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A review by apalershadeofwhite
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
My initial reaction to this book was very different to how I felt at the end. The first page, writing wise, was trying to be something it wasn't; in my opinion. It very try-hard literary with such an abundance of techniques that made it feel crowded and a bit substance-less. There were A LOT of metaphors used in the first chapter that felt a bit like a reach and clutching at straws, to be honest. You haven't got to thrust us into all of it like a high-schooler writing their first book, trying to include every literary technique they learned in their last English class. A specific example for me was the overly dramatic rivalry between Gamin and Bexley that was presented immediately. It was laid out in such an exaggerated and cliché way, even more a roman novel. It did make me roll my eyes a bit, not going to lie haha.
I found the romance element a bit predictable. You just know where it was going to go and how it was going to end. Also, there was barely any build up to the first 'are we still enemies?' scene, really. There was such a massive jump from our regular scheduled programming to the next chapter, where she wears a short dress and heels and suddenly he wants to snog her in the lift? No seeds planted, really... just sort of thrown at us haha.
It was a really funny book, though, to be fair, and I did really enjoy that element of the writing. One thing that made me laugh, though I don't think it was intended to be comedic relief, was that the author had no qualms using the word 'fuck' multiple times but used the word 'butt' during a slightly steamy scene... I would've accepted 'backside' but 'butt' feels so juvenile and made me feel like I shouldn't have been reading about two consenting ADULTS for a moment. No, thank you, ma'am.
(End note: no, I'm not going to comment on the Smurfs. I want to forget that part of the book even exists, to be honest.)
I found the romance element a bit predictable. You just know where it was going to go and how it was going to end. Also, there was barely any build up to the first 'are we still enemies?' scene, really. There was such a massive jump from our regular scheduled programming to the next chapter, where she wears a short dress and heels and suddenly he wants to snog her in the lift? No seeds planted, really... just sort of thrown at us haha.
It was a really funny book, though, to be fair, and I did really enjoy that element of the writing. One thing that made me laugh, though I don't think it was intended to be comedic relief, was that the author had no qualms using the word 'fuck' multiple times but used the word 'butt' during a slightly steamy scene... I would've accepted 'backside' but 'butt' feels so juvenile and made me feel like I shouldn't have been reading about two consenting ADULTS for a moment. No, thank you, ma'am.
(End note: no, I'm not going to comment on the Smurfs. I want to forget that part of the book even exists, to be honest.)