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A review by sunnymashi
Didn't See That Coming by Jesse Q. Sutanto
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Jesse Sutanto’s writing is infused with so much character made the story so immersive! I also admired how she thoughtfully touched on the harassment girls/women face and how systems/standards perpetuate that. Aside from that, I genuinely loved the progression between Liam and Kiki it was so sooooo cute. Some parts were a little too relatable I was getting emotional… but that level of audience connection has to mean something was done right here???
Also I usually complain about stories being told too much through the characters’ thoughts rather than showing their actions and dialogue, but being in Kiki’s head truly contextualized how complex certain situations are and complemented the progression of the narrative (i.e. it contextualizes why she couldn’t be honest from the start with Liam).
My onlyyyy complaint is that I felt that the discussion of the themes was just explicitly discussed at times, which is a personal nitpick. A smaller complaint within that is that I wish the discussion of treatment of girls/women was a littleeeee more nuanced- the book definitely covers a lot of ways the issue manifests, but it felt… like there was room to discuss the theme a bit more in depth. However, to be fair, this is a romance, so I understand that there has to be a stronger emphasis on the romance. These complaints are really more personal opinion/preference. Regardless, I think the book was pretty great.
Overall, I am so happy I picked this up and gave it a CHANCE!
Also I usually complain about stories being told too much through the characters’ thoughts rather than showing their actions and dialogue, but being in Kiki’s head truly contextualized how complex certain situations are and complemented the progression of the narrative (i.e. it contextualizes why she couldn’t be honest from the start with Liam).
My onlyyyy complaint is that I felt that the discussion of the themes was just explicitly discussed at times, which is a personal nitpick. A smaller complaint within that is that I wish the discussion of treatment of girls/women was a littleeeee more nuanced- the book definitely covers a lot of ways the issue manifests, but it felt… like there was room to discuss the theme a bit more in depth. However, to be fair, this is a romance, so I understand that there has to be a stronger emphasis on the romance. These complaints are really more personal opinion/preference. Regardless, I think the book was pretty great.
Overall, I am so happy I picked this up and gave it a CHANCE!