A review by kwil
The Big Rewind by Libby Cudmore

3.0

Cudmore’s debut is somewhat perplexing. The hipster elements mean anyone not familiar with the subculture will tackle a slight learning curve to follow the narrative. The mystery is a side plot, really nothing more than the impetus for Jett’s emotional reexamination of her past loves. The storyline takes a few odd dips towards absurdity, and most of the supporting characters are superficial props used to move the action forward. There is also, for some reason, quite a bit of disdain for Billy Joel. Yet there is a sparkle of something I can’t quite pinpoint in The Big Rewind that pulled me through to the end. Short chapters make saying “just one more” extremely easy and Cudmore’s writing is entertaining. In the end, The Big Rewind is a promising—but far from perfect—debut and I am looking forward to reading Cudmore’s sophomore effort.