This was a fun book. I was given an ARC (advance reader's copy) a few months ago and finally had time to read it this past week, and I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. I usually prefer fantasy/sci-fi elements over literary fiction, but since it was a free book, I figured I might as well try it. One thing that caught my attention right away was the book's main character: Saul, a computer programmer who writes novels in his free time—exactly the kind of thing I'd like to do.
I Only Cry with Emoticons by Yuvi Zalkow is a book about a misunderstood computer programmer trying to write a novel about his dead grandfather while navigating his relationships with his almost ex-wife and seven-year-old son, Auggie. Saul hides in the bathroom at work writing his book and wonders why his boss wants to fire him and why his coworker, Anne, keeps butting into his personal life. When Anne sets him up on a blind date, Saul meets Kitty, a quirky, piggy-bank-collecting artist who challenges his relationship with his ex-wife, his son, his novel, and pretty much every other relationship he's ever had. Their relationship forces him to face the trauma of his past and address the consequences of being disconnected, both on and offline. Maybe, if Saul can find the answer in his novel, everything else in his life will finally be okay.
Despite dealing with intense emotions, relationships, and themes, I Only Cry with Emoticons is still a comedy that maintains a light-hearted tone. I loved learning about the characters and witnessing Saul's interactions with his son, his ex-wife, and Kitty. I enjoyed seeing how they pushed each other and helped each other grow and learn, and Auggie quickly carved himself a special place in my heart. And even though I thought Saul was an idiot at times who was constantly making the (obviously, in my eyes) wrong decisions, he was still likable, and I rooted for him to find his way.
There was only one thing I disliked about this novel, and it is very much a personal preference thing. Instead of quotation marks, all of the dialogue is in italics. I've seen that style before, but I'm still getting used to it, so at times, it was hard to focus on the dialogue. If that is something that bothers you, then maybe this book isn't for you—but if not, I definitely recommend it.
I am happy to rate I Only Cry with Emoticons by Yuvi Zalkow 5/5 stars. It taught me a lot about human relationships, and I hope you allow it to do the same for you.
Yorumlar