vivamonty 's review for:

Shortcomings by Adrian Tomine

3.75

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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There’s a lot to like here in this well-paced story about a thoroughly unlikeable protagonist whose relationship is falling apart. His relentless negativity and emotional immaturity stifle any sort of self-reflection and we watch him design his own path toward sadness. I was hoping for more of a resolution,

some glimmer of him coming to terms with hitting rock bottom and actually doing something to grow up

, but we don’t really get that. I feel like the depth of discourse here about Asian-American sexuality was ahead of its time in 2007.