A review by thrynnies
The Mostly True Story of Jack by Kelly Barnhill

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

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

2.5

At first, I was so intrigued with what was happening, the plot encapsulated a familiarness mixed with something that tickled my brain with something notably different. The happenings were both mysterious and whimsical. ...But somewhere in the final quarter of the book, things just unraveled and fell apart in a strange way. Ultimately, there was an early draft feeling to the ending, like the author didn't quite figure out how all the pieces fit at the final lap but was doing her best to jam them together. I didn't really believe some of the attachments and relationships and there were a lot of loose ends that never got tied satisfyingly enough. Overall, there was a lot of beauty, intrigue, and folklore in this book that I really loved, but the story needed a bit more finessing, a bit more attention. Reading this at times transported me into Ghibli-flavored world--and ending aside, I REALLY enjoyed that part of it.    
(Also, this is a bit strange but, though I liked the sense of atmosphere the author evoked, sometimes the language felt so KEENLY BRITISH and I forgot we were in the cornfields of the Midwest. That vibe took me out of the story a few times haha)