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A review by joshlynjavier
Honey: A Novel by Isabel Banta
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? Yes
3.5
we are all still-adjusting worlds -- tectonic plates shaking in place, sometimes submerging, pushing up, up, up, only to crumble on the surface.
it is human nature to fall deeply when there is a wide distance to overcome.
it is the whispery part of a sleepover, when eyelids are heavy but we battle to hold them up, because this is when intimacy is really braided between girls.
a very fun read if you grew up obsessed with 90s/early 2000s pop princesses. the story was reminiscent of the life of young britney spears and challenges the sexism and odd obsession with young girl's and their sexuality within the music industry and hollywood.
the rise to fame, friendships, and romance were super entertaining but i think the heavy focus on sex overshadowed a lot of potential character/interpersonal development. the story started off really strong and revealed some heavier themes of addiction, ed, etc, but then eventually fell flat or remained unaddressed.
the added interviews, press releases, wiki pages, emails, song lyrics, and magazine quizzes were super cute and i loved the overall nostalgic quality of the story. honestly banta's voice was also really moving and surprisingly beautiful at times, and i found myself underlining and highlighting a ton of sentences simply because they were pretty.
thank you to celadon books, netgalley, and isabel banta for providing me with a digital advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions!
the rise to fame, friendships, and romance were super entertaining but i think the heavy focus on sex overshadowed a lot of potential character/interpersonal development. the story started off really strong and revealed some heavier themes of addiction, ed, etc, but then eventually fell flat or remained unaddressed.
the added interviews, press releases, wiki pages, emails, song lyrics, and magazine quizzes were super cute and i loved the overall nostalgic quality of the story. honestly banta's voice was also really moving and surprisingly beautiful at times, and i found myself underlining and highlighting a ton of sentences simply because they were pretty.
thank you to celadon books, netgalley, and isabel banta for providing me with a digital advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions!