A review by cloudedreads
Saint Juniper's Folly by Alex Crespo

adventurous funny hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

 I knew about this book when it was still being written (since I follow the author on twitter) and that was why as soon as I heard that „Saint Juniper‘s Folly“ was on Netgalley, I immediately jumped at the chance to read it. And let me tell you – it did not disappoint. 

The story follows three teenagers – Theo, Taylor and Jaime – as their small town lives change drastically one summer, bringing them together to solve the mystery of Blackwood manor, before it’s too late and one of them ends up dead…Told in triple perspective the book delves into what it means to be true to yourself and to others, the importance of family – both blood and found – and the age old problem – growing up. 

Even if it might seem that a multitude topics have been touched upon in this story, all of them are intertwined and dealt with in such a masterful way, that at no point in the book did I feel like I was being spoon fed the ideas. Instead, I found myself nostalgic for my own teenage years and the friends I made and lost through the years… A particular passage stuck with me, where one of the characters wishes to exist in a moment of common day happiness forever, feeling as if seeing the scene from outside, and then pondering how such happiness is always just out of reach. 

The reading experience was so smooth and I found myself flying through the book (even though I read the pdf of it on my Netgalley app on my phone and everyone knows that pdfs and phones do not mix), making it probably the most enjoyable book I’ve read this year, based on the experience itself. I loved the characters and their wit, the atmosphere and the picturesque descriptions. This is definitely a book I’d recommend reading (especially in the summer)! 

I received an advance review copy from Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.