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A review by sam_dupree_reads
October, October by Katya Balen
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-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
5.0
"October is the best month when you live in the woods and maybe when you don't, but I wouldn't know. It's when the trees are starting to shake leaves onto a patchwork floor and the ground is bright as fire. The air is crisp with a whisper of frost and the sky smells like smoke. Everything feels new and exciting."
Honestly, leave it to a deceptively simple Middle Grade book to leave me sobbing on my couch.
This really is such a good book and the voice Balen has is both childlike and nuanced like, it is one thing to write in the POV of a child, another to truly utilize the writing to do that. For instance, on the first of the month in October, October and her father jump into the pond and she describes getting undressed in excitement by saying " I pull off my clothes quicker than a quick thing..." that's amazing characterization.
The whole story though revolves around finding your people, your home, and the very complex relationships we have with those we love or who love us. I don't want to say much else but if you are looking for something that hits those Fall Vibes squarely in the face, I recommend this whole-heartedly.
Honestly, leave it to a deceptively simple Middle Grade book to leave me sobbing on my couch.
This really is such a good book and the voice Balen has is both childlike and nuanced like, it is one thing to write in the POV of a child, another to truly utilize the writing to do that. For instance, on the first of the month in October, October and her father jump into the pond and she describes getting undressed in excitement by saying " I pull off my clothes quicker than a quick thing..." that's amazing characterization.
The whole story though revolves around finding your people, your home, and the very complex relationships we have with those we love or who love us. I don't want to say much else but if you are looking for something that hits those Fall Vibes squarely in the face, I recommend this whole-heartedly.