A review by kt1432
Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine

reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

2.5

I expected to love Junie, but it didn’t connect emotionally for me. Caleb stood out, and I appreciated the attempt to show enslaved characters beyond trauma, but the writing felt repetitive, and Junie’s character arc left me distant. The ghost element lacked depth, and the sudden brutality at the end vs the odd sense of safety for most of the book felt jarring. I wanted to feel grounded in legacy like I did with Cane River, but that thread didn’t quite hold. Still, I’m glad stories like this exist.