Reviews

Drawn That Way, by Elissa Sussman

elle__reads's review against another edition

challenging funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

caylieratzlaff's review against another edition

4.0

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this. 3.5/5 stars.

Okay so...I really could not get into this...and then I couldn't put it down. This is a FANTASTIC story of male privilege in industries and life. I wasn't expecting the amount of misogyny, but it was well done and really felt familiar and realistic to what women experience. I'm not in a workplace like the animation industry in the novel, but many of the experiences felt familiar and made the experiences of women felt seen. I also appreciate the acknowledgement it had to the intersections of race and gender.

3.5/5 just because I felt like the romance between Bear and Hayley was forced, and although cute, didn't really serve a point to the plot. They could have easily just been friends rather than this romance that really happened out of no where. It also felt paced weird, and some of it I was just like?!?! was this necessary?

I also loved the look inside the animation process this novel gave, and I liked the art interspaced throughout it.

egonzalez's review against another edition

4.0

After reading FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK, I decided to give this author another try. I thought a YA novel would maybe offer a different experience. However, it was much of the same. I didn’t get a good sense of true development from the main character and found her relationships with her friends lacking in true growth. I did like the love interest, Bear, more in this story, but wished for more development within him as well.

I think this author just isn’t for me.

nitaapple's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

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

5.0

megs_s's review

funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

sisi41599's review against another edition

hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

melodyriggs's review against another edition

funny inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

4.0

This was a good story about a girl with big dreams of being an animator, a field dominated by men. The author worked in animation, so she knows the background and what it's like. I did find some moments of Hayley's responses and reactions slightly unbelievable, but I get that those moments were there to add drama to the story.

patriciakar's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

elissaoj's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

3.75

I like it, and not just because our names are spelled the same. Really like the take on #metoo in animation. There was a bit too much happening that didn’t get enough time, like the relationships with the other girls in the program. I know almost all teenagers are, but Hayley was a real asshole sometimes.

Spoiler

I get how it worked in the story, but annoyed she got to pull the plug on the project and the others didn’t fight it. 

erincairney's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective fast-paced

5.0