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A review by saramdeuri
Gwen and Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher
2.75
well. this was... fine! it was fine. it was really very much like reading someone's little fantasy. definitely for the younger side of young adult. Arthur is plucked straight out of a Boy's Love story (so is Gabriel to be honest), very fun to read him go through his arc if you enjoy that genre. Gwen was a little less enjoyable and didn't get enough time to get over her "not like other girls" complex OR to shine on the battlefield like she should have done.
the final battle was fine, if a little boring and predictable, but that's what we all like. I felt like the parents weren't given enough space for Gwen and Gabriel's fears of coming out be adequately believable but alas. I wishe we got a little more post-battle pre-speech also, but that's typical of the genre to skip over the hard political bits.
my one very very large qualm with this book was the chapter where Bridget has bad period pains. not because of the periods, no, as a fellow bad-menstruation-sufferer, but because of her saying she'd seen "doctors" and then having another two male doctors inspect and then cure her. this took me out of the book totally, even though it's only a scant bit accurate to the setting it's trying to convey. not a single woman would ever see a male "doctor" for her "womanly" issues. she would go to her local, female, healer, or simply to other women in her community, and they would share their knowledge and healing between each other. that's just basic knowledge. and you CAN'T make a statement about "male doctors don't treat women respectfully" and then have ANOTHER MAN solve the issue for you?? same thing withthe final battle where Sidney saves Bridget from the Knife. just ruined everything the author had built for her, even if it was a bit tropey it would have been much more satisfying to read. because of these, as well as the only marginally bearable use of contemporary jokes and language, I can't give it a higher rating.
However!! it is a very very cute romance, if one that doesn't leave you with enough of a satisfying pay-off, you will definitely enjoy their meet cutes.
my one very very large qualm with this book was the chapter where Bridget has bad period pains. not because of the periods, no, as a fellow bad-menstruation-sufferer, but because of her saying she'd seen "doctors" and then having another two male doctors inspect and then cure her. this took me out of the book totally, even though it's only a scant bit accurate to the setting it's trying to convey. not a single woman would ever see a male "doctor" for her "womanly" issues. she would go to her local, female, healer, or simply to other women in her community, and they would share their knowledge and healing between each other. that's just basic knowledge. and you CAN'T make a statement about "male doctors don't treat women respectfully" and then have ANOTHER MAN solve the issue for you?? same thing with
However!! it is a very very cute romance, if one that doesn't leave you with enough of a satisfying pay-off, you will definitely enjoy their meet cutes.