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A review by discarded_dust_jacket
Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Wow this book really took me by surprise. Not only was the writing beautiful, and the love story so charming, but I think the thing that I found truly breathtaking was its depiction of friendship.
As someone who struggles to develop and maintain friendships, I tend to find really well-written platonic relationships in books to be especially compelling, and the ones in Honey Girl literally had my jaw dropping as I read. I was like: “This. This is what I want more of in my life.” It choked me up at some points! The casual laying on one another, the forehead kisses, the “did you eat?” Found family.
I also really appreciated that the central tension doesn’t necessarily happen between two people (although there is important interpersonal conflict within the story). Rather, I would argue the main focus is Grace’s internal struggle to overcome the lie that says nothing is worth achieving if she doesn’t tear herself apart working for it. The lie that claims she has to prove herself by being the absolute best at everything she pursues, even if the things she’s pursuing are not what’s right or healthy for her. The central tension occurs when Grace is faced with the urgent need to, for once, ask for help and let others support her.
The backdrop to this entire story, is that Grace has made the disorienting decision to derail her meticulous professional plan when she realizes that all the work she’s put in over the last decade of her life is neither sustainable, nor has it produced the outcome she wanted. I really identify with that broader sentiment, even though it’s important to point out that her challenges are particular to Black women functioning under capitalism within academic spaces.
As someone who struggles to develop and maintain friendships, I tend to find really well-written platonic relationships in books to be especially compelling, and the ones in Honey Girl literally had my jaw dropping as I read. I was like: “This. This is what I want more of in my life.” It choked me up at some points! The casual laying on one another, the forehead kisses, the “did you eat?” Found family.
I also really appreciated that the central tension doesn’t necessarily happen between two people (although there is important interpersonal conflict within the story). Rather, I would argue the main focus is Grace’s internal struggle to overcome the lie that says nothing is worth achieving if she doesn’t tear herself apart working for it. The lie that claims she has to prove herself by being the absolute best at everything she pursues, even if the things she’s pursuing are not what’s right or healthy for her. The central tension occurs when Grace is faced with the urgent need to, for once, ask for help and let others support her.
The backdrop to this entire story, is that Grace has made the disorienting decision to derail her meticulous professional plan when she realizes that all the work she’s put in over the last decade of her life is neither sustainable, nor has it produced the outcome she wanted. I really identify with that broader sentiment, even though it’s important to point out that her challenges are particular to Black women functioning under capitalism within academic spaces.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Self harm
Moderate: Abandonment, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Racism