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A review by rballenger
Borderline by Mishell Baker
3.0
Type of read: Commuter Read.
What made me pick it up: Suggested based on past reads.
Overall rating: I like the idea of 'Borderline.' I like the storyline and most of the content, but honestly, I find Millie to be one of the most annoying, ridiculous characters I've read in a while...and it's all in how they are written. Don't get me wrong, the majority of the writing for 'Borderline' is great. It's descriptive, builds the scene, gets you an idea for the characters, and makes you feel the words. However, I'm a firm believer that an author shouldn't have to keep telling the reader what they're trying to get across, at least not directly. As a reader, I should be able to learn throughout the book that some of the traits and characteristics Millie has they attribute to their diagnosis with BPD without having to continually be told, 'as a Borderline...' It's redundant and unnecessary. Additionally, I felt like Baker tried to smoosh fifty-eleven million character traits into Millie but didn't get them fully thought out so they all seem haphazard and underdeveloped. Maybe the idea is that they'll be addressed or expanded on in future books in 'The Arcadia Project' series or that is how it feels as an individual with BPD. I'm not sure. I just know, for me personally as a reader, it felt disjointed. I really wanted to love 'Borderline,' and I'm not saying I wouldn't read something else by Baker but honestly, I wasn't overly impressed enough with 'Borderline' to keep reading the series.
Reader's Note: 'Borderline' includes themes of death, dying, suicide, self harm, and abuse.
What made me pick it up: Suggested based on past reads.
Overall rating: I like the idea of 'Borderline.' I like the storyline and most of the content, but honestly, I find Millie to be one of the most annoying, ridiculous characters I've read in a while...and it's all in how they are written. Don't get me wrong, the majority of the writing for 'Borderline' is great. It's descriptive, builds the scene, gets you an idea for the characters, and makes you feel the words. However, I'm a firm believer that an author shouldn't have to keep telling the reader what they're trying to get across, at least not directly. As a reader, I should be able to learn throughout the book that some of the traits and characteristics Millie has they attribute to their diagnosis with BPD without having to continually be told, 'as a Borderline...' It's redundant and unnecessary. Additionally, I felt like Baker tried to smoosh fifty-eleven million character traits into Millie but didn't get them fully thought out so they all seem haphazard and underdeveloped. Maybe the idea is that they'll be addressed or expanded on in future books in 'The Arcadia Project' series or that is how it feels as an individual with BPD. I'm not sure. I just know, for me personally as a reader, it felt disjointed. I really wanted to love 'Borderline,' and I'm not saying I wouldn't read something else by Baker but honestly, I wasn't overly impressed enough with 'Borderline' to keep reading the series.
Reader's Note: 'Borderline' includes themes of death, dying, suicide, self harm, and abuse.