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A review by connorgirvan
Scabby Queen by Kirstin Innes
3.0
3 / 5 stars
Personally, I wasn't a huge fan of the structure of the book and the several narratives interlacing. I understood the point of this structure (I believe) but it came across as disorientating and made the story appear disjointed. By the end of the book, I had gotten used to it and didn't mind as much as the narratives began to interlace and I could piece the periods together but it still wasn't my favourite structure.
One chapter in particular had a few flashbacks within it, and rather than signalling this with the different time and location it was simply introduced with the word 'Flash' which I didn't like.
Clio as a character wasn't entirely likeable either, there was one particular scene where she compared her wearing red lipstick to Sammi's hair. The cultural ignorance and attempt to compare the two made Clio appear uneducated for such an intelligent woman and I understood Fran/Xanthe's point that Clio's notion of 'looking her best' may have been based on patriarchal ideals. However, it was enjoyable to see Sammi call Clio out for it later in the book.
Similarly, the argument that she couldn't give up her lipstick because she was 'brought up in a certain way at a certain time' seemed ridiculous given her activism and attempts to change the world - not mentioning her current living situation at the time where she stayed with individuals who were trying to change people's mindsets.
My favourite 'scene' in the book was the meeting between Malcolm and Cliodhna when she is aware he is dying. When he was talking about going on tour together and trying to be a father figure to her, it came across as really pathetic and I enjoyed it. It seemed like the most genuine in the whole book and the most emotional part. Other sections of the book dealt with bigger issues affecting lots of individuals but this was just between two characters and that probably stood out more to me. The part after this meeting, when Malcolm is narrating and mentions about how after that meeting when Clio didn't appear to visit Donald again was another notably enjoyable part. It was quite sad but still.
Overall, I got into the book the more I read it but it wasn't an instant hook. My personal objections to the book are more to do with my own taste rather than anything 'wrong' with it and overall, I did enjoy it in the end. Not a favourite, but not bad either.
Personally, I wasn't a huge fan of the structure of the book and the several narratives interlacing. I understood the point of this structure (I believe) but it came across as disorientating and made the story appear disjointed. By the end of the book, I had gotten used to it and didn't mind as much as the narratives began to interlace and I could piece the periods together but it still wasn't my favourite structure.
One chapter in particular had a few flashbacks within it, and rather than signalling this with the different time and location it was simply introduced with the word 'Flash' which I didn't like.
Clio as a character wasn't entirely likeable either, there was one particular scene where she compared her wearing red lipstick to Sammi's hair. The cultural ignorance and attempt to compare the two made Clio appear uneducated for such an intelligent woman and I understood Fran/Xanthe's point that Clio's notion of 'looking her best' may have been based on patriarchal ideals. However, it was enjoyable to see Sammi call Clio out for it later in the book.
Similarly, the argument that she couldn't give up her lipstick because she was 'brought up in a certain way at a certain time' seemed ridiculous given her activism and attempts to change the world - not mentioning her current living situation at the time where she stayed with individuals who were trying to change people's mindsets.
My favourite 'scene' in the book was the meeting between Malcolm and Cliodhna when she is aware he is dying. When he was talking about going on tour together and trying to be a father figure to her, it came across as really pathetic and I enjoyed it. It seemed like the most genuine in the whole book and the most emotional part. Other sections of the book dealt with bigger issues affecting lots of individuals but this was just between two characters and that probably stood out more to me. The part after this meeting, when Malcolm is narrating and mentions about how after that meeting when Clio didn't appear to visit Donald again was another notably enjoyable part. It was quite sad but still.
Overall, I got into the book the more I read it but it wasn't an instant hook. My personal objections to the book are more to do with my own taste rather than anything 'wrong' with it and overall, I did enjoy it in the end. Not a favourite, but not bad either.