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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
Omg wow! I'm at a loss right now to describe what I'm feeling. I had tears in my eyes at various points in the book but after I finished the last page, I closed the book and wept. The beauty of their friendship just tore at me. Was it flawed? Yes. There was a dependency upon each other that was downright scary. But these two boys were let down by their parents and the institutions that were there to protect them. And when it came down to it, all they felt they could count on was each other.
I really loved the writing style... The short chapters, and the darkening of the pages as the hallucinations grew.
Such a strange, complex, wonderful book.
I really loved the writing style... The short chapters, and the darkening of the pages as the hallucinations grew.
Such a strange, complex, wonderful book.
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Oof. I read so many raving reviews about this book, heard so many people say it was absolutely amazing... But I just did not like this book. I wasn't a fan of August or Jack as characters and the story just felt like a jumble with the super short chapters. Normally, I really like short chapters, but this just felt like the story was all over the place. I will still check out K. Ancrum's other books (and I do also have the novella that goes with this book, so I might read that right now), but unfortunately, The Wicker King just wasn't my favourite.
I picked this up partially because my friend Imi loves it and told me to, and partially because the author tweeted something that piqued my interest. This is not necessarily the book I thought I would get, but it is definitely worth a read. I'm still not sure how I feel about it in some ways! I loved my dorky boys being all soft and awkward, so much. But it's SO dark and the psychological health elements are so much stronger than I expected.
It's also got a lot more straight sex in than I expected for a book I thought was about two boys in love!
Honestly, this book really is all twisted up, and is a mindf*ck from start to finish. But the boys make it worth it. They make so many bad decisions while you peer through your fingers at the page to see how poorly it will work out for them, but all the while you're still sort of cheering them on!
And the mental health aspects are dark but felt well treated - there's no flinching away but there's also no blame. It leans into the elements that make you uncomfortable - the codependency, the isolation, the head-in-sand behaviour.
All in, it really feels like a book you emerge from going "what did I just read?!" but in a good way, if that's possible. 4 stars.
It's also got a lot more straight sex in than I expected for a book I thought was about two boys in love!
Honestly, this book really is all twisted up, and is a mindf*ck from start to finish. But the boys make it worth it. They make so many bad decisions while you peer through your fingers at the page to see how poorly it will work out for them, but all the while you're still sort of cheering them on!
And the mental health aspects are dark but felt well treated - there's no flinching away but there's also no blame. It leans into the elements that make you uncomfortable - the codependency, the isolation, the head-in-sand behaviour.
All in, it really feels like a book you emerge from going "what did I just read?!" but in a good way, if that's possible. 4 stars.
Atmospheric, focused, a bit weird. I liked the effect of the disjointed scenes without transitions or clear sense of how much time passes between them.
I just wasn’t really sold on what August was thinking and why he did what he did—mainly buying into Jack’s delusions and letting the relationship advance this way. And why did everyone also just let it happen? What?
This isn’t a factor in my overall rating, but I also did not like the audiobook voice actor. The narration was good, but the voices for the characters were not distinct and all had this strained quality, which was not at all appropriate for teenagers.
Okay on second thought the audiobook probably made it worse; I didn’t even realize there were non-narrative parts like maps. Maybe I’ll try it again with the actual physical book.
I just wasn’t really sold on what August was thinking and why he did what he did—mainly buying into Jack’s delusions and letting the relationship advance this way. And why did everyone also just let it happen? What?
This isn’t a factor in my overall rating, but I also did not like the audiobook voice actor. The narration was good, but the voices for the characters were not distinct and all had this strained quality, which was not at all appropriate for teenagers.
Okay on second thought the audiobook probably made it worse; I didn’t even realize there were non-narrative parts like maps. Maybe I’ll try it again with the actual physical book.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
2.5 stars I guess.
I have complicated feelings about this book because it is a story I would really like if it had been executed better. I can appreciate the author's vision and intent, but reading this felt like reading the surface of the story when the whole time I wanted to story to dig in its roots.
Most of the chapters are very short, rarely more than one or two pages in YA formatting, and while I am okay with short and vignette-like chapters if they serve the story, I think these ones did a disservice to the story. Sometimes continuous scenes were split up into these different chapters although it wasn't necessary. I mean, there are more ways to emphasize a dramatic line than a chapter break. The short chapters also tended to favor "telling" over "showing" because they didn't allow for longer scenes or moments to develop. Particularly noticeable is all the informed traits assigned August by other characters when the reader is following August throughout the story. Like two thirds through the book one character mentions how eventually people are going to see through August's proper facade, and a few chapters later a different character says all the girls in school think he's mysterious. Not only are those two definitions sort of at odds with each other, they are also just at odds at the character we are shown in the actual pages: lonely, poor kid who has to take care of himself. That is just one, easy example to illustrate my point.
Overall, because this story overtold instead of showing, and had the balance of its setups and payoffs off, I couldn't quiet believe August's descent into this codependency and destruction.
I have complicated feelings about this book because it is a story I would really like if it had been executed better. I can appreciate the author's vision and intent, but reading this felt like reading the surface of the story when the whole time I wanted to story to dig in its roots.
Most of the chapters are very short, rarely more than one or two pages in YA formatting, and while I am okay with short and vignette-like chapters if they serve the story, I think these ones did a disservice to the story. Sometimes continuous scenes were split up into these different chapters although it wasn't necessary. I mean, there are more ways to emphasize a dramatic line than a chapter break. The short chapters also tended to favor "telling" over "showing" because they didn't allow for longer scenes or moments to develop. Particularly noticeable is all the informed traits assigned August by other characters when the reader is following August throughout the story. Like two thirds through the book one character mentions how eventually people are going to see through August's proper facade, and a few chapters later a different character says all the girls in school think he's mysterious. Not only are those two definitions sort of at odds with each other, they are also just at odds at the character we are shown in the actual pages: lonely, poor kid who has to take care of himself. That is just one, easy example to illustrate my point.
Overall, because this story overtold instead of showing, and had the balance of its setups and payoffs off, I couldn't quiet believe August's descent into this codependency and destruction.
Wow, this was a whole experience!! The short chapters quickly pulled me in, the mystery of what happened, the consequences, and how it got so out of hand had me intrigued from the start. I'm juggling about five books and this was the one I kept reaching for. Plus, the mixed media really gave it an immersive feel as you got into their heads. I made the playlists and listened to them as I read. I did spread out the book over four days. I think if I had read it in one sitting I might have triggered my anxiety. As the pages shrank and became darker (fyi the book smells amazing lol!) it becomes a little claustrophobic but for the mood of the book it was perfect. The darker pages really amped up the tension because you felt like, "how can this get any darker?!"
It's hard to do a review because I don't want to give spoilers about the incident, the repercussions, and the fantasy elements. My heart broke for the boys, it was definitely a tearjerker. And it was so frustrating watching it happen - neglect from their parents, the intervention (or lack of) by teachers and admin who saw their behavior spiralling down, the struggle with friends and the boy's self-imposed isolation. It was a lot!
I have never seen a YA book deal with some of these topics before, specifically the D/s relationship, so that made it really unique. I think it did remarkably well, even though not graphic, of depicting a Dominant/submissive, bisexuality, and a plural relationship. The world setting and fantasy elements were spot on, side characters were great (I want more about Geordie, the twins, and Rina). Loved everything about it, no complaints, I was thoroughly impressed and will absolutely read more from this author.
It's hard to do a review because I don't want to give spoilers about the incident, the repercussions, and the fantasy elements. My heart broke for the boys, it was definitely a tearjerker. And it was so frustrating watching it happen - neglect from their parents, the intervention (or lack of) by teachers and admin who saw their behavior spiralling down, the struggle with friends and the boy's self-imposed isolation. It was a lot!
I have never seen a YA book deal with some of these topics before, specifically the D/s relationship, so that made it really unique. I think it did remarkably well, even though not graphic, of depicting a Dominant/submissive, bisexuality, and a plural relationship. The world setting and fantasy elements were spot on, side characters were great (I want more about Geordie, the twins, and Rina). Loved everything about it, no complaints, I was thoroughly impressed and will absolutely read more from this author.