Wonder, by R.J. Palacio

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And I finished this book yesterday, and I felt like it was the perfect post to do today because... well just because!

I hope you enjoy it!

Title: Wonder

Author: R.J Palacio

Genre: Contemporary

Release date: 14th February, 2012 

Status: Standalone

Pages: 313

Blurb: "My name is August.

I can't describe what I look like.

Whatever you're thinking,

it's probably worse."

My Thoughts

How do I even begin to sum up what this book accomplished? It had just the right balance for such a sensitive subject. And it was done with a lightness that was just right. Not too harsh, but definitely not all butterflies and rainbows.

One of the best things about this book was that it gave you a chance to take a step back and think about what your reaction would be, based on the people around Auggie, and their different reactions to him. It's also really easy to put yourself in Auggie's shoes, to see what it's like from his perspective.

Which brings me to Auggie as a character. Strong, never even thinking of letting the stares and whispers get to him, never giving up, losing hope. Nope. Humorous, intelligent and focused, he is by far one of the best characters I've read about this past year. I'm not going to say he doesn't have those points in this book, his ups and downs, but that's just what makes him human, because nobody's perfect.

But this book is more than just being perfect, it shows that the insecurities is what makes us human.

 The thing that will nail you to this book is how beautifully it was written, and the narrative will take you on an emotional rollercoaster, it will make you laugh, and it will make you cry. I was almost crying on the bus with this book, I was definitely getting some strange looks.

And a big part of why this book got to me was how far Auggie came in this book. Like, normally with a character, you get to see an emotional journey, but with this it was more than that. You really got to see Auggie grow up, and mature, from a little boy, completely shielded from a society that judged him, to this strong young man that took it all in his stride, hopeful for the future. And that was just lovely to see.

Of course, Auggie wasn't the only main focus: there were perspectives of his friends, his sister, that gave a different side to a story that had just been told from a different perspective, and it really made you look at things a different way.

One quote that I absolutely loved in this book was:

"Be kinder than necessary."

It's said by Auggie's English teacher, and it love what it means, really. Just that kindness doesn't cost us anything, so why not be kinder than necessary? It pretty much illustrates the entire message of the book.

So overall, this is a heartfelt, humorous and beautiful book that I think everyone should read, regardless of whether they are adult or child. This will for sure be on my Favourites List for 2017, so look out for that!

So that was my review on Wonder! I hope you enjoyed it, and let me know in the comments if you have read this and have some thoughts on it, so we can chat about it!

So, I hope you have a nice weekend, and I will see you on Monday!

Byeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx