A review by ellenwm
Only If You're Lucky by Stacy Willingham

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I think maybe I was just hoping for a dark, twisty “John Tucker must ACTUALLY die” vibe, but the plotting and messages of solidarity just weren’t there. In the first half I thought this was cruising to a strong 4 stars, but idk…. I was somewhat underwhelmed with the ending. It’s not that I saw all of the twists coming, there were surprises. It’s just that nothing was gasp-worthy. But oddly it felt sort of low stakes for a murder mystery? The investigation in the “now” chapters felt like an afterthought and the threads were all tied up too quickly and easily. Maybe it’s more of a me problem, but I have a hard time with MCs who never gain any self awareness.

I really enjoyed the real feel of the store-brand College of Charleston setting and half expected a major drug ring to pop up in the fraternity. The depictions of how difficult it is for some to transition to college and find their “place” were good. Most of the time I appreciated the exploration of the complexities of female friendships: intense bonding, complicated love, longing for popularity, frenemies, rejection, protection, possessiveness, obsession, diverging experiences creating a wedge.

Will read future books from Stacy Willingham though because I loved “All the Dangerous Things.” Perhaps it set too high a bar.
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