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A review by lillist
Both Are True by Reyna Marder Gentin
3.0
I have received a digital review copy via Netgalley and voluntarily provide my honest opinion. Thank you!
2.5 stars - Not a fan of the characters, who kind of ruin a premise with potential
Jackie has worked hard on her career and is a newly appointed judge in family court hoping to impress her supervisors. She is in a relationship with Lou, an aspiring but not terribly driven writer, who moved in with her. However, one day Lou has an epiphany regarding his writing ambitions and walks out on her out of the blue, determined to make some changes to his life. Jackie in return is left wondering about Lou's reasons and starting to question her life decisions.
I feel like this could have been a solid, entertaining reflection on the decisions we make in life and personal development, but it fell seriously flat due to unlikeable characters and a plot that I just could not relate to.
To begin with, I was not a fan of the premise. Just walking out of a relationship without talking to your partner and just leaving some measly note is so cowardly and low. Lou's decision is apparently being triggered by his reflections how most of his friends think that he is gay (which would be terrible, right?) and make fun of him as being a kept man (gasp!) - poor guy. This really did not make me sympathize with him whatsoever. And the way Jackie reacts by clinging to every straw of hope to "win" Lou back, to take him away from her rival, Lou's ex-wife. I'm sorry, but are we in 10th grade, or something? I really disagree that this is how healthy relationships should work.
Also, Jackie, despite working as a judge, displays an almost shocking lack of empathy in court. She also does something so incredible unprofessional and unethical in the second half of the book that I sort of could not believe it and found incredibly off-putting.
In addition, I disliked basically all secondary characters (with the exception of Lou's daughter Bryn), who were at least sometimes jerks or plain creepy. E.g. Lou's ex-wife Tara calls him fat for gaining all of 10 pounds after leaving Jackie. Jackie's sister spouts gems like "Men don't like to be with women who are smarter than they are, or out-earn them, or who have more prestigious jobs. It makes them feel inadequate and weak."
Oh, and let us not forget Mike, who works in court and who seriously tells Jackie, the judge, "I'm probably not supposed to say this - all that sexual harassment training they make us take - but you look terrific". Seriously?!
I was also reather annoyed by the general superficiality of basically everyone in this story. I guess this is just a world I didn't really enjoyed spending time in ...
In conclusion, I just did not connect to this story, but I can say that it was well written and easy to read.
2.5 stars - Not a fan of the characters, who kind of ruin a premise with potential
Jackie has worked hard on her career and is a newly appointed judge in family court hoping to impress her supervisors. She is in a relationship with Lou, an aspiring but not terribly driven writer, who moved in with her. However, one day Lou has an epiphany regarding his writing ambitions and walks out on her out of the blue, determined to make some changes to his life. Jackie in return is left wondering about Lou's reasons and starting to question her life decisions.
I feel like this could have been a solid, entertaining reflection on the decisions we make in life and personal development, but it fell seriously flat due to unlikeable characters and a plot that I just could not relate to.
To begin with, I was not a fan of the premise. Just walking out of a relationship without talking to your partner and just leaving some measly note is so cowardly and low. Lou's decision is apparently being triggered by his reflections how most of his friends think that he is gay (which would be terrible, right?) and make fun of him as being a kept man (gasp!) - poor guy. This really did not make me sympathize with him whatsoever. And the way Jackie reacts by clinging to every straw of hope to "win" Lou back, to take him away from her rival, Lou's ex-wife. I'm sorry, but are we in 10th grade, or something? I really disagree that this is how healthy relationships should work.
Also, Jackie, despite working as a judge, displays an almost shocking lack of empathy in court. She also does something so incredible unprofessional and unethical in the second half of the book that I sort of could not believe it and found incredibly off-putting.
In addition, I disliked basically all secondary characters (with the exception of Lou's daughter Bryn), who were at least sometimes jerks or plain creepy. E.g. Lou's ex-wife Tara calls him fat for gaining all of 10 pounds after leaving Jackie. Jackie's sister spouts gems like "Men don't like to be with women who are smarter than they are, or out-earn them, or who have more prestigious jobs. It makes them feel inadequate and weak."
Oh, and let us not forget Mike, who works in court and who seriously tells Jackie, the judge, "I'm probably not supposed to say this - all that sexual harassment training they make us take - but you look terrific". Seriously?!
I was also reather annoyed by the general superficiality of basically everyone in this story. I guess this is just a world I didn't really enjoyed spending time in ...
In conclusion, I just did not connect to this story, but I can say that it was well written and easy to read.