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mangomuncher's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
The two narrators, Raina and Millie, were difficult to distinguish due to a lack of variation between their narration styles. I found myself having to flip back to the beginning of the chapter multiple times to remind myself who was narrating each one because it was just so difficult to tell them apart. The secondary characters, while very one-dimensional, were infinitely more interesting than the main two. Additionally, I felt that there were too many side characters. Many of them could have been combined with each other, gone unnamed, or flat-out left unwritten. It's hard to keep track of all of the side characters relationships to the story when they're only mentioned, like, once every 90 pages with no context, reintroduction, or indication as to what their role is in the story. I'd have loved to see a smaller, more fleshed out cast of characters.
The knitting activism subplot really fell flat for me. It felt like it was completely useless and rather white feminist-y and, dare I say, preachy. The type of activism exhibited by this knitting group is very flashy and marketable and might feature well in a BuzzFeed listicle, but ultimately lacks any impact and the message feels lost. Several mentions of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Rachel Maddow felt forced and gratuitous; honestly, though, it fits in well with this very hollow girl power narrative that the book peddles.
It's not paced very well, in my opinion. The first half of the book is really just setting up the cast of characters and the team, and then when the (somewhat boring) action actually starts to pick up in the second half, it feels very rushed and condenses several months into maybe 100 pages.
This book took me so long to finish that my library auto renewed it. In contrast, I can usually finish a book around this size in like 3 or 4 days. I just did not find it engaging, and I was rather disappointed, because I was intrigued by the premise. Decent concept, poor execution. I wouldn't recommend it, unless you're interested in reading a book with a narrator that uses the term "girl boss" (or some variation thereof) in earnest. Multiple times.
The knitting activism subplot really fell flat for me. It felt like it was completely useless and rather white feminist-y and, dare I say, preachy. The type of activism exhibited by this knitting group is very flashy and marketable and might feature well in a BuzzFeed listicle, but ultimately lacks any impact and the message feels lost. Several mentions of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Rachel Maddow felt forced and gratuitous; honestly, though, it fits in well with this very hollow girl power narrative that the book peddles.
It's not paced very well, in my opinion. The first half of the book is really just setting up the cast of characters and the team, and then when the (somewhat boring) action actually starts to pick up in the second half, it feels very rushed and condenses several months into maybe 100 pages.
This book took me so long to finish that my library auto renewed it. In contrast, I can usually finish a book around this size in like 3 or 4 days. I just did not find it engaging, and I was rather disappointed, because I was intrigued by the premise. Decent concept, poor execution. I wouldn't recommend it, unless you're interested in reading a book with a narrator that uses the term "girl boss" (or some variation thereof) in earnest. Multiple times.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
Subplot focuses on a local judge who ruled in favor of those accused of sexual assault; the cases only mentioned briefly a few times.
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