Major spoiler alerts ahead.

 

In search of the best LGBT books in the Mt. Vernon High School’s library, I came across “More Happy Than Not.” An Eliot Rosewater Nominee, Adam Silvera’s debut novel explores the role that memories play in people’s identity and how parts of people cannot be erased.

The book follows Aaron Soto, a kid living in the Bronx with some terrible memories he wishes he could forget. In this universe, a medical research center called The Leteo Institute claims it can erase or alter any memory in order for people to lead their best lives. Some go under the knife to forget cheating spouses, traumatic accidents, or dead relatives.

Aaron Soto wants to forget he is gay and that he is the reason his dad killed himself, but so much is not clear until much later in the novel. He wants to forget that his friend and secret boyfriend, Collin, will never love him back.

When Aaron took the Leteo procedure to forget that he was in love with his friend Thomas, I did not understand it. Why would anyone want to forget their identity, a part of who they are? Sure, being an LGBT+ youth in the Bronx must not be easy, but a person’s sexuality is not something they can change or forget. When I found out that he had undergone the procedure before, to forget about his dad and his relationship with Collin, I felt an entire new door open and the story opened up more.

Suddenly, all that I thought I had known about Aaron’s story was shifted. I felt almost betrayed, until I realized that all this information would have killed Aaron, again. Sexuality is a part of the unique individual that Aaron believes he can smother and hide away to be happy. Silvera wants to make the point that sexuality is part of a person’s identity, it is not a choice and cannot be changed.

Amber Zitani, 10, said “I really enjoyed this book…It discusses how forgetting things can change people, and how you should not take your memory on things for granted.”

Silvera’s debut novel confronts sexuality, race, and class in this beautiful story about a boy who just wanted to be a different version of himself. I cannot wait to read what else Silvera has in store for this world.