Look, I can understand what this book is trying to do and I did find the plot somewhat interesting, but when the characters whose journey you’re following keep being homophobic, racist, misogynistic and extremely violent, it becomes insufferable to read. Even if they are presented as unlikable, it gets tiring having to see these same behaviors over and over again with little to no remorse.

While there is some character development from Buddy Lee and Ike, it doesn’t really work well and it’s all for the wrong reasons. Even though this is a story of revenge for their sons, everything is about Buddy Lee and Ike. Everything they do, everything they learn, everything they “suffer” to have their revenge is to make themselves feel better and what they think they need to do because they couldn’t do better when their sons were actually alive.

I enjoyed the writing in how easy it was to understand and very smooth to read, but there were some analogies or similes that honestly made no sense? Like the writing has a very serious tone and then we’re hit with an analogy that honestly just made me laugh, when I’m not really sure that was the intended reaction.

Honestly not really sure how to feel about this. I did enjoy the tone of the writing, it made me laugh so many times and Lucy was such an entertaining character, but I was also not that invested in her story. While entertaining, she was such a complicated character, making the same mistakes over and over again while chasing the high that these gave her, caring more about herself than others until it was too late, prioritizing her worries over other people’s when these would reach out to her personally. I had so much empathy for her at the beginning, but it was infuriating to keep seeing Lucy be selfish and self centered without ever really learning.

There were some topics of loneliness, addiction, and love, that I thought were really well explored and to me this was the highlight of the book, how Lucy and other characters around her dealt with similar situations differently, how each one of them searched for happiness and love in their own way (even if questionable ways).

I really do think this just wasn’t my cup of tea, but can see how it would work for others.