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A review by tdhaswell
Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.75
Definitely for younger audiences.
The book reads like a 2016 Wattpad story that was extremely cringeworthy and predictable from the first sentence. However, I think that’s exactly why the book appeals to most of the readers that loved it. If you’re in Grade 8 and looking for a cute romance, you’re welcome. If you’re looking for a heart-stopping romance with unexpected plot-twists maybe grab something more substantial. I completely ignored the little quotes at the beginning of each paragraph simply because, while others might consider it a unique touch, I just found it random and unnecessary.
Not sure if this is a spoiler because the plot of the book is really that obvious but anyway:
I absolutely could not stand how the author, Lynn Painter, explains all of Liz’s emotions. Painter writes a sentence alluding to how Liz is feeling and then goes on to explain why Liz is feeling that way. Here’s some examples:
1. ‘I felt closer to my mother when I watched them; it felt like a tiny piece of her was there, watching beside me. Probably because we’d watched them together So. Many. Times.’ - Like WE KNOW it’s because they watched it together. I wish she’d let the readers fill in the gaps ourselves instead of explaining every thought Liz has… no one thinks like that IRL so?? It makes the book quite unrealistic when the main character is written to think like that.
2. ‘It seemed incredibly personal, sharing this with him, but it also didn’t feel wrong. Probably because I’d known him so long.’ - Again with the ‘probably because’🤦♀️. Letting the reader ponder the reason would have made it FAR more enjoyable.
To really show how often Painter does this, I searched and found that the word ‘probably’ is used 78 times throughout the book. I also understand the notion that perhaps Liz giving explanations for everything shows how she is dismissive of her emotions towards Wes and tries to give reason for its absurdity but personally I didn’t enjoy that writing style.
Very very YA. Which is absolutely fine, but not for me personally.
The book reads like a 2016 Wattpad story that was extremely cringeworthy and predictable from the first sentence. However, I think that’s exactly why the book appeals to most of the readers that loved it. If you’re in Grade 8 and looking for a cute romance, you’re welcome. If you’re looking for a heart-stopping romance with unexpected plot-twists maybe grab something more substantial. I completely ignored the little quotes at the beginning of each paragraph simply because, while others might consider it a unique touch, I just found it random and unnecessary.
Not sure if this is a spoiler because the plot of the book is really that obvious but anyway:
1. ‘I felt closer to my mother when I watched them; it felt like a tiny piece of her was there, watching beside me. Probably because we’d watched them together So. Many. Times.’ - Like WE KNOW it’s because they watched it together. I wish she’d let the readers fill in the gaps ourselves instead of explaining every thought Liz has… no one thinks like that IRL so?? It makes the book quite unrealistic when the main character is written to think like that.
2. ‘It seemed incredibly personal, sharing this with him, but it also didn’t feel wrong. Probably because I’d known him so long.’ - Again with the ‘probably because’🤦♀️. Letting the reader ponder the reason would have made it FAR more enjoyable.
To really show how often Painter does this, I searched and found that the word ‘probably’ is used 78 times throughout the book. I also understand the notion that perhaps Liz giving explanations for everything shows how she is dismissive of her emotions towards Wes and tries to give reason for its absurdity but personally I didn’t enjoy that writing style.
Very very YA. Which is absolutely fine, but not for me personally.