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lurker_stalker's review against another edition
3.0
I've got some mixed feelings about this book. I loved - LOVED - the first third or so but then things crept up that made me love it less. By the end, I liked the book alright but don't feel any desire to go forward with the series.
Some of the things I loved: Wendig's voice and writing style. Love much of the language and imagery and the pacing. Very gory and graphic but in a way that drew me even more into the story.
Some of the things I didn't like: The only time anyone's race was specifically stated was two Black peripheral characters. I'll keep pointing this out whenever I see it because only mentioning the race of people of color continues to perpetuate the idea that white is the norm and everyone one else is "other." White authors need to stop doing this. Thank you.
I also didn't like the small bit about the woman with super short hair either being a lesbian or someone who doesn't give a shit about her appearance anymore. Could be I'm sensitive to perpetuating that shitty stereotype but, yeah, that made me like Miriam less.
There were also some moments toward the very end that relate to Harriet and Miriam that seemed completely unbelievable to me but I won't go those here due to spoilers. Let's just say I would expect Harriet to be smarter and more cautious than she was.
I still did mostly enjoy the story. The premise was great even if I thought the resolution was pretty much what I expected the end of the journey to be. No matter what, I'm glad I finally read a book by the author. He's one of my favorite Twitter people.
Some of the things I loved: Wendig's voice and writing style. Love much of the language and imagery and the pacing. Very gory and graphic but in a way that drew me even more into the story.
Some of the things I didn't like: The only time anyone's race was specifically stated was two Black peripheral characters. I'll keep pointing this out whenever I see it because only mentioning the race of people of color continues to perpetuate the idea that white is the norm and everyone one else is "other." White authors need to stop doing this. Thank you.
I also didn't like the small bit about the woman with super short hair either being a lesbian or someone who doesn't give a shit about her appearance anymore. Could be I'm sensitive to perpetuating that shitty stereotype but, yeah, that made me like Miriam less.
There were also some moments toward the very end that relate to Harriet and Miriam that seemed completely unbelievable to me but I won't go those here due to spoilers. Let's just say I would expect Harriet to be smarter and more cautious than she was.
I still did mostly enjoy the story. The premise was great even if I thought the resolution was pretty much what I expected the end of the journey to be. No matter what, I'm glad I finally read a book by the author. He's one of my favorite Twitter people.
kayteaface's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this! It's gritty and gross and just so damn entertaining; I didn't want it to end :')
I thought Miriam was a great protagonist, with all her snarky foul-mouthedness. It's not often that I read a book where a female main character is such a bamf. She was awesome, and I can't wait for the sequel so we can read more about her and her ~talent~.
I thought Miriam was a great protagonist, with all her snarky foul-mouthedness. It's not often that I read a book where a female main character is such a bamf. She was awesome, and I can't wait for the sequel so we can read more about her and her ~talent~.
songwind's review against another edition
5.0
Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig is a New Pulp blending of genres around a homeless wanderer name Miriam. She's a loudmouth. She's sarcastic. She's downright mean from time to time. She lies as easily as she breathes. Oh, and she can see when you die.
Miriam's story starts off as she's busy with her favorite means of making money: arranging to be at the site of someone's imminent death so she can rifle their pockets. We follow her on her wanderings for a little while, getting to know something about the star of the show. And what she shows us is one tough cookie. She's a woman who can take care of herself, and heaven help you if you think she's an easy target.
But it's not all fun and games in Miriam's world. Before long we start to see the price that her unusual ability takes on her soul. We begin to understand the profound isolation that she tries to cover up and deny with her lies, her drinking, and her casual flings. Once someone comes on the scene who has figured out what Miriam can do, we're hooked on the story and have to know what happens next.
This book is like a careful blend of horror, crime fiction and urban fantasy. Wendig's characters exist in a lawless no-man's-land between polite society and outright banditry, and he captures them perfectly. Miriam herself is extremely well rendered, which is a feat for such a powerful personality. She's got a collection of traits which could all become caricatured in careless hands, but Wendig weaves them together deftly and creates a character we can care about.
Blackbirds is the first book in a series, and it sets up questions and situations that will carry us forward to later books. At the same time, the story is complete in itself. At the end I was not left feeling like I had just read the first part of a story that happened to be 3 books long.
I heartily recommend Blackbirds to any reader that fancies a creepy, gritty take on urban fantasy.
Miriam's story starts off as she's busy with her favorite means of making money: arranging to be at the site of someone's imminent death so she can rifle their pockets. We follow her on her wanderings for a little while, getting to know something about the star of the show. And what she shows us is one tough cookie. She's a woman who can take care of herself, and heaven help you if you think she's an easy target.
But it's not all fun and games in Miriam's world. Before long we start to see the price that her unusual ability takes on her soul. We begin to understand the profound isolation that she tries to cover up and deny with her lies, her drinking, and her casual flings. Once someone comes on the scene who has figured out what Miriam can do, we're hooked on the story and have to know what happens next.
This book is like a careful blend of horror, crime fiction and urban fantasy. Wendig's characters exist in a lawless no-man's-land between polite society and outright banditry, and he captures them perfectly. Miriam herself is extremely well rendered, which is a feat for such a powerful personality. She's got a collection of traits which could all become caricatured in careless hands, but Wendig weaves them together deftly and creates a character we can care about.
Blackbirds is the first book in a series, and it sets up questions and situations that will carry us forward to later books. At the same time, the story is complete in itself. At the end I was not left feeling like I had just read the first part of a story that happened to be 3 books long.
I heartily recommend Blackbirds to any reader that fancies a creepy, gritty take on urban fantasy.
arendaes's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
nitzanschwarz's review against another edition
3.5
A VERY THOUGHT PROVOKING--AND VIOLENT TALE
First of all, I would not recommend this to people who don't like cursing and violence, unless you're looking to get out of your comfort zone. This is not something I am overly comfortable with but I am okay when it's character driven (which it is, in here) and not used just for shits and giggles (see, it's making me curse as well!)
When I first saw Blackbirds, I was captivated by it's cover - which greatly reminds me of the drawing style forThe Raven Boys, one of my favorite books ever. Then, I read the synopsis and I knew I had to have it. It didn't hurt that the entire series was on sale. So one-click I did.
My desire to read this book is what brought me back from my slump. I had to finish those books I was stuck on so I could move on to this one. And then I started it and I was... taken a back. In an interesting way, not a bad one. Because of three things;
First of all, I would not recommend this to people who don't like cursing and violence, unless you're looking to get out of your comfort zone. This is not something I am overly comfortable with but I am okay when it's character driven (which it is, in here) and not used just for shits and giggles (see, it's making me curse as well!)
When I first saw Blackbirds, I was captivated by it's cover - which greatly reminds me of the drawing style forThe Raven Boys, one of my favorite books ever. Then, I read the synopsis and I knew I had to have it. It didn't hurt that the entire series was on sale. So one-click I did.
My desire to read this book is what brought me back from my slump. I had to finish those books I was stuck on so I could move on to this one. And then I started it and I was... taken a back. In an interesting way, not a bad one. Because of three things;
1. THE WRITING STYLE
The writing style is very straight to the point. This means that you get to hear of brain matter splattering and bowls leaking and a host of other unpleasant things. It's very in your face about it - telling you it's not going to beautify it, it's not going to be gentle, not going to let you escape it.
And I wanted to escape the images and sounds and *shudder*. But just like how Miriam can't escape it, neither can you the reader. You have to suffer along with her. The book constantly keeps you uncomfortable, because you have to be.
2. MOTHER EFFIN' MIRIAM BLACK
Speaking of Miriam, she's not the most likable of characters. She can see how people die and exactly when, and she gave up. She freakin' gave up. Because of one sour attempt to prevent death. Of course I get why. I get it! She's had a shit life, and the one time she tries to do something truly good it blows in her face big time. But this just illustrates how she's not a hero. But then again, is she supposed to be?
Miriam is such a gray character. Honestly, I don't like her at all. She's crass and self-destructive and kind of condescending. She's cruel at times and her self hatred doesn't stop her from doing despicable things, but rather enables her. And she's sunken herself so deep in self-pity, she uses every small thing as an affirmation of her belief on fate, stuck in one single place.
It is what it is.
but is it?
There are so many moments in this book that I wanted to shake her. Wanted to shout at her - TRY HARDER! Why are you giving up after one word? Why are you accepting this? Why are you being this mean? WHY ARE YOU OKAY WITH THIS!?
If it wasn't for the visions she saw--visions that proved she did care, despite herself--I might've actually hated her.
But I think this is part of the point, in a way. Because these books are Miriam's journey. By the end of this book we can already see a big change in her. We can already see a hint of where this is going. By the end of the journey, two, three, four books into the future, I think we might even love her, despite her flaws.
3. THE CHAPTER'S STRUCTURE
Now, this is probably my favorite thing about this book, because I think it was brilliantly done. This book works on two (possibly three?) timelines and jumps between points of view at exactly the right time.
Wendig uses his different points of view and timelines expertly to get the most out of them. This is a weird comparison, but it brought to mind City of Bones for me, where there were two small parts of Jace's point of view all of the sudden and it threw me off big time because I didn't quite understand why or how and it was so unbalanced it jarred.
But here, we might only get one or two chapters from Harriet's point of view, but they're exactly where they need to go for maximum impact. They say exactly what they need to both progress the plot, scare the shit out of us and add to the story. Heck, her backstory bits might be my favorite of the book - they're morbidly hilarious, which is the last thing I thought I'd say about this horrifying lady.
And if I think the usage of povs was fantastic, the juggling of the timelines was phenomenal as well. Between every few chapters on Miriam's present, we got little interludes of the past, when she was having an interview with a collage boy about her abilities. This is where we got some much needed backstory.
Those always cut at exactly the right moment to make us want to see the next bit of the interview, while always separating between two points in the main plot-line that you're bound to be invested in. So suspenseful, with (seemingly) very little effort! And they always add new (important) tidbits that little by little unravel some of the mystery that is Miriam Black in the present.
Am I going to read the next book? Absolutely. Am I going to be thinking about this book and the questions it raises about predestined fate, death and life and cheating destiny--if there is such a thing? Heck yes.
This book is going to stay with me for a while. Which is why I had so much to say about it.
Note: Click here to read an in-depth look on the rules of death in Blackbirds, which was one of the things that bothered and intrigued me most about this novel.
megadeathvsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
The second half was four stars. But for some reason the first half just dragged for me. It ended so engagingly, though, that I'm definitely going to try the next in the series.
therafa's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
amybraunauthor's review against another edition
5.0
HOLY CRAP. Wow. I mean... WOW. This book was a roller coaster from start to finish– a grim, angry, merciless, whiplash beautiful roller coaster. I loved it. The story was intense and unpredictable, the flashbacks relevant and shocking, the dialogue razor sharp, and the characters richly complex. Miriam is unlike any other lead character I've read in a while. There was nothing I didn't love about the story and while it's not for everyone (if there's a curse, you better believe it's used at least three times in this story), but those who like their fiction ruthless and unforgiving? This is the book for you. Amazing. I can't wait to read more.