Review: Strange Premise, Worth Reading
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 1, 2013
When I began reading this short novel, I wasn't quite sure how I felt about it, because to some degree, I agreed with J.T. in his opinion about his younger brother being a responsibility-less donor for a child. However, once the characters began to develop, I found myself disliking J.T., particularly his way of handling the issue and his treatment of Caro seemed quite wild. Furthermore, Caro showed herself to be a fascinating character within the first few chapters, and I surprisingly was rooting for her soon into my reading of the book.It made for a very interesting experience as a reader to feel like you get something you didn't expect. Typically, I read the summary of a book and that shapes my entire reading experience, but this time, the author really took me out of my comfort zone and changed my perspective. It wasn't done through sentimentality either, it was done through very honest writing and compelling plot developments. Caro was also one of the more unique female characters in that she didn't fall into the stereotypical female tropes, even those "strong" women who inevitably fall in love with someone in a novel after witty banter and strong-willed hesitancy. I enjoyed reading a novel that centered on a very proud woman that was not willing to cave to common belief systems that so many other authors, even good ones, end up breaking down and following. In other words....well done, Estrada!