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A review by radina
The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I really wanted to like this book - the premise is interesting, and I liked that the author wrote it as a response and reaction to, and protest of, anti-Black racism in the US, especially since 2016. The story itself is fine, although there are some irritating plot holes (eg, Venus noticing something weird and just ignoring it for ages).
My main issue, though, is that the writing is just ... not my style at all. I hesitate to say it's *bad*, but it feels quite juvenile. The narration is extremely melodramatic and overwrought. Venus is constantly being overcome by rage, pain, or sadness; falling on the floor, vomiting, crying, or yelling. She goes through so much extreme physical trauma that we are told should kill her and it just - doesn't. Also, the word choices are often strange in a way where it feels like the author just used a thesaurus to pick a more interesting word (and sometimes, IMO, a word that doesn't mean what she meant it to!)
It's a shame, because I loved the setting (DC!), the magic system, and the premise. But the writing was pretty painful for me, so unfortunately I have to give this a low rating, even though I admire the book and author's goals!
My main issue, though, is that the writing is just ... not my style at all. I hesitate to say it's *bad*, but it feels quite juvenile. The narration is extremely melodramatic and overwrought. Venus is constantly being overcome by rage, pain, or sadness; falling on the floor, vomiting, crying, or yelling. She goes through so much extreme physical trauma that we are told should kill her and it just - doesn't. Also, the word choices are often strange in a way where it feels like the author just used a thesaurus to pick a more interesting word (and sometimes, IMO, a word that doesn't mean what she meant it to!)
It's a shame, because I loved the setting (DC!), the magic system, and the premise. But the writing was pretty painful for me, so unfortunately I have to give this a low rating, even though I admire the book and author's goals!