A review by grunbean
Sweetpea by C.J. Skuse

dark emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I'm not sure how I feel at the end of this book. There are parts I love. The beginning and the introduction of this witty but dark, and frankly mean, main character is engaging. There was a good chunk of the book where I was rooting for Rhiannon, even though her moral compass is clearly skewed.
I think things went downhill when it started becoming about the affair and her pregnancy. There was something uncomfortable with the age gap (though I think that's the point) but there was something that made it really hard to read those scenes without thinking ‘What on earth am I reading’.
My experience with the last part of the book made the rest of it sour. I did enjoy it, but not as much as I feel I could if it was just different. There's potential.

I have seen some comments on the remarks Rhiannon makes, particularly the comment on Taylor Swift. I have, in good faith, assumed that that's down to Rhiannon fundamentally being a bad person despite her rationalizing her actions. However, I do understand how these can leave a bad taste in the mouth.
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