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A review by arielamandah
The Lightness by Emily Temple
3.0
3.5 stars. I wrote myself a note roughly 75 pages in, in all-caps: “LITERALLY NOTHING HAS HAPPENED SO FAR EXCEPT HEAVY-HANDED FORESHADOWING.” Two thirds along, I was still feeling the same. Normally this would be enough to kill a book for me, yet I stuck it through with The Lightness, and I’m glad I did. Temple’s writing shines in the final pages and the pace increases significantly. I will be interested to see what she does in the future. This felt like one of those uneven “early” novels to me.
Other notes: I loved the mythology/fairy tale references, they work wonderfully in a book about teen girls in the forest (insert big bad wolf allusion). Plenty of other lovely, insightful passages, too. I enjoyed her sharp jabs at organized religion throughout.
I seemed to miss most of the humor that the “blurbers” refer to? I didn’t find this book to be especially funny...
Other notes: I loved the mythology/fairy tale references, they work wonderfully in a book about teen girls in the forest (insert big bad wolf allusion). Plenty of other lovely, insightful passages, too. I enjoyed her sharp jabs at organized religion throughout.
I seemed to miss most of the humor that the “blurbers” refer to? I didn’t find this book to be especially funny...