Reviews

Daughter by Claudia Dey

maddyontheoffbeat's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

egyptiaca's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

slugnie's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

This is a rare kind of book! There are things here I haven’t found elsewhere 

lindsaysmeldrum's review against another edition

4.0

3.5

Dey takes her readers on a vulnerable exploration of a complicated father-daughter relationship.

Mona's father Paul has never been able to give her what she needs. Distracted by his once successful playwriting and his many women, he forces her to grapple with navigating a relationship with someone you otherwise wouldn't give your time to. It was a very intimate look at the long term effects of being forced to be your parent's confidant as they muddle their way through their life.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I appreciate the uniqueness of this story, while giving light to what is likely the experience of more people than we know. I could relate to having to be your parent's confidant as they navigate their relationship struggles. However, I was never sucked into this story. I took many days to get through, despite the fact that it is under 200 pages. I found it to be one long stream of consciousness without a breath, often getting bogged down in recounting emails sent from one person via another. I often found myself losing my place, and having to go back and re-read it.

Overall, I think is book is worthy of reading, especially if you have struggled with complicated parent-child relationships and can find a part of your story in Mona's.

Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux, NetGalley, and Claudia Dey for this ARC.

jpyper's review against another edition

emotional sad

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage

laura_sonja's review against another edition

I kept trying and it just wasn't grabbing me. Love the cover art though!

melrh's review against another edition

reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

mystic_faerie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

ageofadz's review against another edition

2.5

compelling subject matter but poor execution

blundershelf's review against another edition

the dad is just so so awful I can't