A review by dmwhipp
The Summer That Melted Everything by Tiffany McDaniel

1.0

Hanging it up at 34% in. Though set in the 1980s, this book felt like it took places decades before and the writing was poetic and metaphorical to the point of distraction. So far it's touched on the topics of good and evil, racism, legal injustice, mental illness, homophobia, child abuse, mob mentality, infidelity, animal abuse... and I'm only a third of the way in. I've read depressing and/or heart wrenching books that I've loved and found beautiful and compelling. But I'm calling it quits on The Summer That Melted Everything because I find it itchy, dismal, clunky, bleak. Up to this point it has provided zero entertainment or enjoyment.... in fact, each time I set it down I felt relief and the thought of picking it up again evoked dread. Maybe I'll return to it one day, but right now I don't feel like spending precious time reading something I so intensely dislike. Done.