Gun Love by Jennifer Clement

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

When I first heard about this book, I was super excited for it. Gun Love by Jennifer Clement is a coming of age story that centers around a young girl growing up in a world obsessed with guns. Sounds relevant right? The main character Pearl (named for her alabaster skin) lives in a car with her mother in a small trailer park in Florida. We learn about Pearl, her mother, and their neighbors and friends, as Pearl struggles to find herself and learn about the world when her own world is so small.

I have to say I'm very neutral on this book. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it. I wouldn't reread it, but it also wasn't a waste of time. There wasn't much of a plot, and even what you might call the climax was a disappointment. And as far as a coming of age story goes, I didn't really see any character development with Pearl, who simply just existed. Everything was very flat when it came to her character, and you got more character development and motivation from the minor characters than from her. I did very much enjoy those minor characters, as I think they added a large amount of value, and I loved learning about their personalities and backstories.

One big complaint that I had with this book was that quotes weren't distinguished as quotes. They ran into the normal descriptive paragraphs and it was hard to figure out what was a quote versus what was just descriptive or Pearl's stream of consciousness. Otherwise, the writing was beautiful, detailed, and flowed well, and was a quick read. It was easy to imagine yourself in that Florida trailer park.

I did appreciate that this book talked about the relevant topic of guns, but I wish the overall message had been a little stronger. People in Pearl's life were obsessed with them, whether that meant going out and shooting randomly into a lake at all hours of the day and night, trying to get guns off the street in the name of God, or selling guns across the border. And ultimately, it was a gun that lead to a turning point in Pearl's life. I also liked all the Selena references, and I obviously have to mention that the cover is stunning. 

If you like flowy books with pretty writing and very basic plots, you'd really enjoy this story. If you're looking for something more complex with some action, this might not be your cup of tea. Since to me this was a very middle of the road book, it's getting a very middle of the road rating.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much to Hogarth for sending me a finished copy of this book! Gun Love by Jennifer Clement releases tomorrow, so if this sounds like something up your alley, be sure to pick up a copy!