false152374714116151319781411615137111It's All Relativehttp://photo.goodreads.com/books/1184695601m/1523747.jpg
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1523747.It_s_All_Relative
141337J.M. Snyder107424040falseThu May 01 21:03:00 -0700 2008Thu May 01 23:33:18 -0700 2008It's All Relative is hard to describe, because it's not exactly romance, but it's not exactly a coming of age story either. Michael Knapp, the main character, is comfortable with who he is and where he is in life. It's All Relative is more about redefining and strengthening relationships.
I have a love/hate relationship with the main character. During the stay at Sugar Creek, Michael is extremely disrespectful and insensitive towards everyone else, but he blames his odd behavior on grief. And when he's not being a jerk, he's being a drama queen. Every little thing seems to be stretched out of proportion for him and I questioned his mental stability. I'm somewhat willing to excuse him. I've never gone through a situation like his where he has to deal with not only the death of a loved family member, but also coming out to his mother who doesn't welcome the news.
But every time I get upset with him, I fall in love all over again when he remembers what life used to be like at Sugar Creek. In his memories, he's almost like a different person than who he is now. He sounded very fun and I liked reading how he used to be with Dan, and his aunts and friends. I also welcomed his memories as a good way to take a break from Michael's current situation. I'm glad that near the end he's able to realize how his behaviors are affecting other people.
But when I reread this story, it'll be because of Dan. I admire his character. He's an army brat but he's kind and loyal. He's someone you'd want as a friend, and if it wasn't for him, Michael might not have gotten through it all. I am in awe at how he stuck with Michael even when Michael was being a jerk. He understands so much and it's great to read about a character like him.
Snyder handles relationships beautifully and I would be glad to recommend It's All Relative based on this alone. All her characters are flawed and it's great to see them react to and understand each other. If anything, you can't judge the characters in this book based on first impressions. They have amazing depth and dynamic. I highly recommend this book!