Scan barcode
A review by thishannah
Eventown by Corey Ann Haydu
I'm a sucker for the genre of "darkness hidden under a too-perfect exterior" stories, so this was right up my alley. It's like Pleasantville with a touch of Eternal Sunshine, in a kid-accessible package. I loved the themes of embracing imperfections and the painful things in life as a way of appreciating the beautiful parts more fully.
I did think the book was a little long-winded and could have cut down on some of the repetitive moments. It could have easily been 50 or 60 pages shorter without sacrificing much. And even though I have seen the stuff they make on children's TV baking competition shows, I still found Elodee's baking talents a little implausible for an eleven-year-old.
I do think that the book succeeded in dealing with difficult life situations in a way that felt realistic and positive. It wasn't a totally perfect book to me, but the joy of life is in the imperfections!
I did think the book was a little long-winded and could have cut down on some of the repetitive moments. It could have easily been 50 or 60 pages shorter without sacrificing much. And even though I have seen the stuff they make on children's TV baking competition shows, I still found Elodee's baking talents a little implausible for an eleven-year-old.
I do think that the book succeeded in dealing with difficult life situations in a way that felt realistic and positive. It wasn't a totally perfect book to me, but the joy of life is in the imperfections!