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A review by hgoravec
To Get To The Other Side by Kelly Ohlert
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is a cotton candy book. Started off really cute, a grumpy/sunshine trope that usually isn’t my favorite, but of course grumpy isn’t really grumpy, and sunshine isn’t all that sunny.
Trixie is a Jess Day caricature, which I don’t think is a bad thing. Girl has got capital T trauma, and I don’t think she’s really dealt with it. Watching her constantly walk herself off from everyone is painful, and I hope she got some therapy offscreen. But ultimately she is sweet and fun, and I don’t think that should be reduced to “manic pixie dream girl” without thought.
Bear is awkward as hell, and also carrying around a lot of trauma! It’s not as obvious as Trixie’s, but his relationship with his father, and the ideas of masculinity he still carries are absolutely trauma, and could use some more pushback in the narrative. He and trixie are maybe not a perfect match, but I just keep going back to the fact that they really don’t know each other all that well.
Bear’s family are a constant presence, but they are never really flushed out. At times it seems like the younger sister is being set up for a sequel, but there’s really not enough hook to it.
Overall, cute and forgettable, so good thing it’s got a punny title and pastel cover.
Trixie is a Jess Day caricature, which I don’t think is a bad thing. Girl has got capital T trauma, and I don’t think she’s really dealt with it. Watching her constantly walk herself off from everyone is painful, and I hope she got some therapy offscreen. But ultimately she is sweet and fun, and I don’t think that should be reduced to “manic pixie dream girl” without thought.
Bear is awkward as hell, and also carrying around a lot of trauma! It’s not as obvious as Trixie’s, but his relationship with his father, and the ideas of masculinity he still carries are absolutely trauma, and could use some more pushback in the narrative. He and trixie are maybe not a perfect match, but I just keep going back to the fact that they really don’t know each other all that well.
Bear’s family are a constant presence, but they are never really flushed out. At times it seems like the younger sister is being set up for a sequel, but there’s really not enough hook to it.
Overall, cute and forgettable, so good thing it’s got a punny title and pastel cover.