It has been a while since I’ve read a book about teens that is set in “real life”. I guess I’ve been reading a lot of fantasy recently! It was refreshing to read this novel and I could envision it happening to me as a teen, which I think is great; the more “related-to-a-teen” it feels, the better, in my opinion. 

Teens go through a lot of tough stuff, and though Definitions of Indefinable Things isn’t able to contain all of the things high schoolers experience, the two main characters in this book, Reggie and Snake, both have their own lessons to be learned. I really liked how centered this particular book was on emotions connected to relationships. 

Reggie’s parents don’t understand her. Snake has two moms. They’re both depressed and on meds, and they are both outcasts; it is all very complicated. But the complexity and readability of this book make all of the drama so real and raw, that I couldn’t stop reading this book. 

Review of an Advance Reader’s Copy

This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by HMH Books for Young Readers

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  6 mild obscenities; 4 derogatory names; 6 scatological words; 6 anatomical terms; 1 Offensive hand gesture; 5 F-word derivatives.

Violence/Gore:  Suicide is talked about; a car crash with casualties is mentioned; a close relative has a heart attack and is in a coma. 

Sex/Nudity:  Minors kiss each other; minors make out, with some brief description; a high school girl is pregnant; a crude joke is made regarding a minor couple with sexual innuendo; sex is referred to; a discussion about sexual relationships occurs between teens.

Mature Subject Matter:

Suicide, depression, personal crises, identity issues, teenage pregnancy.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

Minor reports he drank shots at a wedding; a character is described as stoned or drunk.