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A review by micku
Cassandra in Reverse by Holly Smale
adventurous
dark
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Holly Smale attempts to write an analogue for the autistic adult experience with a splash of science fiction in Cassandra in Reverse. The first two thirds of the book are a comedic time-travel adventure, complete with time shenanigans and mishaps. Unfortunately, in the last act of the book, Smale chooses to take a left turn and heavy-handedly smack her readers with a rapid series of traumatic memories, events, and conversations that turn the main character from a sympathetic protagonist into a two dimensional cartoon. The metaphors for autism are thinly-veiled, sloppy, and insulting. Were Cassandra in Reverse just the time travel escapades, it would be so much better. By shoveling social morays in at the last second, this book falls flat.
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Sexual harassment