A review by savvylit
Bellies by Nicola Dinan

emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Bellies is a tender - yet messy - literary love story. Love consistently endures in this novel, despite a myriad of challenges. And it's not only romantic love that endures in this story. Bellies has some of the sweetest and most genuine moments of platonic love that I have ever experienced in literature. I loved Ming and Tom's friends for their devotion and ease with one another. In many ways, Bellies is also an ode to chosen family.

As I read, Dinan's writing reminded me quite a bit of Sally Rooney's work. Like in Rooney's novels, the relationships in Bellies are complex, the characters are vulnerable, and they're all discovering who they are and who they want to be. If you're a Rooney fan, you really cannot miss Bellies.
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