A review by jfreud
Pansies by Alexis Hall

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I often struggle to like the characters in Alexis Hall's books  but end up finding the struggle rewarding (unlikeable main characters falling in love and growing as people is kind of their whole deal and they are very good at it). I didn't feel that way reading Alfie and Fen, though -- obviously Alfie has done some really bad things and has some deeply problematic instincts, but the way he's trying so hard to understand those things about himself and undo them, while holding fast to the parts of his upbringing he actually values, I find really moving. And the fact he's doing this while also being on the receiving end of some pretty brutal homophobia is just heartbreaking. I ended up really admiring the way he commits to emotional openness in light of all that.

Fen is a really neat character and their relationship is lovely, but this is definitely a book about Alfie rather than a book about them. I'd love to know more about Fen as a character outside of his grief, and to see how the relationship develops as he finds equilibrium and Alfie continues to work on himself. Would inhale a Fen-POV sequel!
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