A review by katherineharnisch
Balloon Days by Kristi Strong

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 

This book follows three main characters: Elliot, Howard, and Orson. All three of them feel as if their lives are spiraling out of control. They all come to the center for Balloon Days to reclaim some form of control over their lives (Elliot as a career move, Orson as a way to work through his grief, and Howard as a way to work through his perception of self-worth). 

 

I loved that this book detailed the part of life when you think everything is falling apart. So many books are set after someone has worked to heal from a traumatic event, or set before the event takes place. Strong doesn’t shy away from that, and centers the entire book on the healing process. 

 

Each character in the book is forced to ask themself, What is the right thing to do? Each character grapples with this question, and thought they all end up okay in the end, it is clear the choices they made were not the easiest. Reading this book was like being shown that people do fall apart. People do grieve deeply and cope poorly. But this book also shows you that in the end, what matters is how hard you to love the people you care about the most. 

 

This book can be heavy at times, as it depicts the lowest points in people’s lives, but I would still recommend to anyone who would like to understand more deeply how people fall apart, and they come together again.