A review by lefthandlou
The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

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

0.25

The book is overwrought. You can hear the machinery behind the plot, the gears and cogs, ticking loudly as they jolt the action and characters along. It’s contrived, pompous, and overlong. It’s clear Turton is deeply enamored of his own prose, a style which only gets in the way of his too-complicated storyline. He doesn’t have a firm handle on his own plot. Maybe if this book were half as long it could have been okay, but as it is, it is an overindulgent, convoluted, and boring mess. None of the characters are likable, and the entire section dedicated to fatphobia was cruel, unnecessary, and awful. I suspect Turton is not a very nice person, a fact which shows through in this book. I ended up just skimming the last 2/3 just to get it over with. 
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