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taylorsevalia's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Death of parent and Body shaming
Minor: Suicide
thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC
A reflective coming-of-age story on identity, the body, and one's place in the world, Body Grammar is an effortlessly queer read, albeit repetitive at times and one whose central relationship I can't quite connect to.
I find Lou's oft alternating positions of being viewed at and the one viewing interesting, as well as her character growth. Another thing I enjoy is how supportive and non-toxic Lou's model friends are, a refreshing change from the cliché portrayal of the modeling world's pettiness. Of course, the countless multidimensional queer characters are great as well, particularly how many of them remain friends even after ending their romantic relationships. Additionally, the last couple chapters are particularly emotional and touching, elevating the rest of the book.
However, the story could get repetitive at times, with Lou going through the same conflicts and thought processes throughout much of the book, thus affecting the pacing. I also can't really connect to Ivy and Lou's relationship; it falls a little flat for me and I fail to see what they see in each other as there isn't really any scenes that portrays their bond aside from the first chapter. Their tendencies to bottle things up and refusal to talk things out - despite being aware that it's better to do so - make them doubly frustrating.
Nonetheless, this is an enjoyable enough read, and I recommend it for anyone looking for a coming-of-age or queer story, or an inside look into the modeling world.
A reflective coming-of-age story on identity, the body, and one's place in the world, Body Grammar is an effortlessly queer read, albeit repetitive at times and one whose central relationship I can't quite connect to.
I find Lou's oft alternating positions of being viewed at and the one viewing interesting, as well as her character growth. Another thing I enjoy is how supportive and non-toxic Lou's model friends are, a refreshing change from the cliché portrayal of the modeling world's pettiness. Of course, the countless multidimensional queer characters are great as well, particularly how many of them remain friends even after ending their romantic relationships. Additionally, the last couple chapters are particularly emotional and touching, elevating the rest of the book.
However, the story could get repetitive at times, with Lou going through the same conflicts and thought processes throughout much of the book, thus affecting the pacing. I also can't really connect to Ivy and Lou's relationship; it falls a little flat for me and I fail to see what they see in each other as there isn't really any scenes that portrays their bond aside from the first chapter. Their tendencies to bottle things up and refusal to talk things out - despite being aware that it's better to do so - make them doubly frustrating.
Nonetheless, this is an enjoyable enough read, and I recommend it for anyone looking for a coming-of-age or queer story, or an inside look into the modeling world.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity and Grief
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Death
Minor: Suicide, Alcohol, and Death of parent
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