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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
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
So heavy handed with its political point, made it feel preachy rather than poignant. Not particularly thrilling and never particularly scary either.
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Until recently, I haven't read a ton of historical fiction. But I am quickly learning that horror stories based on historical events are extra horrifying because even when you take away the supernatural aspect, the horror of the real-life event remains. Even without the demons and spider women, this book still made me uncomfortable (which is something I love when reading books like this). I wish some of the chapters involving the journal entries had been as well developed as the rest of the book, and the ending felt a bit rushed, but this was a fantastic read with rich, multifaceted characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Medical content, Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Gun violence, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, War
Minor: Child death, Death, Sexual content, Suicide, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Pregnancy
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
DNF at 50%.
This feels like at least three different books crammed into one and I can't connect with any of them. Bored.
This feels like at least three different books crammed into one and I can't connect with any of them. Bored.
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Alma Katsu has made a name for herself by imbuing historical fiction with horror/thriller elements, so using the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII as a way to shine a light on what was happening in the U.S. during the pandemic was an admirable project for her to take on.
Unfortunately The Fervor reads very much like a book where Katsu knew the point she wanted to make, but then constructed everything else around it, to the detriment of plot, character development, and consistency.
Using the Japanese Fu-Go balloon bombs as the historical basing for the rest of the story, Katsu reimagines these as the delivery method for a virus-based attack (which is very on the nose with the covid-related aspect of this book), but also ties in a Japanese folk lore element that never really goes anywhere.
With that relatively weak starting point, the rest of the story rambles along with plot holes, loose ends, and underdeveloped characters. The book then ends rather abruptly, and it felt to me like she had written herself into a corner and just threw in an uninspired thriller-style ending where she wrapped up of all the things she'd either left you wondering about (or that you had forgotten completely). It honestly felt very much like a Scooby Doo episode ending.
To be clear, my opinions on this book aren't dismissing or otherwise making light of what was happening in the U.S. a few years ago (having worked for an Asian American owned small business gave me a depressing and scary view of it). At the end of the day, I just think this book was a bit of a mess.
Unfortunately The Fervor reads very much like a book where Katsu knew the point she wanted to make, but then constructed everything else around it, to the detriment of plot, character development, and consistency.
Using the Japanese Fu-Go balloon bombs as the historical basing for the rest of the story, Katsu reimagines these as the delivery method for a virus-based attack (which is very on the nose with the covid-related aspect of this book), but also ties in a Japanese folk lore element that never really goes anywhere.
With that relatively weak starting point, the rest of the story rambles along with plot holes, loose ends, and underdeveloped characters. The book then ends rather abruptly, and it felt to me like she had written herself into a corner and just threw in an uninspired thriller-style ending where she wrapped up of all the things she'd either left you wondering about (or that you had forgotten completely). It honestly felt very much like a Scooby Doo episode ending.
To be clear, my opinions on this book aren't dismissing or otherwise making light of what was happening in the U.S. a few years ago (having worked for an Asian American owned small business gave me a depressing and scary view of it). At the end of the day, I just think this book was a bit of a mess.