A review by steelingstephanie
The Shutouts by Gabrielle Korn

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Honestly, this book was terrifying. A liiiiittle heavy handed when it comes to the Lesson of it all, but overall told in a gripping way that really places the reader in the intense environment. It's equal parts current day and sort of post-apocalypse/dystopian, but in a very realistic way taking current events and stretching them to the brink of disaster. The characters are fascinating, and for all the Special Messaging re: climate change and politics, it's refreshing in how the queer characters and their existence just is - no After School Special feelings, instead they just are who and how they are, and the community(ies) are accepting. Kelly's tightrope-walking between wanting to know and care and fight and wanting to hide is very resonant, as is her insistence on doing something with knowledge and power. It's easy to see how we could get to the place that exists in the book, which is something that will stick with me a long time (a la Handmaid's Tale).