Reviews

Long Black Veil by Jennifer Finney Boylan

antimony's review

reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

 i think this book is the sort of thing that would hit a lot better to a middle aged person because a lot of it is about looking back and changing and being different people over the course of your life and i think it was objectively quite well crafted but considering that i am 19 the subtleties of changing over time are really lost on me. 
i also think that the mystery was resolved VERY anticlimactically (

like i think casey would have still been ok if judith hadnt showed up but also rachel wouldnt have sooo... mixed feelings

) and i also wish judith's internalized classism had been addressed more bc in her internal monologue in maine she kept being like "my son CANNOT drive a septic tank truck for the rest of his life. he WILL be better than that" even though 1. someone needs to do it! and 2. he ENJOYS doing it! and that should be what matters. and also commenting in one scene on how she and one of the other people there were the only ones in their group with a college education when it didn't matter at all to the situation...

ijustreadthisbook's review

dark emotional informative mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

3.5 ST🌟RS
⚠️: s*icide, animal euthanasia
Otherwise, good gawd this was a lot! A lot and great. Jennifer pens trans so beautifully 🫶🏾

sallissss's review against another edition

1.0

Jfc this book was all over the place. Way too many characters and something about the way the author writes just made reading this sooo confusing.

There were some good parts and they were intriguing and well written, but unfortunately the silly plot, diogue and characters are just too overpowering. Idc what genre this rly is supposed to be?? Also what’s with all the swearing all the time?? The characters are supposed to be like almost 60 idk who that ages would talk like these people do. Or that any of the convos they have would ever happen lol

The main character kinda feels like a self-insert mary-sue and some of her povs just read more like a column or an essay, and I found them not really blending into the text.

So yeah wouldn’t recommend this at all

beas_knees's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

callikat's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.75

timna_wyckoff's review against another edition

3.0

I enjoyed this author's memoirs so much. And, the premise for this novel is so compelling. But, the characters are shallowly drawn and the rest of the plot is pretty over-the-top ridiculous. I was expecting something more serious.

flying_monkeys's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

3.5

"An incomprehensible theory of the universe isn't necessary if your only ambition is to embrace another soul. What you need, maybe all you need, in fact, is the willingness to love." 

nathel's review against another edition

5.0

This book contained so many twists. Jennifer Finney Boylan’s writing captivated me; I didn’t want the book to end and will definitely read more of her works.

bullfish_2006's review

The reader was ok. So far, characters kind of getting in my nerves. Writing is good, just pretentious. Might come back later.

vizira's review against another edition

i didn't read far enough to really grasp the plot, but the writing was just driving me up the wall