A review by laramie_moore
Hot Air: A Novel by Marcy Dermansky

funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This short novel is a speed read. I had to know what each character was thinking throughout. Each chapter is based on a character's POV. Everyone has preconceived ideas about each other and are also completely unaware of how they are acting themselves. Johnny, Jonathan, Julia, and Joannie, including Lucy and Vivian are each unique and each terrible. Lucy because she's 8 and everyone else's 8 year old sucks. Johnny is one of those mid white men who think they are god's gift to earth and it was cringe reading his chapters - so really life-like. Jonathan is rich and completely in his own world but maybe the most self-aware out of all of them. Julia, Jonathan's wife is a philanthropist and wants a baby girl so bad when she leeches onto Lucy and starts to rethink having kids, which is good because she is so selfish! Julia was probably the worst because she's constantly nagging on Jonathan to be better and to be aware but really she needs to take her own advice. Joannie is supposed to be the relatable one, but she has no confidence in herself and it's disappointing. Vivian is similar, even though she thinks she's better than Joannie but in literally the exact same position or worse. Anyways, I love a good book on character development, or no character development seeing how this book finished.