Reviews

Dead in Long Beach, California by Venita Blackburn

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gracekatreads's review

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dark emotional

4.0

Some of the most beautiful writing I’ve read in a long time, but the pacing does feel uneven.

nataliecg's review

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense 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

4.5

This book was so confusing. I just did not ever fully understand the concept at all. I tried so hard. There were some okay parts, but I was still left very confused. Maybe that is why it was considered somewhat a mystery book. I still am not even sure how to categorize it into a genre. I won this book through the Goodreads giveaway.

makealongstorycourt's review

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challenging emotional reflective sad fast-paced

4.0

This was really unique in its execution. Told through the perspective of unnamed narrators watching Coral’s descent into her grief, it speaks to the power of all-consuming grief. Coral is lonely and finds that the last person in her immediate family besides her niece has ended his life. Instead of telling anyone of her discovery, she delays spreading the news in both a selfish and selfless attempt to avoid the pain that comes with her new reality.

Interspersed with cut-scenes of Coral’s bestselling graphic, dystopian novel, Coral’s critiques of late-capitalism and consumerism within her novel bleed into her processing of her current predicament, her brother’s death, and the way she experiences the world around her.

This book was a quick and delectable read. It was lightheartedly sad, if that is something that can be true? It’s definitely a novel that is based on a common theme (grief) but speaks to it in its own unique way.

cgood90's review

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dark emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I can appreciate that the author was subverting a more straightforward way of telling the story. And I really think they did a good job. I just personally did not enjoy it.