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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
This is such an original story that made my heart ache. It's hard-hitting, highly emotional and dark, weaving in rough subjects of neglect, mental illness and codependency in a way that hasn't left me since I finished the last page. August and Jack are both such odd characters and I felt immediately protective of them both, and the way the story unfolds with all these fantasy elements and these shifts between what's real and what's - maybe - just a figment of Jack's imagination is unique and fascinating.
It starts off with a dedication that really sets the tone for the whole book - "to all the kids whose arms are filled with too much for them to hold, but who are trying their best not to drop a single thing". My heart is still in pieces but it was worth it.
It starts off with a dedication that really sets the tone for the whole book - "to all the kids whose arms are filled with too much for them to hold, but who are trying their best not to drop a single thing". My heart is still in pieces but it was worth it.
I had higher expectations of this based off the reviews I was reading, I was imagining this fantasy epic almost, but that’s not the books fault, that was mine. Many reviews I watched and read mentioned how dark, sad, and gutting this book was but it was OK to me, I really didn’t find many of the dark aspects that alarming. I don’t know if that says more about me more than anything. Maybe if I was like 15 years old again obsessively browsing tumblr fandoms I would’ve loved this, but because I’m outside of the age range, it just felt a little too YA-y.
It was a very easy and fast read. The chapters are like a minute long, so I’m not sure if the way that it was written that didn’t resonate with me, or if it was just the story itself. It felt like reading tiny snippets that gave you a small glimpse of each character. The protagonists relationship with each other seems to be the main draw of this book but, again, I didn’t really see where either were coming from. I don’t think it was a bad book, it was OK, it just wasn’t for me.
It was a very easy and fast read. The chapters are like a minute long, so I’m not sure if the way that it was written that didn’t resonate with me, or if it was just the story itself. It felt like reading tiny snippets that gave you a small glimpse of each character. The protagonists relationship with each other seems to be the main draw of this book but, again, I didn’t really see where either were coming from. I don’t think it was a bad book, it was OK, it just wasn’t for me.
K, if you wanted my emotional well-being, you coulda just asked.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Likes
- Illustrations: Ancrum's creativity really popped off. The pages slowly becoming completely black and the text white, photos of and drawings from the characters, and police, medical and school reports. It was a very innovative method to depicting this story.
- Jack and August's relationship: As much as I love reading about "perfect" gay couples, it was very touching to read about a gay couple who are deeply imperfect and pretty toxic but are doing their best.
It made their eventual romantic reunion all the more special and even hopeful that things will turn out okay (which, according to Ancrum in the author's note, it does!) - Mental Health Representation: I truly felt the intense burden and stress and loneliness the characters constantly faced as they tried to hide and control their sufferings until it was too late. It’s a sadly accurate portrayal that many of us including myself, are familiar with.
Dislikes/ Wished Was Better
- Writing: My first Ancrum book was “Darling,'' which came out in 2021. I loved that book, its reveal still haunts me to this day. Unfortunately, while reading this book, I couldn’t help but compare the writing in this one to “Darling.” Clearly, Ancrum improves. That makes me happy and a little confident to pick up her recent novel; however, this book very much reads like a debut, and not in a good way… Also, I wasn’t totally in love with the reveal of Jack’s condition. It’s realistic, but didn’t hit the same emotional punch as other aspects of the book had.
- Side Characters: I did not care for any of them. They were really hollow and one-dimensional and if they did pivot in characterization, it came out of nowhere. They were dropped in the narrative and then added again, or just dropped completely. Basically, the characters didn’t feel like their own people but instead, props for the characters to use and talk to until they weren’t needed anymore. Maybe that was intentional, but I wasn’t a fan.
- Jack's POV: I kind of wish we got Jack’s pov alongside August’s. I think it would have been really neat and Ancrum could’ve played into that creativity as she did with August’s. His pov could’ve also helped with the disconnected aspects of the first part of the book (the white part) that was odd for August’s character.
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
so this seemed like i would totally like it but the formatting/styling was just too much for me. perfect for people who like innovative book design as a story element.
This made me so emotional, my favorite book I've read this year for sure. Absolutely fell in love with K. Ancrum's writing.
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes