A review by beautifulpaxielreads
The Switch, by Beth O'Leary
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
The first third of the book was great - it was well-written, the pace was good, and it was funny and heartwarming. It was pretty predictable and cliched, but at that point, I was enjoying it so much that I didn't really care. I thought that the exploration of grief as a theme was well done, especially in how it affects the family members of those who have died - it was very sensitively written. There were also brief references to domestic violence that were also handled well, I thought.
Unfortunately, all of the above was nearly ruined for me by the author using a trope that I really dislike:
Spoiler
the first boyfriend of one of the narrators (Leena) turning out to be a massive two-timing douchebag, so the new love interest can then conveniently swoop in and save the daySpoiler
the first boyfriend's redeeming qualities were basically swept asideSpoiler
the new love interest was basically described as being built like a football/rugby/soccer player, and didn't seem to have much personality beyond that. I know that sounds mean, and I'm sorry - but that's how I feltI also disliked how the author had the characters do things that I found ethically questionable, purely to advance the plot.
To sum up: The Switch is a novel that started off well but turned off this reader by using a nasty trope that authors should really stop using.
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Grief, Infidelity, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Sexual content, Violence, Racism, and Xenophobia