A review by mal_reads_books
Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney

dark funny mysterious slow-paced

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

1.0

2 stars for the “twist”, minus 1 star for the following comment in the book out of spite:

"The woman bore her bitterness like a badge; the kind of person who writes one-star book reviews."

Reading this book felt like a chore. The main couple was whiny and insufferable. Everyone was a lying POS except for Bob the Dog. The buildup was extremely slow and boring; nothing happened until about 60-70% in. I didn’t feel the tension that was supposed to be there. Much of the story didn’t make sense and was laughably stupid at times. I mean, the couple played rock, paper, scissors multiple times to decide whether to get divorced, despite knowing their relationship’s been awful for years.

I didn’t expect this to be “life-changing” or anything like that. I was hoping for something quick and entertaining, neither of which I felt about this book.

Audiobook note: The narrator for Adam’s chapters did a good job, even for the female speaking parts. I didn’t care for the Amelia narrator’s delivery.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Infertility, Infidelity, and Mental illness

Minor: Animal death and Suicide

Bob the Dog doesn’t die. Amelia works at an animal shelter and describes the abuse and poor conditions in which the animals arrive. A shelter dog dies, which upsets Amelia.