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

I really wanted to love this book, but it was just too slow. It really needed some additional editing. It's a nice coming of age story among the four friends as they grow and begin to deal with the difficulties of adulthood. It's a cute ode to the chicks. But I'm not really sure how the story manages to have TOO MUCH GOING ON and yet also NOTHING HAPPENING.

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tuma's review against another edition

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tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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).

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lemurdance's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-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

5.0

I don't think I'll ever run out of nice things to say about Leesa Cross-Smith books. Incidentally, I've been saying so many nice things that my phone predicts both her first and last name when I start typing it. 😂

Rosemarie, Ada, Caroline, and Kasey (or RACK, as they call themselves) have been more sisters than friends for their entire lives. Even when life takes them in different directions, even though Kasey hasn't set foot in their small hometown in fifteen years, and even though they come from vastly different backgrounds, their love is immutable. And now that they are finally all in Goldie together, it's a flood of memories, traumas, lost loves, and renewal of everything that is RACK. As their few secrets come to light, the women face them fiercer than ever...together.

I am marveling, yet again, at Cross-Smith's deftness at capturing, defining, and exploring human relationships. Lasting friendships like the four women in GOODBYE, EARL are rare, and the use of flashbacks alternating with present day gives the reader a solid familiarity with how they embrace each other through their flaws and disagreements. Even though the book wraps up nicely, I feel a little sad saying goodbye to them. RACK FOREVER, indeed.

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cathyrodgers's review against another edition

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slow-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

3.0

August 2023 book club read. This is one of my most favorite authors and is an auto-buy for me. Although the writing was excellent, as usual from this author, the plot was thin and the pace of the story was slow. I liked the variety of characters and the small town setting, but didn't really care that much about any of the main characters. Not a win for me.

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