Review of The Book of Love by Kelly Link

This book is brutally unfocused, so many characters thinking, saying and doing things which are unrelated to previously done, said and thought things.

Pseudo-explanations for post-magical situations seemingly added after the fact. A lot of talk about magic but not a lot of magic happening.
Characters are quirky in the extreme. Awkward teen moments. Lots of texting and casual sex, usually taking place in an odd location, while being rough, as most aggressive, spontaneous cinematic scenes tend to be, without tenderness or reason or any attention paid to gender.
Some confusion as to who is imaginary and who is real, who can use magic and who cannot. No rules for the magic system, no constraints, but characters don’t use it or explore the fact that they are all aware of the magic, and are not doing anything except using it to clean the stains off their horrifying bedsheets. Sinister villains who don’t do anything evil, but who are very dastardly, and can apparently turn people into animals all of a sudden, but when they are animals they always get turned back relatively quickly and without much fuss or comment.
A lot of social commentary at the expense of plot and observations about the absurdity of the situations they find themselves in. Kids moving from one pleasure to another, aimless, encountering death, dreaming while awake, feeling no pain and handling objects we are supposed to believe are symbols.
But still constantly clever, as Kelly Link is, infusing the mundane with an ounce of menace and an easygoing atmosphere. Fluffy prose, and hilarious in places, and incredibly idiosyncratic, nonsensical, fun. A talking cat. The fluidity of physical forms and the flowing nature of the characters’ sexuality, and their preternatural jadedness, uncomfortably adult children and childish adults. Adults who cannot adult. Some major exposition dumps, implanting backstory for debonair ancient immortals, who don’t act or speak like they’re from the 1600s. They are just in touch with the times and up on their slang. Can relate to the new generation, whom they are manipulating for no particular reason.