A review by jess_another_book_nook
The People We Keep by Allison Larkin

dark emotional sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I have such mixed feelings on this one. April was a very unlikable and problematic character to me and I wasn't rooting for her until almost 80% of the way through the book. When first starting the book, I felt sympathy for her because of her home situation and felt the way the author portrayed her struggled was accurate.

But I quickly lost my sympathy and began to not like her and find her problematic 1/3 of the way through the book. The age gap in Part 1 of the book and the relationship in general, even if she was her fake age, made me sick to my stomach and on multiple occasions I almost DNF it because of this.

In the second part of the book when April had actually became her "fake" age from Part 1, I started to warm towards her and eventually rooting for her. I like the side characters more than I did April herself, but thought they balanced her. I wish the book had wrapped up with lessons learned, but it seems like April will continue to run away from her problems even after the book has ended.