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A review by rellimreads
Heartbreak Hero by Jackie Walker
1.0
DNF @ 50% (then skimmed some parts)
The pacing is bogged down by flashbacks and unnecessary “vaguebooking”. It was a slog to get through what I did. It could have been tightened up considerably.
I would have given it 2 stars as just being “not for me” in terms of the author’s style. However the biggest issue I had was with the autistic rep. While the author is correct that every autistic individual is unique - this reads very much like an allistic framing of autism.
Spoilers to give examples:
This book perpetuates the myth that autistics can and should mask for the benefit of others over their own thoughts, feelings, & needs.
In the half I read there’s at least 20 different comments about making the “proper” amount of eye contact (in addition to Sue mentioning how painful it is for her).
“I meet the kind eyes of my therapist, then look away after two seconds — I don’t want to be rude to the person who taught me how long to hold eye contact.”
“I turn, giving her my full attention, which includes more than two seconds of eye contact because it just feels right after a productive therapy session like this.”
It was also frustrating that Sue’s autistic traits are inconsistent for story convenience. She was unfiltered, bold, had perfect memory, and rigid when it made for a funny interaction (ie all the RomCom of this book is Sue’s “adorable quirkiness”) but suddenly that part of her personality disappears when it comes to serious communication with others and forgiving Leo. (The most unbelievable thing to me is that he could have so cruelly hurt/dismissed her and that she’d immediately get over it when he returns.)
It is not a story of acceptance of anything other than the diagnosis itself. Not of autism or specifically Sue as an individual. She is infantilized by her family and Leo. It was painful to read.
At the end, when I read the author’s resources for Autism I realized why. The groups she recommends were founded by & for *others* who wish to “fix” autistic people &/or train them to conform for the comfort of neurotypicals. This perspective is obvious throughout the book.
Additionally, I think it's important to boost the review of someone who is #ActuallyAutistic :
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5691241994
The pacing is bogged down by flashbacks and unnecessary “vaguebooking”. It was a slog to get through what I did. It could have been tightened up considerably.
I would have given it 2 stars as just being “not for me” in terms of the author’s style. However the biggest issue I had was with the autistic rep. While the author is correct that every autistic individual is unique - this reads very much like an allistic framing of autism.
Spoilers to give examples:
Spoiler
This book perpetuates the myth that autistics can and should mask for the benefit of others over their own thoughts, feelings, & needs.
In the half I read there’s at least 20 different comments about making the “proper” amount of eye contact (in addition to Sue mentioning how painful it is for her).
“I meet the kind eyes of my therapist, then look away after two seconds — I don’t want to be rude to the person who taught me how long to hold eye contact.”
“I turn, giving her my full attention, which includes more than two seconds of eye contact because it just feels right after a productive therapy session like this.”
It was also frustrating that Sue’s autistic traits are inconsistent for story convenience. She was unfiltered, bold, had perfect memory, and rigid when it made for a funny interaction (ie all the RomCom of this book is Sue’s “adorable quirkiness”) but suddenly that part of her personality disappears when it comes to serious communication with others and forgiving Leo. (The most unbelievable thing to me is that he could have so cruelly hurt/dismissed her and that she’d immediately get over it when he returns.)
It is not a story of acceptance of anything other than the diagnosis itself. Not of autism or specifically Sue as an individual. She is infantilized by her family and Leo. It was painful to read.
At the end, when I read the author’s resources for Autism I realized why. The groups she recommends were founded by & for *others* who wish to “fix” autistic people &/or train them to conform for the comfort of neurotypicals. This perspective is obvious throughout the book.
Additionally, I think it's important to boost the review of someone who is #ActuallyAutistic :
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5691241994