Reviews with content warning for Police brutality - Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters

Ella Minnow Pea is a delightful story told through letters exchanged by liberal arts enthusiasts on an island off the California coast, Nollop. Only these letters become harder to write when their government forcibly removes access to more and more alphabetical letters (I recommend reading out loud when you get to the end; you'll know when).

This story is a young adult, dystopian novel. Amidst the familial ties, striking dystopian characteristics sneak through, making the story all the more interesting in the midst of what may appear to be a simple story.

I truly loved Ella Minnow Pea, and I highly believe it will be considered one of the classics. Give it a read if you haven't; you won't regret it.

Content Warnings

pastlifetragedy's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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blipbloopsie's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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ninasloft's review against another edition

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challenging funny reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Definitely a must-read for logophiles & those with an unquenchable passion for words & the English language. I don't consider myself largely able to read or speak in complex terms, however I really enjoyed the word play & the enthusiacally eccentric way they speak in the book. If you've ever seen the episodes containing Paige Sinclair from Bojack Horseman, that is how I imagine the characters in this book to speak & I personally adore it. Definitely not everyone's cup of tea, but a wonderful book with a unique, interesting idea. My only wish is that it were a little longer so that we as the reader were able to connect more deeply to the characters. A strong recommendation nonetheless, especially for those who are fond of the writing style such as myself, I foun it to be a fun & quick read. Although it glosses over some intense subject matter, which might be off-putting to some.

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beccaaxon's review against another edition

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challenging dark inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

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annaavian's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

1.0

This book attempts to portray itself as something deep and thought-provoking, but ultimately falls flat. While the book's characters write clever and emotive letters, they're still just letters, leading to a pedantic recounting of events. As a result, the characters have no life or vibrance, and the reader is left with nothing but the dull experience of reading letters from strangers.
There are many better books that explore similar themes of totalitarianism, censorship, free speech and the power of language in more captivating and inspirational ways.

Content Warnings

picnicatthehangingtree's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

A clever and funny, if overly simplistic and expository, story of totalitarianism and freedom of speech.

Content Warnings

mlwe's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.0

Summary:
There are 26 letters in the English alphabet. How often do you use all of them? What would you do if you couldn't?

The citizens on the island of Nollop, named after the author of "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy brown dog," must confront this very issue. The alphabet monument honoring Nollop is crumbling apart, which the Council interprets as a command of the cessations and censoring of the island's letters. Thus, any citizen found to be using these graphemes will be exiled or executed. However, not everyone agrees with this divine interpretation of an old structure, and community ties begin to resemble the dilapidated signage. Factions form. Fear begins crumbling the Nollopian's futures. Hope feels lost unless the citizens can unite and resist the oppressive regime that has overtaken their land, life, and language.

My Thoughts:
Definitely not the fairy tale I was expecting! I was thrown by some of the darker themes the novel tackles and the stark parallels to modern society. I'd probably benefit from a reread, as the plot was quite clever and interesting to follow. The characters were fun to meet, and I enjoyed seeing the different perspectives on the events unfolding in Nollop. However, as it is an epistolary novel, it could be difficult to identify which character was narrating without turning to the signature at the end of the letter. I got some spoilers flipping back and forth, but enjoyed having small, succinct 'chapters' to piece together and pace myself.

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