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A review by myhandmadehell
The Chase by Elle Kennedy
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Youth is wasted on the young.
I really really liked the representation of ADHD (in a woman, no less!) as well as the overarching messages of not judging a book by its cover. Jocks can also be nerds, hot fashion-loving girls can also be smart, etc etc. All very good stuff.
But this book was lowkey painful to read. The slow burn aspect of it felt interminable - and not in a good way. The two leads hardly spend any time together in the first half of the book, partly because there are like five hundred other characters who all need page-time for some reason, and partly because they’re both being very stupid. And not in a fun way, but in a “oh no I can’t say what I feel” way that just kind of grates after a while. Their eventual decision to get together feels anticlimactic (despite there being one whole climax between the two of them in their first sexy scene together) and after that it kind of seems like both of their “flaws” just sort of…vanish. The book then carries on with the task of wrapping up about 1/4 of the plot points it opened - I assume there are more novels after this where we’ll see some of that move forward.
Anyway this felt like kind of a mess: the pacing was weird, the book felt too full of multiple other characters who took time away from the main romantic plot, and honestly some of the bad things that happened to female lead Summer felt really distressing and unfair (not to mention, trigger warning, an attempted sexual assault against another character towards the end of the book).
Also are there really so many adults in this world who not only still have deep grudges from high school but also have genuinely never encountered young people who challenge that narrative for them? One of them was literally an adviser at an IVY LEAGUE SCHOOL who later admits “oh I was poor growing up and I have an issue with rich kids getting what they want in universities and that’s why I was such a dick to you in particular) and like…really?? Was she the only student who you ever treated that way? And was she really the first one to ever make you think that maybe you shouldn’t do that?
Anyway, didn’t love this one, but the character voice was very good between the two POVs, and the leads felt like real people. It was just sort of the plot and pacing that was weird.
I really really liked the representation of ADHD (in a woman, no less!) as well as the overarching messages of not judging a book by its cover. Jocks can also be nerds, hot fashion-loving girls can also be smart, etc etc. All very good stuff.
But this book was lowkey painful to read. The slow burn aspect of it felt interminable - and not in a good way. The two leads hardly spend any time together in the first half of the book, partly because there are like five hundred other characters who all need page-time for some reason, and partly because they’re both being very stupid. And not in a fun way, but in a “oh no I can’t say what I feel” way that just kind of grates after a while. Their eventual decision to get together feels anticlimactic (despite there being one whole climax between the two of them in their first sexy scene together) and after that it kind of seems like both of their “flaws” just sort of…vanish. The book then carries on with the task of wrapping up about 1/4 of the plot points it opened - I assume there are more novels after this where we’ll see some of that move forward.
Anyway this felt like kind of a mess: the pacing was weird, the book felt too full of multiple other characters who took time away from the main romantic plot, and honestly some of the bad things that happened to female lead Summer felt really distressing and unfair (not to mention, trigger warning, an attempted sexual assault against another character towards the end of the book).
Also are there really so many adults in this world who not only still have deep grudges from high school but also have genuinely never encountered young people who challenge that narrative for them? One of them was literally an adviser at an IVY LEAGUE SCHOOL who later admits “oh I was poor growing up and I have an issue with rich kids getting what they want in universities and that’s why I was such a dick to you in particular) and like…really?? Was she the only student who you ever treated that way? And was she really the first one to ever make you think that maybe you shouldn’t do that?
Anyway, didn’t love this one, but the character voice was very good between the two POVs, and the leads felt like real people. It was just sort of the plot and pacing that was weird.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Sexual assault, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Emotional abuse