Five Ways To Fall Out of Love

Gr 10 Up–When Webster Casey moves in across the street, Aubrey Cash is excited to have made a friend. After spending the summer getting to know him, she asks him to the homecoming dance. When he stands her up, though, she realizes he’s not the person she thought he was. Not only does he stop talking to her, but he spends most of their senior year bullying her, leaving Aubrey confused about his former kindness. Then Aubrey starts dating his cousin Holland and realizes what it’s like to have someone treat her well. When she finds out why Webster acted the way he did, she must confront new emotions that change her outlook. Though the premise of this story is sweet, its execution falls flat. In the first half of the novel, the characters seem naive and their actions are not always realistic. During the second half, the author suddenly throws in heavy sensual scenes that do not fit the flow of the narrative. The problems that Aubrey faces are relatable and important, but the way her character complains often comes across as whiny. Webster’s identity as bisexual, though an important attempt at greater inclusion in the narrative, is poorly developed. Despite the inconsistencies, Martin does a good job at advancing the plot and highlighting the granular level of teenage angst. Main characters are white.