More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera (review)

In the Bronx of the near future, the Leteo Institute is happy to help things worth forgetting be forgotten. Aaron has heard that the memory-relief procedure improved a friend’s life, and he’s certainly had his own share of hardships: he was the first to find his father, who committed suicide, and he and his family are struggling to get by in a one-bedroom urban apartment. It isn’t, however, until Aaron, officially possessed of a great girlfriend, finds his strong, unrequited feelings for another boy so painful that he considers the procedure for himself. From there, the novel takes an unexpected, complex turn that Silvera ably constructs, resulting in a sharp tonal shift from sci-fi exploration to the melancholy, authentically conveyed pain of teen realism, even while it is futuristic science that is driving the plot. It is refreshing how effortlessly the author works in cultural and ethnic references to convey, without a hint of awkwardness, that this is a diverse cast of characters. Sharp social commentary about bullying, homophobia, and myriad potentially devastating impacts of poverty is present but not overwhelming. In the end, readers are left with a gripping story about one memorable teen, and if it also leaves them pondering how his life might have been different if various elements had been improved, that is likely the exact takeaway intended.