Benj Pasek

I am legit still processing this book, so I will write whatever pours out, it might be the ramblings of a reader or a true heartfelt review. I will begin with I joined an additional reading challenge in one of the groups I am on here on Goodreads, we had some prompts to choose fun but overall to just read as many books as we can.

I have so many books and therefore enlisted the help of my daughter to help me choose books for these prompts/ my June TBR pile. The prompt she chose this book for was a book related to music and although this book doesn't per say have to do with music it is based of a musical so eh, it fits.

I started this today around 10ish in the morning I think and finished a little after 10 pm. This was an amazing read, I mean I literally couldn't put it down but between my household duties I did and then kept going.

Dear Evan Hansen is about suicide, the repercussions of suicide, the lies one teenager falls into but must keep up with and the fall out. Val Emmich did an amazing job taking us on this journey of two boys that cross paths and how it impacts them and everyone around them.

What one lie can spiral into, what as parents we fail to see or assume to know about our children, drugs and homosexuality and lack of understanding our children can really impact them.

I couldn't put this book down it took me on a whirlwind of emotions, as a parent, as a person who has suffered from depression for so long and as a person that has lost loved ones to suicide.

“I wish that everything was different. I wish that I was a part of something. I wish that anything I said mattered, to anyone. I mean, let's face it: would anybody even notice if I disappeared tomorrow?” How many of us have had that same thought crossed their mind? I can sit here and honestly tell you it's probably a thought that has crossed my mind more times that I'd like to admit to but it has.

I am so glad my daughter chose this book for me, I am still in my feels about it but I do recommend and will give it the 5 stars it deserves, there is nothing I could ask for better in this book.

Because this book does talk about suicide, drugs, death, homosexuality please search if it would have triggers for you before reading.

If you ever find yourself in a situation that it feels there is no way out, there is help, please reach out to the following links below or google for your near by Suicide prevention hotline. You are not alone!!

https://www.thetrevorproject.org - an organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ youth

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Languages: English, Spanish
Hours: Available 24 hours >… (more)

Unfortunately, I really didn't enjoy this one, but am giving it two stars because a) I'm sure I'm at least 35 years older than the target audience and b) the ending had some touching moments.

But, honestly . . .
- Do 17 year old's talk, think, or act like Evan Hansen? I didn't know any like him when I was growing up. Nor when my sons were seniors in high school. He seemed like he was more like a 14 year old.
- Is the reader supposed to like the protagonist? It was a pretty big lift. I don't need to like characters as a general rule, but I at least need to empathize with the choices they are making. Or love hating them and not just finding them annoying.
- What exactly did Zoe find attractive (at least initially)?
- The juxtaposition of wit and suicidal kids didn't work for me at all.
- The Jewish character struck me as stereotypical (I'm Jewish so take that for what it's worth). Not a major issue, but didn't make me like the book more.
- A memorial Orchard was the best thing these kids could come up with to do to honor the book's victim? Does this sound like something high school kids would come up with?



I am done, done, done with YA. I am clearly too old for it.
… (more)