A review by zabcia
Marshmallow & Jordan by Alina Chau

2.0

50%

For a book with a title including two main character names in it, I would've expected a more balanced focus on both of them, but this was mostly about Jordan "overcoming" disability (because we all know people with disabilities have no inherent value /megasarcasm), and Marshmallow was just kind of....there.

The author notes at the end state that Marshmallow was inspired by Indonesian folklore, and I really wish more of that folklore would've gotten the chance to shine through. We don't really learn much about Marshmallow until the end of the book, which is a shame because I'm sure the source material there is rich (and also he's the cutest damn elephant I ever laid my eyes on).

As for Jordan....well, let's just say it was disappointing to see that her "worth" revolved entirely around her ability to play some sort of sport. There is nothing shameful about disability, and I feel like this book kind of missed that point.