Why We Broke Up Review.

Book:  Why We Broke Up.

Written By:  Daniel Handler.

Pages:  354.

Synopsis:  (From Book.) Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped.

My Thoughts:  I had a hard time getting into this book.  After reading about three fourths of the book, the story got better and  I was able to enjoy the ending…..Yes just the ending.  There was too much going on, and it got to be confusing.  The character stories where a bit cliche.  The cheating basketball star, the best friend that was actually in love with her.  Hello Min, even I saw that one coming.

To be honest I found Min to be quite annoying.  She was stuck in some sort of old fashion movie dream world, where everything was perfect and being in love was perfect.  She soon found out that was a lie.  I just don’t get why she didn’t see it sooner.  She jumped into her relationship with Ed, VERY fast.  It was like they met at the party, then BAM!  ‘I Love You” was being thrown around left and right.

Ed was always telling her how she was “different” or “Arty”  What the hell is “Arty”?  Near the ending of the book she mentions how she can’t even draw or paint or do anything “Arty”, I don’t get why he just didn’t leave her alone.  Yes she was different.  Different because she wasn’t like any other girl, who just liked him because of his basketball star status.  He knew that he really didn’t love her.  She was just the next girl on his never ending list.  I know she soon started to feel it too, but she didn’t listen to herself or what other people were telling her.  I mean come on now, even his sister tried to warn you.  I guess that’s what being young, dumb, and “In Love” will do to you.

Another thing I found annoying was the fact that Min did a lot of storytelling that really had nothing to do with the items.  Min would tell these very extravagant stories, barely mentioning the object until the last few sentences..I really didn’t like that.  It was as if she forgot what she was talking about half of the time, then was like “OH YEAH! I got this weed from the tree we fooled around under.”

I had high expectations for this book, seeing as there was a lot of hype surrounding it.  I really enjoyed the artwork.  Sadly I only gave this book 3 Stars.