Reviews

A Scatter of Light by Malinda Lo

reflectiverambling_nalana's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

While there are many familiar milestones to a coming of age novel here, "A Scatter of Light" feels like it particularly caught the age of the characters well. They have a solid sense of concerns and priorities, view of the world, and self that matches that messy transitional 'new adult' feeling. They are messy-young. They are still in touch with hopes and memories of childhood. And not every story of discovery is a fairy tale. That doesn't make it less significant, formative, or touching. 

Enjoyable characters, a great capture of the recent past, and a really great casual commentary on how the scientific and artistic aren't as separate was we frame them to be. 

laura_cherry67's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Some parts of this storyline and some of the decisions these characters made did not sit right with me. I enjoyed the coming of age aspects and the complicated relationship between Aria and her family members, especially Joan, but I hated the romance. 

womxyn's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful reflective sad

4.75

jentrek's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

kathleencoughlin's review

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Infidelity

Moderate: Sexual content

brighteyed's review

hopeful reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

to preface: i may be a little harsh because i didn’t like the voice actor for the audiobook. and because i went straight to this book after reading last night at the telegraph club. but my main complaint about this book is that it so obviously relies on people expecting the same story - one of the more emotionally intense parts of the book is a long section where aria reads a newspaper clipping about  cath and lily (from the previous book) getting married. 

it seems to me that the author wanted to focus more on aria’s growth and coming of age, but was persuaded to put in more steamy sex scenes that took away from actual character development and relationship building in the novel (although her sexual autonomy was an important part of the book!). the aftermath from the climax of the novel was rushed and so that larger theme of growth felt unfinished. instead we are transported to 10 years in the future where things have been resolved. 

xomaddieo's review

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

navi_nope's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

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

4.0

kelsreadsthings's review

emotional inspiring medium-paced

3.75

this did feel like a bit of a let down compared to last night at the telegraph club but it was still an enjoyable story!! i definitely want to read more from malinda lo.

SPOILER:


i did not like the cheating troupe used in this book. i wish a different method of exploring yourself was used.

jayrosew's review

emotional lighthearted sad fast-paced

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

2.5

cheating trope gave me the ick 😭😭😭