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A review by charvi_not_just_fiction
How Not to Ask a Boy to Prom by S.J. Goslee
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I'm so sad and frustrated. This book had the potential to be so much more. Let me start with the positives. I think the author has a great writing style with humour and dialogues that will resonate with young adults. Some of the scenes were really cute, funny or wholesome. Which is why I'm so sad that this book wasn't it.
"You never ask me for anything. Anything. You're, like, passively waiting for me to do things all the time, even hand you the motherfucking salt."
THIS. This was my biggest problem with the book. Nolan, our main character is the most passive character I've come across in a while. Everything just happens to him. He gets pushed into everything by his sister Daphne (figuratively and literally!!) and seems to have no dreams, drive, or character motivation. It makes for a rather boring narrative.
Everything just felt extremely disjointed. The cast of characters was huge and we barely knew anything about the side characters so I ended up getting confused many times. I kept asking where is this story going? And why does it feel so long for a 200-page book? It just feels like 150 pages of build-up.
Coming to the romance, it was kind of cute but very frustrating. It felt mostly physical. We get Nolan internally drooling over Bern which is fine really but their fake dating romance lacks a lot of substance. It feels like something is missing. Maybe it's the fact that Nolan never really excepts his feelings until the last couple of pages and we don't get much of an indication of feelings from Bern either.
Almost every character in this book says that they're 'bad at feelings' which begins to feel like a cop-out from the author because yeah, no feelings are ever brought up or discussed. It's such a shame because I thought Nolan and Bern were cute together but I wasn't invested in them at all. Of course everyone knew they would get together but the romance is all the feelings and dates and everything felt like it was going as per a script but lacked any emotional exploration.
Phew, I guess that was a rant I needed to get off my chest.
I didn't hate this book, certain things were still enjoyable but gosh it has such missed potential.
"You never ask me for anything. Anything. You're, like, passively waiting for me to do things all the time, even hand you the motherfucking salt."
THIS. This was my biggest problem with the book. Nolan, our main character is the most passive character I've come across in a while. Everything just happens to him. He gets pushed into everything by his sister Daphne (figuratively and literally!!) and seems to have no dreams, drive, or character motivation. It makes for a rather boring narrative.
Everything just felt extremely disjointed. The cast of characters was huge and we barely knew anything about the side characters so I ended up getting confused many times. I kept asking where is this story going? And why does it feel so long for a 200-page book? It just feels like 150 pages of build-up.
Coming to the romance, it was kind of cute but very frustrating. It felt mostly physical. We get Nolan internally drooling over Bern which is fine really but their fake dating romance lacks a lot of substance. It feels like something is missing. Maybe it's the fact that Nolan never really excepts his feelings until the last couple of pages and we don't get much of an indication of feelings from Bern either.
Almost every character in this book says that they're 'bad at feelings' which begins to feel like a cop-out from the author because yeah, no feelings are ever brought up or discussed. It's such a shame because I thought Nolan and Bern were cute together but I wasn't invested in them at all. Of course everyone knew they would get together but the romance is all the feelings and dates and everything felt like it was going as per a script but lacked any emotional exploration.
Phew, I guess that was a rant I needed to get off my chest.
I didn't hate this book, certain things were still enjoyable but gosh it has such missed potential.