Dandelion Is Dead: A Novel About Life

Dandelion is Dead begins when main character Poppy meets Jake after pretending to be her sister, Dandelion, on a dating app. Feeling grief-stricken with the impending anniversary of her sister’s death, Poppy wants to feel close to Dandelion again. What begins as a fun and freeing exploration into her sister’s past becomes a journey of self-discovery and deceit. Poppy and Jake find a real connection, yet it is based on lies and their shared melodramas.

This book had me stressed, frustrated, curious, appalled and entertained! Poppy and Jake were very flawed, and their behavior often left me in disbelief. They were masters of betrayal and stayed unfazed by their actions. Both crafted their own storylines about their romantic entanglement and lied to their loved ones about their relationship. Each had some emotional baggage that shaped this arc, however it’s unbelievable that the pair stayed close for most of the book! Overall, this was a book that was very different and unpredictable, so I enjoyed it. I wish a little more time was spent on Dandelion’s final days, but perhaps the imagery of her was more important than her actual presence on the page. Some parts felt slow or uncomfortable to read, so my rating reflects this.