A review by readingthroughinfinity
Scenes of a Graphic Nature by Caroline O'Donoghue

adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This has been on my radar since last summer when I saw it at YALC, so when I noticed that the audiobook was on Scribd, I thought I'd give it a go. And it was a really engaging, funny, and yet also heart-wrenching novel. I liked Charlie as a character, even though she was unreliable and disorganised at times. I always appreciate characters whose self-awareness increases as the novel progresses, and I liked this aspect of Charlie; she realises that she's been selfish and flighty at times, as well as bitter over Laura's successes and has, on a number of occasions, made excuses for her lack of ambition and career progress. 

I enjoyed the thought-provoking exploration of her friendship with Laura and I thought the way Laura changed over the years (especially after she found out that Charlie is a lesbian) was very realistic to real life. The critique of casual homophobia was very validating and the way the mystery unraveled kept me hooked. The final chapter was melancholic (as expected) and yet also hopeful for a brighter future, and I thought the author struck a really good balance between the two emotions.
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