Book Review: Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley

Lisa just wants to get into the second best psychology program in the US. If that’s means using sixteen-year-old, agoraphobic Solomon as her personal project to help her get into her dream school, then that’s what she’ll do. The only problem is once Lisa meets Solomon, she realizes he’s actually a really cool person, and her mission to “fix” him becomes even more imperative than ever. As Lisa and her boyfriend Clark fall deeper into Sol’s life, the question of whether to tell Sol about Lisa’s interest in him and risk ruining their friendship forever or to keep it a secret and let the guilt eat away at Lisa weighs heavy over their shoulders. With all the progress Sol has made towards leaving his home, isn’t it better to put his future in the outside world above an honest friendship?

Whaley’s latest novel gives an intriguing look into the life of a boy too afraid of the outside world to leave his home and the friendship that might be able to save him. Told by both Sol and Lisa, readers get to glimpse the anxiety behind Sol’s disorder and the reasons Lisa has for befriending Sol under false pretense. Lisa and Sol have both have unique, blunt narrations which give this novel a taste of honesty and a strong voice. Because of this, the novel is a quick read and can be finish in a day easily. Sol is a sympathetic character, but I never pitied him. He was understandable and relatable and an absolute delight! I wish their story had been longer, because I would’ve loved to see more of him. Lisa was harder for me to like, because I wanted her to be honest and upfront with Sol from the beginning, but I could also understand her reasons for lying to Sol.

Whaley does a great job with this book. Highly Illogical Behavior was a breath of fresh air to read, and I look forward to his future novels.