We All Looked Up Review

Distiller: Hikari Loftus
3/5 Stars



We All Looked Up
by Tommy Wallach
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (March 24, 2015)
384 pages

I suspect that I’m not the right audience for this one, so keep that in mind as I share my personal feelings on my reading.

“We All Looked Up” follows four high school seniors Peter, Anita, Eliza, and Andy in the month following the announcement that an asteroid is on a collision course for Earth.

With little hope for survival, “We All Looked Up” follows the jock, the A+ student, the slut, and the loser on their journeys to understanding what’s important in their lives, and what it means to really live.

Written from each character’s point of view in alternating chapters, readers get a up close look at how each of them handles the prospect of no future, and how to sort their priorities. (Insert Hermoine emoji.) It’s a story of unlikely friendships, familial and romantic love, and taking a moment to clear out all the clutter and focus on what's most important.
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I liked the alternating character chapters. In a situation like this, with the end of the world closing in fast, this was a great way to really connect with and understand each of the characters. I felt like the characters were well developed and believable. I think everyone can find a little piece of themselves in each of the characters, which I thought was cool.

There was a lot of drugs, senseless violence, and craziness and scariness that comes from combining the two--all heightened in the face of impending doom. For me, the way those things were depicted in this book really brought me down and made the story drag more than it added anything.

One thing I like about books is that you can experience a lot of different or negative emotions and lifestyles in a safe space. But for me, this one left me feeling all around horrible, annoyed, and pretty disappointed--rather than feeling I'd risen from the ashes.

There were a lot of great lines in here, but some times the personal beliefs or political views felt a little like a soap box than a theme. Overall, probably not one I will add to my shelves. .

Any books you've read lately that you didn't vibe with? Or what's your favorite book that someone else didn't like very much?