A review by sijago
Arthur and Teddy Are Coming Out by Ryan Love

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

2.0

A pleasant and well-intentioned story but it leans more towards fairytale than anything resembling real life. The character arc of each key character is set up and telegraphed very clearly. Characters make sudden lurches towards redemption and it is all very ‘happy ever after’. At the heart of the book there’s a sub-text that only when you come out can you be happy, which ignores any of the complexity than can exist around doing so. Some events happen so rapidly that I kept thinking my copy had missing pages. It is all very sweet but almost Mills and Boon sweet. If you’re looking for anything with a bit of bite then there may be other books on the subject that are a better fit.
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