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A review by _lilbey_
Crooked Hallelujah by Kelli Jo Ford
emotional
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? Yes
4.25
I really liked it overall, but was left feeling off kilter by the two chapters in the middle that did not seem to fit the rest of the narrative- the first from the perspective of Justine's father-in-law and the second that focused on characters who were not found (save for a very brief mention) anywhere else in the story.
It's unclear why we needed Ferrell's perspective on anything, as the story prior focused on mother-daughter relationships.
And while the chapter with Mose, Marni, and Stevie was incredibly engaging, it did not fit the rest of the book. It felt more like a short story that one would find in the New Yorker or Esquire. Perhaps this bothers me more than it should because I really enjoyed this chapter and was hoping to learn more about these characters and how they linked to the MCs but no, the chapter ended very abruptly with no clear sense of closure and that was that. This chapter and my feeling of loss and confusion at not knowing why these characters were important or what happened to them is a major contributor to a 4 star rating vs. 5.
It's unclear why we needed Ferrell's perspective on anything, as the story prior focused on mother-daughter relationships.
And while the chapter with Mose, Marni, and Stevie was incredibly engaging, it did not fit the rest of the book. It felt more like a short story that one would find in the New Yorker or Esquire. Perhaps this bothers me more than it should because I really enjoyed this chapter and was hoping to learn more about these characters and how they linked to the MCs but no, the chapter ended very abruptly with no clear sense of closure and that was that. This chapter and my feeling of loss and confusion at not knowing why these characters were important or what happened to them is a major contributor to a 4 star rating vs. 5.