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3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
fast-paced
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Yikes. Yikes yikes yikes. What we have here is a 350-page pity party for a deeply selfish, deeply self-absorbed, completely unlikeable and unredeemed protagonist.
I was completely appalled by how Mickey treated everyone in her life, not caring about them beyond what their existence meant for her. I found myself actively hoping for her to fail, for the prodigal daughter to have to stomach a slice of humble pie. Instead she navigated situations being her awful self, making terrible self-serving decisions without consideration for what impact she was having on the people around her. Namely her long-suffering girlfriend Lex, who frankly is the unsung hero of this story and deserves someone much, much better than Mickey.
I was completely appalled by how Mickey treated everyone in her life, not caring about them beyond what their existence meant for her. I found myself actively hoping for her to fail, for the prodigal daughter to have to stomach a slice of humble pie. Instead she navigated situations being her awful self, making terrible self-serving decisions without consideration for what impact she was having on the people around her. Namely her long-suffering girlfriend Lex, who frankly is the unsung hero of this story and deserves someone much, much better than Mickey.
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It was a bit slow for me for most of the book, but really picked up in the last 20%. I hate opened ended-endings so I wish there was just one more paragraph at the end, but I think that’s on me for being an inattentive reader.
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A little underwhelmed. Wanted more resolution at the end. I was expecting a bit more content about the letter and its results, not her self-doubts at home.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is cozy in a way that once you get to know Mickey you feel right at home with her— literally. Tembe’s curation of a black woman battling a world in which she feels she does not belong was very real. It felt authentic. The description of depression, the trials of her relationship and trying to navigate the world as a black face in a predominately white space. The only reason I give this a 4 is for its ending. It did not feel complete to me. I do also feel as though there were moments where they would jump into a flashback quite abruptly and I couldn’t really tell at first. I enjoyed the writing style, the detailed descriptions. If I had to describe Homebodies in one word it would certainly be “cozy”. The entire middle made me feel like her family was my family. Her friends were my friends. I could relate in a way as a black man to the family dynamics and some of the issues black families face when it comes to generational divides. I also related as a fellow writer who feels as though I can never get anything good on paper or like I’m stuck and have nothing interesting or important to say.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness