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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
Very beautifull and whimsical story. I loved it. I am diving in to read the whole series.
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
-Fairly simple plot. Was giving chamber of secrets for a while
-This is a series? Doesn't really build up to keep you invested in the series
-the characters were okay? I think Christopher was my fave
-This is a series? Doesn't really build up to keep you invested in the series
-the characters were okay? I think Christopher was my fave
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-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:
No
Rating: 3 stars
I would’ve loved to give this book a higher rating, as it is so difficult to find asexual representation in literature that finding one of those rare examples is always a pleasant surprise. However, here I am, giving it only three stars, and that’s because there were so many missed opportunities in this novella that I cannot help but feel disappointed.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the story and its characters, and particularly the central idea of the book—a boarding school for kids whose parents think delusional but who have actually travelled to different worlds, Narnia-style. I liked the cardinal system for these worlds the most; it is original and fitting, confusing and plainly clear at the same time. Also, the characters had distinct personalities and got me interested in them from the very beginning—I wanted to know more about all of them.
And that’s the main problem I found in this novella. I didn’t get to really know the characters, nor their worlds, nor the school. The main plot happens and resolves so quickly and easily that I was never really engaged, and the book was over way before I expected. Everything just… happens, abruptly, and then vanishes. Moreover, the way the identities and orientations of some of the characters were delivered also seemed too sudden, almost forced into the text. I prefer subtlety to bold statements, even if I am the first to crave representation. I believed that a slower pace would have helped the book settle into something amazing, but to me it looks like it went to a fast-paced, high Nonsense world and lost something there before coming back.
I would’ve loved to give this book a higher rating, as it is so difficult to find asexual representation in literature that finding one of those rare examples is always a pleasant surprise. However, here I am, giving it only three stars, and that’s because there were so many missed opportunities in this novella that I cannot help but feel disappointed.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the story and its characters, and particularly the central idea of the book—a boarding school for kids whose parents think delusional but who have actually travelled to different worlds, Narnia-style. I liked the cardinal system for these worlds the most; it is original and fitting, confusing and plainly clear at the same time. Also, the characters had distinct personalities and got me interested in them from the very beginning—I wanted to know more about all of them.
And that’s the main problem I found in this novella. I didn’t get to really know the characters, nor their worlds, nor the school. The main plot happens and resolves so quickly and easily that I was never really engaged, and the book was over way before I expected. Everything just… happens, abruptly, and then vanishes. Moreover, the way the identities and orientations of some of the characters were delivered also seemed too sudden, almost forced into the text. I prefer subtlety to bold statements, even if I am the first to crave representation. I believed that a slower pace would have helped the book settle into something amazing, but to me it looks like it went to a fast-paced, high Nonsense world and lost something there before coming back.
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-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
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes