A review by distilledreads
Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade

emotional lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This was an adorable story that had me squealing in glee at all the fandom references. I feared that it would mock fandoms and cosplay culture, but it really celebrated and uplifted those communities. Dade’s debut was a genuine delight. 

The premise of Spoiler Alert is that the star of a hit TV drama, Marcus, sees a tweet April posted of herself cosplaying as his character’s love interest. He also sees the vitriol of abuse April is being sent targeting her weight and asks her out on a date. It doesn’t go all according to plan, but they do agree to a second date. 

Oh. 

And Marcus also writes fanfiction and has become best friends with April through their fanfic aliases. 

Marcus realizes this connection before April, which means there’s a big chunk where their mutual understanding isn’t equal which I don’t love; however, the overarching plot was something that I enjoyed. 

It definitely requires a heavy dose of suspending your disbelief, but the rewards were plentiful. Dade doesn’t shy away from heavier topics though. The fatphobia that April has experienced through her life is explored in depth, as is the strained relationship it has created with her parents. This was incredibly difficult and painful to read. 

As well, it did take me a little while to catch my bearings. The TV show Marcus stars in features heavily, obviously, but the storyline is explained piecemeal between chapters. Once I understood both worlds though, the excerpts between chapters became something that I came to enjoy.
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