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packedjam's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
hooooooo boy oh boy. this book perfectly straddles the line between books i loved as a kid and stories that compel me as an adult
strongly, strongly recommend reading a physical copy of this one
strongly, strongly recommend reading a physical copy of this one
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Eating disorder, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual content, Blood, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Medical content, Terminal illness, and Violence
Minor: Stalking, Homophobia, Ableism, Alcohol, and Cursing
ollieshark's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
i don't know what i was getting into when i got this on kindle. i definitely wasn't expecting having to squint to read the text on the images interspersed throughout the novel, but they were pleasant additions that probably look way better in a hard copy. i was also pleasantly surprised by the turn jack and august's relationship takes at the end of the novel.
there are very few issues i have with the wicker king. one is that the timeline is all jumbled while jack and august are on the quest and learning more about jack's world. there are a lot of timeskips during this portion, and other than taking place mostly in 2003, i have no idea when all of these events take place in relation to each other. my other really big gripe is why the hell are there so many graphic, gratuitous sex scenes in a ya novel? only one is necessary to the story, and the others feel thrown in just to lengthen the story and to make readers hot. at least ancrum doesn't beat around the bush with them the way sarah j maas and her velvet-wrapped steel does.
the reason for jack's visions also feels a little cop-outy. i do realize that it's an extremely serious thing and that i probably shouldn't feel this way about it. it gives me "it was all a dream" vibes, but real people experience it and i feel like a dick for complaining about it.
other than that, i really enjoyed the narrative choices ancrum made. i loved the vignettes. normally i'd whine about telling instead of showing, but in this case it works because waxing poetic would make the vignettes chapters instead. it leads to a remote, detached narrator, like the whole thing is happening in another room in relation to you. it's very clinical while not being dry, and i appreciate it. the supplemental images thrown in strengthen the narrative, as it helps to have a visual on what august and jack are drawing and seeing rather than just hearing jack describe it all. it's also a really fast read as a result, and i would have finished it in one day if i hadn't fucked around watching bad horror movie reviews all day.
this is a good, atmospheric, moody read for fall, winter, and very early spring when it's still cold out. this could be potentially triggering due to its heavy focus on mental illness, but a great story otherwise.
there are very few issues i have with the wicker king. one is that the timeline is all jumbled while jack and august are on the quest and learning more about jack's world. there are a lot of timeskips during this portion, and other than taking place mostly in 2003, i have no idea when all of these events take place in relation to each other. my other really big gripe is why the hell are there so many graphic, gratuitous sex scenes in a ya novel? only one is necessary to the story, and the others feel thrown in just to lengthen the story and to make readers hot. at least ancrum doesn't beat around the bush with them the way sarah j maas and her velvet-wrapped steel does.
the reason for jack's visions also feels a little cop-outy. i do realize that it's an extremely serious thing and that i probably shouldn't feel this way about it. it gives me "it was all a dream" vibes, but real people experience it and i feel like a dick for complaining about it.
other than that, i really enjoyed the narrative choices ancrum made. i loved the vignettes. normally i'd whine about telling instead of showing, but in this case it works because waxing poetic would make the vignettes chapters instead. it leads to a remote, detached narrator, like the whole thing is happening in another room in relation to you. it's very clinical while not being dry, and i appreciate it. the supplemental images thrown in strengthen the narrative, as it helps to have a visual on what august and jack are drawing and seeing rather than just hearing jack describe it all. it's also a really fast read as a result, and i would have finished it in one day if i hadn't fucked around watching bad horror movie reviews all day.
this is a good, atmospheric, moody read for fall, winter, and very early spring when it's still cold out. this could be potentially triggering due to its heavy focus on mental illness, but a great story otherwise.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Addiction and Violence
Minor: Homophobia and Terminal illness
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