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greenlivingaudioworm's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Car accident, Death, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Homophobia, Blood, Child abuse, Abandonment, Cancer, Grief, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Violence, Alcohol, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail
redefiningrachel's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Addiction, Blood, Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Terminal illness
Minor: Body shaming, Miscarriage, and Fatphobia
kelly_e's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Title: The People We Keep
Author: Allison Larkin
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 2.75
Pub Date: August 3, 2021
T H R E E β’ W O R D S
Slow β’ Nostalgic β’ Repetitive
π S Y N O P S I S
Abandoned by her mother as a child, April is living in a run-down motorhome her father won as part of a bet, and picking up shifts at the local diner. Her father who is rarely ever home, prefers to spend time with his girlfriend and her child. To make matters worse, April's failing at school and barely scraping by. Sick of it all and with dreams of pursuing her music, she steals a car and leaves Little River behind.
π T H O U G H T S
After seeing several glowing reviews and reading the synopsis, I was convinced The People We Keep would be a book I'd love. Unfortunately, I was wrong (it happens).
What I like:
β’ part one. It started out so strong. I was intrigued. I was engaged. I wanted to keep reading.
β’ the singer/songwriter aspect. I wish there'd have been a bigger focus on this element.
β’ the secondary characters. April meets some wonderful and endearing people along the way.
β’ the audio narration. It's Julia Whelan. Enough said.
What I didn't like:
β’ part two on. After starting with so much potential, it really lost it's footing as I progressed and my attention waned considerably.
β’ the pacing. It felt longer than it actually was. And yet, the entire story spans only four years of April's life, and I wanted felt as though it should have been longer.
β’ the repetitive nature of April's behaviour. The same thing happens over and over again. April's behaviour felt like a broken record, making the narrative highly predictable and giving it YA vibes. Honestly, it didn't feel like she grew all that much from start to finish.
β’ the sexual encounters. The story didn't need this and would likely have been better without.
β’ the redemptive power of motherhood. It all just felt so unrealistic and clichΓ©.
β’ entering a relationship under false pretenses. Just. A. Hard. No.
In summary, The People We Keep had so many of the elements I love in a character-driven story, but it just ended up not working. I definitely understand why this book is so beloved by many readers, it was just not the right fit for me.
π R E C O M M E N D β’ T O
β’ fans of the found family trope
β’ readers who like character-driven narratives
π F A V O U R I T E β’ Q U O T E S
"I wonder if maybe all you do is meet people and lose them and your smile fades the further you go because you have to carry the space they leave. Maybe it just all turns into old pictures on a bookshelf, engraved rings, memories of sticking stars to a ceiling, and maybe the space gets bigger and heavier every year."
"I want to believe there will still be newness in the world for me. That it's not all faded and dusty."
Author: Allison Larkin
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 2.75
Pub Date: August 3, 2021
T H R E E β’ W O R D S
Slow β’ Nostalgic β’ Repetitive
π S Y N O P S I S
Abandoned by her mother as a child, April is living in a run-down motorhome her father won as part of a bet, and picking up shifts at the local diner. Her father who is rarely ever home, prefers to spend time with his girlfriend and her child. To make matters worse, April's failing at school and barely scraping by. Sick of it all and with dreams of pursuing her music, she steals a car and leaves Little River behind.
π T H O U G H T S
After seeing several glowing reviews and reading the synopsis, I was convinced The People We Keep would be a book I'd love. Unfortunately, I was wrong (it happens).
What I like:
β’ part one. It started out so strong. I was intrigued. I was engaged. I wanted to keep reading.
β’ the singer/songwriter aspect. I wish there'd have been a bigger focus on this element.
β’ the secondary characters. April meets some wonderful and endearing people along the way.
β’ the audio narration. It's Julia Whelan. Enough said.
What I didn't like:
β’ part two on. After starting with so much potential, it really lost it's footing as I progressed and my attention waned considerably.
β’ the pacing. It felt longer than it actually was. And yet, the entire story spans only four years of April's life, and I wanted felt as though it should have been longer.
β’ the repetitive nature of April's behaviour. The same thing happens over and over again. April's behaviour felt like a broken record, making the narrative highly predictable and giving it YA vibes. Honestly, it didn't feel like she grew all that much from start to finish.
β’ the sexual encounters. The story didn't need this and would likely have been better without.
β’ the redemptive power of motherhood. It all just felt so unrealistic and clichΓ©.
β’ entering a relationship under false pretenses. Just. A. Hard. No.
In summary, The People We Keep had so many of the elements I love in a character-driven story, but it just ended up not working. I definitely understand why this book is so beloved by many readers, it was just not the right fit for me.
π R E C O M M E N D β’ T O
β’ fans of the found family trope
β’ readers who like character-driven narratives
π F A V O U R I T E β’ Q U O T E S
"I wonder if maybe all you do is meet people and lose them and your smile fades the further you go because you have to carry the space they leave. Maybe it just all turns into old pictures on a bookshelf, engraved rings, memories of sticking stars to a ceiling, and maybe the space gets bigger and heavier every year."
"I want to believe there will still be newness in the world for me. That it's not all faded and dusty."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, and Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Death, Sexual assault, Drug use, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Child abuse
child neglecthaleynaley's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
As a journey through the life of someone who gets lost and tires desperately to find where they belong, this book unexpectedly touched me deeply. Its a story about how pain can come from different places but leave the same scar, learning how to choose your own family, when to run and what's worth staying for (and an ode to how fathers can be quite terrible). If you can suspend your disbelief to endure a few hundred pages of a minor/adult relationship, it will sweep you off your feet.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Abandonment, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault
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