A review by stephconnor1026
Marrying the Ketchups by Jennifer Close

3.0

This is such a hard one to rate and review! The characters come alive as so genuine and flawed, especially the teenager Riley whose language and mannerisms are so indicative of this generation. There are so many beautiful almost poetic lines that really resonated with me, and I thoroughly enjoyed the chapter of Gretchen’s favorite songs, especially the ode to the Cranberries (even if it seemed completely out of place). However, I never once felt compelled to pick this book up because of the almost nonexistent storyline and slow pacing. In addition, the author’s political views are so heavily woven through the book that you cannot simply skip them if they don’t align with your own. As a reader of fiction, I want to be entertained, inspired, and/or affected emotionally, not feel patronized by the condescending views of an author.