Review: Anatomy of a Boyfriend by Daria Snadowsky

Title: Anatomy of a Boyfriend

Author: Daria Snadowsky

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: 1.9.2007

Pages: 272

Genre: Contemporary, New Adult

Series: Anatomy #1

Source: ebook from author

Rating: B+

Summary (from Goodreads):

Before this all happened, the closest I'd ever come to getting physical with a guy was playing the board game Operation. Okay, so maybe that sounds pathetic, but it's not like there were any guys at my high school who I cared to share more than three words with, let alone my body.

Then I met Wes, a track star senior from across town. Maybe it was his soulful blue eyes, or maybe my hormones just started raging. Either way, I was hooked. And after a while, he was too. I couldn't believe how intense my feelings became, or the fact that I was seeing—and touching—parts of the body I'd only read about in my Gray's Anatomy textbook. You could say Wes and I experienced a lot of firsts together that spring. It was scary. It was fun. It was love.

And then came the fall.

Review:

When Daria Snadowsky first approached me about reading Anatomy of a Boyfriend, I did a little research. I quickly saw a lot of polarizing reviews on Goodreads and I also noticed that this book was released several years ago. And while I don’t normally review books on the blog that have been out that long on the blog, I felt like this one really warranted the attention.

Let’s first address the host of negative reviews that this book has garnered: The problem is that this book is very much a New Adult genre book that hit the market well before that genre blew up. This is very much the story of a girl growing up and becoming an adult and experience adult situations and circumstances. Yes, there is sex (graphic sex) in this book. But Snadowsky in no way glamorizes it. There is no magical moment where everything is perfect and blissful and both parties are immediately in forever love. Kudos to Snadowsky for showing a first time for what it is: awkward, messy, embarrassing, and above all else, memorable (even if you really might want to forget it). There were several moments that I was embarrassed for these characters.

Speaking of characters, let’s talk about Dom. I’ll be honest: Dom is funny, cute, insecure, frustrating, and loveable all in one package. In short? She’s a teenager. A realistic, every day, lives down the street from you/was you in high school teenager. She is one of the most realistic and accurately portrayed characters I’ve ever read. She doesn’t subscribe to the school of Dawson’s Creek where every teen speaks in an adult manner and with total sophistication. I was texting a friend while reading this and here’s sort of how it went:

Me: This character is so annoying I want to slap her!

Friend: LOL. Seriously? What’s she doing?

Me: Being a teenager!

Friend: And that’s a bad thing in a YA book?

Me: Touché.

Is this book for everyone? Absolutely not. Would I hand it to a younger teen to read? I think that’s a personal call. To say teens are having sex, thinking about sex, or contemplating sex is obtuse and ignorant. My personal beliefs and issues aside, it’s just fact. But what I love about this book is how is doesn’t make everything glamorous and happily ever after. It is an accurate depiction of a teenage relationship and all the mess, drama, tears and disillusions that go along with it.

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