A review by kat_figs
The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta

2.0

i recently finished the HBO show adaptation of this book and loved it, so i really wanted to love the book too. unfortunately, i thought the writing was weak and the characters weren’t compelling. many of their motivations and struggles are directly told to the reader in a way that flattens the characterization. the book really could’ve benefited from the show’s ethos and “let the mystery be.” 

i also wasn’t convinced by the female characters, perhaps because every single male POV in the book hypersexualizes teen girls.