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A review by kdermody
The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-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? It's complicated
3.25
I was excited to read a heist novel set during the Harlem Renaissance, and overall enjoyed Penelope’s descriptors and references of/for this period. Ultimately it felt like the tension of some major plot points in the story was lacking.
I did enjoy the characters overall. I would have loved to see some more development of the “found family” element of the friend group. I also craved a tad more depth for each of our characters, especially when it came to Clara’s motivations/emotions. I found the chapters describing the origins/backstories of our characters interesting. I wanted more of this attention to detail scattered throughout the novel, when they were planning their heist.
I did enjoy the characters overall. I would have loved to see some more development of the “found family” element of the friend group. I also craved a tad more depth for each of our characters, especially when it came to Clara’s motivations/emotions. I found the chapters describing the origins/backstories of our characters interesting. I wanted more of this attention to detail scattered throughout the novel, when they were planning their heist.