John Green's The Fault in Our Stars meets Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor & Park in this beautifully written, incredibly honest, and emotionally poignant novel. Cammie McGovern's insightful young adult debut is a heartfelt and heartbreaking story about how we can all feel lost until we find someone who loves us because of our faults, not in spite of them.
Born with cerebral palsy, Amy can't walk without a walker, talk without a voice box, or even fully control her facial expressions. Plagued by obsessive-compulsive disorder, Matthew is consumed with repeated thoughts, neurotic rituals, and crippling fear. Both in desperate need of someone to help them reach out to the world, Amy and Matthew are more alike than either ever realized.
When Amy decides to hire student aides to help her in her senior year at Coral Hills High School, these two teens are thrust into each other's lives. As they begin to spend time with each other, what started as a blossoming friendship eventually grows into something neither expected.
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54 of 55 people found the following review helpful.
Different from anything that I've read before!
By Spiced Latte
From the very beginning, I was looking forward to this book about of its premise. Although I have to say that I haven't read The Fault in Our Stars or Eleanor & Park (yes, I know it's a shame, don't judge), I put this on my tbr list as soon as I read the summary on Goodreads. Say What You Will is so different from anything that I have ever read before. In my entire life I have never read about a handicapped girl who is so brilliant to the point that I forgot about her disability & was awed at how incredible she was.Quote: “Instead of beauty, I have a face no one envies and a body no one would choose to live in. These two factors alone have freed up my days to pursue what other girls my age might also do if their strong legs weren't carrying them to dance and parties and places that feed a lot of insecurities...”I loved reading about her relationship with Matthew. They are two people that couldn't be more different and more similar at the same time. Born with cerebral palsy, Amy doesn't see herself as someone who should miss out on life just because she needs a voice box to communicate. & Matthew realizes that he has OCD which could get into a way of his friendship with Amy.Quote: “I asked if I could help you because I've never been able to do that for anyone. I wanted to see if I could. It's terrible always being the person who need help. I'm sorry if I misjudged everything. I'm so new at having friends that I make mistakes sometimes...”Books that leave me speechless are the worst to write a review for because my emotions simply can't be transferred into words. Cammie McGovern is so talented, I absolutely love her writing and the way she develops her characters. Definitely becoming one of my new favorite authors, McGovern is the author to watch for & be on the look out for new novels!
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful.
An Honest and Heartbreaking YA Contemporary Novel!
By Stephanie Ward
'Say What You Will' is a heartbreakingly honest look at the life of two teens who are disabled in their own ways - and how they come to realize how much they needed one another without knowing it. The two main characters in the story - Amy, who has cerebral palsy - and Matthew, who has OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) are both incredibly realistic in all their aspects - both good and bad. We get to see these two teens for who they are - their personalities, likes and dislikes, fears, frustrations, and how they live with their respective illnesses. I loved the honesty that the author wrote with - with both the characters, the illnesses and how it effects those with the disease and those around them, and basically teenage life in general. She shows us that just because these two are diagnosed with illnesses, they aren't very different at all from the regular teenager.The writing was beautifully done - especially the characters and their growing relationship with each other. I loved how we got to know both Amy and Matthew for their true selves and then we got to watch how their lives become entwined. This book is a definite emotional roller coaster - there were points that were funny, some that were sobering, and some that had me crying hysterically. I found it easy to slip into the world the author created within the first few paragraphs, and I didn't stop reading until I was finished - and then even after that, because it kept me thinking and feeling for quite some time afterwords. I thought the plot was original, if not completely unique, and written with a natural flow and easy pace. It seems that more and more YA contemporary books are revolving around characters who are sick in some way, but the the depth of the characters and the interesting story line made this one original and fresh. I don't do spoilers in my reviews, so I'll just say that you should prepare yourself before reading this one. As I mentioned, it took me on a ride - from laughing to crying and everything in between. Definitely recommended for fans of the genre as well as those looking for an honest and emotional young adult novel.Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful.Layered, nuanced, genuine portrayal of teens with disabilities
By Mass Reader
Being the parent of a teen with a Down syndrome, I approach books about people with disabilities warily. Authors tend to portray them as an object lesson, or as ultimately some higher being, brought here to teach us all some lofty lesson. Or they are made to seem very "other".But in Say What You Will, McGovern has created memorable, authentic, fully-realized characters. You ultimately forget about the disabilities and are completely drawn into the story of these teens. You care about them.So with a great story, compelling characters and a fast-moving narrative, this is a wonderful book that treats people with disabilities like, well, people!The writing is wonderful -- and very funny (when it's not heart-wrenching).Put this on your summer reading list
