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jetstrs's review against another edition
3.0
The only downside to this book was the rushing. It felt like something was missing in all of the major scenes, just due to the lack of time taken to describe it. The plot also felt the same way. I think it would have been beneficial to character development to show her life before the action started.
perusinghannah's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑
My introduction to Karina Leno was Summer of Salt, and after both loving that one as well as Horrid and You Must Not Miss, I purchased her entire backlog. In 2020. And it just sat there until now, when I finally decided to pick up The Half Life of Molly Pierce.
This book is Leno's debut, and unfortunately it shows. I found nothing of her telltale style I love so much within these pages, and even with the slightly frantic tone in which it was written, it felt overly long for a 230-page book. I felt like it just was not moving in the ways that it should, and was pretty bored because of it.
And then there's the fact that this deals with a very specific mental illness and was written a decade ago. Which just never bodes well, does it? I doubt that the representation was very good even in 2014, but it certainly did not hold up well, and 2024-me has no problem saying that this is one we can leave in the past. I did appreciate the unflinching mention of depression and suicidal ideation in a YA novel, but it's not the main focus of the book and really, it doesn't make up for poor representation elsewhere.
So unfortunately The Half Life of Molly Pierce was a big miss, but that's okay because I already know I love the author's later works. I'm just glad I didn't start with this one.
My introduction to Karina Leno was Summer of Salt, and after both loving that one as well as Horrid and You Must Not Miss, I purchased her entire backlog. In 2020. And it just sat there until now, when I finally decided to pick up The Half Life of Molly Pierce.
This book is Leno's debut, and unfortunately it shows. I found nothing of her telltale style I love so much within these pages, and even with the slightly frantic tone in which it was written, it felt overly long for a 230-page book. I felt like it just was not moving in the ways that it should, and was pretty bored because of it.
And then there's the fact that this deals with a very specific mental illness and was written a decade ago. Which just never bodes well, does it? I doubt that the representation was very good even in 2014, but it certainly did not hold up well, and 2024-me has no problem saying that this is one we can leave in the past. I did appreciate the unflinching mention of depression and suicidal ideation in a YA novel, but it's not the main focus of the book and really, it doesn't make up for poor representation elsewhere.
So unfortunately The Half Life of Molly Pierce was a big miss, but that's okay because I already know I love the author's later works. I'm just glad I didn't start with this one.
requlus's review against another edition
3.0
3.5?
I already saw the "twist" since the first chapter as I have been learning a lot about the "thing". so it didn't catch me by surprise. however since I'm so interested in this topic, the book kept me hooked.
i don't know about the representation much, so i wouldn't comment on it
(Spoiler)
i know i have heard someone say that childhood trauma and abuse is necessary to have DID, so that really makes me question the credibility of it here. Plus they kept referring the host alter to the owner of the body, however i've seen the DID systems to say that all the alters are the owners of the body, the host simply stays "on the driving wheel" the most. but since I'm not someone suffering from DID, take my words with a grain of salt.
I already saw the "twist" since the first chapter as I have been learning a lot about the "thing". so it didn't catch me by surprise. however since I'm so interested in this topic, the book kept me hooked.
i don't know about the representation much, so i wouldn't comment on it
(Spoiler)
i know i have heard someone say that childhood trauma and abuse is necessary to have DID, so that really makes me question the credibility of it here. Plus they kept referring the host alter to the owner of the body, however i've seen the DID systems to say that all the alters are the owners of the body, the host simply stays "on the driving wheel" the most. but since I'm not someone suffering from DID, take my words with a grain of salt.
ladytiara's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. I loved Summer of Salt, so I'm reading all of Katrina Leno's backlist. This was her first book, and it's not quite as good as her latest work, but I still enjoyed it and it was a very sensitive look at mental illness.
heartsfl's review
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
This book wasn't bad at all i mean it kept me reading till the end. I just feel like it could've been so much more if the book was a little longer. It progresses so fast which isn't necessarily a bad thing just a bad choice for this type of book. i also have a love-hate relationship with the ambiguous ending. i cant decide if I like it or hate it because it kind of fits the book. also didn't really care about any of the characters that much idk why.
squirrelsohno's review against another edition
4.0
Got a lot better by the end, but was that an accurate representation of mental illness? Ehm...
Memento meets Identity. Totally.
3.5/5
Review to come
Memento meets Identity. Totally.
3.5/5
Review to come
thebookhaze's review against another edition
2.0
It was a little lackluster for me. It was ok as far as stories go, but there were just a whole lot of suspension of disbelief needed to actually enjoy the book and I just couldn't go that far. Not good enough.
sarahmorgan's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
mandikaye's review
4.0
I didn't reread the synopsis before I picked up this book.
https://twitter.com/mandikaye/status/464777799677779969
So yeah. I had no idea what was going on. But bonus - that helped me relate to the MC because she had no idea what has happening either!
I did, however, figure it out before she did.
Molly Pierce loses time. She'll suddenly find herself in a different place hours later than it should be. She thinks she's going crazy.
One day, she "wakes up" to find herself driving. A boy on a motorcycle appears to be trying to catch up to her, and in his hurry to rush through an intersection his tire is clipped by a passing truck.
This boy that Molly has never seen, who is lying in a puddle of his own blood as his life slips away, seems to know who she is.
And it is this event that sets in motion a course of events that will change Molly's life.
And I am glad I got to take that journey with her. I don't necessarily agree with everything that happened in the book (I loved Mabel and Sayer together), but I understand why it had to go the way that it did.
Hard to read endings are sometimes the best ones, for reasons.
https://twitter.com/mandikaye/status/464777799677779969
So yeah. I had no idea what was going on. But bonus - that helped me relate to the MC because she had no idea what has happening either!
I did, however, figure it out before she did.
Molly Pierce loses time. She'll suddenly find herself in a different place hours later than it should be. She thinks she's going crazy.
One day, she "wakes up" to find herself driving. A boy on a motorcycle appears to be trying to catch up to her, and in his hurry to rush through an intersection his tire is clipped by a passing truck.
This boy that Molly has never seen, who is lying in a puddle of his own blood as his life slips away, seems to know who she is.
And it is this event that sets in motion a course of events that will change Molly's life.
And I am glad I got to take that journey with her. I don't necessarily agree with everything that happened in the book (I loved Mabel and Sayer together), but I understand why it had to go the way that it did.
Hard to read endings are sometimes the best ones, for reasons.