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A review by nixter
A Million Junes by Emily Henry
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
4 ⭐️
The “Eh”:
Honestly, the pace at which the MC’s fell in love was not believable to me. If their journey was dragged out for longer or had even started earlier than it did, I think it would’ve felt better to me, but as it stands, it felt rushed and kind of insta-lovey. But the result of that pairing was beautiful, and even if I feel like the quickness with which they arrived there was not great, the endgame did what it should’ve. The pacing also makes more sense if you remember this is a Romeo & Juliet retelling.
This next “eh” is no fault of the book because I chose to read a modern fantasy. The inclusion of real world pop culture references is still something I’m getting used to because I tend to lean towards “swords and tunic” fantasy. It was just confusing because some of the language was very lyrical and beyond what I tend to hear 21st century 18-20 year olds say, and then in the next breath, they sound age appropriate. So I feel like the voice altered a little bit too much for my liking.
Finally, the ending felt a bit corny and like an after school special making sure you’re understanding the message, but it’s a YA novel so that doesn’t ruin it for me.
The Good:
The depiction of grief was outstanding. You can feel the love that not only June had for her father but how everyone else in the story processed these tragedies and how they affected all the relationships. Her relationship with her best friend was one of the most genuine depictions of female friendships I’ve ever seen, and I feel like authors don’t always get it right, so that was nice to see. If the book just rested on the romance between June and Saul, I don’t think I would’ve continued, but June’s connection to her father, family history, and the other around her is what kept me engaged. This was enough to outweigh the points above and resulted in a solid 4 star rating.
The “Eh”:
Honestly, the pace at which the MC’s fell in love was not believable to me. If their journey was dragged out for longer or had even started earlier than it did, I think it would’ve felt better to me, but as it stands, it felt rushed and kind of insta-lovey. But the result of that pairing was beautiful, and even if I feel like the quickness with which they arrived there was not great, the endgame did what it should’ve. The pacing also makes more sense if you remember this is a Romeo & Juliet retelling.
This next “eh” is no fault of the book because I chose to read a modern fantasy. The inclusion of real world pop culture references is still something I’m getting used to because I tend to lean towards “swords and tunic” fantasy. It was just confusing because some of the language was very lyrical and beyond what I tend to hear 21st century 18-20 year olds say, and then in the next breath, they sound age appropriate. So I feel like the voice altered a little bit too much for my liking.
Finally, the ending felt a bit corny and like an after school special making sure you’re understanding the message, but it’s a YA novel so that doesn’t ruin it for me.
The Good:
The depiction of grief was outstanding. You can feel the love that not only June had for her father but how everyone else in the story processed these tragedies and how they affected all the relationships. Her relationship with her best friend was one of the most genuine depictions of female friendships I’ve ever seen, and I feel like authors don’t always get it right, so that was nice to see. If the book just rested on the romance between June and Saul, I don’t think I would’ve continued, but June’s connection to her father, family history, and the other around her is what kept me engaged. This was enough to outweigh the points above and resulted in a solid 4 star rating.