Binding Thirteen by Chloe Walsh is a captivating novel that explores themes of love, trauma, and self-discovery. The novel follows stories of two main characters, Johnny Kavanaugh and Shannon Lynch, who slowly build a connection despite their personal circumstances. Walsh has a specific writing style that keeps readers hooked and wanting more as they continue reading.
The chemistry between Johnny and Shannon is undeniable, however a lot of the story is drug out more than readers may like. The novel constantly goes back and forth between the love between Shannon and Johnny and the forbidden nature that keeps them from being together. Every time the reader thinks that the two characters might be making progress in their relationship, it crashes back to the beginning. It becomes frustrating when readers want the plot to thicken, but struggle to get that aspect from Walsh.
Throughout the moments that the story feels drawn out, it seems as though certain plot points could be resolved more swiftly. The pacing tends to drag, which tests the patience of many readers and has led many to put the book down altogether. The tension between the two main characters reaches a point where the resolution could have come much sooner, but Walsh decided to keep the novel at a 603 page length. There were many times when finishing this book seemed impossible, because of the circles that the characters go in.
Binding Thirteen and the Boys of Tommen Series that it is a part of has gained significant attention on TikTok, which draws readers to purchase the book. They want to know what the hype is all about. The “BookTok” side of TikTok, where individuals share their book recommendations and jokes, is where the novel gets most of its attention. The hype has led readers to share their own personal opinions regarding the twists and turns of the book, some even finishing it with tears in their eyes.
However, with popularity comes high expectations. Some readers find themselves disappointed if the book does not quite live up to the hype in their eyes. The massive following that not only the novel itself, but the whole series has possessed, causes individuals to think that it will be a lot deeper and twisting than it actually is. It has been considered a hit for individuals who enjoy books that challenge their emotional boundaries, but does not resonate with those that possess a shorter attention span and tempered expectations.
Reading the book was difficult at some points and easy during others. Certain chapters do grab the reader's attention and feel different than the usual circles that the two main characters are going in. However, many could argue that besides Shannon, many characters are very surface-level. It feels as though we get a clear representation of Shannon's struggles and home-life, but not much about any others which gives a sort of repetitive nature. It seems that the same things are happening over and over again, and the plot rarely strays away to more interesting aspects. Readers have a lot to say about what they wanted to know more about, or how the book could have excelled even further.
