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A review by ylshelflove
The Chalk Artist by Allegra Goodman
4.0
This book started off really strong with distinct characters that felt pretty realistic, albeit it took a bit of time for them to grow into more than their cliche at first (idealistic first-year teacher, poor starving artist, overweight girl, etc.). I really enjoyed seeing how the characters stories interwove with each other and to get those different perspectives on a single situation. Towards the middle, it seemed like the book was going into more of a sci-fi/gaming horror direction, which would have been an interesting twist. However, that path was never really explored, which was a problem I had for the entire second half.
It felt like the story had lost direction and was more a journal detailing how life was going for each character as it happened to them. It read more like a passive report. Somehow, the book had lost all feeling to me. The romance was abrupt, unrealistic, and strange. It popped out of nowhere and then in some cases seemed to disappear just as quickly. The interpersonal issues between the characters were half-explored and half-resolved and then back to normal without much to it.
Overall, while the first half was excellent and very enjoyable to read, the second half just didn't match up. It was wandering all over the place, and for that reason I can't bring myself to give it a full 4 stars.
It felt like the story had lost direction and was more a journal detailing how life was going for each character as it happened to them. It read more like a passive report. Somehow, the book had lost all feeling to me. The romance was abrupt, unrealistic, and strange. It popped out of nowhere and then in some cases seemed to disappear just as quickly. The interpersonal issues between the characters were half-explored and half-resolved and then back to normal without much to it.
Overall, while the first half was excellent and very enjoyable to read, the second half just didn't match up. It was wandering all over the place, and for that reason I can't bring myself to give it a full 4 stars.