This book was extremely tough to swallow, not only for its content but also for requiring so much attention from the reader. Written through the perspectives of a seemingly revolving door of narrators, each change of POV demands cognizant recognition from the reader. There are many characters to keep track of, and the narration shifts from first person to third without warning. It is difficult in my opinion to pull this off, because the lack of consistency comes across as a little bit lazy or careless.
Now, for the content… there is no denying that this is a romanticized story of an adult man falling in love with a little girl. What makes it so difficult to stomach is that from a reader’s perspective, that adult male character is one of the only people you feel you can root for.
The characterization feels highly problematic because the little girl in question is equally (if not more) invested in the romance, however she is characterized by qualities that portray her as EVEN YOUNGER than her age. The chapters told from her point of view feel childlike even into her twenties, and she is repeatedly described as a petite/delicate for her age, further infantilizing the imagery.
When I chose this book, I truly wasn’t aware of its controversial reputation, and truthfully I think this story could’ve been groundbreaking had it been better written. It left me feeling as though it was written through a lens of fascination with trauma and sexual/familial violence. Not experience or real world insight or those things.
As a final thought, though, I think Jorjeana Marie performed this reading gorgeously, giving each narrative voice its own history and flare. Although I don’t personally love Greenwood’s choice to employ sixteen (16!!!) narrators, I am deeply impressed by Marie’s ability to make each voice uniquely distinct. It is like asking an actor to play 16 different characters. Truly an outstanding performance.