Reviews with content warning for Addiction - Goodbye Earl: A Revenge Novel

I'm not sure what I expected from this book, but not this. Maybe if I had listened to the song it's inspired by, "Goodbye Earl" by the Dixie Chicks, I would have been better prepared and less frustrated. The book is broken up into three parts. Part 1 provides the backstory for the 4 female friends, alternating between present day (2019) and the past (2004). Normally, I love this in novels and I did enjoy how close the friends were and that they took care and accepted one another through thick and thin. But the friends were so vaguely described that they didn't feel like real people. I couldn't fully visualize them. It felt like the details shared were in order to check off diversity checkboxes (yes, one friend is a redhead, one is biracial, one is black and bisexual, and I still don't know what the 4th friend is).

And fine, not every book has to be character-driven, which is my usual jam and jelly, BUT then the plot has to draw me in. The plot was giving very much "YOU" (the TV show) where crimes are being committed all too easily as if it's NOT A BIG DEAL. Part 2, they kill a person. And I'm just like, WHAT?! You can't just kill a person, willy nilly, EVEN if they deserved it. And then everyone is completely okay with it and everything just ends perfectly and happily ever after...what?! I just couldn't suspend belief enough, but still had to finish it to see where it ended up. Part 3 is the aftermath and it was as predictable as expected. Everyone comes to terms with their pasts and problems. The end. I dunno, am I being too harsh? Maybe it's because I don't read enough thriller/mystery and I'm imposing literary fiction expectations of writing?

Overall, this is clearly a personal issue, so I would still recommend for anyone who enjoys female friendships set in small towns, and revenge plots where the women win (that part was awesome).

Content Warnings

elishasbookreview's review against another edition

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I liked the country music references and the nostalgic feel of small town living both the dark and realistic side as well as it’s romanticized side.

I didn’t finish this novel because there was too many characters and I couldn’t keep track of them all and quickly lost interest in their storylines.

Content Warnings

heatherv's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Content Warnings

ncoletti's review against another edition

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emotional funny tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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