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A review by friends2lovers
Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
My favorite aspect of the story is definitely Andrew’s internal conflict over Eddie’s death and his burgeoning relationship with Sam—confronting his true feelings for Eddie while simultaneously acting on his desires for Sam, and eventually letting go of the relationship he could have had with Eddie so he can have a future with Sam. Thematically, the story is ultimately about grief and I think the intertwining of character and theme is done well. However, Andrew’s internal struggles and reflections are too often sidelined to move the lackluster horror/suspense plot forward.
Furthermore, I did not care for the tedious writing style at all and it significantly detracted from my enjoyment. The prose is somehow both wordy and vague. Figurative language is used in a way that makes it difficult to visualize what is happening in some scenes, especially the supernatural ones. I frequently had to pause or reread passages, which slowed down my reading pace. Since the descriptions are more confusing than evocative, I did not find this to be a creepy, immersive read, which is what I expected and wanted. 71% into the book, I noted in my reading journal: “I have to admit the reason I’m feeling compelled to pick it up and keep reading is not because of the story but because I want to finish it and move on to a different book.”
All that being said, the ending (Come on. I love you, but this is no life. ) moved me to tears. And as frustrating as the writing is, there are a handful of passages I thought were worth bookmarking. So, I have mixed feelings about this book and my star rating is subject to change. For now, I’m going with 2.5-stars because overall I thought it was somewhere between okay (2-stars) and good (3-stars). If later I’m feeling more generous, I’ll probably round up to 3-stars.
Furthermore, I did not care for the tedious writing style at all and it significantly detracted from my enjoyment. The prose is somehow both wordy and vague. Figurative language is used in a way that makes it difficult to visualize what is happening in some scenes, especially the supernatural ones. I frequently had to pause or reread passages, which slowed down my reading pace. Since the descriptions are more confusing than evocative, I did not find this to be a creepy, immersive read, which is what I expected and wanted. 71% into the book, I noted in my reading journal: “I have to admit the reason I’m feeling compelled to pick it up and keep reading is not because of the story but because I want to finish it and move on to a different book.”
All that being said, the ending (
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Gore, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual content, Suicide, and Transphobia