As soon as My Heart and Other Black Holes was released in the UK I snapped it up! I’d seen it floating around online after the American release and literally could not wait to get my hands on it. However once I bought it I never wanted the excitement to be over so I put off reading it for a few months. Once I entered a reading slump in November I thought this might be the one book that pulls me out of it!
Title: My Heart and Other Black Holes
Author: Jasmine Warga
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Friendship,
Publisher: Hodder Paperbacks
Publication Date: 12th February 2015
Pages: 320
Summery : Aysel and Roman are practically strangers, but they’ve been drawn into an unthinkable partnership. In a month’s time, they plan to commit suicide – together.
Aysel knows why she wants to die: being the daughter of a murderer doesn’t equal normal, well-adjusted teenager. But she can’t figure out why handsome, popular Roman wants to end it all….and why he’s even more determined than she is.
With the deadline getting closer, something starts to grow between Aysel and Roman – a feeling she never thought she would experience. It seems there might be something to live for, after all – but is Aysel in so deep she can’t turn back?
Overall, yeah, Jasmine Warga managed to pull me out of the spiralling depths of a reading slump, however not without some disappointment. The first thing I’ll say about this novel is that it was a little lack luster. There was just something missing that I still can’t quite put my finger on. I liked the story, and the characters were okay. But I’m not sure I absolutely loved it.
My Heart and Other Black Holes follows Aysel’s life and her willingness to die. Whereas it started off quite dark, the actual novel soon brightened up when she met Roman. I’m usually all for a teenage love story where one saves the other, it’s definitely a guilty pleasure. However when the subject is something as serious as suicide and then it’s dealt with kind of badly, I automatically lose interest. Very quickly after meeting Roman through a suicide partner forum, Aysel decides that she doesn’t really want to die, and she wants them both to live. Whereas I understand the thinking behind the story, it seemed unbelievable and (sort of) insulting to people who are living with mental illnesses – the ability to just turn them off isn’t possible at all.
For a debut novel, Warga’s writing for My Heart and Other Black Holes was pretty great. She made it easy to read and kept you interested the whole way through. Okay there were some clichés that left you cringing a little, but what is YA without a cliché?
I enjoyed the overall style and feel of the book, it definitely kept me entertained. I’m just not sure that the characters and storyline kept me that interested. I don’t think I’ll be picking this book up to read again any time soon, if you want a sad YA contemporary love story, there are probably better ones out there to read. If you want something light hearted with deeper undertones, I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up My Heart and Other Black Holes!
The Little Contemporary Corner 