The Tragedy of Dane Riley

I loved Kat Spears other book, Breakaway, so I was so excited to read this! It broke my heart over and over again and I was in tears more than once. I had high expectations since I loved Breakaway so much (I've read it like three times!) and I was not disappointed by The Tragedy of Dane Riley. I read it in one sitting and could not put it down.

The Tragedy of Dane Riley follow seventeen year old Dane Riley, who's just about to graduate high school and is dealing with the death of his father, his mother's new boyfriend and a previous suicide attempt. He's not exactly the most popular guy at school, though he does have a solid group of friends and has been getting closer to Ophelia, the girl next door. He's sad and angry and hopeless and medication and previous therapist haven't been much help. He's not looking forward to seeing his newest therapist, Dr. Lineberger, who he thinks will be the same as all the therapist before.

Overall, I absolutely loved The Tragedy of Dane Riley. My heart broke and grew with Dane as I watched him progress through out the novel. This has locked Kat Speaks as one of my favorite authors and I'm looking forward to read whatever she comes out with next!

***Full review to be posted on Goodreads and blog one month before publication date, unless otherwise requested. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press.

This book is absolutely heartbreaking. I cried most of the book and at points it was tough to read because of how real the words felt. The character is more than just words on a page. The author did a fantastic job of making you feel for him and just how tough his life is.
Trigger warning: death, suicide attempt, depression

"The Tragedy of Dane Riley" is a beautiful and poignant story about coming of age while dealing with loss and mental health.

17 year old Dane Riley's life has been far from easy over the last year as he struggles to come to terms with the death of his father, his mother moving on, his own mental health, and, of course, a love interest.

Even though the budding romance exists, it takes a back seat to Dane working through many issues that face teenagers today - family problems, feelings of inadequacy, etc. Dane's emotions are raw and relatable, and there were many times throughout the book I just wanted to give the kid a hug. I love that Spears chose to make her protagonist a male and spotlight that boys and men have emotions and depth. It is exciting for a book like this to exist in the world that other young male readers will be able to identify with.

"The Tragedy of Dane Riley" is a story that will stick with me for a long, long time. I can't wait to purchase a copy to put in my high school classroom!

CW: death of a parent, suicidal thoughts, drug use

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved The Tragedy of Dane Riley by Kat Spears. I was so impressed by the writing of Kat Spears that I went out and located and bought a copy of all her previous YA books. As I read some of the reviews for her previous books, one word kept coming up again and again. It is a word that I felt while reading The Tragedy of Dane Riley. Authentic. The voices of her characters are so authentic. That is what sets this book apart from most YA writing. None of the characters here were completely good or completely bad. They were all "real" in that they were treated with the compassion of being allowed to be human. There were no gimmicks in this book. No wise cracking teenage heroes or heroines dominated the stage with their super wisdom of life. This was a sense of real people with real frailties and real struggles. And that was what I liked so much about this book. As a high school teacher, I have known a lot of teens over the years. It was refreshing to read about these young people who are so believable. Thanks, Kat. Keep writing!

Advanced copy provided by Net Galley

I absolutely loved this book and I wish that there was more of it or a sequel to read.

The book is told from the perspective of Dane Riley, who, while a bit of an unreliable narrator, is likeable from the first page. It follows him as he struggles with depression and grief that is overwhelming him after the loss of his father. Spears manages to find the perfect balance between internal reflection (read existential crises) and external dialogue. This book had the potential to either rush through Dane's process of healing or drag on but it does neither and it represents mental health in a realistic way. The complexity of the supporting characters help this book shine because they bring Dane's situation to life and they show that everyone handles their circumstances in different ways.

Thank you to Kat Spears for writing this beautiful book. I will forever be wondering if Ophelia really is that amazing or if her amazingness is reserved for Dane only.

Additional reader warning: this book is based heavily on Dane's thoughts surrounding depression and suicide is mentioned a few times so if this may be triggering for you then I would not recommend reading.

When I requested this book through Netgalley on a whim, I had no clue that I actually needed to read it. I definitely did.

In The Tragedy of Dane Riley, Kat Spears details the life of a high school senior who’s processing the recent death of his father. While Dane grieves, the world keeps spinning around him. His mother moves on far more quickly than Dane finds reasonable, to his dad’s former work partner, nonetheless. To make matters worse, his mom’s new boyfriend comes with an “evil” son, set on making Dane’s life hell. Dane is in love with the girl next door, but can’t quite figure out what to do about it. He can’t decide what’s worth doing, if he wants to put in the effort to graduate, or if life is really worth living at all.

The way Kat Spears characterizes Dane and the way he processes pain and the big questions of “Why?” and “What if?” are painfully relatable and, at times, wise beyond his years. I went into this book expecting another mostly light-hearted teen novel, and was pleasantly surprised by the depth and weight of the story.

I’m at that weird stage in my early-mid 20’s where I’m finding myself noticeably disconnected from teenagers for the first time. I’m not up to date on music or trends, I don’t have Tik Tok, and I get caught up in thinking that my problems as an adult are so much bigger than the problems the teenagers that work for me have to deal with. This book reminded me of what it felt like to be where they’re at just a few short years ago. To be at the end of everything you’ve always known and to have no clue what life will look like in 6 months. To be faced with the “Why?” and “What if?” and have no clue where to look for the answers. This book made me feel like I can connect with them again, and it’ll be on my mind later today when I’m frustrated with them for wanting to sit around instead of work. You never know what the people around you are going through, and it is never safe to assume that a person’s age is any indicator of their struggles. Be kind. Hug the young people in your life. Tell them it’s okay to be scared, and anxious, and not have any idea what they’re doing. Reassure them. Validate their feelings and try to help them process those feelings. Maybe just sit and listen. They need someone to just listen.

Thank you to the publishers for providing me with this ARC through Netgalley.

Dane is having difficulty coping with the death of his dad. His mom has moved on, and Dane feels betrayed by this. He’s angry and depressed and has tried committing suicide and failed. He feels invisible and hopeless. His mom has him start therapy and slowly the therapist gets Dane to open up, to realize he needs goals to feel important and to not give up on joy. His sadness is crippling him and as he begins to spend time with Ophelia, the girl next door, he realizes that he might have a reason to get out of bed. As time passes, Dane begins to forgive his mom. and realizes he needs to work on relationships. He sees life is not just a beginning and an ending. He needs to look at what’s in between those beginnings and endings. Profound read.

This book has really stuck with me. I find myself thinking about the characters all the time and I can't wait to read more by this author!!!

What can I say about this novel? Firstly, the cover alone pulls you right into Dane's grasp. He'll hold onto you, and he won't let you go. Secondly, the characterizations in this novel are just amazing. You have Dane, his mom, his mom's boyfriend, and the boyfriend's son. I would also add Dane's dad because the dad would still be a reason as to why Dane is struggling. Dane's dad was the reason why Dane is who he is. These influences have a structural and cultural effect on Dane, pushing him on his journey to becoming who he is. Thirdly, the plot was very well written. There were stakes, tension, ups and downs. The story tackles very heavy topics, i.e. mental health, which everyone needs to pay attention to. I really enjoyed all of it. I would highly recommend this YA novel to readers who love YA and stories about mental health.

Dane Riley's struggling. He's struggling with the fact that his died has died of cancer. He's struggling with his complicated feelings for the beautiful girl who lives next door. He's struggling with his mom's new, all-too-soon relationship with his dad's former law partner. He's struggling to find a meaning to life.

Dane's mom takes him to see a therapist in the hopes of helping Dane talk through all that's going on in his head, but talking about things only brings more to the surface. He's normal for feeling so much, isn't he? Or does he feel so much that he just might not be able to handle it?

This is a story that every high schooler should read. Heck, this is a story that anyone who has ever felt like the world was too much, or too little, should read. Dane experience loss, love, pain, healing, and a whole lot of unknowns in this poignant book. The title, The Tragedy of Dane Riley, begs the questions: Is Dane Riley's life a tragedy? and also how can it be seen as anything but? I think your answers will surprise you.

Spears is the master of character development and Dane Riley is no exception. This modern look at Hamlet grabs the reader from the start and doesn't let go, even on the last page. Dane is the kind of kid you want to bring home to fix him dinner; you want to wrap him in a bear hug and not let go. His heartbreaking grief at the loss of his father coupled with his genuine attempts to navigate his senior year will have you calling your son just to tell him you love him!

Caring about what happens to Dane isn't the only compelling reason to read The Tragedy of Dane Riley. I also became attached to his crush, Ophelia, his friend group, the Extreme Sports Asians, and the coyote, which just may be the reincarnation of his Dad. And even though I'm just as horrified as Dane that his mom took up with his Dad's best friend, I could even sympathize with her wanting to have her happy son back.

The Tragedy of Dane Riley is an edgy, honest look at depression, grief, loss and relationships that will have you cheering for the underdog! I would recommend this book for high school students as it refers to underage drinking and drug use. There is also a considerable, and appropriate, use of curse words.

First and foremost, thank you to the publisher, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for this ARC -- SO happy having the opportunity to read this so early!

This book happily reminded me of "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," which just so happens to be one of my favorites or, maybe, a bit of Holden Caufield (Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, which I actually didn't love as a teen and maybe need to reconsider reading as an adult).

It centers on Dane Riley, a teen struggling with his mental health after the death of his father to, what I inferred was, cancer. Dane still texts his Dad's phone number and, oddly enough, still receives texts in response. Dane is shuffled to a number of therapists, by his mom, and the relationship between Dane and his mom are strained, to put it lightly. Mom is now dating the best friend of her late husband and Dane can't stand him nor his son, Eric. And, if that's not enough to add to the mix, Dane has a crush on the girl next door and he doesn't even know how to handle all that.

At its heart, this is a book about grief and learning how to be move forward. On the surface, it's a conversation about mental health, dark humor, and family relationships.

I loved it. And, it absolutely didn't hurt that it was very reminiscent of Shakespeare's "Hamlet." Not so subtle clues, like the fact that Dane's crush is named Ophelia and the book is broken into Acts, help define this link. But, look more closely and more deeply... It really talked to the nerd in me.

Dane Riley is (debatably) clinically depressed, but reading his story is utterly delightful. <i>The Tragedy of Dane Riley</i> put a near-constant smile on my face with its sarcastic, smart prose, despite the often heavy topics. Dane is a high school senior. His father passed away and Dane feels like he's the only one still grieving, especially compared to his mother who has quickly moved on to a new romantic relationship--with Dane's dad's best friend. While Dane is adamant that there's not much reason to continue living, he soldiers on and we get to hear about his relationships with friends, mother, therapist, and the elusive (and attractive) girl-next-door. Overall, Dane seems like a good guy who just needs a little help focusing on the brighter side of life.

I could not put this book down. Highly recommend. Thank you to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This poignant story of a grieving teen, Dane Riley, really moved me. His powerful reactions to the loss of his beloved father to cancer are deeply felt, as is the outrage he feels when his mom hops into a new relationship. Add the push-pull relationship with neighbor teen Ophelia and you have a teen in full angst mode. Clearly, Hamlet vibes abound!

Kudos to author Kay Spears for dealing with loss and depression so openly. The story can be heavy at times, but its deft treatment softens the blow. A must-read for mature teen/YA readers.

4 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 22 Jun 2021
#TheTragedyofDaneRiley #NetGalley

Thanks to the author, St. Martin's Press,
and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.