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A review by handsprand
We Can Never Leave by H.E. Edgmon
3.0
I'm incredibly thankful to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy! It was an interesting read from the start to the finish. It was also a book that I was happy to read throughout the day.
It took some time to develop a fondness and understanding of the characters. The mystery surrounding each, specifically the boys, kept me hooked. I also loved the twist in the book. It was pretty well-established too and made sense for the narrative. Even some of the lesser developed areas of the book (the caravan's rules and how people join) could be explained by looking through the perspective of Felix and the other teenagers. They don't know much so we don't know much. However, some of the chapters from Charlotte's perspective could've explained this in greater detail.
My main issues with the book was the constant interruptions from the author / narrator by addressing the "reader." It completely took me out of the narrative. I didn't think it was necessary to explain the nuance and subtext. While much of the flowery and fanciful descriptions were nice in theory, some just made me confused. Like saying you can stuff emotions into your pocket then saying you should box them away in the next line. I would need to read some multiple times to understand them better. I also think that some of the pop culture references will probably date this book, too. Using "nepo-babying" as a verb or referencing Taylor Swift were ones that stick out.
It took some time to develop a fondness and understanding of the characters. The mystery surrounding each, specifically the boys, kept me hooked. I also loved the twist in the book. It was pretty well-established too and made sense for the narrative. Even some of the lesser developed areas of the book (the caravan's rules and how people join) could be explained by looking through the perspective of Felix and the other teenagers. They don't know much so we don't know much. However, some of the chapters from Charlotte's perspective could've explained this in greater detail.
My main issues with the book was the constant interruptions from the author / narrator by addressing the "reader." It completely took me out of the narrative. I didn't think it was necessary to explain the nuance and subtext. While much of the flowery and fanciful descriptions were nice in theory, some just made me confused. Like saying you can stuff emotions into your pocket then saying you should box them away in the next line. I would need to read some multiple times to understand them better. I also think that some of the pop culture references will probably date this book, too. Using "nepo-babying" as a verb or referencing Taylor Swift were ones that stick out.