Novels to Discover "Dear Evan Hansen"

Hello and welcome to Novels to Discover! Last week I took you on an adventure in the form of Susanna Kaysen’s memoir, “Girl, Interrupted” which focused on her time in a hospital that specialised in mental illnesses. You can read that article here.

This week we are also venturing into the novel “Dear Evan Hansen” which is inspired by the musical of the same name. The novel centres itself around a teenager – Evan Hansen – who suffers from social anxiety. The novel features scenes and songs from the novel, with added material that was cut from the original musical.

Here’s the book’s synopsis for you:

When high school senior Evan Hansen is accidentally pulled into a family’s grief over the loss of their son, he is given a surprising opportunity: a chance to finally belong. All he has to do is stick to a lie he never told, that notoriously troubled Connor Murphy was his secret best friend.

Suddenly, Evan isn’t invisible anymore – even to the girl of his dreams. And Connor’s parents have taken him in like he was their own, desperate to know more about their enigmatic son. Evan knows that what he’s doing can’t be right – but if he’s helping people, how can it be wrong?

This young-adult novel is absolutely perfect. It highlights the struggles of trying to fit in and being an outsider. The authors wrote: “This story is a work of fiction, but the reality is that anyone anywhere can feel as if they have nobody to reach out to.”. The novel is relatable and although somewhat sad, this book offers comedic relief too.

This simple cover reflects Evan’s obsession with nature and trees. It is effective and symbolic, as the core plot of this novel focuses on Evan’s broken arm, to which he earned from falling out of a tree. Although this simple act seems unimportant, Evan’s fall spirals into a big lie that he cannot stop from telling.

“Dear Evan Hansen” follows Evan and his journey of writing letters to himself, which are prompted by his therapist Dr. Sherman. Every letter starts with “Dear Evan Hansen”, as if he is writing to himself. Evan writes a letter about Zoe – his dream girl – which ends up falling into the wrong hands. The hands of Connor Murphy, a mysterious and angry guy who happens to be Zoe’s older brother.

Then tragedy strikes, and Evan finds himself in a tricky situation. Connor had taken his own life, and Evan’s letter had been found with him. Soon everyone starts thinking that Connor had written the letter about Zoe and it had been addressed to Evan.

Evan lies, saying that it’s true and he and Connor were friends. And the lies keep digging deeper, a little white lie turning into the centre of everyone’s attention. It’s tragic, and the novel is impossible to put down. It is definitely a must-read, especially if you are a fan of the musical anyway!

Let’s review the protagonists, shall we?

Evan Hansen: Actually being called Mark, Evan uses his middle name as his real name is the same as his absentee father. He hates his name, as it spells M.E.H. And that is how he feels about himself: meh. With social anxiety and a dream to fit in, Evan isn’t like every other kid at his school. He desires a normal life and suffers a bad relationship with his mother because of this. Some may even say that Evan can be a bad guy at times.

Zoe Murphy: Although she was never close to Connor, she wishes she had known him better. She turns to Evan after his lie has been told, and she confides in him. She’s strong and independent, and that shows through when she gets furious at Evan when it’s revealed he lied.

Connor Murphy: He is remembered by his family as a drug user with violent tendencies. After Connor’s death, Evan tries to make him more likable. The novel features chapters from him, really describing what his life was like.

OVERALL RATING:

4/5

There is talks that “Dear Evan Hansen” will also get a film adaptation. So, if you like the musical and end up liking the book, then this is something to look forward to!

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Happy reading, see you soon!