A review by kayliesbookshelf
Play by Jess Taylor

challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Readers follow Paul (Paulina) as she confronts two extremely traumatic events that have shaped the course of her life and how they have impacted her in the present. Told in three timelines all from Paul’s perspective, readers will empathize with Paul and may see themselves in her even if they have not had similar experiences. All the characters in Play feel so real and raw; the reader is bound to identify a connection with at least one of them.

While Play deals with heavy topics (reach out for TW/CW) and has an ominous undertone throughout, I’d describe Play as hauntingly beautiful; the prose pulls the reader in, keeps their attention, and conjures up genuine emotion for this heart-wrenching story right until the end.

Taylor’s Play is a story about childhood, trauma, reclaiming one’s childhood, and mental illness. While these can be intense topics, Taylor has written about them with grace, understanding, and compassion. Readers may find this one hard to read at times but it is so worthwhile, Taylor has written a story that will stay with me.

“Part of me felt like I’d come into the world screaming and wounded, knowing all the heartache that would fall on me and those around me. That I knew the unseen heartaches, that everywhere in the world there were people going through pain, and that I hummed with a painful, invisible empathy for them that I was unable to turn off.”

Thank you @bookhugpress for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.