tarkant

Reading this book was very painful. Although it’s hard to imagine a young person having gone through all of the terrible things Zach went through, I think his story probably speaks to a lot of young adults. One of the things that makes this book successful is Zach’s voice. Yes, he throws the f-bomb around a lot, along with several other choice words, but it feels very much like hearing an angry teen talk. For the young adults themselves, this language would likely not seem offensive at all, but parents of teens might have more of an issue with the language. But it wasn’t only the cuss words that gave Zach’s voice authenticity, it was also the very conversational nature of his voice. It’s easy to really hear Zach, and the way he relates his story it’s as if you’ve met a new friend and you’re swapping stories over a cup of coffee. Additionally, Saenz also marks Zach’s growth through is voice, and as the story progresses and Zach processes and heals, his voice changes. He loses some of the filler words – the “ohs”, “likes”, and “I knows” – and he becomes more articulate. Through Zach and Rafael, Saenz highlights the value of words, the importance of words, and the impact of words. For me personally, though, an addiction book may not have been the best choice. Certainly, Zach is in some incredible pain and has suffered various different types and degrees of trauma. But I found it tiring listening to him so actively decide not to acknowledge what’s wrong and what he’s been through, and to try so hard not to deal. And in some of his group and therapy sessions, there is mention of taking responsibility for his actions, even if he was operating in his disease, but ultimately, I would have liked to have seen this aspect of addiction fleshed out a little more. While Zach does “do the work,” it seemed like just as much as his alcoholism was defined by his relationships with others, so, too, was his recovery. And maybe that’s the way humans operate, maybe that’s just the way life is – so much of our experience is shaped by those with whom we’re experiencing it at any given time. But I’d like to think, and I would have liked to see from Zach, that ultimately it’s up to the individual. It’s up to Zach to seek comfort in a bottle, and it’s up to Zach to live sober. Certainly, having healthier relationships will foster a generally more healthy attitude toward life for Zach, but it has to come from Zach, it has to be what Zach wants for himself, not what Adam or Rafael want for Zach, and not even what Rafael wants for Rafael. Certainly, it is rewarding to watch Zach grow and make tremendous strides to begin living a healthy life, and for a story that is so depressing and heavy, it was nice to have a sense of hope for Zach. But Zach has a long road ahead of him, and the “everything’s going to be okay” vibe at the end felt a little forced and a little unrealistic.

2022-09-30 06:09