Taking refuge in a book is a pleasurable activity. It is often relieving to read a book that reflects your own experiences and allows you to express long-dormant thoughts and let out suppressed feelings. Our Chemical Heart by Krystal Sutherland is one of the best contemporary novels you can use to learn how to channel your emotions. In this article, we would like to introduce you to the book review of Our Chemical Hearts.
About The Book
Title: Our Chemical Hearts
Author: Krystal Sutherland
Genre: Mental Health, Young Adult, Romance, Realistic Fiction
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Type: Standalone
Pages: 319 pages
Goodreads rating: 3.7/5
Henry Page has never been in love. He was happy to concentrate on his grades, get into a halfway-decent college, and finally become editor of his school newspaper. Then Grace Town walks into his homeroom, and he knows everything is about to change. Grace is not who Henry imagined as his dream girl. She walks with a cane, wears oversized boy’s clothes, and rarely seems to shower. But when Grace and Henry are chosen to edit the school newspaper, he quickly falls in love with her. It’s evident that something about Grace is broken, but that seems to make her even more beautiful to Henry, and he wants to help her put the pieces back together. This book is funny and heartbreaking, a powerful reminder of the bittersweet happiness of first love.
Our Chemical Hearts Book Review
Ever get that feeling when a book just clicks with you? That’s exactly how Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland felt for me. This isn’t just another young adult novel about first love; it’s a deep dive into the raw, messy emotions we all go through. It hits you with love, loss, and heartbreak, capturing the essence of what it means to be human.
The story introduces us to Henry and Grace—two teens who, on the surface, seem pretty average. But as you dig deeper, you realize these characters are anything but. Henry’s thirst for life and experience contrasts sharply with Grace’s haunting past. Her emotional wounds run deep, and that’s where the story really shines. Sutherland doesn’t sugarcoat anything, making the characters’ struggles feel all too real.
“Love doesn’t need to last a lifetime for it to be real. You can’t judge the quality of a love by the length of time it lasts. Everything dies, love included. Sometimes it dies with a person, sometimes it dies on its own.”
Our Chemical Hearts, Krystal Sutherland
What struck me the most were the conversations between Henry and Grace. They aren’t just talking; they’re laying their souls bare. The dialogue is sharp, packed with meaning, and sometimes it hits you like a punch in the gut. In addition, the discussions of topics such as first love, guilt, coping with grief, etc., pique the reader’s interest.
The portrayal of grief and guilt is also spot on. Grace’s reluctance to open up to Henry adds tension to their relationship, making it feel almost too heavy at times. But that’s the point. The book shows how easy it is to fall in love with an idea rather than the person standing in front of you.
“The best thing the universe ever gave us is that we’ll all be forgotten. […] I kinda like the idea. That when we die, despite any pain or fear or embarrassment we experienced during our lives, despite any heartbreak or grief, we get to be dispersed back into nothingness.”
Our Chemical Hearts, Krystal Sutherland
Now, if you’re like me and believe that content is more than just words on a page, you’ll appreciate the subtle depth of this novel. Sure, some might say it gets a bit bleak in parts, but that’s what makes it resonate. It’s not just telling a story—it’s making you feel it.
Henry and Grace’s relationship isn’t wrapped up in a neat bow, and that’s what makes it so compelling. It’s messy, heartbreaking, and very, very real. And let’s be honest, isn’t that what love is all about?
Conclusion
Rating: 4.5 / 5
Recommendation: If you’re into young adult novels that don’t shy away from the hard stuff, this one’s a must-read. It’s a bittersweet journey that’ll stick with you long after you turn the last page.
About the Author
Krystal Sutherland is an Australian author. She is best known for her first novel, Our Chemical Hearts, and her third novel House of Hollow, on the New York Times bestseller list. In 2020, Amazon Studios released a film adaptation of the book Our Chemical Hearts, titled Chemical Hearts.
Link to Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland:
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