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A review by mx_sunshine
Iris Kelly Doesn't Date by Ashley Herring Blake
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I had fun reading this book. I love reading romances involving women. And I enjoyed the queer interpretation of Shakespeare.
But I feel that this book is the weakest of the Bright Falls Series.
The author employs questionable time jumps (2 weeks later and 6 months later) to skip over what would have been interesting scenes.
I really enjoyed Stevie, I thought she was written very well. I liked reading about how she dealt with Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD). I found it interesting that Stevie is the first character in this series to have a diagnosed mental illness, given queer people have higher risks of developing mental illness. GAD is also one of the most common conditions to appear with additional mental illnesses. So it is an interesting choice for Stevie to only have GAD. Stevie’s growth was the strongest. But there is a lack of development from side characters. They are brought in when convenient, to move the plot along.
I felt it was a bit unrealistic that Iris has suddenly become an author, as well as an artist. I found it hard to believe that Iris drew real scenes from memory.
Iris’ family were introduced all at once in the beginning. They are discarded for the length of the book, only to reappear near the ending. Interactions with friends are interwoven throughout, but it feels like they are sitting on the sidelines waiting to be called in. I didn’t feel like their lives were continuing outside of the main story.
I also didn’t believe the friendship between Vanessa, Adri, and Ren. The author makes a point to tell the reader about their 10 year friendship. But their bond isn’t shown.
Van also reads as a very flat character. She is extremely beautiful and friendly. Every character notes her beauty. She solely exists as Adri’s partner and is not developed on further.
The characters have always been conventionally attractive. I thought it was interesting that the non-binary character had such a strong feminine presentation. They consistently wore makeup, heels and nail polish.
The fake dating trope also wasn’t employed as I had expected. There wasn’t much yearning or uncertainty around potential unrequited feelings. It seemed to settle quite quickly as the protagonists suddenly realised their feelings.
While the cast of characters is technically diverse, I didn’t feel this was integral to the story. Majority of the characters are queer and white. POC are described as such, but it’s not mentioned again. Ren is Japanese American, Vanessa is Latin American, Emery is Black. The only case where someone being a POC influenced their life were brief mentions of how Vanessa taught Latin American literature and decorated her apartment with Latin American art.
As an aside - for how prevalent Iris’ freckles are in the story, I’m surprised they aren’t a part of her character design on the book’s cover.
Also interesting how the book has included no praise for itself and instead refers to praise of her previous two books.
But I feel that this book is the weakest of the Bright Falls Series.
The author employs questionable time jumps (2 weeks later and 6 months later) to skip over what would have been interesting scenes.
I really enjoyed Stevie, I thought she was written very well. I liked reading about how she dealt with Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD). I found it interesting that Stevie is the first character in this series to have a diagnosed mental illness, given queer people have higher risks of developing mental illness. GAD is also one of the most common conditions to appear with additional mental illnesses. So it is an interesting choice for Stevie to only have GAD. Stevie’s growth was the strongest. But there is a lack of development from side characters. They are brought in when convenient, to move the plot along.
I felt it was a bit unrealistic that Iris has suddenly become an author, as well as an artist. I found it hard to believe that Iris drew real scenes from memory.
Iris’ family were introduced all at once in the beginning. They are discarded for the length of the book, only to reappear near the ending. Interactions with friends are interwoven throughout, but it feels like they are sitting on the sidelines waiting to be called in. I didn’t feel like their lives were continuing outside of the main story.
I also didn’t believe the friendship between Vanessa, Adri, and Ren. The author makes a point to tell the reader about their 10 year friendship. But their bond isn’t shown.
Van also reads as a very flat character. She is extremely beautiful and friendly. Every character notes her beauty. She solely exists as Adri’s partner and is not developed on further.
The characters have always been conventionally attractive. I thought it was interesting that the non-binary character had such a strong feminine presentation. They consistently wore makeup, heels and nail polish.
The fake dating trope also wasn’t employed as I had expected. There wasn’t much yearning or uncertainty around potential unrequited feelings. It seemed to settle quite quickly as the protagonists suddenly realised their feelings.
While the cast of characters is technically diverse, I didn’t feel this was integral to the story. Majority of the characters are queer and white. POC are described as such, but it’s not mentioned again. Ren is Japanese American, Vanessa is Latin American, Emery is Black. The only case where someone being a POC influenced their life were brief mentions of how Vanessa taught Latin American literature and decorated her apartment with Latin American art.
As an aside - for how prevalent Iris’ freckles are in the story, I’m surprised they aren’t a part of her character design on the book’s cover.
Also interesting how the book has included no praise for itself and instead refers to praise of her previous two books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Vomit