Review of All the Names I Know

[Kourtney Bradley]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "All the Names I Know" by L.S. Waxman.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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All the Names I Know by L.S. Waxman is an emotional novel that really digs into the messy feelings around grief, growing up, and the typical teenage angst of trying to figure out who you are. The story is set in a small town during the 1970s, and readers follow a young female main character named Mary Katherine, often referred to as MK, who is just trying to find her way despite the family drama of her youngest sibling’s death and another who has vanished. The story pulled me in immediately, sharing what feels like some hazy memories and also the heavy silence that comes from unshared and unspoken pain that can be debilitating for a young mind.

What makes this story so memorable for me as a reader is how well the characters are developed and how their stories revolve around a shared trauma. The main character's inner thoughts are especially intriguing, and you can feel the tension rising while she tries to make sense of her family falling apart. The author does a great job of showing what it’s like to be a young girl and living in a body and a world that just feels surreal sometimes.

With all that praise being said, I’m rating All the Names I Know by L.S. Waxman 4 out of 5 stars. The way the points of view shift was a bit confusing in a few sections of the story, specifically during the moments where there are significant events happening and the character that jumps in feels a bit unrelated to the specific event. Even though those different perspectives are key to the story, the way they jumped around sometimes felt jarring and confused me with the timeline of events. There were parts that felt almost like a fever dream, in a way that made it hard to see how everything fit together. That disjointed feeling took a bit away from the otherwise powerful story.

All in all, it’s a deeply moving story with a unique voice and real emotional weight. The editing of the story appears to be fairly clean, with only two very minor noted typo errors during my reading experience. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who loves literary fiction that digs into family and loss. Honestly, with just a bit more clarity in those transitions, this could have easily been a 5 star read for me.

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All the Names I Know
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[Kibet Hillary]

It is true that emotions bottled up can be really costly, and hence I am glad that the book looks at this issue. I am also happy that one of the factors that makes the book stand out is the exceptional development of characters. Many thanks for the review, @Kourtney Bradley.

[Catherine Sweet]

This review has sparked my interest in this book, and I would like to read it. It's a shame the different points of view led to some confusion in parts of the book, but overall it sounds well worth reading.