In one word, delightful. ( )

Elliot cracked me up. He’s like a mashup of Percy Jackson and David Rose. I couldn’t get enough of him.

Very different! Pleasantly unpredictable in some ways. ( )

First of all, this absolutely must be done on audio. Matthew Lloyd Davies did a wonderful job as narrator, particularly with Elliot’s voice. Elliot is a polarizing character—if you look at the reviews, he makes or breaks the book for people—and Davies brought out the humor of the character very well, even at his most unlikable. I can see why people might want to abandon the book toward the beginning, because Elliot is mean to people, especially dear, wonderful Luke. But I beg you, don’t abandon this book! Give it a chance to see more deeply into Elliot’s heart, and you will come to love him like I do.

This started off as a short story on Brennan’s blog that she wrote to get out of a slump and as a gift for her fans. I recommend grabbing a print copy of the book so you can read her delightful acknowledgements describing how the book came to be. It very much reads like something that was written online and developed a life of its own, by which I mean the pacing is that of a series of shorter arcs rather than one huge one with a gradual build to climax and denouement. There are common threads that carry through the whole—Elliot growing up, his thirst for affection, the slow burn romance with Luke, Elliot’s peace efforts in the midst of a militaristic society—but there’s still a different feel and structure to the book that I think might throw people who aren’t ready for it.

I love Brennan’s sense of humor and the clever way she flips things on their heads. Elliot, Luke, and Serene are a trio like Harry, Ron, and Hermione with the roles and relationships greatly altered. The flame-haired Elliot is the smart one who impatiently gets the others to care about their studies (he’s a lot meaner than Hermione but no less vulnerable), Luke is the athletic golden boy who seems to have everything going for him, and Serene is the other athletic one—Luke’s equal—not dense in the same way Ron was but instead coming from a culture with opposite gender roles and attitudes than Luke and Elliot are used to. Serene and Luke are from a different world than Elliot, just like Harry and Hermione are from a different world than Ron. They aren’t direct correlations to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, but I thought there was enough to make it likely Brennan was having fun messing around with that group dynamic. I especially loved how she applied the Chosen One trope to Elliot’s friendships and romantic relationships. I’ve seen a lot of criticism of Elliot’s sexual relationships in other reviews, but I think his behavior makes perfect sense for someone who has been starved of love his whole life. I’m glad he finally finds it in all its forms—not just romantically, but with Luke’s family and his new friendships.
I guess I’ve started rambling. I loved these characters, and I loved this book on audio. I couldn’t wait until my next commute to hear what happened next. ( )

Sass and Sarcasm.
Elliot Schafer is annoying and obnoxious. He is sharp-tongued, super sassy and sarcastic.
He deserves all the hugs, and I love him to bits. And I will rip to pieces anyone who tries to hurt him. ( )