A review by betweentheshelves
Man o' War by Cory McCarthy

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

4.0

I'm honestly not 100% sure how to rate this book because the beginning was a bit all over the place for me. The overall pacing of the book felt off, and at times, it was a little difficult to follow what was happening. There were some time jumps, and they weren't necessarily consistent, which definitely made the story difficult to follow a lot of the time.

But! I do think this is an important story. River is not the most likeable main character, especially at the beginning. They're very sarcastic, guarded, and have definitely taken on the beliefs of their small town in Ohio. Like, at times, it's painful to read their inner thoughts and how they interact with other people. But I also think this was kind of the point? There are a lot of trans people who do grow up in these situations, and McCarthy gives them a voice in this. 

My favorite aspect of this was probably the core relationship, which wasn't always healthy but still felt realisitc. You're rooting for River and Indy, and you get to see how they both evolve throughout the book. By the end, I had come to love them both, and the book was difficult to put down.

Despite my mixed feelings about the pacing and the voice, I get why this one is getting buzz. If you're looking for an unflinching, a bit dark look at a trans experience, I'd recommend picking this one up.
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