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A review by jaclyn_sixminutesforme
Open Me by Lisa Locascio
3.0
This is part coming-of-age, part contemporary romance - but with quite a dark angle. We’re following Roxana after she graduates high school and embarks on an exchange program - she had applied to go to Paris with her best friend, but through a series of events ends up in Denmark instead. Conceptually this reminded me a lot of THE IDIOT by Elif Batuman, without the circular interior monologue that I felt really stopped me connecting with that narrative. I found this compelling for the most part, though the narrative lost me as it neared the end.
What worked for me was a lot of the social consciousness that emerged in the narrative towards the end - discussions about racism and the experience of asylum seekers and immigrants in Europe. I also thought the intimacy and complexities of physical relationships were really well written.
I finished the novel feeling perplexed and without resolution of some of the symbolism and character threads being followed through, I felt there were hints to issues (particularly with Roxana’s best friend) that needed a little more fleshing out.
Thanks to Grove for a review copy.
What worked for me was a lot of the social consciousness that emerged in the narrative towards the end - discussions about racism and the experience of asylum seekers and immigrants in Europe. I also thought the intimacy and complexities of physical relationships were really well written.
I finished the novel feeling perplexed and without resolution of some of the symbolism and character threads being followed through, I felt there were hints to issues (particularly with Roxana’s best friend) that needed a little more fleshing out.
Thanks to Grove for a review copy.