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emotional
reflective
fast-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
A good story, and I like the characters’ journeys. The pacing is a little all over the place, felt like it was going too fast and skipped around a lot, especially when it came to the tennis matches.
For a book set at a tennis tournament, almost all scenes take place between the tennis. Which is fine, but I think the tennis could’ve been used a bit more when it came to characters externally processing their internal dilemmas
For a book set at a tennis tournament, almost all scenes take place between the tennis. Which is fine, but I think the tennis could’ve been used a bit more when it came to characters externally processing their internal dilemmas
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Grief
Moderate: Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Racism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Eating disorder
Moderate: Drug use, Racism, Death of parent
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
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
Thank you To Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this story.
SPOILERS TO FOLLOW
I enjoyed this story despite not knowing anything about tennis. The story doesn't really explain the mechanics of tennis to the reader but I don't thinks that's really necessary. Yes the girls play tennis and it's like the main plot of the story, but during the tennis matches, it's mainly focused on how the girls feel and how they're hitting and not the tennis itself.
Leylah was my favorite character. I loved how stubborn and mean she was. I also enjoyed her brutal honesty and loyalty to people she cares about, even Alice (who she didn't really know), and Violetta (who at times did not deserve Leylah's loyalty). Her scenes with Noah were some of my favorite. He was super nice and understanding even though he barely knew Leylah and he always gave her the benefit of the doubt and it was really nice to see that someone was trying to break past her tough exterior.
Alice I expected to not remain in the tournament at all and I was right but... she had a mini redemption moment which I guess did help the plot in the long run. I still feel like she could have had her big realizations about herself without being put back in as the "loser card" (or something like that. I don't remember what it was called). Her getting back in on a technicality felt a bit forced almost but, like I said, it works out overall for the story.
Violetta was someone I really had trouble liking. I don't think I ever was really on her side. she seemed really vapid and full of herself at times. At the same time she was facing some serious mental health problems and an eating disorder. So most of the time I felt sympathy for her but also abject hatred for the way she would treat Leylah (by not being able to see how she had privilege in ways that Leylah did not) and for hurting Alice (using the secrets Alice told Violetta against her). I do think in the end that I liked her but it took a very long time to get there.
SPOILERS TO FOLLOW
I enjoyed this story despite not knowing anything about tennis. The story doesn't really explain the mechanics of tennis to the reader but I don't thinks that's really necessary. Yes the girls play tennis and it's like the main plot of the story, but during the tennis matches, it's mainly focused on how the girls feel and how they're hitting and not the tennis itself.
Leylah was my favorite character. I loved how stubborn and mean she was. I also enjoyed her brutal honesty and loyalty to people she cares about, even Alice (who she didn't really know), and Violetta (who at times did not deserve Leylah's loyalty). Her scenes with Noah were some of my favorite. He was super nice and understanding even though he barely knew Leylah and he always gave her the benefit of the doubt and it was really nice to see that someone was trying to break past her tough exterior.
Alice I expected to not remain in the tournament at all and I was right but... she had a mini redemption moment which I guess did help the plot in the long run. I still feel like she could have had her big realizations about herself without being put back in as the "loser card" (or something like that. I don't remember what it was called). Her getting back in on a technicality felt a bit forced almost but, like I said, it works out overall for the story.
Violetta was someone I really had trouble liking. I don't think I ever was really on her side. she seemed really vapid and full of herself at times. At the same time she was facing some serious mental health problems and an eating disorder. So most of the time I felt sympathy for her but also abject hatred for the way she would treat Leylah (by not being able to see how she had privilege in ways that Leylah did not) and for hurting Alice (using the secrets Alice told Violetta against her). I do think in the end that I liked her but it took a very long time to get there.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Racism, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent