A: Hi Meera!
M: Hi Aishwarya!
A: Let’s get right into it. So, I picked this book–
M: Wait, you picked Dear Evan Hansen when we were in that book store together, right?
A: Where did we go? What bookstore?
M: In Montreal!
A: Oh my god, you’re right!!
M: I got some book that took place in India and you got this one.
A: No, you’re completely right. I totally forgot about when I picked this up!
M: Wow, that was honestly the origin of Book Swap because we decided to both pick a book and then switch!
A: This book was the beginning of this segment in the year 2019. I guess that was when that all really started.
M: So, really we’ve had this blog in the works for years!!
A: So, I picked this book up not only because it currently was a broadway sensation, but it left me feeling unsure about what I had just experienced and it was quite difficult to sort through those emotions and feelings. Did you feel that way at all having just finished the book?
M: Yes, definitely. I finished the book last week. So, very recently. It was a quick read. But I think that with most books, there’s one specific lesson, scene, or dialogue that sticks with me after I read it for the next couple days. And I don’t think I had one specific moment with this book. I don’t think I’ve had that yet. I’m hoping that you will illuminate me.
A: For sure, I think this book had a really… interesting story.
M: Definitely.
A: I had never seen a story like this and its portrayal of mental health affecting both protagonists. I definitely want to watch the musical to see how this is relayed in a visual sense because maybe then, it will be able to evoke that gut reaction in us. For me, it became a book about illuminating that every character was going through it. There was not one character in that book that was not struggling. They almost made a point to find a way for every character to expose what was going on behind the scenes. That was the biggest point I had taken away from the book.
M: For sure. There was relatability to every character’s struggle. Every character had those bits of vulnerability; when they exposed that to someone else, they often get the benefits of that. When Zoe and Evan exchanged their stories, it was really heartfelt and beautiful to read which was ultimately over a LIE. This is the juxtaposition throughout the book which is that people are finding happiness and some moment of solace, but it is all founded on this falsehood.
A: I know you just touched upon this a bit but could you solely connect to one character? Why or why not?
M: I don’t think that I was able to make that connection to one character. What I connected to most was that generally, everybody has others in their best interest. Everybody wanted to help somebody else, but their way of going about it wasn’t executed well. When you’re struggling with your own issues and don’t have the outlet to adequately address them, there’s no way for you also care for others. It was that very cliche “you can’t love someone, unless you learn to love someone else” thread that ran through the book.
A: I completely understand that. You really have to make sure you’re taking care of yourself and paying attention to your mental health. Your struggles and your hardships have a way of seeping into other parts of your life. This book demonstrated how messy it can end up being because of that. What do you think you wish you could have seen in this book? How could it have been edited or modified to help you connect more?
M: While we’re in our endeavor to explore adult literature, I would have enjoyed this book more had I been in high school. The language and character struggles were more high school, but everyone can relate to mental health issues and dealing with different relationships. Reading it now, at the place that I am, I wish there was more depth to the characters. However, I’m judging this compared to other novels and this book does get translated differently in a visual format (such as the musical). You’re better able to see the depth in those formats but here in this book, it felt as though every issue was trying to be addressed. That’s not a bad thing, especially, when you’re younger and able to see all of these characters go through what they’re going through. For me, it was too many things and there wasn’t enough depth coming from this book format.
A: I wish I had seen more diversity in this book. It would have been really cool to see that Connor’s family was a different ethnicity. We know personally how much stigma surrounds mental health in South Asian communities. It would have been really interesting to see that family having come from a background where mental health isn’t addressed. It might have given us more of the depth that we were discussing before. Onto my last question. What do you hope that readers gain from this book?
M: Knowing that you might not see it on the outside, but everyone is going through it. Characters that seem perfect on the outside are dealing with their own issues and learning how to address them. One of the big lessons is to not make judgments on people when you don’t know the journey they’re going on, even on one specific day. And based on this book, when it is a hard day, people are willing to help if you take that first step. That is the hardest part – being vulnerable to others. Most people have good intentions at heart. It’s important to recognize that I have my own issues. You have your own issues. Being vulnerable with each other can actually be beneficial.
Ultimately, what you walk away with is “What would have happened if the lie in the book was actually true?” If people were more understanding, more willing to share their vulnerabilities, it might have been a better world for all the characters.