shojoholic

I was in the mood to enjoy this book. I can see why some reviewers dislike it. If you stop to examine the imagery or envision it too literally, the metaphors probably seem silly. The drama could feel like melodrama (true of most YA books). Maybe if I'd read the book, rather than listening to the audiobook, the strike-throughs would have annoyed me. It definitely helped that I didn't have to look at that God-awful cover every time I picked it up.

However it happened, I did like the book. I liked the impressionist writing style and it was easy to be swept away by the flow of the narrative.

I felt like I was tapped into Juliette's stream of consciousness, so I didn't feel the need to judge thoughts or feelings that didn't impact her actions. So what if she had flashes of attraction for someone she hated? Inappropriate thoughts skitter through our minds all the time. The fact that we see Juliette unedited mostly unedited is refreshing.

I don't have a problem with a protagonist who's vulnerable. Strong female characters have their place, but I think there's room in fiction for slightly mad female characters, for girls who take a while to find their feet. If I wanted to read about characters who had it all figured out, I'd read about grownups.