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sharondblk's review
2.0
This book tried to do way too much, and ends up doing none of it particularly well. It is the story of Bell, who is Indian and her self-reflection after she realises she has no-one she is close enough to to put down as an emergency contact. I don't think she really reflects on why this is.
She contacts a child hood friend and they reconnect, but she still feels she is "owed an apology for what happened then". Get over it, you were 16, now you are 38, she doesn't owe you anything. That Bel cannot see that the problem might not be everyone-else and that she is the common denominator makes her whole growth thing feeling so fake.
As well a Bel's relationship with her (nasty, mean and spiky) friends the book tries to tackle racism, internalised self-hatred, sibling issues and toxic workplaces. It's a lot.
And the thing at the end with Karen is so unnecessary, unrealistic and overdramatic.
Mainly I had an issue with the writing. It's actually quite well written, but for every action there is a musing. Its a lot of telling, but very little showing, particularly in relation to her old school friends, who wronged her SO BADLY.
I very nearly DNFd this at 60 percent, but decided I wanted to know what happened.
She contacts a child hood friend and they reconnect, but she still feels she is "owed an apology for what happened then". Get over it, you were 16, now you are 38, she doesn't owe you anything. That Bel cannot see that the problem might not be everyone-else and that she is the common denominator makes her whole growth thing feeling so fake.
As well a Bel's relationship with her (nasty, mean and spiky) friends the book tries to tackle racism, internalised self-hatred, sibling issues and toxic workplaces. It's a lot.
And the thing at the end with Karen
Spoiler
who lies about where she is and then goes out with a friend and kind of gets kidnappedMainly I had an issue with the writing. It's actually quite well written, but for every action there is a musing. Its a lot of telling, but very little showing, particularly in relation to her old school friends, who wronged her SO BADLY.
I very nearly DNFd this at 60 percent, but decided I wanted to know what happened.
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