Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler (review by Megan H. '18)

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler (more commonly known under his alias Lemony Snicket) tells the story of the short-lived romance of Min Green, indie film fanatic and nameless nobody at school, and Ed Slatterton, the popular co-captain of the basketball team. The novel follows Min, as she returns mementos from their relationship back to Ed after their breakup, each accompanied by a letter addressing him, which divulges to the reader the story behind the souvenir, as well as a reason that the two broke up, as stated in the title. The backstory behind each trinket composes the entire tale of the relationship, from start to finish, while the letters from Min to Ed reflect her opinions and emotions she feels as she goes through it. Handler excellently depicts the classic teenage relationship, while weaving in his own twists that have always characterized his distinctive writing. Although the events that the two protagonists face are incredibly interesting and unlike a typical romance novel, their personalities sometimes fall flat and seem stereotypical, as Min is depicted as an artsy hipster while Ed is portrayed as the classic jock. However, I still enjoyed this book from the beginning to the end and would recommend it to anyone looking to read a unique story about the life and death of a relationship.

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