Heartbreaker

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Telling the story only through the first person perspective of these three characters and what they know is utterly extraordinary. I was uncertain about Heartbreaker for almost half the novel and then the story began to emerge and take shape. It increasingly became a compelling, fascinating look at a community, setting aside their isolation and the peculiar features of the cult, through the eyes of three very different, unique characters. The book is a tangle of the past and present, everyone's memories colliding with what is currently happening to bring about a picture of Billie Jean that's fuzzy around the edges—the only person we don't hear from is her. From her mythic entrance to the territory, to how she never fully fit in, to the secrets of her long past and not so long past, the blank edges of a woman are filled in through the thoughts, memories, and opinions of those who were close to her. If it wasn't for my irritating habit of not being able to DNF a book, I would have abandoned it at the halfway mark. I can understand why some people would like this unconventionally written strange story, but it wasn't for me.

The love between a daughter and her mother—and the dark secrets they keep from each other—are at the heart of this wildly imaginative novel that combines elements of The Handmaid’s Tale , Stranger Things, and Twin Peaks .

The inspiring ones

I'm kind of at a loss about what to say for Heartbreaker. What I will say is that author Claudia Dey has my full support in three months when this book comes out for the rest of the world. A dark star of a book, glittering with mordant humor and astonishing, seductive strangeness and grace. I am a giant fan of Claudia Dey’s wild brain.” —Lauren Groff, author of Fates and Furies Second is The dog of Billie Jean, The Heav and Pony. At once bewildered at being left behind the night Billie Jean disappears, unnervingly certain in her knowledge of the Territory’s origins, prosperity and current state of existence, as well as the crypt keeper of everyone, and everything’s secrets. The dog has managed to be the only thing that has not made or kept any don’t ask, don’t tell vows that bloom throughout the territory. And the dog tells all… of course as you keep reading, you again find, it is through her lens and point of view, which means there is more to come from yet another lens that will shed more light through this intricately woven tapestry. And while she might know secrets of the past and more than most, she has no doesn’t know the one thing everyone is trying to figure out- where did Billy Jean disappear to that October evening? Aside from those concerns, the rest of the story was a solid read! I loved the suspense aspect of the book, both main characters were likable and complemented each other well, and the side characters were fantastic too (loved Noah!). If I didn’t have to pause it twice to go to other books, I know this is a story I would’ve finished in one sitting.

There was not enough focus on the cult like setting. I wanted to know more about the town and their customs. We did get a bit of that but it wasn't enough to conceive a clear picture. In Heartbreaker, cellphone coverage issues are recurring plot devices, and there's a troubling amount of "I need to see you in person, can't talk about this on the phone" -- when the reader knows the caller is the only one with vital information, leaving us REALLY wishing they would have just blurted it out. This book won't be for everyone. Doubtless, some will find it too strange, too weird, too out there. For me, though? One of my favorite books of the year. It was SO REFRESHINGLY DIFFERENT. There's something seductive abut this kind of weirdness: it piques the interest, makes you feel like a voyeur into a setting so different it may as well be extraterrestrial (The Territory was a character itself), and then shows you how similar you are to these people. The love, the secrets, the thought processes...we all do this stuff. Or at least, we do and think things like them. Schlichenmeyer, Terri (11 November 2021). "A sweet book about first love: 'Heartstopper' a poignant reminder of coming out". Washington Blade . Retrieved 25 May 2022.With Phil off the rails (and desperately close to being off the case), it is up to his team to use their own initiative. DC Imani Oliver goes off the books to enlist Marina’s help, and when another woman’s heartless body is found, the unofficial request for assistance becomes an official one. Marina is on the team – can she and her husband put their differences aside and become the dream team again? Billie Jean's story unfolds for us through three surprising narrators. Her dramatic and often heartbreaking tale is woven into the electric atmosphere of the mysterious territory that is described with vague details that left me with so many questions! From the 1980s pop culture references to the bizarre traditions of the community, I was never sure what was truth and what was fantasy. A sci-fi drama/mystery/dystopia that I can only compare to an alternate reality version of My So-Called Life if it had taken place in a cult-like compound in the wilderness in the mid 80's and was directed by M. Night Shyamalan. Heartbreaker crosses so many genres but never fits comfortably into one. Heartbreaker is a dark star of a book, glittering with mordant humor and astonishing, seductive strangeness and grace. I am a giant fan of Claudia Dey’s wild brain.” It’s a rip-roaring adventure tale of a rural boy born into poverty who worked himself up to be the world’s best surgeon.

Wow, this was a difficult book to rate. If I'm completely honest there are more negatives than positives while I'm sitting here trying to collect my thoughts. But I did finish the book and at no time did I seriously contemplate giving up so it must have held my interest and desire to see how it turned out. So for that one seemingly tiny thing is the reason it's getting the 3 stars instead of lower. Aroesti, Rachel (18 March 2022). "No drugs, booze, sex or swearing: will Heartstopper rewrite the young love rulebook?". The Guardian . Retrieved 13 September 2022. Wratten, Marcus (19 July 2023). "Alice Oseman slams decision to fine Hungarian bookshop for selling Heartstopper: 'Sad and angry' ". thepinknews.com. It is fair to say that the first chapter of this book scared the unholy crap out of me. I suspect this was because I listened to the audio version while commuting to work. The voice of the villian was ... creepy. Very, very creepy. But so perfect for the part. Turkey's family ministry calls book with gay characters a 'harmful publication' ". The Turkish Minute. 9 September 2021 . Retrieved 13 May 2023.In the still shadows of the confessional, the penitent kneels and makes a bone-chilling disclosure: Bless me father, for I will sin.... Slowly, tauntingly, the man describes his murderous past -- how he stalked his victim, worked his way into her life, and then took that life in a violent rage -- and his plan to kill again. Only this time, he has raised the stakes in his twisted game, daring authorities to catch him if they can. This time, he has revealed the name of his next intended victim. I'm a heartbreaker. And I do so love a challenge.... Yates, Jonny (21 March 2022). "Gay graphic novel Heartstopper gets cover makeover to tie in with Netflix adaptation". PinkNews . Retrieved 22 May 2022. White, Peter (11 July 2019). " 'Top Of The Lake' Producer See-Saw Films To Adapt Alice Oseman's Graphic Novel Series 'Heartstopper' For TV". Deadline . Retrieved 29 April 2022. Martaus, Alaine (2020). "Heartstopper: Volume 1; by Alice Oseman". Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. 73 (10): 442–443. doi: 10.1353/bcc.2020.0437. ISSN 1558-6766. S2CID 219502331.

Three narrators. Three completely different voices that introduce you to each other, other main players and The Territory through unique lenses all their own that sometimes compliment, sometimes contradict and sometimes, you wish, could be held through a panel discussion because it would heal so many hurts.Bille Jean wasn't always citizen of the Territory- her car carried her inside of the boundaries of the community one night, and they took her in, but never quite embraced her as one of their own. While everyone is helping to find her after her disappearance, no one seems surprised she left. It is definitely worth mentioning that the narration by the dog is some beautiful, weird, and deeply original writing. Dogs know our deepest secrets, see everything inside us and yet are silent. What if they could speak, eloquently, release their thoughts, their deep observations about us, the world, the history and the connections of how things came to be? What a brilliant concept and so wonderfully executed in this book.