A review by andintothetrees
Joe Nuthin's Guide to Life by Helen Fisher

hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

I didn't hate the experience of reading this book, but it just didn't really work for me. A big part of that was the distant 3rd person perspective it's written from - I found that disappointing from the start. It's also a strange mix of small town British life and cosy everyday details with some pretty gritty scenes/themes (and a fair bit of swearing). But it doesn't ever feel close to the events or the characters. I liked the supporting characters, they were well-drawn and multi-dimensional (my favourites were Angus and Chloe). As for the main character, Joe-Nathan (annoying name choice tbh) - I would like to know how much research the author did on neurodiversity and if she is close to any neurodivergent people... because he felt like an extremely stereotypical and outdated portrayal - it wouldn't have surprised me to read about a character like him 10+ years ago, but I thought we'd moved beyond such stereotyping now. 

Plot/compellingness 3/5

Themes 3/5

Characters 3/5

Emotional resonance 2/5

Writing style 2/5