A review by lara_ayrolla
The Mulligan Curse by Diane Barnes

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Before anything, I would like to thank Diane Barnes, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I decided to read this book because "Shrek Forever After" is one of my favorite movies, and the plot seemed similar enough. It didn't disappoint and I did have a similar experience to the movie.

I didn't care enough about the characters, since I didn't get to know as much about them, and I disliked many things. However, overall, it was a good experience and I enjoyed the reading.

Pros:
  • I got emotional many times while reading. I finished the book literally sobbing, and it broke me for a few minutes. I had to take a break to stare at a wall and breathe.
  • A lot of the characters are unique and lovable.
  • The message in the book is great, and I like how Mary was able to find a balance between prioritizing herself and the people she loves in the end.

Cons:
  • Mary is insufferably dumb. The things she says and instantly regrets make absolutely no sense.
  • Also, her assumptions make no sense. No rational person would assume the things she does without further evidence.
  • Her assumptions are used as a plot device to create mystery, but it is all predictable and unnecessary.
  • So many sentences are repeated that I feel 50% of the book could be removed to avoid the same sentence appearing twice.
  • This is probably because of my early copy of the book, so it won't be considered in my evaluation. Still, I thought it was important to point out that there were a lot of typos and a few grammatical mistakes that the author might want to check before the book comes out.
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