The Half-life of Planets

Hank, the kid with Asperger's, is a great character, nicely done. Liana, not so much. The big unspoken problem with this book is that - frankly - the authors are using "kissing" as a metaphor for, uh, something a little stronger. Think about it. The girl gets called a slut for kissing a few guys. Come on! She wouldn't get called a slut, and even if somebody called her that, she would know better than to half-believe it as she does in this novel. The publisher is owned by Disney, so maybe the authors had to use kissing as a substitute for what we all know they were really writing about. But it makes for one weird book. ...In spite of all that, I read it all the way through, partly because I liked Hank, and partly to see if they ever made sense of the kissing issue. They didn't. ( )

When I read THE HALF-LIFE OF PLANETS, I found the characters absolutely irresistible. It’s a novel in two voices — Liana, a girl who really likes to kiss boys and is trying to quit or at least not kiss any new boys this summer, and Hank, who is cripplingly obsessed with music and the polar opposite of his gets-all-the-girls brother. When girl meets boy in — of all places — the women’s restroom, Liana is struck by Hank’s cool demeanor and quirky style. Hank is struck by Liana’s tight t-shirt. And while Liana remains dedicated to being kissless all summer long, spurred on by the SLUT note someone left in her locker and her summer job at an astrology lab, Hank can’t get enough of her. Soon, they have regular dates at the local coffeeshop. They’re connecting. But when Liana finds out that Hank’s quirky charm and passion for music is actually Asperger’s syndrome, she freaks out. And Hank’s inability to pick up on social cues seems to be leading their relationship to disaster.

I love that this is not an “issues book” despite all the issues presented. I love that it portrays Asperger’s Syndrome as part of Hank, not as his entire identity, and Liana’s very real reaction to discovering Hank’s secret. THE HALF-LIFE OF PLANETS is also about family and loss, with Liana’s hypochondriac dad and emotionally distant mother, and Hank’s jumbled family and unaddressed grief. It is a book about a boy who loves music and a girl who loves science as much as it is about a failing self-image or a socially stunting disability. It’s a book about mistakes and reparations, promises and second chances.

It’s the kind of book that I hope the ALA will pick up on this fall, when doling out accolades like the Schneider Family Book Award, which is a medal given to books for young people about disabilities. Because THE HALF-LIFE OF PLANETS paints a picture of two kids and the summer they fell for each other — it is not just what the ALA refers to as “the disability experience,” but it is the human experience, first and foremost. ( )

A sweet romance between a girl who’s trying to get over her addiction to kissing and a music-loving boy with Asperger’s. I did feel like quirky traits took the place of genuine character-building sometimes, and I was really annoyed at Lianna’s complete inability or unwillingness to understand how Hank’s actions are affected by having Asperger’s. But despite those reservations, I enjoyed this. ( )

Liana and Hank's friendship begins unexpectedly. But it begins as a friendship. I liked that. I enjoyed reading about how they go from two strangers meeting in a girls bathroom at the hospital, to sharing coffee at Espresso Love, to sharing secrets in the bedroom (Hank is feeding his turtle, theres just talk). They both want more, but through insecurities and misunderstandings and the "no-kissing-summer", it takes a while to get there. Which is okay.

Hank, with all his ramblings and oversharing and musical know, is wonderful. Liana's love of space and struggles with boys is endearing. They had a lot of growing up to do. By the end, they have grown. They've become better people. I liked them. I liked their story.

I got deeper into the male mind then I really wanted, and there is swearing. ( )

Reviewed by Jennifer Rummel for TeensReadToo.com

Liana makes a pact with herself not to kiss any boys during the summer. She's kissed several boys in the past, but then run from them all. Instead, she's going to focus on herself. She wants to understand why she can't talk to boys.

Hank knows about music; he lives for music. He works at a music store and has his eye on a special guitar. Hank is also different - he has Asperger's syndrome. It's hard for him to have conversations with people because he doesn't understand social clues.

Liana and Hank meet randomly in a girls' bathroom. Immediately, they connect. They can't stop talking and neither wants to leave the conversation. They meet up again at a coffee shop. Liana just wants a friend, someone normal she can count on. Hank wants to date Liana. He's never had a girlfriend. Eventually, they share secrets and their dreams.

Can they get past their differences?

Asperger's syndrome isn't the main focus of the story, but it adds a serious tone to this tale that is told in alternating perspectives. With THE HALF-LIFE OF PLANETS, Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin pen a winning novel of friendship, romance, and discovering yourself. ( )