What an unforgettable book.

In his twisty, heartbreaking, profoundly moving New York Times bestselling debut, Adam Silvera brings to life a charged, dangerous near-future summer in the Bronx... It's been tough for sixteen-year-old Aaron Soto to find happiness since his father's suicide, but he's still gunning for it. With the support of his girlfriend and his overworked mom, he's slowly remembering what that might feel like. But grief and the smile-shaped scar on his wrist are holding him back.

Recuerda Aquella Vez

Quedé como estúpida, lo necesito volver a leer

Miranda Montenegro

Quedé como estúpida, lo necesito volver a leer



Fernando Bolaños

A coming of age story different from what I’ve read before. A main character with a story relevant with today’s struggles, a huge plot twist and a bittersweet ending. Adam Silvera doesn’t let down with his book. He leaves you “more happy than not”.

Julia

4.5/5. I recommend going into this book without knowing anything about it.

Victoria

4.5 stars. 

  "I'm more happy than not."


We all, at some point in our lives, wished that we could forget about something that had happened or someone that had caused us so much pain. I know I have wished it myself one too many times. 

But I figured, over the years, that it's not a solution to anything. It sounds appealing at the time--forgetting, that is--but once you really think about it, it's not really going to help with anything. Forgetting just creates this huge gap in your brain and you're left with wondering how and why things turned out to be the way they are. 

More Happy than Not made me realize that fact again. We all wish we could forget certain things but for me, it's always better to be able to remember. It's always better to have memories we could look back on and think "wow, I'm never fucking going down that road again" or "damn that was a really great day".

Plus, there's all those lessons that we learn along the way with each shitty thing that we go through. I know I wouldn't trade those for anything and I would gladly live through all the pain again and again if it means that I would come out as the strong person that I am today. 

This book is amazing. It made me really think about all those times that I wished amnesia would just take over me because the pain was just too much to bear. It made me realize that life is still good despite and in spite of every fucked-up thing may be going through. At the end of the day, all we really want is to be totally and completely happy. But then at the end of the same day, we should all just be thankful that we're more happy than not. 

I recommend this to everyone, especially to those who've been feeling extra down lately. This story is a good reminder that life does get better.

Originally reviewed Sep 06, 2018 | Imported from my Goodreads account

Alberto

Jamieson

“The boy with no direction taught me something unforgettable: happiness comes again if you let it.”


This is my second favourite Adam Silvera book, I'm sorry but it just couldn't fully 100% 'I'd give my life for this book' win me over like History is All You Left Me but it was still pretty good. 

More Happy Than Not is Silvera's debut, semi-autobiographical novel following a poor, Puerto-Rican boy, Aaron Soto. Aaron's father has recently committed suicide, and with the support of Aarons girlfriend Genevieve he's trying to find meaning and happiness in the world now. Things take a turn, however, when Genevieve leaves for art camp and Aaron begins to spend more time with his new friend Thomas. Soon, Aaron realises his feelings for Thomas may not be platonic and when that happens, all the other threads of Aaron's life start to slowly unravel. 

A queer contemporary with a futuristic sci-fi twist, More Happy Than Not is truly an unforgettable novel that deserves it's hype. This book has some of the most nuanced discussions around queer identity I have ever seen in a YA book or otherwise. The depiction of queerness in relation to other identities is something that is often overlooked, and Silvera did a really good job at exploring intersectionality here. Although this book is oftentimes bleak, at it's core it is hopeful and forefronts resilience, honesty and courage in the face of the extremely challenging situations queer people often have to navigate. 


  “Happiness shouldn’t be this hard.”


This was also just a really readable and unique book. I loved the blend of sci-fi and contemporary and the plot twists and reveals felt more like a sci-fi/fantasy which was REALLY cool in a contemporary. I also really liked how the sci-fi elements challenged perceptions, and the use of futuristic medicine to discussion ethical issues is one of my favourite tropes/archetypes. 

I also really loved Aaron's character, he had a really strong character voice and I was definitely rooting for him the whole time. Aaron's character development was strong, and I liked that the book followed Aaron through meticulous and detailed growth. Adam Silvera is SO good at character development and I think this is probably his best work. 

The only thing I didn't love was that I felt the ending was so abrupt. I felt a lot was left unresolved especially in terms of Thomas' character. I also though the social implications of the Leteo procedure could have been a little more in depth? But these are pretty nitpicky issues because overall this book was great, and it's just that I didn't LOVE LOVE LOVE it that I didn't give it five stars. 

While this is probably Silvera's most grim book, and the most challenging for me to read personally, it was definitely worth it. The portrayal of queer issues was so complex, and the entire book dealt with Aaron's struggles in such a tender and sympathetic way. There was a lot to relate to here, but also a lot to learn which was nice. If you like hard hitting contemporary, books that deal with queer experiences and futuristic contemporaries I definitely recommend!


  "I will do my best to always find the sun in the darkness because my life isn't one sad ending—it's a series of endless happy beginnings."



tw: suicide attempt, detailed description of suicide & discussions around suicide, homophobia including use of homophobic slurs and on page violence against queer people, ableism, self-harm, depression, internalised homophobia/struggling with sexuality, cheating

anne

lisa roeling 

I... don't know what to say.
This book is probably the saddest thing I've read in a while.
I just want to give Aaron a hug.
A gorgeous and heartbreaking book.

Emelie

This book was an emotional rollercoaster! The end destroyed me!

Sebastián

Even if you read what this book is about, you will find yourself surprised and touched by the events on it, because of the way it's written and the twists it takes. There's a lot about the resolution that makes it heartbreaking and 'more happy than not' at the same time, just like real life.

Maya Elize

such a lovely book, it’s all very bitter sweet and it hurts a bit but i’m glad at least it ends on a note of contentment

Dee B. 

There are literal tears. 
I've never read a book where the main character struggled with his/her sexuality but it didn't feel weird or superficial to me and I appreciate that. Also, the poor guy just could not catch a break, and the ending was not what I was expecting in the least. I genuinely thought it was heading in one direction but it took a last minute turn.... Overall it was a very bittersweet read and in my mind all the characters end up having a true HEA (because I believe in HEA) and no one can tell me any different.
 
As best friends go, Brendan is really shit at it.

If you want a book that will make you cry and force you to search for the moments that make you more happy than not, then this is the book for you.

Sandra Tammaru

"I would do my damn best to be more happy than not"

67/5 STARS! 
Daaaamn Adam Silvera keeps breaking me and yet im so grateful to him for it. I kept thinking that I know what's going on and then a page later found myself shocked again after another twist! I thought this was a coming of age story and it was so much more - it gave me sm to think about and as "They both die..." it gave me yet another perspective. It was heartbreaking but in the best way. RECOMMEND 1000%

In his twisty, gritty, profoundly moving New York Times bestselling-debut--also called "mandatory reading" and selected as an Editors' Choice by the New York Times--Adam Silvera brings to life a charged, dangerous near-future summer in the Bronx. This special 5th Anniversary Edition features an introduction by Angie Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of The Hate You Give; a brand-new epilogue by Adam, and more. In the months after his father's suicide, it's been tough for sixteen-year-old Aaron Soto to find happiness again--but he's still gunning for it. With the support of his girlfriend Genevieve and his overworked mom, he's slowly remembering what that might feel like. But grief and the smile-shaped scar on his wrist prevent him from forgetting completely. When Genevieve leaves for a couple of weeks, Aaron spends all his time hanging out with this new guy, Thomas. Aaron's crew notices, and they're not exactly thrilled. But Aaron can't deny the happiness Thomas brings or how Thomas makes him feel safe from himself, despite the tensions their friendship is stirring with his girlfriend and friends. Since Aaron can't stay away from Thomas or turn off his newfound feelings for him, he considers turning to the Leteo Institute's revolutionary memory-alteration procedure to straighten himself out, even if it means forgetting who he truly is. Why does happiness have to be so hard?

More Happy Than Not (Deluxe Edition)

Ethan Hill

Really didn't vibe with this during the first half. Silvera has never been great at capturing how teenagers communicate, and that weakness is front and center in the first two acts (seriously, if you're gonna talk about pop culture just reference actual pieces of media instead of making stuff up) so much that I almost dnf'd.

Thankfully, Silvera's other two works really sored with their emotional themes, and this one is definitely his best effort in that regard. The second half, after (view spoiler)[it's revealed that Aaron already had the Lateo prodecure (hide spoiler)] is just one emotional gut punch after another, all of which are totally earned and don't feel forced in any way. Glad I stuck through to the end and I look forward to sending Adam my therapy bills!

isa.

This was soo different than what I expected but at the same time, it made me realize that heartbreaking stories can be good. Among all the sadness, there was something that made me feel alive and real. Loved it.

Mijs Franssen

Wow....

I first read Adam Silvera's debut novel in 2019. I remember finishing it in a day, and crying my eyeballs out while sitting in the train. As soon as I saw Adam announce this new version of more happy than not I knew I had to return to Aaron's story. I got it as a christmas present. I had to wait a while to be in the right headspace mentally to read this. But Silvera definitly did not dissapoint. THe new chapter is such a fitting ending for Aaron. I am happy that he got the ending he deseverved. And I can't get over how phenomanal Adam's writing is. I love the concept of Leteo, and the ethical question that it brings to the book. Is it better to forget or to remember? I loved how the characters evolved around eachother and how in this new chapter we also get closure in regards to Thomas, and his old friends from the housing project. I love how real Adam kept the dynamic between Genevive, Thomas and Aaron and how Aaron reflects on everything in the last chapter. I will forever be a big fan of Adam's work, and will forever hold a place in my hart for Aaron who I truly came to love.

Emily &
More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera

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