Reviews

Rainey Royal, by Dylan Landis

fiona_marie's review

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

pdestrienne's review

challenging reflective medium-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I found the prose enchanting, nailing the intricacies of insecure female friendship and filled with the subtext of the unsaid and of the people we hope to become as teenagers but are afraid to acknowledge to ourselves. Rainey, Tina, and Leah are great flawed characters. The way Rainey's tapestries are made is fascinating and her negotiations with customers coulda been a whole novella unto itself. The pacing was off, spending so much time on the high school part of their lives and then accelerating to college and beyond with no real resolutions for the reader. Plus there are at least 3 sapphic crushes that never get consummated or said out loud and that's a shame. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

amdaccache's review

challenging dark emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

3.5

samhoward's review

5.0

This is easily one of my favorite reads of the year this far. Everyone knows a Rainey Royal, and they love to hate her and hate to love her.

Rainey is unlikable and impetuous, but talented and heartbroken, and Landis shows us all of that depth gracefully, through many different angles. This book works as individual stories and as an accomplished whole. It's a truly wonderful book, and I will be recommending it to anyone who asks.

amandam's review

4.0

Victim and victimizer, bullied and bully, Rainey Royal is a character I couldn't get enough of. I felt very much transported to a time and place that electrified and terrified me in equal measure. Great read.

anndouglas's review

4.0

The main character in this novel is funny, smart, manipulative, self-destructive, lonely, and vulnerable. In other words, she's a gloriously imperfect human, just like the rest of us. While Rainey might be slightly overwhelming -- and even a little scary -- to have as a best friend, she's a fascinating character to follow through the pages of a novel.