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Leopard At The Door by Jennifer McVeigh
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

This review is going to be more of a rant... with bits of constructive criticism.
[trigger warnings: sexual harassment]

Rachel, the main character is weak and stupid. She continuously turns a blind eye to situations when the answers are literally in front of her face. The whole time, while poor Africans are suffering and dying, guess what Rachel whines about? She being the victim. Like we're supposed to throw a pity-party her way and wipe her tears. Puuhlease. It was her choice to move into this dangerous historical and geographical time and place, so why does she complain literally every second? Because this is first person we are left with a free stream to her innermost thoughts, and I found them completely dull and useless.

Like I understand her a little bit more as a character because the author tried their best to fill in a solid backstory, and how her experience shaped who she is. So in a sense I can understand how she becomes and grows up as she is, but I felt 0 emotional connection to this character. Absolutely none.

The only solid thing that was written in this book in my opinion was the setting: Kenya. But honestly, this book wasn't focused on that either. I had a ton of negative opinions in what places this book went. All of the characters were very unlikable, I hated all of them for different reasons. This "dysfunctional family" thing that we have going, is really not my cup of tea, and as I realized what the dynamic is, I looked on with disgust.

Rachel's father completely ignored and invalidated his daughter, and the reason that she came all the way out here was to be with him. Sara, was a manipulative fiance who didn't felt like she sucked out the breathing air in the room. But what bothered me the most, the worst thing about this book, is that they killed the best and most authentic character in this book: Harold. And the reason why was that he happened to be supposedly gay and of course the author just had to kill him off. You don't even understand how many frustrated fumes where coming out when I read that scene. I can't, I just can't.

Thanks to NetGalley for the publisher for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for my honest review.

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