A review by kay_reads
All Our Hidden Gifts by Caroline O'Donoghue

adventurous dark funny medium-paced

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

2.0

I wanted to love this one and the writing drew me in at first but there is just too much unbalanced queer trauma for me to enjoy this book. My biggest issue is with the gender-questioning rep because the character in question is constantly referred to in binary terms without his consent and I wish we could have seen more queer joy to balance out everything he and the other queer side characters go through throughout the story. I also wish someone would have caught the HP reference, the Hitler joke about a Hebrew name and the scene in which the mc almost pressures her love interest into sex. Throughout the book the white allocishet mc learns a lot about being an ally and I think showing that growth is good! However, it was tiring to see that she constantly centres herself and underappreciates the emotional labour of her marginalised friends who help her learn. Plus, several of her problematic remarks go unchallenged and I don't think that's ok.