I was so prepared to call this quirky and tryhard, but it’s actually charming. I love the conversations about being afraid of how the world is going (look, we’re in a worldwide pandemic right now) but fighting to see the beauty in it. Of course, I also enjoyed the conversations about the different methods of art, controlled and poised and explosive and combative, etc. Payne is really rough around the edges, but she added a fun layer to the plainness.

I’m glad Jane’s PTSD and anxiety after the incident are treated realistically, and I liked her mom’s development. The “evil adults” who wanna ruin all artistic expressions trope felt a bit cliché here, but it works, I guess. The Janes are all flat archetypes, but that also works I suppose. The book feels like a conversation-piece to me more so than a character or plot-driven story, but I liked it.

3.5