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Reviewed by Maalin Ogaja for Readers' Favorite
Scorpion Grasses by Jessica Roman is a beautifully written and inspiring novel highlighting the transformative power of love and acceptance. Colby lives in a dysfunctional family, where his mother’s addiction and destructive behavior make their home life unpredictable and dangerous. His stepfather George is indifferent, only staying with Colby’s mother for selfish reasons. Unbeknownst to Colby, his life is about to change. Christian, the new kid in school, is open and comfortable with who he is. He makes Colby long for a life in which he can be himself. However, there is something about Christian that is confusing: he has a mysterious twin called Daye who only appears without Christian. Additionally, Christian is receiving therapy for a personality disorder linked to this twin. With the help of Daye, Christian, Dr. Noailles, and his friend, Sawyer, will Colby have the courage to break free from abuse and come to terms with his sexual identity?
In Scorpion Grasses, Jessica Roman explores various themes, the main ones being identity and self-discovery, family dysfunction, and its effect on substance abuse and addiction. Additionally, Roman emphasizes friendship and support and its place in overcoming personal struggles. Roman’s character depiction was complex yet engaging, and each character had a depth that contributed to the overall theme of the narrative. I especially enjoyed Daye's and Christian’s characters, and like Colby, I was apprehensive about which twin I would be meeting as the story progressed. I appreciated the overall message of this novel as it emphasized how support, mental health care, resilience, and courage can help in overcoming personal struggles.
