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A review by milkfran
Sunburn by Chloe Michelle Howarth
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Another one I read for my queer book club and although I really wanted to love it… I just couldn’t. Everyone else seemed to adore it though so maybe the issue was me and not the book itself.
Lack of plot never normally bothers me but getting through it felt like a massive slog, particularly the first half. I just didn’t find the characters or the writing particularly convincing. If I wanted to read queer pining from the point of view of a teenager desperately wanting to escape their home town I’d re-read my own teenage diaries!
Having said that, I’m keen to see what Chloe Michelle Howarth does next after her debut novel. The book itself would have made a really excellent three part BBC three coming-of-age drama with an atmospheric indie soundtrack and lots of shots of impossibly beautiful characters staring longingly out of a bedroom window but as a book it never quite fully hit it’s stride for me- sorry!
Lack of plot never normally bothers me but getting through it felt like a massive slog, particularly the first half. I just didn’t find the characters or the writing particularly convincing. If I wanted to read queer pining from the point of view of a teenager desperately wanting to escape their home town I’d re-read my own teenage diaries!
Having said that, I’m keen to see what Chloe Michelle Howarth does next after her debut novel. The book itself would have made a really excellent three part BBC three coming-of-age drama with an atmospheric indie soundtrack and lots of shots of impossibly beautiful characters staring longingly out of a bedroom window but as a book it never quite fully hit it’s stride for me- sorry!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia