Halfway through, I couldn't see this book ending in a satisfying conclusion. Most of the characters were unlikable, and I definitely hadn't formed any attachments yet. I did like the unique settings, and the way the author painted pictures in my mind with tiny slips of obscure description. But I was only reading to see if it got better.

And the short answer is yes. The long answer is OHMYGOODNESS I love these characters so much. Especially Mina—she made me wish I had an older sister, which is something I've never necessarily wanted. And Hector—his fun-loving, funny, cheerful, always-accepting-and-forgiving personality was perfect best friend material. I even like his smile, and how does that happen through the pages of a book?

Another thing—this book has the best representation of anorexia I've ever read, middle grade or otherwise. Mina was a side character, but I could viscerally feel her anguish. I now have a much better picture of how hard a battle an eating disorder can be. I rate that part of the book 5 stars.

There are two things I still don't like: the divorce, and the evolution aspect. The latter because of obvious reasons, the former because I just don't think it was completely necessary. It was alright, though, as a subplot. I'm just still a little upset at Emily's dad.

All in all, though, I love the way this book made me feel (mostly), and how it explores the idea of deciding who you really want to be. In the end, Emily did a great job of it. I hope this book inspires others her age to follow in her footsteps.