A review by growplantsreadbooks
Death Valley by Melissa Broder

  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Definitely the most conventional Broder novel I've read, but by no means is it an easy book to enjoy.  The main character, the landscape, the situations, and lessons learned are all larger than life. It's basically a gender swapped version of the classic "man who goes into nature and discovers empathy" trope. Broder balances humor, grief, magic, and faith well, but even her own character acknowledges that a novel about her dying father isn't super original. 
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