Play Me Backwards

I was a bit worried going in, but for the opposite reason of most people. I didn’t want to hear preaching and turning towards God or whatever. Thankfully, there’s none of that here. The Good +LOVED it! +No preaching or attempts to convert +Hilarious & fun +Unpredictable +Loved Leon, his journey, and character progression +Realistic teens and activities + Quotable +Insightful I loved everything about Play Me Backwards. Honestly, I have nothing bad to say about it. Some might object or reject it due to the content, but I found it refreshing and sorely needed, especially after so many slut-shaming books. It’s an authentic portrayal of teens. There’s sex, disgusting conversations, kicking it while drinking and smoking, video games, metal music, and of course, Dungeons & Dragons. But it’s not hardcore, dark, or dreary. There is romance and sweetness, but it’s not the typical YA fare. hroughout the trials and tribulations, Leon is insightful and the writing is great. I loved the short chapters describing one phenomena like dread and love. Not only did I find them funny and spot-on but it’s great building Leon’s character and mindset. Of course, none of this would happen without S(a)tan. It bucks the Judeo-Christian depiction while including tired tropes against Satanist and making them freshly down to Earth. This Satan is more The Satanic Temple than the Church of Satan. And yes, there’s a huge difference. He’s the boss at the Ice Cave, a rundown ice cream parlor that’s most popular feature is the den of miscreants in the back. Stan holds court there and in his basement. The amazing thing about those places is the liberation and community among people who would otherwise be outsiders. Leon likens it to Rudolph’s Island of Misfit Toys only with pride and debauchery. All the background cast have their own personalities and are easily identifiable without John-Green-esque quirks. And you if like Leon’s parents you totally need to check out Cracked series about taste testing old recipes here, here, and here. I didn’t know what anyone would say or do next. It was a BLAST! Unpredictable and hilarious, Play Me Backwards is nonstop. I did not want to put it down and couldn’t wait to get back to reading. But like I said earlier, don’t be fooled by the young mischief, there are serious issues that are handled well and are rarely included.

nbnmmbmmh GmbH n. Iggy hui

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