A review by hailstorm3812
Dear Wendy by Ann Zhao

funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

I was bored by this.  I love when stories take romantic tropes and twist them to center friendship but I tend to hate the Shop Around the Corner plot so it already had an uphill battle and it wasn't done particularly well.  It wasn't awful either but kind of meh.  It felt like it's goal was relatability which is fun and made me nostalgic for college but not a great storytelling goal.  It felt like the asexual version of glee where it is trying so hard that the audience can feel it.  A worthy goal but annoying for an adult queer person with a gender studies degree.  The narrator would explain concepts she already knows in her head for the audience's benefit.  For awhile I thought the book itself would be their gender studies project which explain weird things like that but the plot line dropped off. Jo also pissed me off when she said juxtapose is too big and hard a word for a college class. It definitely feels like a debut book and all the flaws that go along with that but I would be interested if the author took more risks in the future. I just kind of wish it was better.