A review by sophiaemily
The Book of Essie by Meghan MacLean Weir

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I am really bummed about this one. I picked it up because the concept sounded really interesting, and I do think that is the best part of this book. The premise is really interesting, and it's not far-fetched, we have seen families like this on reality TV for years (like the Duggars), and it even made me think of the more modern world of influencers who exploit their children online for money and fame. The execution was unfortunately not there for me. There are so many serious, dark, intense themes (and triggers - I recommend checking CW before reading) in this book, and they weren't handled with the level of detail and care that I would have liked to see. This is a rare case of a book that I think would have benefitted from actually being longer. I needed more behind these characters' motivations and more discussions around all of the abuse that Essie endures! The plot moved too quickly and so many things happened that seemed too convenient and too simplistic to match the gravity of the situation that the characters were dealing with. The ending felt rushed and wrapped everything up in a bow that was way too nice. I'm disappointed because the concept could have made this book great, it kept me interested enough to want to finish the book, but I wanted and needed so much more from this.
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