A review by lucybbookstuff
Cackle by Rachel Harrison

hopeful mysterious reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

The last few chapters redeemed the rest of the book, but that doesn't make me less annoyed that I still had to read the whole thing lol. (Not sure I'm capable of DNF-ing, plus it was a fast enough read that I could get through it.)

I think this book would be a lot better as a novella. The middle 100 pages or so were boring af and unnecessary. The whole story and moral could have been told a lot more quickly and effectively.

That said, I did appreciate the moral of self-actualization and learning to love yourself outside of relationships, because I've been through that whole process myself and know how liberating it can be.

However, I didn't really like the characters very much. Annie's sad sack-ness, however realistic, got very old very fast. And I found Sophie fucking creepy and controlling and manipulative the entire time. Again, all of this was only resolved at the very end.

Gotta say, I also don't love the violent female revenge trope. No thanks.

I do also appreciate the ace representation, however, I definitely think it could have been accomplished without being so queer-baity. 🤷🏻‍♀️


So. Not my least favorite book but definitely not my cup of tea. A good quick Halloween read though! 🕷
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