A review by minamouse
Chlorine by Jade Song

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This book was visceral and raw in a way that I was not expecting. And while there is a magical element to the story overall, I found myself wondering if some of these things were actually happening or if they were driven by the MCs very obviously undiagnosed mental illness. This book is a fever dream that I enjoyed immensely.

However, I wouldn't really describe the relationship between Ren and Cathy as romantic. They both have weird obsessions with one another, and by the end of the novel
I was relieved that they parted ways
. Ren is annoyed by Cathy's presence but is also craves her attention. Cathy is in love with the idea of Ren, but it's difficult to tell if she is attracted to her or if she wants to be her.

Other than the oddly placed sapphic subplot I think this novel is wonderful. A solid 4.25 out of 5 ⭐. Looking forward to seeing what this author comes out with next!
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