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A review by leafblade
The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden
2.0
I got this ARC via NetGalley.
Easy to read, but ultimately hollow.
The plot was messy, it seemed like the author forget about side stories and characters and then came back many chapters later like "well, actually, these things are still a thing". Storylines were left uncompleted, characters were left underdeveloped. The debate club seemed like just an excuse for Zoey (I had to think really hard to remember her name) to learn the definition of discrediting the opponent. She made no friends until the last few pages, she could've done without her teacher, she didn't learn any skills bc she didn't actually participate in any debate. There are popular girls at school that are mentioned only once like we've known them all along, which we don't.
The debate club teacher didn't care enough about Zoey. I don't care what you say, she just didn't. I wouldn't be surprised if she'd kept her distance on purpose just to forget her childhood. You see a student struggling with her toddler siblings and you just give her a thumbs up? You heard her say something about men with guns threatening little girls and you waited a whole week to ask her if she's okay? She's in poverty and in an abusive household and the ONLY thing you tell her is to suck it up? Fuck you. Honestly.
There was like this WHOLE plotline about being pro gun because hUnTiNg iS fUn and honestly I'm so angered about this the only words I have again are fuck you. Fuck you personally, author. What the fuck. What. The fuck. This is a middle grade???? With gun propaganda???? w h a t t h e f u c k
The final scene with the family running away from the abusive step dad and stuff was thrilling but didn't make me feel for the characters. It was too late.
Easy to read, but ultimately hollow.
The plot was messy, it seemed like the author forget about side stories and characters and then came back many chapters later like "well, actually, these things are still a thing". Storylines were left uncompleted, characters were left underdeveloped. The debate club seemed like just an excuse for Zoey (I had to think really hard to remember her name) to learn the definition of discrediting the opponent. She made no friends until the last few pages, she could've done without her teacher, she didn't learn any skills bc she didn't actually participate in any debate. There are popular girls at school that are mentioned only once like we've known them all along, which we don't.
The debate club teacher didn't care enough about Zoey. I don't care what you say, she just didn't. I wouldn't be surprised if she'd kept her distance on purpose just to forget her childhood. You see a student struggling with her toddler siblings and you just give her a thumbs up? You heard her say something about men with guns threatening little girls and you waited a whole week to ask her if she's okay? She's in poverty and in an abusive household and the ONLY thing you tell her is to suck it up? Fuck you. Honestly.
There was like this WHOLE plotline about being pro gun because hUnTiNg iS fUn and honestly I'm so angered about this the only words I have again are fuck you. Fuck you personally, author. What the fuck. What. The fuck. This is a middle grade???? With gun propaganda???? w h a t t h e f u c k
The final scene with the family running away from the abusive step dad and stuff was thrilling but didn't make me feel for the characters. It was too late.