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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
I had zero expectations going in. I only had heard one person talking about it. But I was looking for an audiobook and found a suggestion on Reddit saying it was a good audiobook and they were right.
The story was so touching and endearing, not snarky and funny. I loved it. And the audio narrator did a great job. Definitely recommend the audio
The story was so touching and endearing, not snarky and funny. I loved it. And the audio narrator did a great job. Definitely recommend the audio
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I ADORED this strange little book. There's such a great balance of dark humor and trauma that made it perfect for me right now. Lillian is so, so endearing in her honesty, self-deprecation, and sarcasm and also in her genuine relationship with the twins. She feels connected to them, relating to their anxieties about being rejected, feeling second best, and left behind. As she helps them cope and learn how to control their emotions, she also begins to be kinder to herself. It was just so rewarding to follow her through the novel. It's also a genuinely funny book that made me laugh out loud multiple times (the scene where Carl and Lillian take the twins to the library is probably my favorite). I listened to the audiobook, and Marin Ireland as narrator was really spectacular.
Cute and heartwarming! I listened to most of this on a road trip in a halfway napping state, but enjoyed it enough that I may want to go through it again with more attention. The premise is totally off the wall, but still feels approachable and interesting and somehow realistic and pleasantly mundane.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Kevin Wilson clearly has never spent ver much time with women particularly teenage girls (and I hope he never does my god this guys a creep). This is bad porn writing without any sex. The portrayal of the women is so sexist and disgusting. Every conversation between two women he describes them as fantasizing about making out with each other. The amount of times make out was used in the first chapter alone was absurd and gross. Im genuinely shocked this book had any good reviews. I finished it mainly because it was short and I wanted to see how truly bad it could get. I did really love the children’s characters and the concept of children who start on fire as a way to represent trauma and how it manifests but the writing is just bad. The ending gained points for me as one of the better parts of the book. The first half is laughably bad and while the writing doesn’t really improve much the plot made up for it enough to keep me interested. It felt like he had a good plot concept and nothing else. The writing is rushed and subpar and the ending while good felt abrupt and not well fleshed out. The whole basketball subplot made no sense and felt thrown in to make the book long enough to publish. All in all not a great read. (Side note two shitty books in a row is too much even for me and I have GOT to read an actually good book)
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Extra fun if you listen out loud while painting your apartment with your roommate and repeat all the funniest lines back to each other.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book but the character work in this really wowed me. I loved Lillian and the fire children! I was also quite touched by the depiction of the complicated friendship between Lillian and Madison.
I would recommend this book:
- if you like weird litfic with some magical realism elements
- if you like stories about parenthood
- if you have ever been a little in love with your best friend during a rough time
I also highly recommend the audiobook! the narrator did an amazing job it adds a lot
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book but the character work in this really wowed me. I loved Lillian and the fire children! I was also quite touched by the depiction of the complicated friendship between Lillian and Madison.
I would recommend this book:
- if you like weird litfic with some magical realism elements
- if you like stories about parenthood
- if you have ever been a little in love with your best friend during a rough time
I also highly recommend the audiobook! the narrator did an amazing job it adds a lot
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
Listened to this book while painting with my roomate.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes