A review by moon
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

lighthearted mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

i think i wouldn't have kept reading this book if the mystery and plot weren't half-decent. the characters lack depth; they feel very one-dimensional to me, especially the main character. i will have to say though, there were some bits of the plot that felt very unrealistic and nonsensical.

another major thing that i didn't like: the romance between a 17 year old high school student and a 20 year old. the 20 year old even called her "a kid" twice, so he acknowledged the difference in maturity and power imbalance in their relationship.

while there are people of color in this book (one major one being the accused murderer), i'm quite hesitant to label it as diverse in representation because of how lacking it is. the characters of color only seem to be people of color in name. while i understand that it's hard for a white person to write about the experiences and cultures of people of color, it doesn't even seem like there was an attempt. as a person of color myself, i believe that our cultures shape our identities and are deeply ingrained in who we are.
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