I'll Stop the World: A Novel

I'll Stop the World made me capslock directly to a friend multiple times as I stayed up far too late telling myself I'd only read ONE MORE CHAPTER, and if that's not an endorsement, what is?Lauren Thoman's debut novel is impossible to review properly without spoiling the basic premise that doesn't officially reveal itself for over a hundred pages, but I will try my best to preserve the experience I had going in knowing so very little, which is how it is best read, so before I try to tiptoe around the moment that had me messaging "[FRIEND] WHAT THE F**K" (for the first time), here are some basic questions to ask yourself:Do you like novels told through multiple perspectives, where you retroactively retrofit your understanding of each character from how they came off in someone else's scene? Do you like novels with predominantly teenage characters experiencing a lot of teenage angst and romantic longing and wondering what they're going to do with their life but ALSO some adult characters experiencing adult issues and romantic contentment and wondering what they've done with their lives? Do you like novels that establish plot-related goals for characters but concern themselves more with what the characters are feeling about themselves and each other so it feels like plot is mostly happening around them until it suddenly all slams together like an intricately constructed piece of emotional machinery that leaves you in awe of the author for pulling it all off? Do you like novels that explore our search for a sense of purpose, the importance of self-forgiveness, and the explicit and implicit effects we have on each other's lives? Do you like [element of book that doesn't officially reveal itself for over a hundred pages]?!?! Then this is the book for you.Okay, so meet Justin, our only first-person point-of-view character because our mental and emotional journey through the book will largely mirror his, though we may be a few steps ahead of him at times because we have access to other POVs and understand that we are reading fiction that can utilize certain storytelling tropes. He's just a kid in high school with a crush on a girl and a crushing lack of self-worth. Justin is a cinnamon roll who must be protected at all costs. Also, by the way, hang this in the Hall of Fame for First Chapter Exposition Drops: "Plus, I guess the optics of having a massive inferno on the front lawn of a school that's named after a couple who burned to death in that school—making me, their grandson, a morbidly twisted version of Buford County royalty—are not great." That's right, Thoman just casually reveals that the protagonist's grandparents died in a fire, as you do. Of course, if you've glanced at any sort of marketing for the book, you understand the significance of this exposition drop, and if you keep reading this review, you will understand the significance of this exposition drop because it's setting up the secret premise of this book: Justin is going to try to save his grandparents from dying in that fire. When, uh, he ends up in 1985.THIS IS A TIME TRAVEL BOOK oh God it feels good to just say it, but I have to warn you that time travel does not occur for a while, and I was impatient for it to occur, but when it finally did happen, I understood why Thoman did what she did. This is a brilliantly structured novel, and the structure is the point, as Thoman is deliberately weaving together a tapestry of interconnected characters whose lives affect each other, and there's a reason it had be told this way. In addition to jumping around multiple POVs, we occasionally get interludes from a different perspective or a different time, a couple cryptic and a couple not so much, and they come when needed to provide information that can't be provided through regular means. It's very hard to stop reading, as the chapters are very short and there's always something new around the corner because of all the subplots going on at once.Because, well, life goes on. Justin naturally applies some cosmic import to his time displacement and his grandparents' deaths—I especially liked that despite never knowing them, he felt a moral obligation to save them because not acting on the knowledge he had would make him complicit in their deaths—but one relatively minor tragedy (no disrespect to those lovely characters) doesn't mean teenagers aren't going to pine for their friends or explore how comfortable they are expressing their true queer self to others or wrestle with their parents' expectations for them. Whether it's 1985 or 2023, some elements of the teenage experience remain universally relatable. Some of these being quite unfortunate, as Thoman knows that while society may have progressed somewhat with regards to attitudes toward POC and queer folk, we still have a way to go, and Justin offers some insight into the differences in the two time periods. I also appreciated his observations of life before we were always online and attached to our phones and how that affected the way people interacted and formed relationships.Which is what you should pay attention to in this book! Justin does make a friend who helps him investigate, but the results of their investigation matter less than how they feel about each other. While there are some traditional moments of following clues and falling for red herrings, there is no greater mystery than the human heart, am I right. Yes, you will want to know who was responsible for the fire that killed Justin's grandparents, but the real satisfaction comes from watching these characters discover truths about themselves or learning truths about these characters. I was rooting for all of them.I didn't understand how much I cared until the end, though. I generally do respond more positively to plot-heavier novels, and so I was prepared to declare my assessment of this book as a strong Like, but in the last couple pages, Thoman pays off her No It's Really About the Characters approach. I literally started tearing up during the last couple pages, and it was harder to read because all the text was blurry. Suddenly the weight of everything these characters had been through, the significance and consequences of their actions, it hit me with a force equivalent to the climax of Everything Everywhere All at Once, and I appreciated how beautifully Thoman had found a balance between plot and character so that they both mattered and worked together as one. And that was when I knew in my heart, I lettuce this book.

I’ll Stop The World by Lauren Thoman: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟Would you go back in time to change the past if you could?In Lauren Thoman’s debut novel I’ll Stop The World, Justin doesn’t have much of a choice. At a breaking point with his family and future in 2023, he finds himself on a collision course with the past when accident lands him in 1985. Bewildered at his predicament, he finds Rose at the right place, but in the wrong time. Rose believes that fate brought her and Justin together for a reason- to stop a tragedy from occurring in just one week.WOW. This book absolutely blew me away. Thoman blends many genres together in I’ll Stop The World with the ease of a veteran author. Part historical fiction, part mystery, part science fiction. Her characters- and there were MANY- are multi-faceted and develop well throughout the novel. Thoman gives her characters true diversity in a tactful way, which is easier said than done in a novel taking place in the past. The story features LGBTQ+ relationships, racial diversity, and multiracial families, blended families, and neurodivergence just to name a few, and we love the representation 👏I absolutely love a good mystery, it’s one of my most read genres, but statistically I rate books mystery genre books lower than average. I’m perpetually looking for a mystery book that will keep me hooked from start to finish and constantly guessing at what the answers are. with I’ll Stop The World, I have found the mystery book I’ve been searching for! I took over 50 notes and made 250 highlights while reading this book. Clues abound in every chapter, and constant revelations will keep you guessing right up to the end. Reading ISTW is like doing a 500 piece puzzle.The following are notes are not intended to be negatives- just things to note about I’ll Stop The World:This book is L O N G. At 446 pages, it is stacked and packed. You cannot skim this book, there’s so much information contained on each page. For many readers, this is a time commitment. Clear your schedule, because once you start, you won’t want to stop.The cast is very large, with over 30 characters with speaking roles in this book and 7 POV characters. If you do not like multiple POV, this is not the book for you.With many pages, characters, and twists, taking notes or highlighting/annotating is the key to success! If you do not like to physically mark your books(I don’t!), I recommend the eBook to allow you to highlight and notate to your hearts content. Plus using the search feature was helpful when I needed to retrace my steps!Lastly, this book is was marketed in Amazon's First Reads campaign as an adult mystery. In my opinion, this is better characterized as a YA/coming of age, featuring primarily teenaged characters who act like teenagers, with teenage-appropriate language and content. However, especially with the retro 80s vibes, this is a book that can absolutely be enjoyed and appreciated by all ages. Just manage your expectations if you are anticipating adult content.

I don’t have enough words to really explain how much I enjoyed this book! You know those book you think about years later? This is absolutely one of those. I’ll admit it sat on my TBR for a few weeks. Coming of age books typically are not my top go-to reds. All I can think is how I could have experienced this book a few weeks ago! I was seriously missing out. This is truly a book for all ages! I enjoyed it on kindle unlimited. Now I bought the book and the audiobook. The audiobook is narrated by multiple actors. It is was such an amazing experience. This is #1 play on my family road trip. I know they are all going to enjoy it!I don’t want to give anything away. You can read the synopsis. It’s best to just jump right into it! You are going to LOVE it. It’s told from multiple POV characters that are all interconnected, but each are dealing with the own issues. All of it leading up to a significant event. Check out other reviews. See what the other say. I promise that you are going to love it! Hands down! What are waiting for??? You’re totally missing out!

It's been a long time since a book has moved me to tears and this one certainly did. Since it's a story about time travel (and what better decade to travel back to than the 80's) and about a mystery I found that the tears came unexpectedly near the end. I was so caught up in the mystery (a couple of which I managed to solve but I won't share the spoilers) that I didn't see the complex relationships come to fruition until much later in the story. This is a fascinating, mysterious, humourous story that will leave you crying tears from feelings that you can't really explain. This is not really a sad story but it is very very moving and that is all I can say without giving too much away. It is well worth a read and I am so glad I chose this book.

This was a book that hooked me from the first, and kept me so hooked I couldn't sleep one night till I finished it. It made me smile, it made me cry. I can think of nothing else to say, but: 'You have to read this book!'

A strangely compelling book. It feels post apocalyptic but there is no end of the world. Just a boy t who falls back in time and a few friends trying to find out why.

Once I started, I couldn't put it down. It was a bit confusing at first, but with how the story flowed I was able to catch on quickly.I will not give any spoilers or details other than to say it was a really gripping read.

A great read, enjoyed it immensely. Even ended up reading into the small hours so I could finish it, just brilliant!