Campaign Trail (By Design, #9) by J.A. Armstrong

Campaign Trail by J.A. Armstrong

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


There was a lot of talking. Pages and pages of talking. Circular talking, around the issue, to others than the person they should be talking to. And repetitively being told they should talk. And them saying they know, and literally trembling in fear to talk to the other.

Oh, and a bunch of angst, and feelings of guilt, and stuff. Pearl had a good response to all this nonsense (there needs to be more Pearl).

"The only thing you've got to be guilty about is how often you feel guilty."

"In other words, knock it off."

"Not in other words. Knock it off."

- around 38% into the book.

Course even the good parts gets repeated, because that's the way these stories go. Again Pearl's the voice of reason -

"I'm telling you to stop blaming yourself for what happens to everyone else. That's what you would tell every one of us. And, stop thinking you know what's best for all of us too."

- 40% into the book.

And words of wisdom, randomly tossed out, by those who need to use it themselves in their own lives, but apparently don't, they pass it on instead:

"I still think you should talk to Mom."
...
"She wouldn't want you to keep it inside."

- Michelle to Jameson, both of whom would rather talk to others about their 'things' than with the person they should be talking to (Mel in Shell's case, Candy in JD's case). - 41% into the book.

And sometimes they tell it to themselves. But do they listen to themselves? Do they?

Talk to her, JD. Just talk to her.

What were the earthshaking things both need to tell others? And were they the only ones with 'secrets' they needed to unload? No they were not the only ones with secrets. And don't worry, if you miss the issue the first time, it'll be repeated several more times, 8?, throughout the book. Like how JD has holes in her from having missed seeing the kids grow up - how she hadn't been there; also, that people should not read into that emotion, because she really doesn't actually want to have a baby, she just doesn't like how she missed out on Candy's kids growing up. Or how Shell got used to the concept that she'd be the one to carry the baby in her partnership with Mel; but now Mel's going to be the one; and how she wants to not upset Mel; but never thought she'd want to carry a baby herself, but now she kind of wants to feel the baby moving inside of herself (don't worry, later she gets sad because she got used to the idea of Mel carrying the baby, and starts to pre-miss how she could have placed her hand on Mel and felt the baby kicking. But, eh, Mel's a very emotional person. Like a cactus. Cacti are very emotional plants).

Right, so, this book is about talking. With occasional breaks for politics. And serial killers. And children. And evil assholes. And stuff.

Rating: 3.00

October 18 2017



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