Book: The Anatomical Shape Of A Heart by Jenn Bennett

Published November 2015 by Feiwel & Friends|304 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the hardcover from the library

Series: None

Genre: YA Contemporary

Beatrix Adams knows exactly how she’s spending the summer before her senior year. Determined to follow in Da Vinci’s footsteps, she’s ready to tackle the one thing that will give her an advantage in a museum-sponsored scholarship contest: drawing actual cadavers. But when she tries to sneak her way into the hospital’s Willed Body program and misses the last metro train home, she meets a boy who turns her summer plans upside down.

Jack is charming, wildly attractive, and possibly one of San Francisco’s most notorious graffiti artists. On midnight buses and city rooftops, Beatrix begins to see who Jack really is—and tries to uncover what he’s hiding that leaves him so wounded. But will these secrets come back to haunt him? Or will the skeletons in her family’s closet tear them apart?

I am so glad I read this book!  I wasn’t sure about it, but I’ve heard some good things about it, so I figured I’d give it a try.  I really liked it, and I wasn’t sure if I would at first.

I loved how the book was about art- I seem to be drawn to books about characters who are into art or music.  But not only that, it was about a girl who LIKES TO DRAW CADAVERS.  Which is really different and quirky, but also really cool, because it makes Bex stand out.  And I like that Jack is a grafitti artist, but I think that’s because of WHY he does it.  It doesn’t make it okay, of course, but I get why he was doing it, and I think it really shows the difference between their styles and how big art really is.

I really liked the relationship that Bex and Jack have.  They start out as friends, and it turns into a more romantic relationship as the book goes on.  It felt really natural, and I loved that it grew into something more, because that seems so rare in YA.  If you want romance, THAT ISN’T INSTA-LOVE, this is a book you want to read, because it couldn’t get any further.  I do think Bex has this manic pixie dream girl vibe going on, so keep that in mind if that’s not your thing.

There are so many other things that I liked about this book:

• Like, he met her mom before they even kissed.
• Her mom is around a lot, which is different, because parents tend to be absent.  Which is understandable, given it’s YA, but I liked that we saw her mom quite a bit.  I get why her mom acted the way she did in regards to Bex’s dad, but it also made me a little sad for Bex, who didn’t really get a choice on whether or not she got to have a relationship with her dad.
• Her brother is really cool, and I love the relationship Bex has with him.  Also, his boyfriend seems cool, and I wish we saw more of him.
• I felt for Jack, who has a sister with schizophrenia, and I thought how the family dealt with it was true to life, but also really sad.
• I liked seeing Bex at work, and that she worked to help her family out.
• There was this minor character we see, who may or may not have a mental illness.  I hope he gets the help he needs.
•  I loved the humor in the book.  It was awesome!

I also liked that the book is short, but didn’t FEEL short.  There was a lot going on, but things were wrapped up really well, while also feeling like some things were left pretty open.  It was a really good balance.

Was it predictable?  Yes, but I didn’t care, because I just wanted to keep reading.

4 stars.  I didn’t love it, but I did really like it.  I’m glad I gave it a chance!