Scan barcode
A review by zquill
Good Enough to Eat by Jae, Alison Grey
2.0
I've never struggled so hard to finish a Gurgh book. Pressure and time constraints from school are partially to blame, but even so I just didn't want to read this. The stakes were low (practically nonexistent for a vampire story), the characters bland when they weren't being hateful, and the details inconsistent and undeveloped.
One reason I didn't want to continue was the premise. I was pulled in by the idea of a vampire joining AA to quit drinking blood, and if this were a comedic short story, I could still see some potential. But the actual execution made me feel dirty for thinking it would be amusing. By the end, I will admit that AA is treated with a little seriousness and respect, but the first half of the book is full of contempt for the process. And if we're to treat Robin's dilemma seriously (big "if" here, when her reasoning is so flimsy), AA isn't the right mode for her to find help when it's not an addiction but a biological imperative.
Robin and Alanna are are either unlikable or boring for the majority of the book, which somehow doesn't work when it's a romance. Bring in Alanna as Robin's sponsor and we get a power imbalance that is constantly noted for its inappropriateness. I don't know about others, but excuses being made ad nauseum doesn't really get me in the mood.
One reason I didn't want to continue was the premise. I was pulled in by the idea of a vampire joining AA to quit drinking blood, and if this were a comedic short story, I could still see some potential. But the actual execution made me feel dirty for thinking it would be amusing. By the end, I will admit that AA is treated with a little seriousness and respect, but the first half of the book is full of contempt for the process. And if we're to treat Robin's dilemma seriously (big "if" here, when her reasoning is so flimsy), AA isn't the right mode for her to find help when it's not an addiction but a biological imperative.
Robin and Alanna are are either unlikable or boring for the majority of the book, which somehow doesn't work when it's a romance. Bring in Alanna as Robin's sponsor and we get a power imbalance that is constantly noted for its inappropriateness. I don't know about others, but excuses being made ad nauseum doesn't really get me in the mood.