A review by story_goblin
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

This book surprised me. I put it on my list a while back because it seemed cute, and I choose it at this particular time as a palate cleanser between heavy sf/f. I've been reading a lot of "how do we fix the world" type stories, and I wanted a small break to read something different. It did work well for that! It was sweet and funny in places and, even though I saw the main twist coming a mile away, I didn't guess everything. What I wasn't expecting was for this book to make me cry. Aven's conversation with her dad echoed a LOT of feelings I have about my adhd. Her frustrations and fears hit much harder than I expected since I didn't realize I would relate to her so much. Other adults on goodreads expressed that the beginning was slow and/or the ending too syrupy sweet, but I didn't really feel the same way. I agree with them however, that just about any older elementary/middle school-aged child would devour this and be eager for more. I may or may not read the sequel myself. 

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