ARC Review : The Inexplicable Logic of My Life // Lyrical, Beautiful, and Heartwarming

RATING : 

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I received this book from publisher via Netgalley in exchange for honest review.

UPDATE : It has been brought to my attention that this book is problematic. I honestly missed this part and I didn’t think it wasn’t a big deal, mostly because the book didn’t make it a big deal. But after reading a few reviews and rethinking some passages from the book, I agree that one of the conflict could have been handled a lot more wisely. Here’s a review that talks about it in detail if you want to know more. Below is my original review ⇓

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL BOOK INDEED ♥

I had high expectation going into this book because I enjoyed Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe as much as the next fan girl and I was expecting this to be even better. Plus the cover was so, so gorgeous. Imagine my excitement when I got approved on Netgalley. I freaked! I ditched my supposedly next read immediately and picked up this book instead. It wasn’t a wrong decision 😛

Three chapters into this book and I was already falling in love with Mr. Saenz’s writing… again. I got to hand it to Mr. Saenz, he writes like an angel. It was so eloquent, lyrical, yet very simplistic and not dense at all. I was charmed and I couldn’t get enough of the writing. I had to keep reading.

The Inexplicable Logic of My Life is the real character driven novel because it is, in fact, so character driven. I’m gonna be honest : there’s basically no plot. It doesn’t follow a particular event, but more like a story of ongoing relationship between the characters. It might be boring for some people but it wasn’t to me. I was enchanted and I love all the characters so, so much they’re my precious cinnamon rolls ♥

SALVADOR, aka Sal aka Sally, our main character. I was surprised to find out that he’s White and straight… after reading Ari & Dante I kinda thought he would be Mexican and gay? I was jumping to conclusion. Anyway, even if he’s White, Sal identified more with Mexican culture because he was raised in a loving Mexican family. There are so many things to love about Sal. He’s loving, kind, genuine, loyal, and he’s not afraid to show his feeling! Okay not all of his feeling, sometimes he keeps them to himself, but still. He tells his friends & family he loves them and HE CRIES! I don’t know many teenage boys who cry… I mean, even if they do they don’t do it in front of me. Also he sets Sam straight every time she starts being a brat.

SAMANTHA. Sam kinda reminded me of Lydia from The Serpent King and Lisa from Highly Illogical Behavior and I had trouble liking her AT FIRST. Like I said above, she was being a brat and pushy when it comes to Sal, but her character development was incredible. It took time but it was so realistic. I love the person she was becoming towards the end of the book. FITO. Oh my Lord Fito is suuuuuch a gem! He came from a shitty family and his mom and brothers are addicts but he was so amazing. He has a big heart but he’s also super practical.

VICENTE aka Sal’s dad. Obviously I had to mention him because he’s such a big, important part to the story. I don’t even know if he’s real because he’s like the GREATEST guy to ever live. He’s so loving and caring and brave and the dynamic between him and Sal was a one in a million. I’m not even sure a father-son relationship like that exists?! I love how he takes care of Sal, Sam, Fito, his family, and his own relationship.

The dynamic between the characters are champ. Sam and Sal’s friendship is golden. At first I kinda shipped them because can’t you imagine??? It’ll be the best best friend romance I’d ever see but nopeeee it’s all about friendship. And in a way I was glad because their friendship is so strong and it would feel incestuous if they end up together. Sorry, haha. I also thought that Fito would change the group dynamic and the truth is, he did, but in a good way. Sam-Sal-Fito are friendship goals.

There’s a lot of death in this book. Every death brings something for all our characters. It made them become a different person. However, this isn’t a sad book. Sure I cried a lot but some of my tears are happy tears because this book is so heartwarming. Really, there’s a lot of scene where I cried and smiled at the same time because it was just so… heartwarming. I can’t find a better word. While other books that make me cry usually left me emotionally drained, I closed The Inexplicable Logic of My Life feeling so content.

If there’s one thing I disliked from this book, it will be the text language. See, Sam and Sal texts A LOT and it shows in the book. I don’t mind reading text in books but they way they do it was… so last year! Hahaha. They use a lot of abbreviations and slang and I’m like??? Do teenagers still do that? I’m guessing they don’t so I’m sorry Mr. Saenz, you need to up your game in the texting department 😛

But seriously that’s my ONLY complaint.

ALL IN ALL, The Inexplicable Logic of my life is a character driven novel that will leave you feel happy. The characters are so lovable and the way it was written was so beautiful. It will make you cry, probably, but not only out of sadness because to me, there was a lot of happy tears involved. Definitely recommend you to read it ♥

Book Title : The Inexplicable Logic of My Life
Author : Benjamin Alire Saenz
Publisher : Clarion Books (March 7th 2017)

From the multi-award-winning author of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe comes a gorgeous new story about love, identity, and families lost and found.

Sal used to know his place with his adoptive gay father, their loving Mexican-American family, and his best friend, Samantha. But it’s senior year, and suddenly Sal is throwing punches, questioning everything, and realizing he no longer knows himself. If Sal’s not who he thought he was, who is he?

This humor-infused, warmly humane look at universal questions of belonging is a triumph.

Have any of you read this book? What do you think about it? Do you want to read it? No worries, the book is out on March 7th and that’s just 12 days away from today 😛 

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