A review by keen
The Loop by Jeremy Robert Johnson

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I probably shouldn't write a review so soon after reading this book. I'm high from emotions, but honestly, that's the motivation I need to write.

There's so much to compliment about this book. Lucy was a deeply relatable character to me during the whole journey. The feeling of being excluded because of your race, the way childhood trauma messes you up in ways no one can understand, your childhood being taken away by horrible event after horrible event, heartbreak, I could go on.

This is a rough book. It's not lighthearted at all. The jokes that keep everything from being depressingly bleak comes in the form of self-deprecating humor and dark comedy. There is body horror, mostly of humans, and psychological horror. Every page had me hoping things would get better, and time and time again I was reminded of the terrible situation the characters were put in. Don't go into this story unless you're ready for a tense, heartbreaking adventure.

And this tense, heartbreaking adventure was a fun ride to go on. I practically had my face pressed against my screen. By the end, I was nearly teary-eyed.

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