I couldn't put this book down - unfortunately, for all the wrong reasons. I just wanted it to be done.
A Separation jumps straight into the plot without giving us any reason to know, and subsequently care about, any of the characters before thrusting them into disorder. Once I did get to know them, they were disappointingly unrelatable. The protagonist vacillated between not caring and then perhaps caring about whatever was unfolding in a wishy washy way, but since she never made her intentions clear, it made it impossible to get behind her.
Dialogue was written and then analyzed. Scenes unfolded awkwardly and were then dissected. No threads were placed to create tension and interplay. The reader is never given the ability to read between the lines and draw our own conclusions. The theme of illusion predominates, which has potential to be alluring, but the author overexplains everything, stripping the story of any intrigue.
I found most of the relationships grating and implausible. One relationship in particular involving the main character actually made me roll my eyes. Again, not enough background was provided to give any credibility. The entire book felt unconvincing and had the aura of a first draft. It had potential within the bones of the plotlines to become something better than the final version, but needed further development to make it all ring true. One of the most important parts of a book is feeling a connection to the characters. It's fine if they're atypical, but the reader still has to be given a reason to care about them, otherwise, the whole thing falls flat. Without a reason to care, it leaves no lasting impression.
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