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A review by kayaj
Long Story Short by Serena Kaylor
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Long Story Short is the quintessential summer read. It’s humorous, inspiring, and romantic. You’re rooting for Beatrice Quinn to come out of her shell, to find joy in theater, to discover the depth of platonic and romantic love, all against the bright backdrop of summer camp. I cannot believe the quality of 2022 debuts this year, like where is all this talent coming from (and can I borrow it?)
First of all, I would just like to give a shoutout to the fact that Bea wears glasses??? Like, let’s normalize people not wearing contacts??? And her best friend Mia is African-American and Nik is mixed-race with East-Indian and white-British heritage. This is just such a refreshingly diverse read that defied expectations.
Of course, a lot of the characters do read a little…stereotypical. That didn’t bother me but some might feel upset about it. In all honestly, I think that the theater kid/summer camp stereotypes actually enhanced the book, because it makes it feel like an early 2000s teen movie!
Anyways, while the book felt stereotypical at times, it was just an incredibly fun ride chock-full of friendship, romance, and Shakespeare. THERE WERE SO MANY SHAKESPEARE QUOTES. In fact, Bea (with her insane memory) and Nik (with his love for the Bard) literally made a bet to see who could recite more lines. It’s so wholesome and fun and sweet!
A huge thank you to the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
First of all, I would just like to give a shoutout to the fact that Bea wears glasses??? Like, let’s normalize people not wearing contacts??? And her best friend Mia is African-American and Nik is mixed-race with East-Indian and white-British heritage. This is just such a refreshingly diverse read that defied expectations.
Of course, a lot of the characters do read a little…stereotypical. That didn’t bother me but some might feel upset about it. In all honestly, I think that the theater kid/summer camp stereotypes actually enhanced the book, because it makes it feel like an early 2000s teen movie!
Anyways, while the book felt stereotypical at times, it was just an incredibly fun ride chock-full of friendship, romance, and Shakespeare. THERE WERE SO MANY SHAKESPEARE QUOTES. In fact, Bea (with her insane memory) and Nik (with his love for the Bard) literally made a bet to see who could recite more lines. It’s so wholesome and fun and sweet!
A huge thank you to the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!