_lc_ 's review for:

The Takedown by Lily Chu

3.5

lighthearted reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

I bloody loved the whole puzzle game competition thing these two had going on (sorry cannot for the life of me remember what it was called) and I wish there was more of it before they met IRL. 

I am possibly being slightly unfair with my rating on this one due to the sheer number of unlikeable characters in this book. They weren’t unlikable due to poor writing or anything, they were just terrible humans. From Dee’s mum to the horrid collection of people that made up the management team of “Celeste” ugh. I just wanted to chuck them all in the bin. 

I absolutely hate toxic positivity and this book was chock full of it. Every chapter started with an affirmation that got more unhinged as our FMC learnt that you can’t just always look on the bright side of things. I was glad she had a bit of growth in regard to that or I would have thrown my phone across the room. I also enjoyed the highlight on white feminism and the idea that if there’s a few white women sprinkled around the room then we must be doing diversity right! 

Genre: Romance FM

Format: Audio

POV: Single

Tropes: nerds doing nerd shit, problematic companies hiring diversity consultants with no inclination to actually make change, secret dating, toxic positivity to the MAX!

Spice: 0 /5 close door

Age suggestion: 16+