A review by eheslosz
Mariana by Monica Dickens

4.0

A very comforting and entertaining but surface-level book; similar vibes to ‘I capture the castle” by Dodie Smith, and a nice cyclical timeline with a detailed Bildungsroman section that made up most of the book. I loved the tiny details and descriptions and thoughts that change as Mary progresses from childhood, and I liked the way in which an initially selfish and unlikeable character felt more relatable and warm by the end. I wasn’t the greatest fan of how the protagonist was so conventional and privileged and this was never addressed critically in the narrative, and it wasn’t the kind of book that made me really think. But overall I would recommend it for a fairly quick, comfortable read.