Book Review: The Marvelous by Claire Kann

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The Details

I have received a copy of this book, free of charge, in exchange for an honest review.

Media Type: Ebook
Title: The Marvelous
Author: Claire Kann
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Pages/Length: Kindle; 330
Release Date: June 8, 2021
Source: Author/Xpresso Book Tours
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Young Adult

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The Review

What a wild ride. It took me a bit to get into the story, mostly because as we are introduced to the 3 narrators it was hard to keep track of who was who. It eventually gets better as the characters specific personalities come out and the whole experience was a fun puzzle of riddles and wondering what will happen next. The second half of the book flew by as I couldn’t wait to see how it ended.

First off, I absolutely loved Stella All The Time. She was flawed, sarcastic, awkward, and outspoken. Her constant need to be the smartest person in the room was an easy deflection of her insecurities about not having social skills. Growing up in a very small bubble with overprotective parents that expected only the best did not coincide with a normal childhood. Stella was the wildcard character as she had just joined the social media app when Jewel made her cryptic announcement inviting her to participate in Golden Weekend X. Her character was front and center in this story.

I really loved the idea of the safe space app. No bullying, only videos that show your face, and the ability to share your ideas/life with the world. Nicole’s internal reflections and awareness of the character she had created on Golden Rule was a breath of fresh air. I often talk about how social media isn’t an accurate portrayal of people’s lives. We choose what to share, who to share it with, and how we want to be perceived. It’s a carefully curated picture of our lives which leaves a lot of information out. Nicole was well aware of that and used the app to create content that she wanted in the world and that character didn’t represent who she really was. Tragedy, food insecurity, and isolation were a big part of her story and it was both heartbreaking and refreshing to see this topics addressed and handled with grace and confidence.

I also have to applaud Kann for all the inclusiveness in this book. From LGBTQ characters, to family abandonment, to being a prisoner in your own home, it was in here. It is easy to apply a heavy hand to these topics in a story, but these very serious topics were addressed in a matter of fact way. The characters history of experiences influenced their decisions, like they would in real life, but didn’t feel like that was the focus of the story. Inclusiveness without that being the focus of the story is always a refreshing take.

I don’t want to give anything away because the riddles and outcome are great fun, I will just say that you will enjoy it. Think Willy Wonka-esque shenanigans with a mysterious twist. In the end, great characters, fantastic plot, and lots of mystery leave you with a wonderful story that you may want to read again in case you missed something. 5/5 would recommend.

Claire Kann is the author of LET’S TALK ABOUT LOVE and an award-winning online storyteller. In her other life, she works for a nonprofit that you may have heard of where she daydreams like she’s paid to do it. Find out more by visiting her website: www.clairekann.com (and while you’re there, tell her about your cats. She loves cats. A lot.)

https://www.clairekann.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15661988.Claire_Kann
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