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WORK TITLE: Definitions of Indefinable Things
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://whitneytaylorbooks.com/
CITY:
STATE: VA
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Female.
EDUCATION:Attended Liberty University.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Author.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Whitney Taylor was a junior at Liberty University when she signed a contract to publish her first young-adult novel Definitions of Indefinable Things. “Her friends call her The Queen and she has a monogrammed robe to prove it,” wrote the contributor of a short biographical blurb to the author’s home page the Whitney Taylor Website. “Bow down.”
Definitions of Indefinable Things is the story of how three teenagers deal with their emotions and their relationships. “The novel,” explained a Kirkus Reviews contributor, “explores the effects depression can have on a person in even the most bizarre of circumstances.” “The novel is written from the perspective of 17-year-old Reggie,” stated Kayla Humphreys in the Liberty Champion, “who suffers from clinical depression. Her life is turned upside down when she crosses paths with Snake, the apathetic yet intriguing `bad boy’ who also suffers from clinical depression.” After beginning a tentative relationship Kayla learns that Snake is in fact the father of the baby carried by Reggie’s old friend Carla Banks. She also has to come to terms with her religious mother’s tendency to see everything Reggie does as a sin to be atoned for and a mistake. “Reggie’s a prickly girl, so it took me a little bit to warm up to her,” Kasey Giard in Story Sanctuary. “I tend to struggle with those kinds of narrators because I find the sort of determined negativity exhausting. What won me over with Reggie was the hints at her underlying sadness and the quirky, fun banter between her and Snake.”.”Reggie’s growth is particularly notable,” observed a Publishers Weekly reviewer, “as she finally confronts her grief and fear, allowing herself to be vulnerable.” Definitions of Indefinable Things, reported Susan Riley in School Library Journal, “an emotionally engrossing and powerful exploration of depression and healing that many teens will find meaningful.”
In general, critics enjoyed Taylor’s debut novel. “To be honest, I wanted to hate this book. I am not particularly fond of books that give off a teen angst-y vibe. It makes me angry and uncomfortable and I find it so cliché,” wrote a Book Weirdo reviewer. “BUT, the redeeming thing as to how I pushed through to reading this was the depression element. Depression is something that is close to my heart and I genuinely wanted to know how Whitney Taylor spins this novel’s story with depression thrown in.” “While the major theme of the book is the coming of age experience for each of these characters,” observed a Novel Novice reviewer, “Taylor also weaves in some important lessons about family and forgiveness and a really sweet, unlikely romance.” “This first novel,” declared Lexi Walters Wright in Booklist, “is full of raw emotion, biting wit, and–unexpectedly–pure heart.” “Offbeat romance, sarcastic humor, and the philosophy of life,” said Shouryaman Saha in Voice of Youth Advocates, “come together in a flying bildungsroman that is both touching and entertaining.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, April 15, 2017, Lexi Walters Wright, review of Definitions of Indefinable Things, p. 48.
Kirkus Reviews, February 15, 2017, review of Definitions of Indefinable Things.
Publishers Weekly, February 13, 2017, review of Definitions of Indefinable Things, p. 78.
School Library Journal, February, 2017, Susan Riley, review of Definitions of Indefinable Things, p. 108.
Voice of Youth Advocates, April, 2017, Shouryaman Saha, review of Definitions of Indefinable Things, p. 66.
ONLINE
Book Weirdo, https://gemthebookweirdo.wordpress.com/ (April 3, 2017), review of Definitions of Indefinable Things.
Liberty Champion, https://www.liberty.edu/ (September 15, 2015), Kayla Humphreys, “Student Receives Book Deal.”
Novel Novice, https://novelnovice.com/ (April 4, 2017), review of Definitions of Indefinable Things.
Story Sanctuary, http://thestorysanctuary.com/ (August 28, 2017), Kasey Giard, review of Definitions of Indefinable Things.
Whitney Taylor Website, https://authorwhitneytaylor.wordpress.com (November 8, 2017), author profile.
STUDENT RECEIVES BOOK DEAL
September 15, 2015 Kayla Humphreys One comment
Whitney Taylor was granted a publishing contract for her young adult novel
Most college students spend four years at a university in hopes of landing a dream job after graduation. Liberty University junior Whitney Taylor has made her dream a reality at the young age of 20 by scoring a publishing deal for her debut young adult novel, Definitions of Indefinable Things.
PITCH WARS — Whitney Taylor joined a Twitter competition for potential authors. Photo provided
PITCH WARS — Whitney Taylor joined a Twitter competition for potential authors. Photo provided
“The novel follows the lives of three teens in a small town whose lives intersect in ways they never expected,” Taylor said. “Teaching them there is no one-size fits-all definitions of depression, friendship and love.”
The novel is written from the perspective of 17 year-old Reggie who suffers from clinical depression. Her life is turned upside down when she crosses paths with Snake, the apathetic yet intriguing “bad boy” who also suffers from clinical depression.
“Writing this book was very personal, because I struggled with depression through high school, so I felt I was able to accurately write about it,” Taylor said. “Also, when I came across the dismal yet comedic Twitter account @Time4Depression, I knew I did not want to write a book about depression that was dark. I wanted to write a book that used that same humor I found on Twitter to bring light to depression in a fresh and quirky way.”
Taylor has been writing for fun since she was in high school and she wrote Definitions of Indefinable Things in only one month during the summer of 2014 after breaking her leg.
“I was up in my room bored to death so I decided to write this book all day, every day,” Taylor said.
Taylor’s defining moment in this process came when she discovered a contest on Twitter called “Pitch Wars” where authors tweet a synopsis of their book in hopes of mentors selecting them to help revise their novels. Taylor was one out of thousands who entered, and was chosen by Erica Chapman, one out of 75 mentors, who helped Taylor revise her book.
She then submitted it through another contest on Twitter called #PitMad, where Taylor received a request from literary agent Maria Vicente who read Definitions and knew she wanted to represent Taylor after only a couple of days.
After receiving rejections from various publishers, editor Margaret Raymo at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) read Definitions of Indefinable Things in one day and the next morning, offered to publish Definitions.
“I laughed out loud throughout, and I cried,” the email from Raymo to Taylor said. “(It’s) All the Bright Places meets The Fault in Our Stars meets Juno. Such a fantastic voice.”
Taylor said the past few months have been a whirlwind.
“I feel like the Lord has really blessed my journey,” Taylor said. “I put a lot of hard work into this because it was something I loved, I never knew it was actually going to go somewhere.”
HMH publishing has purchased World Rights Definitions of Indefinable Things, in hopes of selling the novel in various countries worldwide.
Taylor has more young adult novels she is currently working on and hopes to have more books published in the future.
In addition to becoming an author, Taylor is majoring in psychology with a focus in counseling and human development with plans to receive her master’s degree. She hopes to be a counselor for teens struggling with mental illness.
For more information on Taylor, her website is www.whitneytaylorbooks.com.
Humphreys is a feature reporter.
About the Author
Whitney Taylor is a YA writer that only speaks one language—fangirl. When she’s not devouring books, she spends her time taking selfies, obsessing over any TV show with a love triangle, and eating way too much McDonald’s. She’s an English and Psychology major from Virginia that likes to pretend she’s a supermodel from New York City. Her friends call her The Queen and she has a monogrammed robe to prove it. Bow down.
Fun facts:
Zodiac sign- Aries
Three fears- Sharks, Needles, Pulses
Tattoos- one under the collarbone that says “know your worth”, one on the upper back that says IIVIXXIIII (sisters’ birthdays), one on thigh that says “come with all your shame, come with your swollen heart, i’ve never seen anything more beautiful than you”
Favorite TV Show- Dexter
Favorite Color- Lavender
Favorite Song- Sexual Healing by Marvin Gaye
Favorite Holiday- Halloween
Favorite Soda- Coke
Favorite Restaurant- Olive Garden
Favorite Classic Book- Jane Eyre
Biggest Pet Peeve- Being shushed
Worst Mistake- Getting bangs in 10th grade
Hidden Talent- Dolphin noises
Guilty Pleasure- Taking selfies
Obsession- Fast food and Quentin Tarantino movies
Definitions of Indefinable Things
Lexi Walters Wright
Booklist.
113.16 (Apr. 15, 2017): p48.
COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
Definitions of Indefinable Things. By Whitney Taylor. Apr. 2017. 336p. HMH, $17.99 (9780544805040). Gr. 9-12.
At 17, acerbic Reggie has a razor-sharp understanding of the depths of depression. "You feel equally alive and dead and
have no idea how that's even possible. And everything around you doesn't feel so full anymore. And you can't tell if the
world is empty or if you are." It's a sentiment she doubts anyone else can understand--not her too-nice therapist or her
God-fearing mom. But tattooed, Prozac-popping Snake does. He, too, knows clinical despair. And Reggie finds it
annoying (OK, and somewhat charming) that he understands. As the two begin to explore what misanthropic romance
may mean, they're confounded by a circumstance even more troubling than their respective emotional unease: Snake's
ex-girlfriend Carla is due with his baby within weeks. As Reggie confronts the boundaries she's erected to protect
herself, Carla sees an opportunity for an unlikely camaraderie, all to Snake's dismay. Taylor crafts an improbable but
irresistible love triangle. This first novel is full of raw emotion, biting wit, and--unexpectedly--pure heart. --Lexi
Walters Wright
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Wright, Lexi Walters. "Definitions of Indefinable Things." Booklist, 15 Apr. 2017, p. 48. General OneFile,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA492536236&it=r&asid=17e605c3264e91400bef928c1ca22a21.
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Taylor, Whitney. Definitions of Indefinable
Things
Shouryaman Saha
Voice of Youth Advocates.
40.1 (Apr. 2017): p66.
COPYRIGHT 2017 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
4Q * 4P * M * J * S
Taylor, Whitney. Definitions of Indefinable Things. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017. 336p. $17.99. 978-0-544-80504-
0.
Sixteen-year-old Reggie Mason--a snarky, rebellious teenager with clinical depression-is convinced that the only way
to avoid the pain of heartache and tragedy is by barring the doors of her heart. While on a drug pickup, a chance
encounter with similarly afflicted Snake Eliot, a hilariously cynical and unabashedly frank indie filmmaker, leaves her
at odds with herself. The discovery, however, that his ex-girlfriend is Little Miss Flashburn Carla Banks--pretty,
popular, and pregnant--forces her to reevaluate herself on a journey to define joy, love, and life.
Armed with a sardonic sense of humor, a comically pessimistic worldview, and a relentlessly compassionate therapist,
Reggie is a refreshing antonym to young adult fiction archetypes, while Snake is a peculiar yet compelling addition to
the story. Taylor, moreover, does not simply reduce Reggie to her depression; she handles it with sensitivity and
constructs all three main characters with flesh and bone, creating multi-faceted and dynamic individuals with complex
lives and relationships. Love and loss remain vivid themes throughout the narrative while offbeat romance, sarcastic
humor, and the philosophy of life come together in a flying bildungsro-man that is both touching and entertaining in its
exploration of the internal conflicts of the human condition. With plain but evocative prose and a pair of ceaselessly
endearing protagonists, Definitions of Indefinable Things is perfect for readers of middle school age and above.--
Shouryaman Saha, Teen Reviewer.
QUALITY
5Q Hard to imagine it being better written.
4Q Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses.
3Q Readable, without serious defects.
2Q Better editing or work by the author might have warranted a 3Q.
1Q Hard to understand how it got published, except in relation to its P rating (and not even then sometimes).
POPULARITY
5P Every YA (who reads) was dying to read it yesterday.
4P Broad general or genre YA appeal.
3P Will appeal with pushing.
2P For the YA reader with a special interest in the subject.
1P No YA will read unless forced to for assignments.
GRADE LEVEL INTEREST
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M Middle School (defined as grades 6-8).
J Junior High (defined as grades 7-9).
S Senior High (defined as grades 10-12).
A/YA Adult-marketed book recommended for YAs.
NA New Adult (defined as college-age).
R Reluctant readers (defined as particularly suited for reluctant readers).
(a) Highlighted Reviews Graphic Novel Format
(G) Graphic Novel Format
Saha, Shouryaman
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Saha, Shouryaman. "Taylor, Whitney. Definitions of Indefinable Things." Voice of Youth Advocates, Apr. 2017, p. 66.
General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA491949518&it=r&asid=82f02e3cd92b39e2d0309d90a81b6621.
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Taylor, Whitney: DEFINITIONS OF
INDEFINABLE THINGS
Kirkus Reviews.
(Feb. 15, 2017):
COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Taylor, Whitney DEFINITIONS OF INDEFINABLE THINGS HMH Books (Children's Fiction) $17.99 4, 4 ISBN:
978-0-544-80504-0
Two depressed teens navigate their disorders and their love life.Seventeen-year-old Reggie Mason has withdrawn from
her school and family, spending her days depressed, alone, and mad at the world. While picking up a prescription at
CVS, Reggie meets fellow white teen Snake, and the pair strikes up an unlikely courtship. Unfortunately, Snake's exgirlfriend
happens to be Reggie's former childhood friend Carla, also white. Carla also happens to be seven months
pregnant with Snake's baby. Told from Reggie's first-person perspective, the novel explores the effects depression can
have on a person in even the most bizarre of circumstances. The author handles the mental illness angle well,
confronting it squarely without turning her novel into an overblown, weepy TV movie. The author also wisely positions
Reggie and Carla as reconnecting friends as opposed to girls fighting over a boy, providing a refreshing dramatic
avenue. Less exciting is Snake, who is as toxic to the narrative as he is to Reggie and Carla. The tattooed, selfabsorbed,
wishy-washy aspiring artist leans hard on his mental illness and often brings those around him down as well.
These character defects work thematically, but it is a sincere drag whenever Snake enters the picture. Reggie's
relationship with her parents is much more interesting; a late reveal about her past feels clunky in the moment but
reshapes enough in hindsight to be worth it. A compelling exploration of mental illness. (Fiction. 12-16)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Taylor, Whitney: DEFINITIONS OF INDEFINABLE THINGS." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Feb. 2017. General OneFile,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA480921754&it=r&asid=c7dcc5ef241370df4670376d9cb8cc7e.
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Definitions of Indefinable Things
Publishers Weekly.
264.7 (Feb. 13, 2017): p78.
COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Definitions of Indefinable Things
Whitney Taylor. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $17.99 (336p) ISBN 978-0-544-80504-0
Reggie Mason, a snarky 11th-grade loner who uses hurtful comments and hostile glares to avoid forming connections,
finds herself drawn to the charmingly conceited Snake Eliot when their paths cross while refilling prescriptions for
antidepressants. After grudgingly going on an "anti-date" with the tenacious Snake, Reggie learns that he's a soon-to-be
father--and the boyfriend of popular classmate Carla Banks. Reggie struggles to ignore her attraction to Snake and
Carla's attempts at friendship, but her carefully constructed wall begins to crumble as her strained relationship with her
religious mother worsens: "All she saw in me was a walking mistake, a sin to be forgiven, a disease to be cured."
Taylor portrays depression with complexity in this authentic, often confrontational debut; her characters are very real,
frequently making terrible and selfish decisions, and their potential is evident. Reggie's growth is particularly notable as
she finally confronts her grief and fear, allowing herself to be vulnerable. Taylor offers no simple answers about
depression, teen pregnancy, or complicated relationships, but leaves readers with an enduring sense of hope. Ages 14-
up. Agent: Maria Vicente, P.S. Literary. (Apr.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Definitions of Indefinable Things." Publishers Weekly, 13 Feb. 2017, p. 78. General OneFile,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA482198276&it=r&asid=541be19638c624038fee2ee6b699b1a9.
Accessed 15 Oct. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A482198276
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Taylor, Whitney. Definitions of Indefinable
Things
Susan Riley
School Library Journal.
63.2 (Feb. 2017): p108.
COPYRIGHT 2017 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution
permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
TAYLOR, Whitney. Definitions of Indefinable Things. 336p. ebook available. HMH. Apr. 2017. Tr $17.99. ISBN
9780544805040.
Gr 8 Up--In her engaging debut, Taylor skillfully captures adolescent depression and anxiety. Reggie, 17, feels
alienated from her religious family after enduring several serious losses. Feeling emotionally abandoned, she is
determined never to be hurt again. While picking up her Zoloft prescription, Reggie meets fellow teen Snake, who is in
line for his Prozac. At first she is extremely resistant to Snake's attention, but he pursues her relentlessly. She eventually
succumbs to his charms, but that's only the beginning of a very complicated relationship. Reggie's queen bee classmate
Carla is pregnant, and Snake, it turns out, is the father. The three teens' tenuous connections periodically strain, break,
and heal as they realistically stumble their way toward a sort of friendship and, ultimately, happiness. The main
characters are well drawn and unique. The secondary characters are less so, but this doesn't lower the overall quality of
this novel's insightful portrayal of complex teens struggling with mental health issues. VERDICT An emotionally
engrossing and powerful exploration of depression and healing that many teens will find meaningful. A strong choice
for libraries serving teens.--Susan Riley, Mamaroneck Public Library, NY
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Riley, Susan. "Taylor, Whitney. Definitions of Indefinable Things." School Library Journal, Feb. 2017, p. 108. General
OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA479405643&it=r&asid=b98ab5c9f0d1afdad8373ccd1dd344dc.
Accessed 15 Oct. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A479405643
Review: Definitions of Indefinable Things by Whitney Taylor
By Kasey Giard | August 28, 2017 | Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Young Adult/Teen Fiction
Definitions of Indefinable Things by Whitney TaylorThe Definition of Indefinable Things
Whitney Taylor
HMH Books for Young Readers
Published April 4, 2017
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
About The Definition of Indefinable Things
This heartbreaking, humorous novel is about three teens whose lives intersect in ways they never expected.
Reggie Mason is all too familiar with “the Three Stages of Depression.” She believes she’s unlocked the secret to keeping herself safe: Nobody can hurt you if you never let them in.
Reggie encounters an unexpected challenge to her misanthropy: a Twizzler-chomping, indie film-making narcissist named Snake. Snake’s presence, while reassuring, is not exactly stable—especially since his ex-girlfriend is seven months pregnant. As Reggie falls for Snake, she must decide whether it’s time to rewrite the rules that have defined her.
My Review
Reggie’s a prickly girl, so it took me a little bit to warm up to her. I tend to struggle with those kinds of narrators because I find the sort of determined negativity exhausting. What won me over with Reggie was the hints at her underlying sadness and the quirky, fun banter between her and Snake.
Snake totally seemed like the kind of character author Matthew Quick would come up with, and I really couldn’t help liking him, even though clearly he was working through some big issues and not always making the best choices. I liked that he wanted to do right by his and Carla’s baby, even when he wasn’t sure what that meant for his relationship with Carla.
The story sort of meandered in some places, lingering long on the mystery of what triggered Reggie’s depression, and her fears about a potential relationship with Snake. I loved the moment when she’s able to reach out to him using her own experience with depression. I liked that their relationship never came easily, but that they had to find their own ways to trust and be open with each other.
Books where Christianity or devout Christians are disparaged or portrayed in a negative light tend to be difficult for me as well, not because I think it can’t happen that way, but because I feel like too often that’s the narrative. I can’t help sometimes feeling like we allow a lot more latitude for negative portrayal of Christianity in modern young adult literature than we do other faiths or worldviews, but that’s a whole separate soap box. For Definitions of Indefinable Things, I think while Reggie was pretty tough on her mom and her beliefs, eventually they began to see value in each other’s perspectives and to find ways to express their love for each other without compromising what they believed, which felt real and honorable.
If you liked Every Exquisite Thing by Matthew Quick or The Paradox of Vertical Flight by Emil Ostrovski, you should check out Definitions of Indefinable Things.
Definitions of Indefinable Things on AmazonRecommended for Ages 14 up.
Cultural Elements
Reggie describes Snake as having olive skin and dark, curly hair. He has two moms, one of whom has brown skin. Other characters are white.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used moderately frequently.
Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between a boy and girl. References to sex. One character is pregnant.
Spiritual Content
Reggie’s mom is a devoted Christian and hopes prayer will heal Reggie’s depression. Reggie internalizes this as pressure to change. Like she’s supposed to magically become the person her mom wants her to be. Reggie herself prays in a couple of desperate situations, but otherwise doesn’t embrace any spirituality. She often disparages her mom’s beliefs.
Violent Content
None.
Drug Content
Snake confesses that he slept with a girl at a party where both had been drinking alcohol.
Definitions of Indefinable Things on GoodreadsNote: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
April 3, 2017
Written by Gem
26221374Title: Definitions of Indefinable Things
Author: Whitney Taylor
Series: None
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Number of Pages (Kindle edition): 336
(Expected) Date of Publishing: April 4th of 2017
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Synopsis (via Goodreads):
This heartbreaking, humorous novel is about three teens whose lives intersect in ways they never expected.
Reggie Mason is all too familiar with “the Three Stages of Depression.” She believes she’s unlocked the secret to keeping herself safe: Nobody can hurt you if you never let them in.
Reggie encounters an unexpected challenge to her misanthropy: a Twizzler-chomping, indie film-making narcissist named Snake. Snake’s presence, while reassuring, is not exactly stable—especially since his ex-girlfriend is seven months pregnant. As Reggie falls for Snake, she must decide whether it’s time to rewrite the rules that have defined her.
Rate: 4 of 5
Get a copy: Book Depository (Hardback)
I want to thank the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Book Group to have given me the chance to read an advanced reader copy through Netgalley.
This is primarily the story of two teenagers, Reggie and Snake. They both have depression and they happen to stumble upon one another while they were in the pharmacy on the run to getting anti-depressants in which their characters clashed instantly. (Seems like a nice way to meet people, no? Just kidding. I think that part was brilliant, to be honest.) With another coincidence, the two draws close to each other. However, a big hurdle to their relationship–in the form of a pregnant ex-girlfriend–presents itself.
I requested this off Netgalley, I won’t lie, because of the handsome cover. It wasn’t really in my impression that this was romance-type but rather I was more looking forward to the discussion of depression since it is the greatest element present in this book.
To be honest, I wanted to hate this book. I am not particularly fond of books that give off a teen angst-y vibe. It makes me angry and uncomfortable and I find it so cliche. BUT, the redeeming thing as to how I pushed through to reading this was the depression element. Depression is something that is close to my heart and I genuinely wanted to know how Whitney Taylor spins this novel’s story with depression thrown in.
I gave it 4 of 5 stars because I think the author really did try to portray depression. It would have been better if Taylor detailed the depression of the characters because sometimes it can get a little vague but, I guess, it did the trick. I can also see the genuine effort on keeping the reader’s attention. It does lull at times but it keeps pace towards the end.
It was a little rough to break into since some things happen waaay too fast and I’m here like: Does this even happen in real life?
giphy
The first third of the book was particularly hard to get past because I was working against all the things I hated when reading books (i.e. I hated the characters, I hated the dialogue, etc.) but never give up! It DOES get better. 😛
I, actually, enjoyed the ending. (I was supposed to give it a 3.5) I thought it provided a nice ending, that there really was a closure. I was under the impression that this was just another tale of feeling-special-snowflakes-oh-I’m-above-everyone-else type of teenagers but no, this has a different tone to it. You know that feeling when you desperately want to hate a book yet, no, you like it? With all of its cliches and deep thoughts and flaws? Yep. This is the one, folks. This is the one.
Other thoughts (Some spoilers ahead!)
*I felt the portrayal of Christians was so poor. I’m sorry, but I am a Christian, my family is Christian, almost all of my friends are Christians but I have yet to encounter a Christian like her mom. But then again, maybe that’s just her mom. And I’m not also ruling out that perhaps there are Christians like that. But I don’t know, it just seems to be too poor an echo of Christians. :/
*I do wish the author shed more light on Carla’s pregnancy because that’s the story matters as well because that story’s gonna start a new thing and it’s gonna last–it’s a whole new person for Pete’s sake!
*It’s just so cliche. They’re both broken and now they’re fixing each other. Oh, please, spare me. I think what particularly irritated me is that these characters were making decisions so haphazardly based on the present too much on top of things that they don’t know in the future.
*I hated the air of teens pretending like they have everything figured out that this gives off. I was like that as a teen and I had to work really hard to make myself conscious that, no, I don’t have everything figured out. But that’s the thing–you figure it all out as you go along. It’s not a eureka moment in which you just know everything about it and you can now go hopping along in life. Alright, erm…Where was I? Damn that escalated so quickly. 😛 (But then again, maybe most teens feel like that. I’m just here feeling like a special snowflake hahahaha.)
Do I recommend it? Yes.
Definitions of Indefinable Things by Whitney Taylor
Posted April 3, 2017 by Sara 1 Comment
A quirky, coming-of-age saga with heart and humor, Definitions of Indefinable Things is a story about life, love, family, and forgiveness.
Reggie isn’t really a romantic: she’s been hurt by the world too often, and doesn’t let people in as a rule. Plus, when you’re dealing with “the Three Stages of Depression,” it can be pretty much impossible to feel warm and fuzzy.
On a CVS run to pick up her Zoloft, Reggie meets Snake, who doesn’t give her much of a choice. Snake has a neck tattoo, a Twizzler habit, and a fair share of arrogance, but he’s funny, charming, and interested in Reggie. Snake also has a 7-months-pregnant ex-girlfriend, Carla. Good thing Reggie isn’t a romantic.
As she begins to fall for Snake, Reggie must decide whether loving him is worth the risk of letting him in. Reggie, Snake, and Carla all grapple with the meaning of friendship, love, and depression—and realize one definition doesn’t always cover it.
This was a really fun read! The writing was breezy and charming, the characters were quirky and engaging, and I enjoyed seeing the growth as Reggie, Snake, and Carla learned more about both themselves and each other.
Taylor does a great job of balancing humor and lightness with the more serious themes in her book. She covers some significant topics: depression, teen pregnancy, and other Big Scary Life Things (not revealing to avoid spoilers) – but she does so without dragging down the weight of the book, while still paying each of these topics the seriousness they warrant. It’s a tough balance to strike, and she does so excellently.
And while the major theme of the book is the coming of age experience for each of these characters, Taylor also weaves in some important lessons about family and forgiveness and a really sweet, unlikely romance to button things up.
I can’t speak to how accurately Taylor portrays either teen’s depression, but I appreciated that each teen experienced it differently. They could compare notes, but she made it clear that depression isn’t one size fits all and can manifest differently in each person who suffers from it.
A fun, fast-paced read that includes both light-hearted fare and serious life stuff, Definitions of Indefinable Things is in stores tomorrow.
Sara