Review by jovi98 -- Me Inside by Martha Miller
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jovi98
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Review by jovi98 -- Me Inside by Martha Miller
[Following is a volunteer review of "Me Inside" by Martha Miller.]
Jeannie, a fifteen-year-old girl, has faced nothing but loss during her life. First, she lives with her mom while her dad is in jail. When her dad comes home, her mom packs up all her stuff and leaves the family. Jeannie and her dad seem to be living a normal life, until one day, she sees her father arguing with a strange man at the car shop where he works. She asks him about the altercation, but he brushes it off and leaves to "run errands" that night. He never makes it back home and is found the next morning lying dead in a park. Jeannie must now move in with her lesbian grandma, who she barely knows, and continue with life. Still, she can't get over her father's murder. With the help of her best friend, Ruthie, Jeannie tries and find her father's murderer. Doing so is dangerous, and along the way, she meets friends, enemies, and even lovers. Me Inside by Martha Miller is both a riveting murder mystery and a sweet coming-of-age romance that will keep readers intrigued until the very last page.
At first, I thought the combination of mystery with romance was a bit odd. However, as I kept reading, I really grew to love it. It has equal parts of mystery and romance, which I think makes it a complex, intriguing story. I love that this novel includes LGBTQ+ characters. The plotline was unique and well-thought-out, and the characters are also very likable and well-developed.
One downside to this novel was the erratic pacing. Sometimes, events in the story would happen a few months from each other. Instead of doing a time jump when there are no interesting plot points in the story, Miller tends to fast forward through the writing, tracking a few months down into only one paragraph or so. Other times, some short moments would span over several pages. I found it frustrating to read at times since I was hyperaware of the change of pace. It's way too noticeable and not subtle at all.
Overall, I would still have to give Me Inside 4 out of 4 stars. I think it is a fantastic story that tastefully delves into serious issues that could be faced by teenagers today. Despite some odd stylistic choices, it appears that this novel is professionally edited.
Me Inside is aimed towards a young adult audience. However, I think it should lean towards the mature side of YA since the issues are mature. I wouldn't necessarily hand this book to a young teen without making sure they understood the context first. I do also think this novel could be enjoyed by an adult audience as well.
******
Me Inside
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Jeannie, a fifteen-year-old girl, has faced nothing but loss during her life. First, she lives with her mom while her dad is in jail. When her dad comes home, her mom packs up all her stuff and leaves the family. Jeannie and her dad seem to be living a normal life, until one day, she sees her father arguing with a strange man at the car shop where he works. She asks him about the altercation, but he brushes it off and leaves to "run errands" that night. He never makes it back home and is found the next morning lying dead in a park. Jeannie must now move in with her lesbian grandma, who she barely knows, and continue with life. Still, she can't get over her father's murder. With the help of her best friend, Ruthie, Jeannie tries and find her father's murderer. Doing so is dangerous, and along the way, she meets friends, enemies, and even lovers. Me Inside by Martha Miller is both a riveting murder mystery and a sweet coming-of-age romance that will keep readers intrigued until the very last page.
At first, I thought the combination of mystery with romance was a bit odd. However, as I kept reading, I really grew to love it. It has equal parts of mystery and romance, which I think makes it a complex, intriguing story. I love that this novel includes LGBTQ+ characters. The plotline was unique and well-thought-out, and the characters are also very likable and well-developed.
One downside to this novel was the erratic pacing. Sometimes, events in the story would happen a few months from each other. Instead of doing a time jump when there are no interesting plot points in the story, Miller tends to fast forward through the writing, tracking a few months down into only one paragraph or so. Other times, some short moments would span over several pages. I found it frustrating to read at times since I was hyperaware of the change of pace. It's way too noticeable and not subtle at all.
Overall, I would still have to give Me Inside 4 out of 4 stars. I think it is a fantastic story that tastefully delves into serious issues that could be faced by teenagers today. Despite some odd stylistic choices, it appears that this novel is professionally edited.
Me Inside is aimed towards a young adult audience. However, I think it should lean towards the mature side of YA since the issues are mature. I wouldn't necessarily hand this book to a young teen without making sure they understood the context first. I do also think this novel could be enjoyed by an adult audience as well.
******
Me Inside
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Broken Inn by A.W. Baldwin
