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A review by garbage_mcsmutly
The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was a highly enjoyable listen! I will say that I am predisposed to like stories involving radio or podcasts or narration, so this was kinda made for me already.
📝 I really liked this story. The FMC, whose POV the story is told from, is an interesting character with some unresolved issues, particularly around the loss of her father a decade ago. And she has baggage from past relationships that leads her to make less than stellar choices with MMC. MMC has his own issues too, and he is younger and less experienced than FMC in terms of relationships/sex.
The MCs start a radio show that is hosted by two exes (them). The only thing is, they never actually dated. But the show gets really popular and well, obviously stuff happens with that.
🎧 This was first person POV, only from the FMC. The female narrator did an amazing job with the content and the story itself was engaging. I think she had to walk a fine line, because it is a fact in the book that the FMC has a "girly" and often "grating" voice, but you don't want to actually alienate the listeners for the book, so she had to perform something feminine, that is close to, but not actually, grating. I thought her voice was incredibly pleasant but I don't have internalized misogyny about feminine sounding voices so ymmv.
🌶️ 3.5/5 there were a few explicit sex scenes (btw the narrator executed these scenes to perfection).
🏳️🌈✊ There was a lot of diversity represented in the story. Asian MMC and white Jewish FMC. Multiple queer and ethnically diverse side characters. An African American (the patriarch is from Nigeria) family joining into FMC's.
📝 I really liked this story. The FMC, whose POV the story is told from, is an interesting character with some unresolved issues, particularly around the loss of her father a decade ago. And she has baggage from past relationships that leads her to make less than stellar choices with MMC. MMC has his own issues too, and he is younger and less experienced than FMC in terms of relationships/sex.
The MCs start a radio show that is hosted by two exes (them). The only thing is, they never actually dated. But the show gets really popular and well, obviously stuff happens with that.
🎧 This was first person POV, only from the FMC. The female narrator did an amazing job with the content and the story itself was engaging. I think she had to walk a fine line, because it is a fact in the book that the FMC has a "girly" and often "grating" voice, but you don't want to actually alienate the listeners for the book, so she had to perform something feminine, that is close to, but not actually, grating. I thought her voice was incredibly pleasant but I don't have internalized misogyny about feminine sounding voices so ymmv.
🌶️ 3.5/5 there were a few explicit sex scenes (btw the narrator executed these scenes to perfection).
🏳️🌈✊ There was a lot of diversity represented in the story. Asian MMC and white Jewish FMC. Multiple queer and ethnically diverse side characters. An African American (the patriarch is from Nigeria) family joining into FMC's.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, and Grief
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, and Gaslighting
Minor: Cancer, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Alcohol