Reviews

Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison

leareads90's review

funny hopeful fast-paced

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

4.5

toddnoth's review

5.0

Very engaging, and a refreshing look at regular people.

thechibiphilosopher's review

hopeful lighthearted reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

hunterandrew's review

funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Poignant fiction that feels like a teen memoir in some ways. Brash and honest, full of humor and built with a critical lens towards class and race that is uniquely effective here. A book with good messages, while being a book that knows it’s not all about the message. 

eburgardt's review

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

• Another widely banned book
• This novel is a criticism of the American Dream, and is therefore mostly about how miserable poverty is. At 70% I was so stressed I googled the plot to make sure it ends happily (it does)
• Banned bc Michael (the protagonist) mentions when he was in 4th grade he and another boy his age experimented sexually on a single occasion. It is by no means the “depiction of pedophilia” lobbyists claim it is
• “If we’re lucky, Michael, we grow into ourselves. That makes you lucky.” 
• Yeah I cried
• Docked a star bc the protagonist is Chicano and Jonathan Evison is a white man

beccalove's review

It's giving: white incel man vibes while simultaneously appropriating marginalized identities and perpetuating racist stereotypes. DNF'd a quarter of the way in. 

clementinemac's review

funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Nothing I love like an unexpected gay

dolphinlvr0920's review against another edition

funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

3.0

bldinmt's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

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

3.0

abanas's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0