A review by goldenbooksgirl
Max Kowalski Didn't Mean It by Susie Day

4.0

I`ve been waiting on a new Susie Day book for what feels like ages now, and Max`s story definitely didn`t disappoint- I think it may be my new favourite of her books, in fact. It follows the titular character Max as his dad disappears under rather shady circumstances and he has to look after his younger sisters, which he chooses to do by running away to Wales, where he ends up trying to slay a dragon so he can acquire the riches legends claim it guards. I found Max to be an utterly lovable hero and I also adored the secondary cast/Max`s relationships with them. The bond he shares with his sisters was particularly lovely, and I really enjoyed how he was willing to go to extreme lengths to try and make his family happy. The humour of this was also wonderful and it made me laugh loads- Susie Day`s trademark quirky humour is always so fun to read and this book is no exception. At the same time, though, it`s also full of heart and contains a super important message about toxic masculinity, and the ending made me cry as a result. If you enjoy contemporary MG, make sure to pick up a Susie Day book. 4.5/5