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A review by virgilsaeneid
A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares by Krystal Sutherland
5.0
I hate pop culture references in books
Except Krystal Sutherland's pop culture references, although abundant, are tasteful. I didn't find myself cringing at the sight of them. Which is a miracle in itself.
I don't know what about A Semi-Definitive List I liked best, but the fact I enjoyed the popular culture references set precedence for enjoying the rest of the book. It's refreshing to read a contemporary novel centered on mental health without it pushing the "all mentally ill people are sad 24/7 and humourless and barren and broken" agenda.
My reading of this novel was broken up and divided by several exams, but Sutherland's fluent, effortless, and easy-to-follow plot made the book extremely easy to put down, pick back up after a break, and understand what was going on. The vibrant characters offered a sense of realism with Sutherland's descriptions, and I adore reading books where Death with a capital D is a pretty nice guy.
Nothing stood out to me particularly about this book. Nothing solidified it as a 5 star due to shock factor or stunning detailed descriptions that plunged me into a fantasy world. But rather, Sutherlands frankly effortless writing style was a refreshing palette cleanser in the realm of YA novels that tend to get sidetracked by the tropeification of writing.
Thus, I cannot wholeheartedly recommend this book enough. The soft moments and depictions of love in all forms- platonic, familial, and romantic- enhance the underpinning exploration of mental illness in a critically realistic way that resonates with those of us who do struggle with mental health. Sutherland's read is refreshing, positive, and overall a beautiful story about the importance of connections and helping each other.
Except Krystal Sutherland's pop culture references, although abundant, are tasteful. I didn't find myself cringing at the sight of them. Which is a miracle in itself.
I don't know what about A Semi-Definitive List I liked best, but the fact I enjoyed the popular culture references set precedence for enjoying the rest of the book. It's refreshing to read a contemporary novel centered on mental health without it pushing the "all mentally ill people are sad 24/7 and humourless and barren and broken" agenda.
My reading of this novel was broken up and divided by several exams, but Sutherland's fluent, effortless, and easy-to-follow plot made the book extremely easy to put down, pick back up after a break, and understand what was going on. The vibrant characters offered a sense of realism with Sutherland's descriptions, and I adore reading books where Death with a capital D is a pretty nice guy.
Nothing stood out to me particularly about this book. Nothing solidified it as a 5 star due to shock factor or stunning detailed descriptions that plunged me into a fantasy world. But rather, Sutherlands frankly effortless writing style was a refreshing palette cleanser in the realm of YA novels that tend to get sidetracked by the tropeification of writing.
Thus, I cannot wholeheartedly recommend this book enough. The soft moments and depictions of love in all forms- platonic, familial, and romantic- enhance the underpinning exploration of mental illness in a critically realistic way that resonates with those of us who do struggle with mental health. Sutherland's read is refreshing, positive, and overall a beautiful story about the importance of connections and helping each other.