A review by thereadingwren
Running with Lions by Julian Winters
3.0
3.5/5
"Who writes these stupid definitions of manly, feminine, beautiful or handsome anyways?"
I read a review where someone said this read like fanfiction, and I 100% agree. That's not exactly a negative - I'm obsessed with fanfiction (Sterek, FiKi, McShep, Destiel, Hicctooth to name a few) - but for published novels I guess I expected something different. It was something about the writing, it was simple and sometimes overly detailed - the constant descriptions of characters hair or skin or how every chapter began with a colourful description of the sky - it got old real fast. This novel is also incredibly dated (Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Iron Man). In a decade or two no one will know these pop culture references. Another language thing, what teenager uses 'whom' or refers to their parents by their names when thinking of them????
I did enjoy the characters, they were a bunch of lovely boys and I'm a sucker for found families - which this soccer team was. On a whole, the characters felt a little simplified with not much emotion going on behind the scenes, or they didn't feel real enough. They were still good and lovable characters.
I really liked Sebastian as the main character. I loved all his flaws, the way he was scared of the future and college and I especially loved seeing his insecurities about his body. It was good to see that body image issues affect everyone, regardless of gender. Also, I'm always here for a proud bisexual MC!!
The half finished sentences got really annoying. I just wanted these boys to have actual conversations about what they were feeling, instead of just assuming. Use your words, boys!
The intimate scenes between the love interests were a 'fade to black' moment, and I didn't appreciate that. If it had been a hetero couple, you would have gotten a play by play.
Even though this was about a soccer team training at a soccer camp getting ready for the new soccer season, soccer seemed to take a backseat sometimes. You heard about the practices they did but I felt like there could have been more of a focus on the sport itself.
This novel was good and simple and unproblematic. It showed athletics of the future, where no one is discriminated against and athletes can be open with their sexuality. It showed a world I'd love to live in.
"Who writes these stupid definitions of manly, feminine, beautiful or handsome anyways?"
I read a review where someone said this read like fanfiction, and I 100% agree. That's not exactly a negative - I'm obsessed with fanfiction (Sterek, FiKi, McShep, Destiel, Hicctooth to name a few) - but for published novels I guess I expected something different. It was something about the writing, it was simple and sometimes overly detailed - the constant descriptions of characters hair or skin or how every chapter began with a colourful description of the sky - it got old real fast. This novel is also incredibly dated (Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Iron Man). In a decade or two no one will know these pop culture references. Another language thing, what teenager uses 'whom' or refers to their parents by their names when thinking of them????
I did enjoy the characters, they were a bunch of lovely boys and I'm a sucker for found families - which this soccer team was. On a whole, the characters felt a little simplified with not much emotion going on behind the scenes, or they didn't feel real enough. They were still good and lovable characters.
I really liked Sebastian as the main character. I loved all his flaws, the way he was scared of the future and college and I especially loved seeing his insecurities about his body. It was good to see that body image issues affect everyone, regardless of gender. Also, I'm always here for a proud bisexual MC!!
The half finished sentences got really annoying. I just wanted these boys to have actual conversations about what they were feeling, instead of just assuming. Use your words, boys!
The intimate scenes between the love interests were a 'fade to black' moment, and I didn't appreciate that. If it had been a hetero couple, you would have gotten a play by play.
Even though this was about a soccer team training at a soccer camp getting ready for the new soccer season, soccer seemed to take a backseat sometimes. You heard about the practices they did but I felt like there could have been more of a focus on the sport itself.
This novel was good and simple and unproblematic. It showed athletics of the future, where no one is discriminated against and athletes can be open with their sexuality. It showed a world I'd love to live in.