Reviews

All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders

maryr18's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

jess_mango's review against another edition

4.0

Hmmm a lot to process here, but overall I enjoyed it. I will read more by this author.

This book counts towards Reading Women 2021 Challenge Task #21: A book by a trans author

fantasynovel's review against another edition

2.0

Like if Tiffany Aching and Cadel Piggot fell in love but boring. I seriously don't understand how Anders managed to mess up this book so badly. How did it get all this acclaim? There's no plot. The world building is trash. It's boring. I'd say it's anticlimactic, but since there wasn't any rising action, I'm not sure how anything could come to a head. This "war" between witches and techies is a few loose punches. Everybody is unlikeable. Even what should have been really cool--a witch school split between Trickster magic and Healer magic--was boring and mentioned only in an annoying flashback. The book started so good, but after part two, it became very clear that it was going nowhere. The whole Ch@ngM3 "plot twist" was so predictable that you start to think that Patricia and Laurence are idiots. Cool machines are built only to be destroyed in the next chapter. Spells make zero sense bc the world building is, as I mentioned, trash. There's something about how you have to trick people and heal them at the same time, but it's just not enough information. It's just boring. I've said that three times, and I'll say it again: it's boring. First History of Wolves, now this. I'm so annoyed.

Oh, and another thing: WE GET IT PATRICIA HAS BREASTS WE UNDERSTAND THEY'RE ROUND WE UNDERSTAND THEY'RE PERKY AND FUCKING LEVITATING OFF HER FUCKING CHEST WE FUCKING GET IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'M GOING TO SCREAM!!!!!!!!!!!!! CHARLIE JANE ANDERS I'M SENDING YOU TO YOUR GODDAMN ROOM!!!!!!!!!!!!

lifelivedwildly's review against another edition

challenging funny hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

kdahlo's review against another edition

4.0

I really liked this, very engaging, cool fantasy and sci-fi ideas. Close to being a 5-star book for me, I think maybe the only thing holding me back from that was that I didn't really enjoy the main characters that much? They were just a tad flat for me. But this book is packed with cool ideas and Charlie Jane Anders is a total genius.

maryeverettb's review against another edition

dark hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

gellinasreads's review against another edition

4.0

A very, very weird book and different from anything I've read. If you're interested in reading something different this book made for a interesting read. It started slow and took a little bit to get use to the different style of writing and story telling, but once I adjusted I found myself unable to put the book down.

lex_y's review against another edition

adventurous challenging inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

dembury's review against another edition

2.0

I'm not going to finish this book. I started back in February and I've picked it up multiple times since then but just can't seem to get past the 55/60% point. Anders writing style is solid, but the plot is all over the place and the characters seem very distant to me. I really enjoyed the first couple chapters (there was a real Terry Pratchett-y feel throughout them) but then all my interest was lost. It's been over three years since I've started a book and haven't finished it, so that says something for me.

I'd be tempted to pick up something else by Anders and try reading it, but this particular novel just isn't for me. Honestly, I'd rather just set this aside indefinitely and focus on reading the books I'm more interested in.

I'm rating this book on this 60% or so that I read of it.

rache1_07's review

1.0

I was so excited to read this book seeing the praise it received. A proclaimed 'instant classic' with a profound story that sounds like Harry Potter meets Back to the Future. The set up was amazing and it's been on my to-read list forever.

Needless to say, my hopes were let down. It has absolutely no plot and reads like a five-year-old taking their transformer and wizard figurines and making them kiss... or should I say an iPhone and a stick? I knew I was going to be disappointed by the ending but that was something else.