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A review by cassidy_rain
Good Material by Dolly Alderton
emotional
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
“I wonder where she is now- I imagine her doing her long night-time skincare routine or getting a taxi home or doing an impassioned rant in a pub somewhere with her third glass of wine in her hand. And then I say goodbye to her.”
Hey Alexa, play 7 things I hate about you by Miley Cyrus.
I really wanted to love this, but feel indifferent. Good Material is a story about heartbreak mainly, but also falling out of love. It is written from MMC Andy’s perspective, navigating life after a break-up from longtime girlfriend, Jen. Jen was the one who initiated the split and Andy does not cope with the news well.
I found the pacing to be quite slow and the entire thing pretty forgettable. I didn’t find any of the characters overly likable, though I will say that I found them refreshing! The overall premise is a unique take and sort of flipped script on a breakup.
I did really enjoy the author’s writing style and voice. You really understand Andy; what he’s going through and why he’s behaving in the manner he is. It almost feels like you’re reading his diary. Even though parts feel whiny, it’s refreshing to see a male character experiencing these different emotions and “madness” of heartbreak (stories don’t typically focus on this aspect). I think he does end up having good character growth by the end of the story. The ending was great and did leave me feeling satisfied. At first I wasn’t sure if I needed to know Jen’s side of the story or if it would feel too repetitive- but I think it was done really well to wrap everything up. It was nice to understand where she was coming from, after only getting Andy’s perspective. As a reader you tend to think one way about Jen, because you’re only seeing Andy’s heartbroken and, sometimes irrational, viewpoints. This definitely helped me understand her as a more complex (rather than cliche) character and provided some much needed context to Andy’s perspective. And I did love her independence as well! I’m happy she didn’t have to compromise on that at the end of the day.
“And I know he was telling the truth. He would have loved me unquestioningly and stubbornly forever. And I don’t know if I wanted to be loved like that.”
Hey Alexa, play 7 things I hate about you by Miley Cyrus.
I really wanted to love this, but feel indifferent. Good Material is a story about heartbreak mainly, but also falling out of love. It is written from MMC Andy’s perspective, navigating life after a break-up from longtime girlfriend, Jen. Jen was the one who initiated the split and Andy does not cope with the news well.
I found the pacing to be quite slow and the entire thing pretty forgettable. I didn’t find any of the characters overly likable, though I will say that I found them refreshing! The overall premise is a unique take and sort of flipped script on a breakup.
I did really enjoy the author’s writing style and voice. You really understand Andy; what he’s going through and why he’s behaving in the manner he is. It almost feels like you’re reading his diary. Even though parts feel whiny, it’s refreshing to see a male character experiencing these different emotions and “madness” of heartbreak (stories don’t typically focus on this aspect). I think he does end up having good character growth by the end of the story. The ending was great and did leave me feeling satisfied. At first I wasn’t sure if I needed to know Jen’s side of the story or if it would feel too repetitive- but I think it was done really well to wrap everything up. It was nice to understand where she was coming from, after only getting Andy’s perspective. As a reader you tend to think one way about Jen, because you’re only seeing Andy’s heartbroken and, sometimes irrational, viewpoints. This definitely helped me understand her as a more complex (rather than cliche) character and provided some much needed context to Andy’s perspective. And I did love her independence as well! I’m happy she didn’t have to compromise on that at the end of the day.
“And I know he was telling the truth. He would have loved me unquestioningly and stubbornly forever. And I don’t know if I wanted to be loved like that.”
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Grief, and Eating disorder