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stephbakerbooks 's review for:

Libertie by Kaitlyn Greenidge
3.0
challenging reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This was a decent audiobook that at its core explores a mother-daughter relationship. The book follows Libertie, as she tries to live up to her mother's expectations even as she lives in a post-slavery America and is darker skinned than her mother, who can pass as white. I think the book was at its best when it was dealing with their interactions together, whether in person or through letters.

The book took a turn a little over halfway through, and the narrative moved to a new location and introduced a bunch of new characters—it was a little jarring, and I didn't find Libertie's relationships with these new characters as compelling as her relationship with her mom. And I couldn't get behind the love story. It was too sudden and Libertie's exact motivations were unclear.

That being said, I did like Libertie's overall character arc and development, but I just wanted more from some of the other characters. The plot was slow moving so I would have liked to be invested in more of the characters. I wanted the novel to be one thing, and it ended up being several things, which is definitely my own fault, so you should give this one a chance if the summary interests you! It's very well-written.

Thank you to Libro.fm, Recorded Books, and the author for my ALC.

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