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A review by cheybrary
How to Excavate a Heart by Jake Maia Arlow
emotional
funny
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
S o I gave in and finished it. Switching from audio to ebook was a good call - the audio production was top-notch but listening to Shani whine during my morning commutes was part of the reason why I set this book down in the first place. She is messy and young and learning and yes, that is so important to explore in the queer YA space, but it doesn’t change the fact that she made me want to slam my head against the wall during every single chapter.
Shani is one of those characters that acts as if the world revolves around her. She starts to explore this towards the end of the book, but it doesn’t change that most of the characters simply exist through what they can or can’t offer her. She’s terrible to her mom for no reason (and constantly mentions that she wishes she was nicer to her mom but….doesn’t do anything about it????) She exploits the teenage barista who has a crush on her for free coffee. She has no problem using Beatrice for free housing but makes no effort to connect with her or the other girls until the end. Her best friend Taylor is only there to listen to her problems and give advice. All of these relationships are so one-sided and revolve around an unlikeable, self-absorbed main character.Trauma (particularly when dealing with sexual assault) can impact how people behave, and I definitely empathize with Shani’s difficulties in communicating boundaries with May, as well as not being able to tell her mom or best friend the truth about why she and Sadie broke up. Trauma is certainly an explanation, but not an excuse for how terrible Shani is to everyone around her for the majority of the book.
Shani is one of those characters that acts as if the world revolves around her. She starts to explore this towards the end of the book, but it doesn’t change that most of the characters simply exist through what they can or can’t offer her. She’s terrible to her mom for no reason (and constantly mentions that she wishes she was nicer to her mom but….doesn’t do anything about it????) She exploits the teenage barista who has a crush on her for free coffee. She has no problem using Beatrice for free housing but makes no effort to connect with her or the other girls until the end. Her best friend Taylor is only there to listen to her problems and give advice. All of these relationships are so one-sided and revolve around an unlikeable, self-absorbed main character.