A review by readnoot
The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon

hopeful inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

This book was nice; I really enjoyed the concept and was happy to see it executed, and I loved the public radio workplace setting as I used to work at my town’s NPR & PBS affiliate station. I am glad that Shay got the ending she did, as I felt she was at her most empowered and focused by the end of the novel. Although I did like the story, it felt off balance. There seemed to be a slow build through the first two thirds of the book, then a lot of big movement in the last third, but the audience wasn’t given a lot of time to truly sit in those important moments and process them. Also, it was hard for me to root for Shay at times because 1. she could be relatively dense and 2. she continued to struggle with recurring topics without putting meaningful, active effort into resolving them. I suppose she did face said challenges in her own way, but I was not able to sympathize with her as much as I would have liked. I recognize that is just my relationship with her though, so I must acknowledge the book as sound and Solomon as a strong writer. Overall, it was pleasant but not a top read for me. 
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