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snittins 's review for:
Looking for Smoke
by K.A. Cobell
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
3.75 ⭐️
a very solid debut novel about a very real, very serious issue. one of the most standout parts of this novel was just how grounded the setting and town was, and the harsh realities on many reservations. i'm also deeply fascinated with novels that are concerned with modern society, and i think it's handled really well here, in ways that we don't often see it. it's not glamorous, almost everyone uses an old shitty phone, or drives a shitty, old car.
the main cast was definitely a highlight, particularly loren and especially eli. you can tell k.a. cobell has a very soft spot for eli. i usually do not enjoy it when a romance plotline is rushed into books, but i didn't mind it here, although i think it would have felt more natural had mara already fancied eli beforehand, and then they only get closer towards the end of the book.
the ending almost tanked the entire experience for me, and i still feel pretty conflicted about it, i don't know why the narrative spent so long trying to make it seem implausible only for it to pivot in that direction within a matter of pages anyways. for that it brings the overall enjoyment down just a little bit
a very solid debut novel about a very real, very serious issue. one of the most standout parts of this novel was just how grounded the setting and town was, and the harsh realities on many reservations. i'm also deeply fascinated with novels that are concerned with modern society, and i think it's handled really well here, in ways that we don't often see it. it's not glamorous, almost everyone uses an old shitty phone, or drives a shitty, old car.
the main cast was definitely a highlight, particularly loren and especially eli. you can tell k.a. cobell has a very soft spot for eli. i usually do not enjoy it when a romance plotline is rushed into books, but i didn't mind it here, although i think it would have felt more natural had mara already fancied eli beforehand, and then they only get closer towards the end of the book.
the ending almost tanked the entire experience for me, and i still feel pretty conflicted about it, i don't know why the narrative spent so long trying to make it seem implausible only for it to pivot in that direction within a matter of pages anyways. for that it brings the overall enjoyment down just a little bit