A review by serendipitysbooks
Talking at Night by Claire Daverley

emotional reflective medium-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

4.0

 This month has been heavy with literary fiction. No surprise since it’s Woman in Translation month and Booker season. But I felt in need of a palate cleanser and Talking at Night fit the bill perfectly. Will has a reputation as a bad boy. Rosie is most decidedly a good girl. Yet when they are teens a sweet almost-romance begins to blossom between them until a terrible tragedy intervenes and drives them apart. And yet they cannot fully ever let the other go and reconnect occasionally over the years, despite trying to and appearing to move on with the their lives. I have a soft spot for a good “the one that got away/ what might have been” storyline. This one has some solid mental health representation (OCD and depression) plus an LGBTQIA+ storyline. I liked both Will and Rosie as characters, although I was frustrated by the way Rosie seemed to use Will. I applauded their eventual growth and evolution. There is a trigger warning for cancer, but overall this was just the light, undemanding, enjoyable read that I needed. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings