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A review by savoring_pages
Beginner's Luck by Kate Clayborn
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
I actually dove into this series by starting with the second book. It was interesting to backtrack to the first book in the series and get to know Kit more intimately.
As a grad student, I have a weakness for books that accurately describe life in academia. But this book was so much more than a portrayal of a kickass heroine in the field of STEM. It was also an exploration of what it means to belong, to trust, to give, to care. In the midst of these themes, what really stuck out to me was how betrayals faced at the hands of caregivers can really impair one’s trust in others, and how even *one* trustworthy, loving presence in the life of a child can help counterbalance this with a sense of safety and security. The act of accepting someone and being present for them is a potent salve, and I appreciated being reminded of that.
I’m noticing Kate Clayborn excels at highlighting real struggles and traumas that her characters experience without debasing them into needless melodrama. And I’m so here for it!
As a grad student, I have a weakness for books that accurately describe life in academia. But this book was so much more than a portrayal of a kickass heroine in the field of STEM. It was also an exploration of what it means to belong, to trust, to give, to care. In the midst of these themes, what really stuck out to me was how betrayals faced at the hands of caregivers can really impair one’s trust in others, and how even *one* trustworthy, loving presence in the life of a child can help counterbalance this with a sense of safety and security. The act of accepting someone and being present for them is a potent salve, and I appreciated being reminded of that.
I’m noticing Kate Clayborn excels at highlighting real struggles and traumas that her characters experience without debasing them into needless melodrama. And I’m so here for it!