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A review by azaleas_bouquet
The Cake by Bekah Brunstetter
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
TL;DR: Ultimately weak in its execution, but has strong characters and individual standout moments that make it worth the read.
The Cake has good characters and an interesting premise, as well as individual interesting aspects (Jen VS Jenny, the commentator/conscience, etc.). The characters feel very real, in part thanks to the well written dialogue and their dimension. However, Brunstetter has trouble incorporating all of those elements together when it comes time to make a plot. The first and third act of the story is very weak, with the second, although containing very good dialogue and provocative moments, is a climax that feels disproportionately long and unearned when compared to the rest of the story. The script reads more like a first draft than a final one. The core elements of the story are resonant, but the flimsy execution undercuts them and don’t do them proper justice.
That being said, I would still recommend! (Especially if you’re looking for smaller, individual scenes to perform.) It’s not super long, only took me about 30-45 minutes to read it, so it’s not high investment. I like the characters and second act enough to say it’s not a waste of time. I’ll probably read more of Brunstetter’s work, especially new releases that will hopefully be more polished.
The Cake has good characters and an interesting premise, as well as individual interesting aspects (Jen VS Jenny, the commentator/conscience, etc.). The characters feel very real, in part thanks to the well written dialogue and their dimension. However, Brunstetter has trouble incorporating all of those elements together when it comes time to make a plot. The first and third act of the story is very weak, with the second, although containing very good dialogue and provocative moments, is a climax that feels disproportionately long and unearned when compared to the rest of the story. The script reads more like a first draft than a final one. The core elements of the story are resonant, but the flimsy execution undercuts them and don’t do them proper justice.
That being said, I would still recommend! (Especially if you’re looking for smaller, individual scenes to perform.) It’s not super long, only took me about 30-45 minutes to read it, so it’s not high investment. I like the characters and second act enough to say it’s not a waste of time. I’ll probably read more of Brunstetter’s work, especially new releases that will hopefully be more polished.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Lesbophobia
Minor: Infertility