Title: Tash Hearts Tolstoy

Author: Kathryn Ormsbee

Rating:  ***** (5 stars) 

Rep: A-Sexual

Review

Characters

One of the main reasons I love Tash Hearts Tolstoy is because of the characters. When you read a YA contemporary novel, you want your characters to feel real, and that you can be friends with them. Tash and her friends are genuine characters, and they go through the things that a typical teen would have to go through. I read a lot of novels in this genre, and this story has some of the characters I’ve connected with on a personal level, especially Tash. The characters have their ups and downs, and they all go through a journey with this story. 

Plot

I could describe Tash Hearts Tolstoy as having more vibes than a plot, however, I think there is a plot, it’s just more of a character-driven story. The story is one of my favorites because I love fandom and fan-made pieces and this follows Tash and her friends on their web-series Unhappy Families, a modern retelling of Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina. I love this because it’s a fun way to introduce Anna Karenina to a new generation, and I wish that Unhappy Families really existed as a TV show or a web series. They shot the show to fame after a shout-out from a famous vlogger, and this is what happens today, this is another proper element of the story. There’s a romance that happens, and this also feels real as teens have crushes, and need to come to terms with telling their crushes personal details about their sexuality. 

Writing 

The writing of Tash Hearts Tolstoy is one of the highlights of the story for me. Tash Hearts Tolstoy is filled with scenes that are light, handled with a light tone, where you can tell that the characters are having fun, and you want to have fun along with them. They handled heavy scenes in the novel with care and will tug at the reader’s heartstrings. 

Friendship

Tash has a core group of friends, her crew, and the cast in her show, and I love the core friend group. This core group of friends has the banter you find in a family or found family, and that leaps off the page to the readers. Tash and Jack have their moments in the novel, but at the end, they forgive each other and remain their bond of best friends. 

Enjoyment/ Recommended for 

This is one of my favorite books ever, and I love it so much. I’ve read it twice and loved it both times I’ve read it. Read this book if you love: Alice Oseman and Becky Albertalli.  I find the characters, story, and writing similar between all three authors. Read if: you’re a fellow Ace or Demi sexual, and you’re looking to see yourself represented in a book. If you love queer YA Contemporary novels, check this one out if haven’t yet!