Just Another Epic Love Poem

What I Loved:

I had only read a few pages of this book and already didn't want to put it down because of how beautifully written it was. This book managed to break my heart and then put it back together again by the end. It was something that I needed to read and there is so much that I will revisit when I need to hear it.

This book covers so many things going beyond what you expect from a romance. Some of the things that this book covers include: addiction, grief, religion, sexuality, friendship, and relationships. I appreciate the attention that was given to the affect that addiction has on a family unit as well as the complexity of the individual's relationship with addiction. Through the depiction of addiction in this book we are able to see how someone may be struggling with grief as the image they have of this individual has to shift to fit who they are now and who they will be beyond the addiction.

This book also shows how trust can affect relationships, both romantic and familial. This book navigated the aspects of healing quite well as Mitra worked to trust those that have lost it as well as to be able to trust new people. This was an important aspect of Mitra's story.

The main point that kept me reading this book was the discussion of what being queer in a religious setting was like and how it felt to be queer and non-religious in this setting. Mitra and Bea both navigate this aspect of their lives quite differently and this really spoke to me because it can show how the same thing has a different impact on different individuals. I liked that we saw what it was like being in a Catholic school and not subscribing to the religion and also being queer. I thought it was interesting to see how Mitra navigated this and how her sister navigated not being Catholic. It was nice to see that Mitra, Azar, and Bea navigated the space differently.

What Left me Wanting More:

Through this book you are introduced to our main character, Mitra, her sister, Azar, her best friend/love interest, Bea, her mom, dad, and several others at school. I really enjoyed all of the characters that are included in this book even if you briefly interact with some. I found even the background characters to be intriguing and add something to the story. I was really hoping that we would get more time with some of the background characters to get to know them and how they felt about Mitra and Bea. I really wanted more time with both of their families to see how those relationships would continue to develop.


The Final Verdict:
Just Another Epic Love Poem is beautifully written, and has to be shared with everyone that I encounter. There were so many lines that had me pause to think and reflect on my life when I was that age. This book wasn't afraid to be real when it came to fears and insecurities that arise in teenage relationships and show how those can negatively impact others.