A review by catsguts
The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta

emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

i find poetry stories easy to read but hard to stick in my head. i didnt like the dialogue - it seemed inauthentic and clunky, more meant to get a point across than sound like talking. this could be ok because it is not a traditional format book but ive seen it done before and i think it made the characters less likeable. i really didnt like mike and i didnt like any of the other characters either. the book had a great message and interesting story structure, following mike throughout his whole life, but for me the strange dialogue and unlikeable characters made the book a drag (no pun intended) to get through. also a whole lot of monologues which whilst conveying their point expertly and poetically no one speaks like that and it made the characters feel a little obnoxious. the language was lovely and all that was said great but when i imagine someone speaking like that in real life I cant help but cringe. felt a bit like those twitter posts where someone makes up something cool and intelligent they said in their completely fabricated situation. its a poetry book though so maybe shouldnt complain. just not my style
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