Dawn Winter

Sedating Elaine is billed on NetGalley as a humorous novel, but, although it has its entertaining moments, I didn't find the book as a whole to be very funny. The plot concerns lonely, depressed Frances, a woman with both abandonment issues and guilt about her past. A new girlfriend, wealthy, exuberant Elaine, bursts into Frances's life, and proves to be too much in every way. When Frances needs some time to herself, she slips a little something into Elaine's cinnamon latte to shut her up. Needless to say, this strategy backfires.

This novel, which is sort of like Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine but with lesbians, starts out strong but fizzles toward the end, when minor characters become the author's mouthpieces for long-winded observations about life and love. Frances is also too pitiful to be effective as a comic heroine. Still, I read this novel in two days, and enjoyed most of it.

I received an electronic pre-publication copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.… (más)