Natalie Standiford’s latest novel is irresistible and quirky.
Artwork by Anna Becker
Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve always been enthralled with teen romance novels. Ever since I was eleven and reading The Princess Diaries, the genre has been my guilty pleasure and main source of entertainment. So, one might expect that I have read a lot of this kind of novel. Never before, however, have I encountered one like How To Say Goodbye In Robot by Natalie Standiford.
The story starts with the protagonist, Bea. She’s moving from Ithica, New York to Baltimore, Maryland, but this is nothing new for her. She’s been moving nearly every year for her entire life because her father, a professor, is in a search for the perfect teaching job. She’ll be attending a little private school where everyone has known each other since kindergarten and knows she’ll stick out like a sore thumb. She is befriended almost instantly by Anne Sweeney, but who Bea is really interested in is Jonah.
Jonah is a social pariah referred to as “Ghost Boy” by his classmates because he is so distant from the rest of society; but he makes a connection with Bea. He notices her love of conspiracy theory radio stations, and invites her to listen to the station he likes the most. From the night after she first listens to that radio station, Bea and Jonah become very close friends. Bea dubs herself “Robot Girl” and separates herself from her peers to spend more time with Jonah. Unfortunately, the world around Bea and Jonah is falling apart; Bea’s mother appears to be losing her mental sanity, and Jonah reveals more of his tragic past and discovers a secret which greatly impacts both of their lives.
How To Say Goodbye in Robot does not have a happy ending, but it was the sort of story that I couldn’t tear my eyes away from. The story is so true to life and has real, relatable characters; not the sort with bland personalities that anyone could relate to. The writing is superb with a fantastic selection of verbiage, but nothing beyond the level of a high schooler. The story is multifarious and touches on several genres while being straightforward enough to not lose the reader. Although it really worked for the story, I had a bit of trouble with how depressing the end half of the book was. I kept hoping for it to get better, but my tissue supply just kept depleting. Overall, How To Say Goodbye in Robot was one of the best teen fiction books I’ve ever read. I’d suggest it to anyone who loves teen fiction but is sick of all the sappy love stories currently out there. The book can be found in TJ’s school library as well as many other libraries, bookstores and online stores.
Rating: ★★★★★
