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A review by criticalgayze
The Grooms Wore White by Charlie Lyndhurst
Did not finish book. Stopped at 47%.
Reminiscent of something like Clare Chambers's Small Pleasures, this one read like a bottom rung entry from a Women's Prize list. (I don't mean this as an insult to the Women's Prize. I just mean that other - read as: more male-dominated, more "prestigious" - awards wouldn't allow something of this subject matter told in this way near this list.)
The biggest issue here that led me to quit the book was a lack of character. Not a lack of characters, trust me that there are plenty of those here, but a lack of any real oomph or heart. Especially in terms of dialogue, characters seem to be ticking off a lot of hot topics conversation boxes.
On top of that, there are some drastic tonal shifts that happen with characters between their point of view chapters. This is especially true of Harriett, who swings with abandon between severely homophobic to ally without any rhyme or reason for attitude shifts.
I didn't have the severe distaste that some DNF reviews I've seen of this one have taken on, but it was a relatively weak offering.
The biggest issue here that led me to quit the book was a lack of character. Not a lack of characters, trust me that there are plenty of those here, but a lack of any real oomph or heart. Especially in terms of dialogue, characters seem to be ticking off a lot of hot topics conversation boxes.
On top of that, there are some drastic tonal shifts that happen with characters between their point of view chapters. This is especially true of Harriett, who swings with abandon between severely homophobic to ally without any rhyme or reason for attitude shifts.
I didn't have the severe distaste that some DNF reviews I've seen of this one have taken on, but it was a relatively weak offering.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Homophobia, and Infidelity