Lilibet Bombshell's Reviews > The Centre

I want anyone reading this review to understand something: This isn’t a bad book. It’s actually a really good book. It’s just not a good book for me. Art is entirely a subjective thing. That’s the entire point of it. Everyone gets something different out of it. I can see how much so many people love this novel. Believe it or not, I was extremely excited to read this because I thought I’d adore it; but in the end, it just wasn’t a book that resonated with me in any way. Furthermore, it wasn’t a book I really enjoyed that much, in the end.

Siddiqi is obviously a force to be reckoned with and I hope they continue to write more books. I’ll be watching for the next one and be waiting to read it because she has a distinct and strong writing voice that I feel probably has a lot of brilliant stories to tell. Her prose so easily moves between the dreamy and ethereal to the present and stark reality it’s truly a gift. I greatly enjoyed and appreciated the amount of research that had to have gone into this book, as well as the worldbuilding. I feel her dialogue could use some work, but no author starts out perfect.

The plot was definitely interesting, I just think the satirical aspect of the book and how it was done felt rather cliche in some aspects. It also felt just a little too beaten into the reader, like dough that’s been kneaded so much it can no longer rise. If you beat the reader over the head with something constantly throughout the book they have nothing to rise and discover alongside with as they read the novel.

I absolutely don’t want to discourage anyone from reading this book, though. I feel this book is a matter of personal decision. I encourage you to read it and make up your own mind.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All opinions, thoughts, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

As per personal policy, this review will not appear on any social media or bookseller websites due to receiving a rating of three stars or under.

File Under: Just Not For Me/Literary Fiction/Satire/Suspense Fiction