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A review by ang44
Old Enough by Haley Jakobson
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This book hits so close to home for anyone with a history of sexual trauma or anyone who has ever been through the queer college student experience... I really didn't expect this book to resonate so much with me. I think the majority of the writing in terms of the main character's voice, the story structure, and the plot were all BEAUTIFULLY intertwined.
It does delve deeply into the sexual trauma piece of the main character, into quite a lot of detail for a few scattered chapters, which can be very emotional and upsetting.
I also felt as though the initial voice of the first few pages was very jarring, almost as if she sounds like a right winger's caricature of a liberal college student, and I was very happy that this balanced out as the story went on. Some of that inner monologue did really make me cringe, and there was a bit of this that continued throughout the book but it became very tolerable. I did also see someone point out that everyone also just happens to love the main character all the time, which I think is an interesting choice I didn't notice because it makes them feel so loveable but also is unrealistic? But I really did love many of these characters.
Overall, this was a really fantastic and eye-opening and comforting and validating novel.
It does delve deeply into the sexual trauma piece of the main character, into quite a lot of detail for a few scattered chapters, which can be very emotional and upsetting.
I also felt as though the initial voice of the first few pages was very jarring, almost as if she sounds like a right winger's caricature of a liberal college student, and I was very happy that this balanced out as the story went on. Some of that inner monologue did really make me cringe, and there was a bit of this that continued throughout the book but it became very tolerable. I did also see someone point out that everyone also just happens to love the main character all the time, which I think is an interesting choice I didn't notice because it makes them feel so loveable but also is unrealistic? But I really did love many of these characters.
Overall, this was a really fantastic and eye-opening and comforting and validating novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Rape