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A review by samwreads
How to Set a Fire and Why by Jesse Ball
3.0
It is always a pleasure to read a book by Jesse Ball. There is not one I've read thus far that I did not enjoy. I loved the character of Lucia and I tore through this book in a day and a half.
The reason I'm giving it three stars is because, three days later, there's not much in the book that is calling me, that is making me look back. It treads some familiar troubled-young-adult territory with Jesse Ball's signature humor, wit, and imagination that moves the narrative into a sort of peri-reality inhabited by quirky people who offer authentic takes on modern life.
I may be being a bit unfair here. Like I said, Lucia is a great character and her relationships with her aunt and her mother especially were authentic and moving.
That's where I'm going to leave it - I have conflicting thoughts about the book that I'm ok holding in parallel. I recommend it as a fun summer read, or a good book if you're disillusioned with "the system" and want a book that pushes the stakes while remaining humorous and sly.
The reason I'm giving it three stars is because, three days later, there's not much in the book that is calling me, that is making me look back. It treads some familiar troubled-young-adult territory with Jesse Ball's signature humor, wit, and imagination that moves the narrative into a sort of peri-reality inhabited by quirky people who offer authentic takes on modern life.
I may be being a bit unfair here. Like I said, Lucia is a great character and her relationships with her aunt and her mother especially were authentic and moving.
That's where I'm going to leave it - I have conflicting thoughts about the book that I'm ok holding in parallel. I recommend it as a fun summer read, or a good book if you're disillusioned with "the system" and want a book that pushes the stakes while remaining humorous and sly.