A review by e_flah
Off the Record by Camryn Garrett

challenging emotional inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Off the Record tackles a lot of topics in a relatively short page count with mixed results. I found Josie's journey to grow in her confidence as a journalist really compelling and appreciated her complicated relationship with her sister, Alice. This book had a powerful emotional climax that was very well-written. It was also great to see YA grapple with questions about separating the art from the artist, which is a discussion that only seems to grow more important.

For what didn't quite work for me -- The romance between Josie and Marius felt a little bit under-developed. I would've loved seeing more of them navigating romantic interest before jumping all-in. The pacing felt a bit wonky as well. The events in the synopsis don't happen until around the 100-page mark but then so much is packed into the remainder of the book. 

I just wish Off the Record had been a smidge longer. I would've loved a bit more time with Josie and Marius, particularly
as the reconciliation between them at the end felt super rushed
. There are many topics in this book that would have benefitted from more exploration. All that said, though, I found Off the Record a compelling YA contemporary that did an excellent job thoughtfully tackling #metoo.
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