Noah Can't Even

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Add to that, a sexual identity crisis of epic proportions after best-friend Harry kisses him unexpectedly at a party. Despite all of this, he is eventually won over by Noah admitting to his faults in an, admittedly nice, little speech in private. This feels...odd. I mean, isn't there something in between a public declaration of love and a private apology that could have been offered? Some action that would speak louder than any off-the-cuff apology could? You know what I would do? What I did? Don't try to label it. Don't even think about what it is. Just enjoy the moment. And remember that no moment is for ever. And other moments come along. And sometimes they're even better. Sometimes they're worse. But don't fret about it. People always like to talk, but ask yourself: in the grand scheme of things, in the total insignificance of our tiny lives in this massive universe, who gives a shit?"

First off, I adored the writing style in this book. It's completely and utterly charming, funny, and sweet. I underlined tons of passages and laughed out loud. It's all written in Noah's POV (third person), and he's spastic and awkward and geeky and adorable. I can't do cringe. I've said this before. I can't watch reality talent contests like Britain's Got Talent or The Voice/X Factor, as I just can't handle the people who think they can sing but can't - I cringe and get embarrassed on that person's behalf. I can't watch certain hidden camera shows due to certain elements. I can't watch certain comedy programmes or films due to the the tone of the humour. I just can't do cringe. Yes, this book is cringe-worth - I knew that when I went in - but this is still hugely funny (maybe more so than Noah Can't Even, as I knew how Noah would react to certain things) and big hearted. This is a fairly critical review. With that in mind, I would just like to say that I am always happy to see well written YA LGBTQ+ fiction, and that this book, despite its issues, is exactly that. I genuinely think that the writer is talented and that this book will probably make many people happy. Nice.) Tak, tak, wiem, Noah jest szkolnym nerdem, ale wiecie, w przeciwieństwie do Polski, oni tam mają w Wielkiej Brytanii w szkole taki przedmiot jak edukacja seksualna. I nieśmiałość nie ma z tym nic wspólnego.I expected the cringe, how could I not? With that blurb and and that title ('can't even', do people still say that?), but the amount of blood curdling 'awkwardness' smashed together in every sentence was enough for me to stop. I am wary of saying a YA book is too childish for me because I'm 25. I'm not a teen, and so most teen books are not written with me in mind and of course that's the way it should be. But I've read teen books that are clearly for teens and not for me, and I've either still enjoyed them or thought nope, not for me, and moved on.

Sometimes, having something really nice in your life was worse than not having it, because it made you worries you were going to lose it. And losing something is worse when you know just how wonderful that thing is. Noah Grimes is brilliant. And frustrating, to the point of my wanting to shake him. He overthinks everything. (“Spontaneity is a friend to no one.”) And, for all his obvious intelligence, he makes the worst possible decisions. But Noah is also an innocent on the level of Voltaire’s Candide (without, however, being an optimist – Noah is painfully cynical because of the crap hand he feels he’s been dealt). Nearly sixteen, he wants nothing more than to be a normal teenager. He wants a social life. He wants to be invited to parties. He thinks he wants a girlfriend. Maybe. I meant what I said. Let’s not be interested in the rest of the world when we’re each other’s worlds.” Maybe I cringed while reading this as Noah was me when I was in my teens. Only he's more extreme in his reactions than me... Try to avoid reading it surrounded by family who are going to question why you keep grinning down at the book in your lap like the biggest dork in the world.Noah’s mother is a mess. As far as he sees it, she is neglectful and indifferent. There is a good deal of evidence to support his opinion, but the author also puts in the book several moments that suggest otherwise. Clearly, Noah’s mother, Lisa, makes many bad choices, not the least of which is her Beyoncé tribute act under the nom de theatre of Ruby Devine. But Noah also has Harry, his best friend and fellow geek since forever. And then there’s his grandmother, Millie, who taught him genteel ways and worldly wisdom. Sadly, gran is in a care home (and not a nice one), as dementia steals her away from him bit by bit. This might be London, and it might all be very hip, but they’d forgotten about the one thing that was always en vogue: good grammar. I have one of those "mom" senses of humor, so... I mostly just felt sorry for Noah and wished he had a better life. But that didn't mean that I didn't enjoy the story... I did... VERY much! I look forward to reading Noah Never Could because even when you think things can't get any worse, they can... just ask Noah! I hope to see better things for he and Harry in the next installment of Noah's life! A sequel is never easy, and despite loving Noah for all his awkward, socially inept, self deprecation, and Harry for his devoted nature, this fell short due to predictable cliches. I liked the book, it was funny, had madcap moments like the insanity that happened in the first one, and there were some scenes between Harry and Noah I wished there were more of. Noah as the kid on the spectrum navigating dating, love, and strained family dynamics is touching, and even sweet at times. At others I slap my forehead thinking, “Noah, what are you doing?”

Sophie was kind of irrelevant, sure she proves a good friend but seriously y'all hardly know each other. She was a kind hearted girl and I liked the fact she never wavered in her support of Noah. It's like she could tell he needed it. Though she did end up serving the straight person telling the non-straight person they aren't straight trope. Which I don't actually hate as a trope but eh for that.

There’s a lot going on in Noah’s life, for which I do not envy him, but thankfully he’s still got always-best-friend and now-new-boyfriend Harry to keep him (mostly) grounded. Noah’s family are still bonkers and his personal neuroses are full on flaring, especially when a drag queen moves into Noah’s house and a student exchange program sees Harry paired with sexy French boy named Pierre for far longer than Noah is personally comfortable with. If you look at it, this story has a tragic foundation. It is through the genius of Simon James Green’s writing that Noah’s story is not only hilarious, but also uplifting. Unlike Candide, who constantly evokes “the best of all possible worlds” (which was Voltaire being snarky, because he was a total cynic, too), Noah sees his world as the worst possible world, from which he yearns to escape. He lives in a nothing town with an absent father and a negligent mother. He is bullied and ignored, and shelters his soul within elaborate game-playing scenarios with Harry. I thought the quality of the writing improved over the course of the book. The initial tone was stridently, aggressively humorous, to the point of being farcical. Indignities and humiliations were heaped non-stop onto 15-year old Noah. But the kid was suffering through too much hell for me to find his situation funny. Noah Can't Even is silly and over-the-top in all the right ways, making the laugh-out-loud moments an absolute joy to read.