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A review by katiedreads
I'm a Fan by Sheena Patel
challenging
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This is a very strong debut book, that pacts a lot into a very small page count. The vignette style of writing transports you between reading about the every day experiences of the unnamed narrator and then her thoughts and feelings on … well everything racism, misogyny, capitalism, colonialism, cheating, cultural appropriation, social media etc etc. what is interesting is all these huge concepts are talked about through the eyes and lived experiences of the narrator, this hugely adds to your understanding of the character while knowing very little about her other than her obsessive destructive behaviours. This duplicity is very apparent throughout the book and the author doesn’t shy away from expressing the narrators criticism of these themes all the while sharing her self normalising thoughts on her own participation of online stalking, adultery, toxic behaviour towards her partner. Overall beautifully written, self aware and gritty narrative of our current world. However for me this is not a five star as too many of the characters are 2d and unlikable, with very little shared of the emotional growth, which is where the author looses me, even the most awful people you know have redeeming qualities and feel guilt and pain and regret. The author touched on this slightly when talking about the main character and her boyfriend’s relationship, but didn’t use this more. This made the reading experience feel like the rants and thoughts of the narrator was more important for the author to express than a true character study. That for me would have made this 5 star if by the end of the book you recognise how hypocritical the narrator is but still felt empathy for them.