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kelly_e's review against another edition
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Title: Now Is Not the time to Panic
Author: Kevin Wilson
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 3.50
Pub Date: November 15, 2022
T H R E E • W O R D S
Accessible • Witty • Thoughtful
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Sixteen-year-old Frankie Budge—aspiring writer, indifferent student, offbeat loner—is determined to make it through yet another sad summer in Coalfield, Tennessee, when she meets Zeke, a talented artist who has just moved into his grandmother’s unhappy house and who is as lonely and awkward as Frankie is. Romantic and creative sparks begin to fly, and when the two jointly make an unsigned poster, shot through with an enigmatic phrase, it becomes unforgettable to anyone who sees it. The edge is a shantytown filled with gold seekers. We are fugitives, and the law is skinny with hunger for us.
The posters begin appearing everywhere, and people wonder who is behind them. Satanists, kidnappers—the rumors won’t stop, and soon the mystery has dangerous repercussions that spread far beyond the town. The art that brought Frankie and Zeke together now threatens to tear them apart.
Twenty years later, Frances Eleanor Budge—famous author, mom to a wonderful daughter, wife to a loving husband—gets a call that threatens to upend everything: a journalist named Mazzy Brower is writing a story about the Coalfield Panic of 1996. Might Frances know something about that? And will what she knows destroy the life she’s so carefully built?
💭 T H O U G H T S
Now Is Not the Time to Panic is my first foray into Kevin Wilson's work. I wasn't exactly sure what I was expecting, but what I got wasn't it. What this was for me was a quick, forgettable coming-of-age story that was solid on audio.
From the very beginning, I had a hard time connecting with the characters. The pacing was slow through the first half, picking up through the second half but I just couldn't bring myself to care. The writing was decent, so I am thinking it was just the story itself. I will say after reading the author's note I had a little more appreciation for it simply because of how personal writing this story was for him.
Now if Not the Time to Panic is awkward and unsettling read focusing on young love, a sense of identity, the power of art and artistic collaboration, and the secrets that haunt us. For me, it was nothing memorable, and while I still might give Nothing to See Here a go at some point in the future, I just don't think I am the intended audience for this author's work. I can understand why so many connect with it though.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Kevin Wilson enthusiasts
• fans of the coming-of-age story
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"We’d created meaning where there was none, but, I don’t know, isn’t that art? Or at least I think it’s the kind of art that I like, where the obsession of one person envelops other people, transforms them."
Author: Kevin Wilson
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 3.50
Pub Date: November 15, 2022
T H R E E • W O R D S
Accessible • Witty • Thoughtful
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Sixteen-year-old Frankie Budge—aspiring writer, indifferent student, offbeat loner—is determined to make it through yet another sad summer in Coalfield, Tennessee, when she meets Zeke, a talented artist who has just moved into his grandmother’s unhappy house and who is as lonely and awkward as Frankie is. Romantic and creative sparks begin to fly, and when the two jointly make an unsigned poster, shot through with an enigmatic phrase, it becomes unforgettable to anyone who sees it. The edge is a shantytown filled with gold seekers. We are fugitives, and the law is skinny with hunger for us.
The posters begin appearing everywhere, and people wonder who is behind them. Satanists, kidnappers—the rumors won’t stop, and soon the mystery has dangerous repercussions that spread far beyond the town. The art that brought Frankie and Zeke together now threatens to tear them apart.
Twenty years later, Frances Eleanor Budge—famous author, mom to a wonderful daughter, wife to a loving husband—gets a call that threatens to upend everything: a journalist named Mazzy Brower is writing a story about the Coalfield Panic of 1996. Might Frances know something about that? And will what she knows destroy the life she’s so carefully built?
💭 T H O U G H T S
Now Is Not the Time to Panic is my first foray into Kevin Wilson's work. I wasn't exactly sure what I was expecting, but what I got wasn't it. What this was for me was a quick, forgettable coming-of-age story that was solid on audio.
From the very beginning, I had a hard time connecting with the characters. The pacing was slow through the first half, picking up through the second half but I just couldn't bring myself to care. The writing was decent, so I am thinking it was just the story itself. I will say after reading the author's note I had a little more appreciation for it simply because of how personal writing this story was for him.
Now if Not the Time to Panic is awkward and unsettling read focusing on young love, a sense of identity, the power of art and artistic collaboration, and the secrets that haunt us. For me, it was nothing memorable, and while I still might give Nothing to See Here a go at some point in the future, I just don't think I am the intended audience for this author's work. I can understand why so many connect with it though.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Kevin Wilson enthusiasts
• fans of the coming-of-age story
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"We’d created meaning where there was none, but, I don’t know, isn’t that art? Or at least I think it’s the kind of art that I like, where the obsession of one person envelops other people, transforms them."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Car accident, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Suicide attempt, Cursing, Sexual content, Infidelity, and Sexual assault
anarchist_al's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Blood
blewballoon's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This is a good book, for someone else. I listened to this on audiobook and Ginnifer Goodwin absolutely nailed the narration. I loved Nothing to See Here by the same author, so I grabbed this one without even looking at the synopsis. I found that book to be grounded, creative, funny, and hopeful. It dealt with darker subjects delicately. The dialogue and characters felt real and natural while also being unusual. I think this book also has most of those qualities, but it didn't have as much levity and hope. I felt a sense of dread the entire time I was reading it, waiting for things to go bad and then worse. I also found it harder to connect with the main character, it was more difficult to understand why she did what she did. I did really appreciate the Author's notes at the end about how this story came about and how it connected to his own life. I think this was just a little too somber for what I wanted, but I would recommend it to those who appreciate that more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood, Mental illness, Violence, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Infidelity, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Cursing
rebekistan's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Sexual assault
dayslife143's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I really liked this book! Its was so well written, and the story flows so naturally.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Sexual assault
tracey1981's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I absolutely loved this! Ginnifer Goodwin’s narration is wonderful and Kevin Wilson’s writing is just phenomenal. It perfectly depicts how special and memorable adolescent friendships can be, and has a lot to say about the role of art. Don’t miss the author’s note at the end which made this excellent book even more special. Definitely a highlight in my reading year and one I expect to come back to. Thank you to Libro.fm for the advance listening copy!
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault and Violence
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