Am I allowed to vote for both?? Coming to a decision was my biggest delay in responding until now, but I have - finally! - narrowed it down.

Calvin was a joy to read for the seeming simplicity of a single pursuit.  I felt the break from typically accepted writing construction further underscored Calvin running at "ten Hertz in a seven-Hertz world," and the style, therefore, drew me in. For me, there was a connection between Calvin's feeling different and being treated differently after a diagnosis of schizophrenia and the inconsistent structure. I also really enjoyed how "alive" the icy world became as Calvin and Susie experienced more of their desolate environment. Those stars and galaxies must have looked amazing when they finally looked up at the night sky, and I would love to see for myself the snow goon formations they encountered - what made them glow? Further to that, I felt like the environment also mimicked Calvin's state of being as he fights with not being able to trust his own mind. Being imprisoned by such a wide open space would be terrifying, whether on a frozen lake or inside your own brain. However, I was annoyed at times by some of Calvin and Susie's words and actions. Calvin knew all sorts of great facts about the structure and function of parts of the brain and about the environmental problems Lake Erie is facing, but he "forgot" to plan to bring along extra food and water?  But then we would probably have missed out on the dramatic ending. Also, how many teenage girls are honestly reflective enough to figure out they'd rather spend time romantically with their childhood friend dealing with serious mental health issues than jump back on the popularity train.  Susie seems way too wise at times (for a seventeen-year-old) and although I never really thought she was a delusion on Calvin's part, when she started getting philosophical, I did wonder...

I think that YAs would really enjoy this book for its humour and themes of perseverance, acceptance, and coming of age. I also think that they could learn a great deal that would help in breaking down the myths and stigmas about mental health issues.  I'd recommend it for a book study at the junior high or high school level for sure.

But I really loved The Smell of Other People's Houses and will cast my vote for it.  Sure there were issues with keeping track of all the characters and their relationships with one another, but that's what the Cast of Key Characters was there for, right?  What I found myself enjoying the most was the development of the characters themselves and the complexities in their lives through the simplicity of their routines  I enjoyed how the characters were revealed through their everyday lives and became richer as their relationships formed or strengthened. Each character could have easily had the book devoted to just him or herself, but then we would have lost the interception of the stories. Even though the ending was rather predictable, the most poignant part for me was the healing that finally occurred. I would have liked to know more about Gran's backstory to find out why she is so controlling over Ruth and Lily, and how she became such an unlikeable person.  But in the end, it was her words of wisdom and comfort, and her vulnerability, that made her my favorite character.

I enjoyed both reads immensely, but The Smell of Other People's Houses holds my heart - and gets my vote.