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A review by muchlibrary
Monarch by Candice Wuehle
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
This is such a weird book. The storytelling around the brainwashing exercises and the family's strange way of moving through their mysterious rituals was especially clever and pulled me in to finish the book in a weekend. There is, of course, a good bit of self-harm, neglect, and abuse as would be expected from a story about a pageant queen. I was very concerned that we were about to take an ED storyline journey when suddenly it shifted into murder- the best kind of surprise!
The first half of Part II was by far my favorite. The end got a little over complicated and the passing image of an abusive Middle Eastern diplomat seemed really unnecessary in a book that is otherwise critical of whiteness.
The first half of Part II was by far my favorite. The end got a little over complicated and the passing image of an abusive Middle Eastern diplomat seemed really unnecessary in a book that is otherwise critical of whiteness.