I have recently finished this authors other book and came to read this one. I will say both were pretty good but I think this one is a level above RR. 

This author writes very well I enjoy the dialogue and pacing in both works immensely but this one has more of what RR lacked. On the Bench lets things slow down and gives a lot more to character development compared to RR, which I think is this books greatest advantage. Otherwise I think this book is a really great story of characters playing of each other and getting an amazing look at some aspects that were not really cared about delved as deeply into in the source material.

My criticism for this author comes from a more personal preference that objective point but I think its still valid. They always keep the tone on the more dower side in both their stories. It feels like there is not enough positivity or catharsis spread out over the stories so when I read them I feel this low simmering frustration or sadness that continues for a while cause nobody really catches an emotional break. While I find it great this author can provoke these emotions in me, it is still my personal suggestion to try and have maybe so longer islands of levity in your future work. 

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