A review by tyrfishy
The Night Brother by Rosie Garland

challenging emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

The concept of this book really pulled me in and it could have been soooo good. Instead it was full of characters so annoying and hateful... sometimes it became their only personality and they just came across as caricatures. There was also the use of the horrid miscommunication trope where the grandparent could have said literally anything about their own experience but instead was hands off because the MC had to 'figure things out themselves'. So everyone just suffered needlessly. And the attempted sexual assaults by the main character just felt so glossed over??? I felt like I was going insane reading it because everyone was really chill about this?? 

ANYWAY I finished this book for Guy and Abigail, because they were the only pleasant characters and felt like they had actual depth. 

The concept and commentary on non binary identities was great though. I just think the book and story could have been better around this core.
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