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A review by jcstokes95
So Happy for You by Celia Laskey
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Absolutely fucking UNHINGED. But I had a helluva good time. Listen, the writing quality is sometimes choppy and weird. It has a weird way of transitioning between events at times and I think Laskey sometime totally drops some things that break the continuity. But... it doesn't even matter because this is like eating cotton candy that's been dyed black.
Robin has been invited to the maid of honor at her best-frenemy's, wedding. While she's hesitant, she agrees, mainly to get the dirt on the dystopian wedding charms brides has been doing since marriage has become heavily rewarded by the government. Ellie is absolutely wedding obsessed (and utterly detestable); you pretty much want to claw her eyes out the whole time. In fact, the whole wedding party is a mish-mash of toxic personalities.
This book will be a hit for a very specific (or maybe broader than I think) group of women. If you are a woman who has ever sat at brunch and shit talked an acquaintance's wedding plans, you may love this. For example, perhaps you had to emotionally support a friend when she had to say she was unwilling so spend several hundred dollars to rent a boat for the party and then had her head bit off for being selfish. If you've had that experience, you may feel a grand sense of horror and also catharsis as this story unfolds. This book has the weird quality of being FUCKING BONKERS, while also feeling like your bestie might tell you it happened to her.
I will say, this moral of the story is sloppy and Laskey seems to think Robin needs to be less judgmental. Maybe, but also, I found Robin's judgements to be relatable and incredibly apt considering the fucked up shit happening in the story. Don't go into this expecting some lesson on female friendship; mostly you'll be reminded that while it can be powerful, it can sometimes drive you to the edge of insanity.
Robin has been invited to the maid of honor at her best-frenemy's, wedding. While she's hesitant, she agrees, mainly to get the dirt on the dystopian wedding charms brides has been doing since marriage has become heavily rewarded by the government. Ellie is absolutely wedding obsessed (and utterly detestable); you pretty much want to claw her eyes out the whole time. In fact, the whole wedding party is a mish-mash of toxic personalities.
This book will be a hit for a very specific (or maybe broader than I think) group of women. If you are a woman who has ever sat at brunch and shit talked an acquaintance's wedding plans, you may love this. For example, perhaps you had to emotionally support a friend when she had to say she was unwilling so spend several hundred dollars to rent a boat for the party and then had her head bit off for being selfish. If you've had that experience, you may feel a grand sense of horror and also catharsis as this story unfolds. This book has the weird quality of being FUCKING BONKERS, while also feeling like your bestie might tell you it happened to her.
I will say, this moral of the story is sloppy and Laskey seems to think Robin needs to be less judgmental. Maybe, but also, I found Robin's judgements to be relatable and incredibly apt considering the fucked up shit happening in the story. Don't go into this expecting some lesson on female friendship; mostly you'll be reminded that while it can be powerful, it can sometimes drive you to the edge of insanity.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder