Reviews - Homebodies | The StoryGraph

1.09k reviews for:

Homebodies

Tembe Denton-Hurst

3.46 AVERAGE

arkcutie's review against another edition

1.0

slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

It was so boring and annoying. I'm still lost on the ending and the point of her whining so long and self sabotaging

jadebethj's review against another edition

2.0

[Edited to add: after writing this, I realized, this would make a good Part One of a novel. It ends far too early in the characters story. It doesn't need to be a series, but a novel told in parts.]

I was so excited to read this book. Part of it was because of the gay black characters and an interesting look at the book/writing industry. However, it was simply boring. I found myself constantly wanting to get to the next plot point. I do like to get deep into the daily lives of characters but this was so circular. Also, I normally love a hard-to-like character but god, she felt so unbelievably difficult and nothing really changed. No arc.

The other part of my excitement was due to the part about her letter getting out to the public and causing an uproar - in the industry and her life. It took forever for the book to actually get to her losing her job, then to her writing the letter, and then about 8 chapters between her posting and it getting out to the world. During that time, it was one step back after another. I constantly felt exhausted by the waiting process. By the time we actually got there (I skipped forward to see where it was and then skipped back), it was met with a lackluster response.

(I will say, I was on her side when she was fighting with her girlfriend in the beginning. I was like yoooo, your mom was talking about me crazy! and in front of everyone in that fake whisper? Wild!)

fayelah's review against another edition

3.25

emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

mistys_webfullofbooks's review against another edition

3.25

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective sad

heelturn2's review against another edition

3.75

emotional funny lighthearted reflective tense slow-paced

fun & messy. love a workaholic self-perceived girlfailure femme dyke blowing up her shit in a series of small, painful decisions. But also that’s kind of every character! everyone & their relationships all felt very real & solid - stuck in these habits that aren’t serving them very well, trying to make shit work. ig Mickey gets a chance to change her life in a way the other characters don’t when she gets laid off from her shitty job - but ofc it comes with all this very real shame and resentment and baggage, so the changes get kind of unhinged instead of clearheaded. interesting stuff here about family and home and comfort too… how those things often don’t come easily or without conflict and work. like a “growing pains” kind of story without being coming of agey bc everyone is thirtyish. I liked this!

daniellelardi's review against another edition

4.5

funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-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

i saw so much of myself in Mickey that if i gave this book anything less than 4.5 stars it would’ve felt like bad mouthing myself. Mickey my girl!!!!!! this book honestly felt more self reflective than a work of fiction, however, it also was so informative for me as a queer woman who isn’t black.

it was a beautiful depiction of black culture, and a beautiful depiction of how returning home can be so joyous because the people there know you fundamentally. gah! i just loved it all.

i think the reason it wasn’t perfect was bc the ending really threw me relationship wise with Mickey.

I had hope that Mickey and Lex were going to have this beautifully gorgeous moment but it never happened, but i guess that’s also what made this book so real for me. there aren’t these gorgeous moments where people forgive and forget like we read so many times, but rather theres hurt and resentment but always love.

anyway i loved this book from start to finish.