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emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Suicide
Moderate: Death
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Suicide
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
How easy to be dead. How lucky to be alive, even for just one day.
"The Wedding People" by Alison Espach is a great summer read for people who don't want a typical summer read. It was nothing like I expected it to be, but I found myself pleasantly surprised. Phoebe, our protagonist was immediately likeable to me and I could see myself in her in so many ways. I also really enjoyed Alison Espachs writing style; it pulls you into the story right from the jump and always made me want to keep reading. There were some moments where I genuinely had to laugh out loud and there were lots of moments that made me smile, probably because the characters were so incredibly likeable.
However, something that really bothered me was the depiction of depression in "The Wedding People". Depression is something incredibly complex and the protagonists overnight change from suicidal to pretty much perfectly okay may be something that could potentially happen, but in most cases it's very far from reality. I liked the overall hopeful tone and message of the book, but Phoebe's "healing journey" felt extremely rushed and fake after the first quarter of the book. Her initial struggles kind of felt like a second priority then and while I enjoyed the romance plot and the themes of loyalty and friendship I just wished there would've been more room left for Phoebe to recognize that just because she's doing better, her depression hasn't magically disappeared.
But overall, I have to say that I had a good time reading "The Wedding People" and I think the characters are going to stick with me for some time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
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
A unique plot and unexpectedly delightful! The characters were so relatable and the dark humor was engaging. I loved the character growth throughout.
Worth the hype, recommend!
Worth the hype, recommend!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Infertility, Suicide
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Very fun read and an unusual premise. I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator did a great job with the voices although Lila’s voice was (intentionally) grating. Keeping the many characters straight would probably be easier reading rather than listening to the book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
really enjoyed getting to know each character and seeing their relationships with Phoebe develop. plot was unlike anything i’ve read before which made it more interesting, but i did find it to be slow at points.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Death, Death of parent
Minor: Vomit