Rest Easy Review (Part 2)

"Exactly. Just make sure you just enjoy yourself. Live freely. Rest Easy. Don't let the night swallow you whole." - Rest Easy, @AJBloom1

In this review, I'll be discussing the second half of the Watty Award winning story, "Rest Easy" by @AJBloom1. If you haven't read Part 1 yet, I'll link it right here so you can check that out, get all caught up and then come back here! "Rest Easy" is an incredible book with amazing writing. I even featured the author on my post, "6 Authors That Will Change Your Mind About Wattpad", so I promise you'll have a great time reading it. With that said, let's get into the second half of "Rest Easy"!

@AJBloom1 changed her cover!

Non-Spoiler Commentary

If the first half of "Rest Easy" was a joyful read for those wishing to consolidate their own youthful experiences and widen their perspectives, the latter half is a gripping and brutal punch that undertakes its readers into the harsh realities of the adolescent experience. The novel takes a sharp turn halfway through, accumulating for both a trapping and thrilling reading experience that serves to underscore what I like to call the 'adolescent struggle'. @AJBloom1 addresses much more serious topics as the novel progresses and trigger warnings are necessary. These struggles however, not only forces the characters to grow, but also forces her readers to grow as well. As the characters change, adapt and respond we seem to witness something new each time. All in all, I've come out of reading "Rest Easy" being a better person. The read is necessary and the characters will continue to linger in my mind for years to come. "Rest Easy" is a book for this generation, an emotionally demanding story about what it means to accept, grow and seek happiness.

---

Spoilers

Alright so, if you're still here and haven't finished reading "Rest Easy", this is your final warning! Go read it, comment and tell @AJBloom1 that I sent you and come back here so we can discuss all the feels. Go!

---

The Revolution of Dudley Warrington

Dudley is only slightly less of an asshole. It's a small detail but it gives "Rest Easy" its raw tone and unapologetic storytelling. Dudley continues to keep the novel grounded with his imperfections, like being drunk when Tyler reveals his biggest life-change and making Naya walk home alone;but he's young and human and none of those negate who he is at his core. Protecting his brother after the beating he gives him, and caring about Vanessa are parts of him like all the rest, and I do believe the positives outweigh the negatives.

Now, let's address the elephant in the room. Dudley's rape story is a hard pill to swallow. It almost instantly dimensionalizes Dudley and rearranges the plot, the dialogue and any other previous knowledge we thought we knew about Dudley.

I don't think I've ever been so engaged in a discussion about male rape until now. The topic almost always seems to come as a response to the struggle of the opposite gender. It's never truly a stand-alone discussion that garners attention. In that way, @AJBloom1 does what I've never witnessed. When she revealed that Dudley was a rape victim, it was hard to read. The signs were evident all throughout the book but my mind never wandered to that possibility. Because of how we talk about rape, it seemed out of question, really. But it was there all along and it happened and it went unnoticed. Which made it all the more harder to read. It not only begs the reader to consider Dudley in a new light but it ferociously presents new realities that we ignore as a society: Other men go through this and just like you, no one else ever notices. Like Dudley, they stay silent forever. They are the invisible statistic.

It's a thick narrative that @AJBloom1 mercilessly exposes but its a conversation that deserves to be had. As a man, it is so much more personal and I am still reeling from it but I am also that much wiser. Thank you @AJBloom1.

Then, Dudley cuts his hair and we see a new man. Perhaps the old Dudley would have hooked up with Vanessa in that pool but the newly aware Dudley has rid of his demons (the weight of his mother's death, the effects of his rape, his family drama etc.) like he rids his hair. It's a bit generic but the symbol delivers the message nonetheless. When Dudley leaves Harlow he will leave a new man.

The Becoming of Naya Stephens

I hadn't mentioned much of Naya in Part 1 because I felt as though she was a plot device to humanize Dudley for the readers. I never got the impression that Naya was a centerpiece to "Rest Easy" but rather an accentuating table cloth. However, when Dudley leaves Harlow and we engage with Naya more and more, the story's narration is influenced by her voice and for the most part, she spearheads much of what takes place in the final chapters.

"You can worry for him. You can be afraid, hope the best for him. But one thing is mandatory - that your wellbeing does not depend on his. Do not depend on anybody. You need to gain the ability to uprot, whenever, wherever. People constantly change, girl. Everything is transient, and if you are to change, it better not be because of somebody else. The only way you can get through this pain is to remember that his is a transition. From A, to B, to C, all the way to Z, and then back to A. That is what the heart is, Naya. It is a vessel of change. You can only worry for so long." - @AJBloom1

As Haley contacts Naya again and they hash out all the trauma of their past, we are almost reminded of Naya's individuality. She, like Dudley, blames herself for the things she cannot control. She, like Dudley, hurts too. And it is almost as if we are reminded of her going eyesight, of her controlling parents, of her vitiligo that keep her ostracized from her own race. Naya Stephens is not an asshole like Dudley is. She is pleasant at first glance and viciously expressive with more contact. She is heartbreakingly better.

Growth Among the Minors

Many minor characters undergo a serious redemption arc that @AJBloom1 enforces in order to make the entire story move forward. Dylan tries to off himself (this point in the novel marks the point where I lose my mind) Tyler and Tori are having a baby and everyone is nearing their senior year of highchool. It was spectacular to read the once immature Guys and Girls evolve into slightly less immature versions of themselves with exponentially more to lose.

"But now it was growing and everything was changing, everywhere." - Rest Easy, @AJBloom1

Culture

If it weren't for @AJBloom1 I'd still be ignorant to Native American culture. When Dudley visits his family in California, the language, the tradition and the setting educated me more than I could've imagined. But, the culture in "Rest Easy" goes beyond that as well. Racism is discussed with the Stephens family, Dylan's ignorance to Naya's vilitigo and rape among men are also explored. They make "Rest Easy" a much more aware novel than it seems. And it leaves the reader to ponder on the issues.

The End

By the end of the novel I was still digesting all that @AJBloom1 had force-fed me. It was a ride I didn't want to get off of although it made me nauseous. The heartbreak, I think lied in the undetermined end. We never answer anything, really. Naya and Dudley never label their relationship, Dylan is still in the hospital, we never truly learn who V.M. Winslow is-or isn't and The Guys and The Girls are still the same, just more mature. We never even get to see the final goodbye at Dudley's send-off party. But, I think that was the point of "Rest Easy". It seems less fictitious that way. In real life we aren't guaranteed a resolution. We grow, adapt and move on. In the same way is "Rest Easy" is written, and it makes the story all the more hard-hitting.

Rating/Conclusion

Whew with all that said, "Rest Easy" has distinguished itself as one of my favourite reads of all time on Wattpad. It's simply excellent. For that, out of 5 stars, I'm giving "Rest Easy" a *cue drumroll* 4.8 out of 5 stars! It was a fantastic read!

Read the book? Comment and tell me what you thought! Also, if there are any other books (wattpad or traditionally published) or movies that you'd like for me to review next time, drop a comment telling me which ones and I just may review it!

Lastly, don't forget to follow me on Twitter and Instagram where I occasionally rant, share music and discuss the pains of being a creative. Oh, also, I share sneak peeks of my novel and new blog posts at times too, if you're interested in that.

For more content, be sure to subscribe to my blog by filling out the form below and you'll get an email notification every time I update! Thanks for reading! See you next week!

#wattpad #bookreview #RestEasy #author #book