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I'm glad I didn't see that this was classified as a romance. It was mostly a cozy story, which was what I was looking for. It was maybe 10 percent romance.

And the ending was way better than expected since in a cozy story, we just care about the journey. Quite enjoyable.

Besides learning that the eumelanin molecule itself is a fascinating thing that could be the building block of successful tech that integrates with human bodies, I also learned about Mauna Kea, racism and sexism in scientific institutions, and Afro-Caribbean spirituality. Definitely recommend. You might not learn as much about physics as you expect, but that's OK. The rest of it is just as important. Maybe more so.

I liked it. A fish-out-of-water story, or really, Brit-out-of-Britain. And I do love a mystical story. By 'mystical,' I mean one where the world isn't what it seems.

If the quote I'm pasting below sounds like something you're interested in reading about, then this is the book for you. Note though that I transcribed this from the audiobook, so it may not have the exact same notation as in the print or digital editions of the book.

"Democracy is an ideal. It is an ideal in which every citizen has political equality rooted in the recognition of all people's full humanity. And realizing the ideal of political equality is impossible without an understanding of who has been denied it---and why."

In a violent town with violent circumstance (domestic abuse, etc.), what prospects did a young woman have in the '60s? All the while I'm reading, inside I'm screaming like at the final-girl in a horror movie, "Get out! Get out!"

An excellent portrayal of learning how childish we are in an adult world, of learning how deeply the world is stacked in favor of men, of learning how opportunities are pure luck when coming from poverty.

I might have to take a break before reading the next one; I'm so tense. But this was good to read right after the first one as it picks up directly.

I had thought this novel was light (I'm not sure why, the name, the cover?). It definitely is not. It's about dealing with social violence and even psychopathy, all while growing up.

But it's written so well. And the narrator's friend is a character for the ages.

Be ready to read the next in the series; this book ends on what felt to me like an inciting incident of a climax. Not exactly a cliff-hanger, but I need to continue.

Even though it's been a few years since I listened to this one, it often resurfaces in my thoughts. In short, the theory of #emotion presented in this book is powerful because of its flexibility and its ability to explain: - how #reframing is even possible - how there can be such large #emotional differences between cultural groups - how it could have been possible that the way humans construct emotion has changed over the course of #history

I did make it through, but I cannot recommend this one.

The prose was so obfuscating that I'd just stop bewildered asking, 'What was that for?" I decided to continue seeing that there was some skill there. But, out of the four POV characters, two were a-holes. So I was frustrated and annoyed. Eventually, many hours later, the plot resolution did have gripping scenes; that was nice. But then the denouement was sooo freekin' depressing. So the ending didn't save it like I'd hoped.

Just can't recommend. I did not have any fun with it.

@mollymay5000 I suppose it might be for a person in a certain place. She's a caring writer though, so it is told with warmth. Good luck!