BAD STUFF
Just because I enjoyed the book doesn't mean I can't criticise it. Besides, it sharpens my skills as an aspiring author.
Unpolished sentence structuring: It's not that bad, but I still need to point it out. The sentences can be too long, and worded strangely. One time, I caught the author using "a little" twice in one paragraph.
Under utilised supporting characters: I'm not saying the supporting characters get forgotten halfway through the book only to come back again at the end—cough, cough, You Should See Me In A Crown—but I did wish the author would play around with its characters more and explore them.
Mediocre writing: I'm not saying it's horrible, no, but I do wish it could be better. Play around with the five sensations, have the characters show their emotions through their actions instead of being like, "She's mad," and, "He's sad." Again, though, this isn't really a complaint. I think I'm just being snobby.
GOOD STUFF
Now with that out of the way, let's get to the good stuff!
Educational: I think what separates good YA books from great ones is how educational it is. Think of Nicola Yoon's The Sun is Also A Star. And Nina LaCour's Everything Leads To You. Not only are they enjoyable, but they also taught me stuff I never even thought of to ask. Like movie set managers (or whatever they're called) and the history of black people's hair products. This book is the same way too, but with dementia.
Realistic: Look, I'm not saying it's perfect, but it is a whole lot better than some of the other YA books. Especially when it comes to the ending. I can't go over it because, well, spoilers, but I will say this; I approve.
Funny: I actually laughed out loud reading this book. Can you believe that? The characters in this book all have a certain "take no shit" attitude that just so—argh!
Easy: This book is easy to digest, which I did not expect, especially considering that this takes place in Ireland and I don't know any... "Irelandy" things. I've read dozens of American literature and I still sometimes don't get what's going on. So, for those of you whose first language isn't English (like me), you don't need to worry about not getting it!... Mostly.
RATING: 9/10
YOU ARE READING
Clemmie Judges
Non-FictionSo, books. I've read a bunch of them. I also have strong opinions about them. Why not share it with the internet? (Don't worry, it's spoiler-free.)
