A review by reads_esther
Exhibited by Nellie Wilson

emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Jeremy and Davis' story might be a "gentle'' love story, but what that actually means is that they are the softest, safest, swooniest, sexiest love story. From the jump, Exhibited felt like curling up with the coziest blanket - that sense of warmth and security. J&D's story is a beautiful exploration of queerness and how vast an experience queerness is, but how unifying it is as well. Nellie articulates what queerness looks like - in that there is no one way to be queer, or to be out. I think that Exhibited needs to be required reading for everyone, honestly. This book made me feel seen, but I know that had I read this book before I came out, it would have been the most comforting, healing book I could have read. 

One thing that I love deeply about all of Nellie's books is the profound meaning of family that runs throughout. What does family mean and what does it look like? And in Exhibited, the beloved Vanberg found family feels even more meaningful and closer than ever. Seeing all the characters that we fell in love with in previous books embrace Davis and include him was so beautiful. If I had to join a fictional found family, I would move to Vanberg in a heartbeat. These characters feel so real, because of how multidimensional they are. Nellie’s characters feel real in a way that I’ve never really experienced before. 

I feel like I could go on about this book for eons, simply because it is so much more than a romance novel. This book is profound and thoughtful, it's smart and witty, it's gentle and kind. I feel smarter for having read this book. It's a love letter to history, forests, Appalaticha, queerness, museums. Nellie handles difficult topics with care and thoughtfulness - including sobriety and grief - in all of their many forms. 

I hope that you love this novel even half as much as I did.