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A review by paperprivateer
Twelfth Knight by Alexene Farol Follmuth
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a delightful YA romance with complex characters who struggle to make connections. I thought I'd struggle to connect to this book because of it, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
Viola is an interesting character. She’s angry and frustrated with the sexism she experiences in life, and she’s even more frustrated by the people in her life who refuse to acknowledge it. For the first part of the book, she’s not very likable — and she openly admits that she isn’t. She’s not trying to be likable. Because of her somewhat abrasive personality, I wasn’t sure I was going to like the book. However, as the book went on and I got to know her better, it becomes more clear why she is the way she is. She accepts her flaws but also is able to embrace the good side of those flaws. I loved how she — and I as the reader — became more accepting of who she is and shows that women don’t need to bend their personalities and preferences to make everyone else more comfortable. While she has room to grow and can change to be better, she doesn’t have to be anything she isn’t. As a teenager who wasn’t always very likable, I grew to absolutely adore Vi.
Similarly, Jack is a character I didn’t think I’d like. I’ve never had any interest in the football star jock types. But Jack’s way of slowly starting to look at things from a different perspective as well as try new activities while dealing with possibly his entire life plans falling to pieces around him endeared me to him.
The way these characters come together and get a stronger support system not only in each other but in the people around them is very sweet, and it made the overall book feel sweet and hopeful in the way a teen romance book like this should. The banter between the characters was great, and the evolution of their relationship, both online and in-person, develops naturally and satisfactorily. The rest of the cast of characters add a lot of spark to the story. Although I was frustrated with several of those characters, I liked how they reflect life. Sometimes, not everybody apologizes or learns but you learn to move on with relationships anyway.
Fans of teen rom-coms in the 2000s will likely appreciate the energy of this book. It felt at home next to stories like 10 Things I Hate About You, She’s All That, and, of course in this case, She’s the Man, but updated for a 2020s audience. Overall, this is a great addition to the teen romance genre. The standout characters and how they handle their relationships and life challenges make the book vibrant and satisfying.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for my honest review. The opinions are my own and were not influenced by receiving a copy.
Viola is an interesting character. She’s angry and frustrated with the sexism she experiences in life, and she’s even more frustrated by the people in her life who refuse to acknowledge it. For the first part of the book, she’s not very likable — and she openly admits that she isn’t. She’s not trying to be likable. Because of her somewhat abrasive personality, I wasn’t sure I was going to like the book. However, as the book went on and I got to know her better, it becomes more clear why she is the way she is. She accepts her flaws but also is able to embrace the good side of those flaws. I loved how she — and I as the reader — became more accepting of who she is and shows that women don’t need to bend their personalities and preferences to make everyone else more comfortable. While she has room to grow and can change to be better, she doesn’t have to be anything she isn’t. As a teenager who wasn’t always very likable, I grew to absolutely adore Vi.
Similarly, Jack is a character I didn’t think I’d like. I’ve never had any interest in the football star jock types. But Jack’s way of slowly starting to look at things from a different perspective as well as try new activities while dealing with possibly his entire life plans falling to pieces around him endeared me to him.
The way these characters come together and get a stronger support system not only in each other but in the people around them is very sweet, and it made the overall book feel sweet and hopeful in the way a teen romance book like this should. The banter between the characters was great, and the evolution of their relationship, both online and in-person, develops naturally and satisfactorily. The rest of the cast of characters add a lot of spark to the story. Although I was frustrated with several of those characters, I liked how they reflect life. Sometimes, not everybody apologizes or learns but you learn to move on with relationships anyway.
Fans of teen rom-coms in the 2000s will likely appreciate the energy of this book. It felt at home next to stories like 10 Things I Hate About You, She’s All That, and, of course in this case, She’s the Man, but updated for a 2020s audience. Overall, this is a great addition to the teen romance genre. The standout characters and how they handle their relationships and life challenges make the book vibrant and satisfying.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for my honest review. The opinions are my own and were not influenced by receiving a copy.