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blacktieoptional 's review for:
Summer Sons
by Lee Mandelo
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was surprised how hard it was for me to get into, keep going with and finish the book. It checks alllll the boxes: Queer MCs! Southern gothic-leaning horror! Spooks! Curses! Characters in denial about their feelings!
And yet I wanted to DNF at the 15% mark because I didn't connect with the MC and didn't really get what was going on. Maybe I don't know enough about the American school system, but I didn't get the whole "Ed left me behind" because he started at college and the MC didn't? Why did Ed keep it a secret?
Anyway, there was a bunch of stuff that just wasn't for me, like the car racing, boys doing dumb shit, parties, drugs... The writing was good, the plot and the tropes sounded good, but somehow it didn't come together for me.
I think the book would have been great if the author had focused more on one aspect - make it a queer coming of age novel and tone down the murder mystery part. Or make it a murder mystery/horror novel and tone down the academia part. The author is clearly talented, but the plot was a bit all over the place and it felt like nothing much was achieved for the majority of the book.
I speed-read through this and at around 80% things started to get interesting for me and it felt like there was finally some headway with the mystery/spooky part of the book. The last 20% were interesting, if a bit predictable.
And yet I wanted to DNF at the 15% mark because I didn't connect with the MC and didn't really get what was going on. Maybe I don't know enough about the American school system, but I didn't get the whole "Ed left me behind" because he started at college and the MC didn't? Why did Ed keep it a secret?
Anyway, there was a bunch of stuff that just wasn't for me, like the car racing, boys doing dumb shit, parties, drugs... The writing was good, the plot and the tropes sounded good, but somehow it didn't come together for me.
I think the book would have been great if the author had focused more on one aspect - make it a queer coming of age novel and tone down the murder mystery part. Or make it a murder mystery/horror novel and tone down the academia part. The author is clearly talented, but the plot was a bit all over the place and it felt like nothing much was achieved for the majority of the book.
I speed-read through this and at around 80% things started to get interesting for me and it felt like there was finally some headway with the mystery/spooky part of the book. The last 20% were interesting, if a bit predictable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Sexual content, Suicide, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail