A review by dusktildawn
Outdrawn by Deanna Grey

hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

When the art becomes everything, there's nothing else to fill up that empty space.

I really wanted to like this more than I did, especially since everyone else adores it. I mean look at that amazing cover. But evidently, it just wasn't for me. I was just bored the entire time I was reading and constantly checked how many pages were left before I could finish it. At some point I stopped I wasn't reading because I enjoyed it, I was reading to just be done with it. 

I had to force myself to finish and somehow managed to convince myself it would get better even though it never did. It wasn't egregiously awful, but I struggled to connect with the characters or the story or anything that happened. Everything just lacked depth. When the big emotional payoffs happened, I felt absolutely nothing at all. It just never hooked me in and the strange pacing didn't help.

I liked the story and the initial set-up but despite how much the plot revolves around the comics and the art and how well done the aspects of it were, I felt like it wasn't that interesting, and that dragged the book down. It felt like I was promised something better than what we got. When I was about halfway through, and nothing had really happened and I could hardly remember what had happened, I found myself struck with an overwhelming sense of boredom. And after that, I just couldn't bring myself to care.

I liked Sage and Noah but I never really felt that connection between them outside of both being artists, and I never bought them being together. The relationship moved a bit too quickly for me because once they decided they were done being rivals, the actual compelling piece of the story just slowly died until it vanished. They just disliked each other until they didn't. The set-up was great but there just wasn't enough development in the relationship. Just one kiss and suddenly, "wait I actually really like you."

And despite how much time we spend with them, and how often they discuss their feelings, it still felt hollow to me. Whenever new moves were made and new things happened in their relationship, I felt like they came out of nowhere and I just didn't care. Unfortunately, a disappointing and forgettable read.