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A review by lizsmartie13
Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Tough… tough one. When I started reading this, I was overjoyed. For the first time since <i>Fangirl</i> by Rainbow Rowell, I felt like I was reading a book that really understood fandom and creators. Francesca Zappia manages to capture the lovable cringe that is online fandom in a way that so many other authors utterly fail to do. I also felt like Eliza and Wallace were SO realistic, as teens but specifically introverted teens with anxiety.
I only started to struggle right at the beginning of the third act, after The Reveal. I understand Eliza’s perspective but I think the way she blames her parents for what happens without acknowledging that it probably would have been different if she’d talked to them the hundreds of times they begged her to REALLY irked me. The narrative got close to understanding this a couple times but never fully committed to it and it was very frustrating. Am I just too old for YA? I think if it had addressed the ways Eliza fucked up a little bit more, it could have been truly great.
I only started to struggle right at the beginning of the third act, after The Reveal. I understand Eliza’s perspective but I think the way she blames her parents for what happens without acknowledging that it probably would have been different if she’d talked to them the hundreds of times they begged her to REALLY irked me. The narrative got close to understanding this a couple times but never fully committed to it and it was very frustrating. Am I just too old for YA? I think if it had addressed the ways Eliza fucked up a little bit more, it could have been truly great.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Mental illness