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A review by frutsbasket
Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
1.0
lets get to it shall we, I want more for my sisters in STEM.
I think that Ali Hazelwood is well meaning but her stories are coming of as very repetitive. Especially with the metaphors and mentions of how tall Jack is? (how effortlessly he can pick up Elise and any object that comes in his way) It reminded me a LOTT of Adam. Female MC wise, I think that Elsie was the most tolerable. I think that Ali Hazelwood likes to live vicariously through her main characters and I felt that especially with Elsie. I think that Hazelwood loves to throw things at the wall to see if they'll stick and if they do she says "yes! more of that!" and so we got super tall guy and quirky girl in science.
The constant pop references took me out of the story T____T I really did not like the constant hyperfixation of Elsie being Twilight and Cheese. It felt very... not like a real person. I think my main gripe is that these characters never feel like REAL people. They're all so quirky and loud in a way that their personality shines in a way that seems so artificial and fickle. Very rarely does the quirkiness fade away and we see them as people and not caricatures of people in science. I think that people in STEM fields deserve ample representation that doesn't rely on cheap tropes in place of personalities. I want more fleshed out girls in science, dammit! I think that the most real characters were George and her wife. Ali Hazelwood WRITE MORE CHARACTERS LIKE THEM!!
The relationship with her advisor felt very strange and I was more so pleased with how that played out but I wish that through Elsie learning about healthy, boundaries we got more of her telling OFF her mother?? Why is she responsible for two grown men fighting over a girl like they're 6? It just didn't feel real and I didn't buy it. I also think that we didn't get enough of her explicitly coming to terms with the fact that her diabetes is not a hinderance or a burden to loved ones?? I feel like we completely forgot about that.
Things I loved: I found the job hunting process really interesting and real, some things are simply set up!!
The STEM Lesbians were by far the most interesting characters
I found all the little cameos so cheeky and sweet
In conclusion, are these books admittedly repetitive? Yes... But if you like them should you stop? No... Read whatever you want! If something gets you to read at all, I see it as a win!
I think that Ali Hazelwood is well meaning but her stories are coming of as very repetitive. Especially with the metaphors and mentions of how tall Jack is? (how effortlessly he can pick up Elise and any object that comes in his way) It reminded me a LOTT of Adam. Female MC wise, I think that Elsie was the most tolerable. I think that Ali Hazelwood likes to live vicariously through her main characters and I felt that especially with Elsie. I think that Hazelwood loves to throw things at the wall to see if they'll stick and if they do she says "yes! more of that!" and so we got super tall guy and quirky girl in science.
The constant pop references took me out of the story T____T I really did not like the constant hyperfixation of Elsie being Twilight and Cheese. It felt very... not like a real person. I think my main gripe is that these characters never feel like REAL people. They're all so quirky and loud in a way that their personality shines in a way that seems so artificial and fickle. Very rarely does the quirkiness fade away and we see them as people and not caricatures of people in science. I think that people in STEM fields deserve ample representation that doesn't rely on cheap tropes in place of personalities. I want more fleshed out girls in science, dammit! I think that the most real characters were George and her wife. Ali Hazelwood WRITE MORE CHARACTERS LIKE THEM!!
The relationship with her advisor felt very strange and I was more so pleased with how that played out but I wish that through Elsie learning about healthy, boundaries we got more of her telling OFF her mother?? Why is she responsible for two grown men fighting over a girl like they're 6? It just didn't feel real and I didn't buy it. I also think that we didn't get enough of her explicitly coming to terms with the fact that her diabetes is not a hinderance or a burden to loved ones?? I feel like we completely forgot about that.
Things I loved: I found the job hunting process really interesting and real, some things are simply set up!!
The STEM Lesbians were by far the most interesting characters
I found all the little cameos so cheeky and sweet
In conclusion, are these books admittedly repetitive? Yes... But if you like them should you stop? No... Read whatever you want! If something gets you to read at all, I see it as a win!