Corinne

I was excited about this book because I left a fundamentalist religion myself last year.

The prose was really interesting and often very beautiful (except toward the end where the author had run out of words to describe sex).

Also the word “fat” was used to describe body parts (a lot) in ways that just didn't feel... sexy. “His fat lips.” “His fat hands.” You get the idea. I always got thrown off when Enoch was physically being described. Fat lips. Small eyes. Huge shoulders. Like a wall. Fat hands. Small eyes. Huge chest. Massive form. Hunched over to kiss her. His knees cracked. His back cracked. Those small eyes. Every time he was described I was a little turned off. Physically he just got more clownish with every scene.

And I didn't get The Point of this book.

They had sex as teenagers, she was cast out, they get back together later, they're the only two who are happy, everyone else is upset that they're together. But we're supposed to believe it will be Happily Ever After even though he's staying in the church?

It was just... sad. And unrealistic.

And the sex scenes were kind of odd. I got really annoyed with him getting off every time and her not ever getting there except a couple of times.

I'll probably update this review when I've processed it a bit more. But for now I just feel let down. It wasn't really about a faith crisis from either character. It wasn't really about changing or growing. It was just about the main leads' supposed chemistry.

ok so first off this is written under a pseudonym and there are ~rumors~ that it's by Stephenie Meyer and I have to say: no it isn't, this book is too self-aware and intentionally funny to be the work of SMeyer, and also has too much fat positivity. anyway I liked it a lot, it felt like a very open-hearted look at an obscured-evangelical religion and the way it can still be a light for some people while not shying away from the trauma & damage it causes a lot of other people. Corinne is such a great character to root for.
–

Re-read for the pod, and I still say: not a work of SMeyer.

https://www.frowl.org/worstbestsellers/episode-214-corinne/