Review of Switch-Hitter, a Tennis Novel
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- Latest Review: Switch-Hitter, a Tennis Novel by Barnaby Starr
Review of Switch-Hitter, a Tennis Novel
[Following is a volunteer review of "Switch-Hitter, a Tennis Novel" by Barnaby Starr.]
Switch-Hitter, a Tennis Novel follows amateur tennis player Sheila as she makes her return to the sport after the unexpected passing of her father and coach. Sheila navigates grief, growing up, and the difficulty of relationships as she battles her way to the French Open. When her plans are thrown out the window, she has to reevaluate what is important to her, and how much she is willing to risk to achieve her dream.
On a scale of one to five, I would give Switch-Hitter, a Tennis Novel a four. I quite enjoyed reading this book. The author wrote the first half of the book in a series of flashbacks, focusing on the points of view of Sheila, Nigel (her coach), and Sam (her son). It was very interesting to see the story unfold from Sheila and Nigel’s perspectives. There was so much depth in this book—from grieving late parents, to a politically charged post-COVID world, and the reality of teen pregnancy. I loved that the author decided to tackle these difficult themes by using a well-known and loved game like tennis. I felt this was an easy way to capture the reader and make them want to read more.
However, I cannot give this book a perfect score because I feel there were a few too many unresolved story lines. There was a supposed racist neighbor with allegations that were never touched on again. There was also a running patriotism narrative that felt forced and fake coming from the characters. I also hated Sam’s point of view, especially in the womb. I felt it added nothing to the story and took me out of the world that the author had so delicately built.
As much as I loved the time jumps, I did occasionally struggle to follow where we were in time, and I felt it hindered my love for what could be a really wonderful book. I think one less point of view would have helped keep things simpler in my brain.
I felt throughout the book that the writing was cheesy and unrealistic. I often found myself thinking that nobody would do or say the things being written, and it honestly made me sad. The writing style also feels like that of a book set in the early 2000s, not in a post-2020 world. The author mentioned “connecting” over email multiple times regarding the teenage character.
Overall, I loved the concept and plot of this book, and I would absolutely read more of this author’s writing. My general feedback is to narrow down ideas and help the reader get to the heart of the content sooner.
******
Switch-Hitter, a Tennis Novel
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Switch-Hitter, a Tennis Novel follows amateur tennis player Sheila as she makes her return to the sport after the unexpected passing of her father and coach. Sheila navigates grief, growing up, and the difficulty of relationships as she battles her way to the French Open. When her plans are thrown out the window, she has to reevaluate what is important to her, and how much she is willing to risk to achieve her dream.
On a scale of one to five, I would give Switch-Hitter, a Tennis Novel a four. I quite enjoyed reading this book. The author wrote the first half of the book in a series of flashbacks, focusing on the points of view of Sheila, Nigel (her coach), and Sam (her son). It was very interesting to see the story unfold from Sheila and Nigel’s perspectives. There was so much depth in this book—from grieving late parents, to a politically charged post-COVID world, and the reality of teen pregnancy. I loved that the author decided to tackle these difficult themes by using a well-known and loved game like tennis. I felt this was an easy way to capture the reader and make them want to read more.
However, I cannot give this book a perfect score because I feel there were a few too many unresolved story lines. There was a supposed racist neighbor with allegations that were never touched on again. There was also a running patriotism narrative that felt forced and fake coming from the characters. I also hated Sam’s point of view, especially in the womb. I felt it added nothing to the story and took me out of the world that the author had so delicately built.
As much as I loved the time jumps, I did occasionally struggle to follow where we were in time, and I felt it hindered my love for what could be a really wonderful book. I think one less point of view would have helped keep things simpler in my brain.
I felt throughout the book that the writing was cheesy and unrealistic. I often found myself thinking that nobody would do or say the things being written, and it honestly made me sad. The writing style also feels like that of a book set in the early 2000s, not in a post-2020 world. The author mentioned “connecting” over email multiple times regarding the teenage character.
Overall, I loved the concept and plot of this book, and I would absolutely read more of this author’s writing. My general feedback is to narrow down ideas and help the reader get to the heart of the content sooner.
******
Switch-Hitter, a Tennis Novel
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Switch-Hitter, a Tennis Novel by Barnaby Starr
