He Forgot to Say Goodbye by Benjamin Alire Saenz

Natalie Moreno

Plot Summary:
Teenage boys Ramiro Lopez and Jake Upthegrove could not be more similar to each other. Ramiro Lopez is an Mexican-American boy who lives in El Paso, Mexico, a very poor side of the country. Ramiro encounters many conflicts throughout his life but nothing as harsh as the passing of his brother, Tito, due to substances abuse. He tries his best to comfort his mom so that neither of them have to go through it alone. 
On the other hand, Jake is a rich American boy who lives in a mansion, drives a nice car, and has perfectly nice ironed clothes. You may ask what it is that these two boys have in common? Well both of these boys have grown up without a father. Relatively soon they become really good friends and see that they have a lot in common. One thing both boys tend to do is blame everything on their no good useless fathers.

Critical Evaluation:

I would evaluate this book a 10 out of 10 because it is a thrilling book that just makes you want to turn the pages and it prevents you from wanting to let go. Once you even begin reading this AMAZING book, you will understand the struggles that teenagers go through throughout their lives. I would recommend this book to anyone who is into suspense and likes relating to teenagers in any way, shape, or form. It is truly an amazing book and probably one of the BEST books I’ve ever read!