I visited my old workplace recently and I got to talking with my lovely library ladies about new books that had come in over the past year. I didn’t realise how much I missed buying for a school library collection! So, I have decided to help them out a little by reading some of the new things they’ve bought and reviewing them. While the reviews I have given to the library are designed more to grab students and get them reading, I figured it would also be worth my while reviving the practice of honestly reviewing books on my blog as well, so here are my unfiltered thoughts on See you on Venus by Victoria Vinuesa.
Firstly, here is the review I submitted to the lovely library ladies for their website and Library Management System:
See you on Venus is the story of how a boy and a girl save each other’s lives.
Kyle is heartbroken over an accident that claimed his friend’s life. Mia has a broken heart, literally. One fateful day, Mia notices that Kyle doesn’t seem ok and follows him; she saves his life. In return, Kyle reluctantly helps Mia travel to Spain, but Kyle knows that Mia is a liar and is holding something back from him. As they cross Spain together, Kyle begins to unravel the mystery of Mia. This story is perfect for fans of Five Feet Apart and Everything Everything.
Trigger warning: suicide and depression
And here are my real thoughts…
If I’m being honest, this type of book is not my cup of tea. I’d call this “sick lit,” which was a sub-genre of contemporary fiction that was popular a few years ago that gave rise to stories like Five Feet Apart and Everything Everything. When given a choice in what to read, this sub-genre would not be my pick! So, keep that in mind while you continue on with this review.
Synopsis (spoilers present!)
The book is just over 300 pages long and covers a lot of ground. The story starts with Mia hinting at her health problems (heart condition) and her background in the foster system. She also tells us of her best friend who died from a car accident recently. This best friend was supposed to take her to Spain but now that he’s gone and her heart problems are worsening, Mia decides that the trip must happen now.
I think you’ll probably agree with me when I say that that’s a lot of tragedy to cover in the first chapter, and it only gets more intense!
Mia then looks out her window and notices Kyle standing on the street looking desperate. She has a horrible feeling and so she decides to follow him. She winds up tracking him to the local waterfall and stops Kyle from doing something drastic. [If you don’t want spoilers, I’d skip to the next paragraph – if you’re ok with spoilers, then read on!] Kyle’s suicide attempt is thwarted by a desperate act from Mia. It’s pretty intense but also not too graphic as the narrative focuses more on the scenery and Mia’s actions more than Kyle’s thoughts (although they are present and might be triggering for some). Mia save Kyle’s life and decides then and there that he is the one she wants to go on her Spain adventure with.
The way that Mia cons (yes, she definitely is a bit of a con artist and lies very easily) Kyle into traveling with her is a little unbelievable and the reaction of his parents also doesn’t seem real. I guess this is where YA can differ a little from adult as young adults are more likely to accept the bizarre and so maybe this is a sign that I’m getting older but it’s all a bit contrived for me. Anyway, once they are in Spain, Kyle starts to really wonder what is going on with Mia and slowly uncovers the truth. [Spoiler alert!] They are on their way to try and locate Mia’s birth mother before her heart gives out…
It’s pretty obvious that for all her talk of living, Mia has given up on having a future. This is where Kyle’s turnaround in attitude (which happens a little too quickly for my liking but again, pacing in a YA novel does tend to be faster than reality to keep the interest of the reader so again, I think this is a sign that I’m getting older!) is key to saving Mia’s life. On their journey through Spain, Mia starts to think about a life after surgery and whether that might be something she’s willing to fight for.
I will say that this story does have a ridiculously happy ending and so the hope is a redeeming factor in my eyes!
Thoughts
I gave this 2 out of 5 stars on Goodreads, which in my world means that the book was “ok.” As I warned you earlier, this type of story is so not my thing but I can see why young people will love it.
There’s drama, family issues, love, romance, a police chase (yes, you read that right), and it’s so filled with hope and smiley moments that I KNOW teens will eat this up.
I have suggested that a content warning be put on the book as the opening scenes of suicide ideation are intense but they are not to full on as to be in your face. They also pass very quickly and the rest of the story is one of hope and fighting to live. I’d say this is appropriate for 13+ but I also think that young people should be made aware of what they’re getting into in the first scene so alerts and tagging here is key!
While I didn’t love this book, I am glad I read it. There were some beautiful lines and I loved the fact that there was hope.
The Lifting Librarian 