Reviews with content warning for Violence - Big Girl, Small Town

I am finding it difficult to rate this book. It was very similar to Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, which I enjoyed a bit more than this book. But I still really loved Majella's character. I related to her so much as someone also on the autism spectrum and after I finished, I missed her.

This book is definitely more of a character study firmly rooted in time and place (Northern Ireland after the Troubles), so if that isn't you're thing, then this book is not for you. I picked it up for the autistic main character and in that aspect, it certainly delivered.

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orchardmoon's review against another edition

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lighthearted reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I liked this book, I really did, but I just wish it had said more, if that makes sense. Gallen has a wonderfully developed voice for a debut author, and I really enjoyed reading this book, but sometimes things just happened. The ending was a little disappointing, but overall it's a character-driven novel, and you stick around because you like Majella. Following her life over the course of the book was fun, and it was refreshing to hear a perspective outside of the "norm" for contemporary books. This is not a book for people who prefer plot over characters. Also, it's not particularly like "Derry Girls" other than the setting because there's not that same ensemble feel, and the family relationships are much darker. It's good to see autistic women in media, considering how underrepresented they are in overall life. I can't speak to how good the representation was (it's also not explicit but it's not difficult to infer), but from my perspective none of the usual red flags were there. Solid book.

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alexandra_gg's review

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emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

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sideknee's review

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emotional reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

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bookmaddie's review

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DNF around 45%
The plot is almost non-existent, and the writing isn’t strong enough to carry a story that is devoted to solely character development. If something was going to happen, I’d have liked to have at least a hint of it by now.

I did enjoyed Majella’s character, and the discussions of the Troubles and how that still affects her life today.

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