I know I’m only on page 3; how much could I possibly be able to tell about the pacing? (did I use that semicolon correctly? lol). But idk, it’s just feeling a little off to me? I think a big part of it is the urgency of the situation vs how it’s written.

When Caz informs Kiela about Kinney Hall being broken into and ransacked her reaction is: “Goodness!”. I’m not gonna lie, I thought she had said that sarcastically, but then the next two paragraphs made me realize that she was, actually and truly, shocked.

Then, when she learns her library has been caught on fire, I’m getting no sense of urgency. She “got to her feet” and “went for a second armload”. I feel like even just using different verbs would help give a sense of urgency and tension? Like why doesn’t she “leap to her feet” or “run back for a second armload, almost colliding with Caz in her panic”?? I’m not saying those are better, but just something along those lines. Having neutral, non-urgent verbiage is not helping me feel the tension I’m lacking here.

Despite being in Kiela’s anxiety-ridden thoughts and understanding that she’s feeling horror at the books about to be lost, I wasn’t feeling any of that myself. I wasn’t feeling the urge to flip from one page to the next, worried about what was going to happen, needing to read on. I can’t pinpoint to what exactly it is in the writing that’s keeping me from feeling the urgency, but it’s just strange that I’m not, because normally I would be 🤔

I remember when the press starting picking up this case & wondering why in the world the media was framing it entirely through the men involved. If they weren't talking about how much potential Brock Turner had, they were talking about the heroism of the men who interrupted him. Perpetually infuriating that women so rarely get to be the center of their own stories.

I generally don't like marmelade, but somehow this book makes me want to get some and eat it on a delicious roll while continuing to read. Does anyone else experience that? With this book or another?

Her social anxiety seems too extreme for just the trauma of the library burning down….. considering she seemed vaguely unaffected by the war context surrounding that event.