monikaben's review
5.0
One of my favourite books this year. 5 siblings (same dead beat dad, 4 different moms) meet for the first time in years to get rid of a dead body. Somehow, this is hilarious. It reads like the two dudes trying to break into the house in Home Alone
laughatlantis's review against another edition
Spoiler
Ultimately, I wished Dimple had actually killed him. Once it was revealed that he was still alive, the story got less compelling.hollyfcooper's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
sad
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
3.75
A fun read and loveable characters but storyline fell a little bit flat at times
josaphina's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
armadillogirl's review against another edition
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
leahhateshardbacks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A story of a mish-mashed, higgledy-piggledy, messy family, but family nonetheless. This book starts in a wild way (I wasn't a huge fan of Queenie but adored that it started with a smear test, and People Person kicks off with an equally shocking situation) that is the catalyst for bringing the half-siblings together, but eventually this becomes less of a story about solving a shared problem and more of a story about connection, understanding, and sacrifice. The characterisation is brilliant - all of the siblings are so distinct and strong in their own ways, I began to predict how each one would act in any situation. People Person recognises that families are complex structures and people are delicate creatures (however much they may present otherwise) that often have flaws and weaknesses that are a manifestation of their previous experiences. The only thing stopping this from getting a 5* is the crazy situation at the beginning of the book. I'm conflicted about it. I thought it was an exciting and intriguing way to start the book, I can see its value in the plot, but overall it didn't entirely fit in with the rest of the book's vibe, it made the overall story feel confused; I think something more lowkey could have been the catalyst for the siblings to reconnect. I do think this is better than Queenie and I'm mad that I hadn't heard about it, had only got it on audio from the library when I happened to scroll past.
martynahanna's review against another edition
3.0
I was definitely underwhelmed by it after Queenie. It has a strong start and then falls flat. The ending felt rushed and almost random. I still appreciated CCW’s style of writing, but sadly something was missing for me here.
abbie_'s review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
3.75
This book started off incredibly strong and intriguing, and while it did lose some steam after a while, I still thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Pennington siblings! I love a book about family relationships/dynamics, and People Person offered something I hadn't explored much before.
Cyril Pennington fathers five kids to four different mothers, and brings them together one day for an ill-advised family get together when they're all still teenagers/tweens. After that, the siblings never see each other again (besides Prynce & Nikisha who live together with their mother) until Dimple finds herself in a dangerous bind and reaches out to Nikisha for help. Unbeknownst to Dimple, Nikisha ropes in the other three siblings as well, meaning all five are now embroiled in the drama.
Prynce and Danny were by far my favourite characters, Williams nailed their individual brands of humour and outlooks on life, and they just brought such a wholesome vibe to the group dynamics. The girls initially find it more difficult to adjust to being in each other's lives, and I feel like Danny and Prynce act like much needed glue to hold the group together.
The narrator of the audiobook, Danielle Vitalis, did an incredible job of bringing all the characters to life, especially in the absence of a full-cast audiobook for a book with such a wide range of characters. I did think the ending wrapped up a little too tidily, but overall an engaging read about sibling bonds and family!
Cyril Pennington fathers five kids to four different mothers, and brings them together one day for an ill-advised family get together when they're all still teenagers/tweens. After that, the siblings never see each other again (besides Prynce & Nikisha who live together with their mother) until Dimple finds herself in a dangerous bind and reaches out to Nikisha for help. Unbeknownst to Dimple, Nikisha ropes in the other three siblings as well, meaning all five are now embroiled in the drama.
Prynce and Danny were by far my favourite characters, Williams nailed their individual brands of humour and outlooks on life, and they just brought such a wholesome vibe to the group dynamics. The girls initially find it more difficult to adjust to being in each other's lives, and I feel like Danny and Prynce act like much needed glue to hold the group together.
The narrator of the audiobook, Danielle Vitalis, did an incredible job of bringing all the characters to life, especially in the absence of a full-cast audiobook for a book with such a wide range of characters. I did think the ending wrapped up a little too tidily, but overall an engaging read about sibling bonds and family!