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labunnywtf's review against another edition
5.0
I agree with Felicia Day, this is Anne Frank for the modern age. Or, as I put it, Anne Frank for the technology age. Definitely not near as extreme, though. No nazis.
I really, really enjoyed this story. I read the (non-spoilery) negative reviews before I started it, and while I can understand the complaints, I didn't have the same problems. Yes, she was petulant and childish at times, but she's also 16 years old. I think she handled things extremely well for a 16-year old. I don't think my mother and I would've made it through this same situation without murdering each other, and my sister.
A very strange thing happens when you listen to this audiobook in your car. You start feeling like this is ACTUALLY HAPPENING. It didn't help that a) the moon was extremely bright and full for most of it, and b) the weather was horrendous. Torrential rain and winds, and freezing cold. Seriously, I went grocery shopping and felt like I needed to buy as much as I could because it could run out. It was extremely disconcerting.
I have already put book 2 on hold. I really, really enjoyed the storyline, and rooted for all of the characters. Even Megan. I got nervous with the Megan part, because I was worried this was going to go the religious route, but I think that part was handled well. It showed how everyone reacted to this major disaster.
Falon (10-year old niece) was in the car with me, and we were going on a drive that would take an hour each way. I've never listened to an audiobook with her in the car before, so I told her to bring her Nintendo DS and I would listen to my book. She ended up paying attention, and really got into the story. She would not, however, agree to read the hard book if I got it for her to continue the story. Brat.
She couldn't understand my HORROR at what happened to Sammy. I had to explain that she was SIXTEEN. That was...oh, god.
And while I knew not everyone could survive, my jaw dropped when they told us Peter died. The poor mom.
The ending was a little too convenient. I was hoping for a "So if you find this diary, know that we survived, and we blah blah blah" ending, that the diary was found posthumously. But I can live with it. I'm glad they made it.
I really, really enjoyed this story. I read the (non-spoilery) negative reviews before I started it, and while I can understand the complaints, I didn't have the same problems. Yes, she was petulant and childish at times, but she's also 16 years old. I think she handled things extremely well for a 16-year old. I don't think my mother and I would've made it through this same situation without murdering each other, and my sister.
A very strange thing happens when you listen to this audiobook in your car. You start feeling like this is ACTUALLY HAPPENING. It didn't help that a) the moon was extremely bright and full for most of it, and b) the weather was horrendous. Torrential rain and winds, and freezing cold. Seriously, I went grocery shopping and felt like I needed to buy as much as I could because it could run out. It was extremely disconcerting.
I have already put book 2 on hold. I really, really enjoyed the storyline, and rooted for all of the characters. Even Megan. I got nervous with the Megan part, because I was worried this was going to go the religious route, but I think that part was handled well. It showed how everyone reacted to this major disaster.
Falon (10-year old niece) was in the car with me, and we were going on a drive that would take an hour each way. I've never listened to an audiobook with her in the car before, so I told her to bring her Nintendo DS and I would listen to my book. She ended up paying attention, and really got into the story. She would not, however, agree to read the hard book if I got it for her to continue the story. Brat.
She couldn't understand my HORROR at what happened to Sammy. I had to explain that she was SIXTEEN. That was...oh, god.
And while I knew not everyone could survive, my jaw dropped when they told us Peter died. The poor mom.
The ending was a little too convenient. I was hoping for a "So if you find this diary, know that we survived, and we blah blah blah" ending, that the diary was found posthumously. But I can live with it. I'm glad they made it.
geekwayne's review
3.0
'Seven Blades in Black' by Sam Sykes is the first novel in a new trilogy. It's about a snarky killer and her sentient gun.
Sal the Cacophony is a pretty unpleasant character. She is scarred, a reputed killer, leaves a wake of trouble in her wake, and has a serious grudge. It's a wonder she has any friends, and she kind of doesn't, but her lover Liette does her best to help, and Cavric, the soldier she kidnapped, tries somewhat helplessly. Sal is out to kill the ones that betrayed her, but it just may kill her.
I liked this story of revenge, but I got to a point in the book, and there wasn't a lot of character development. It was a lot of new monsters to fight, and new characters that Sal had ticked off in her life. The final third comes together, but I really feel like this book was about 200 pages too long. The writing is good and I would definitely read more by this author.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Orbit Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
Sal the Cacophony is a pretty unpleasant character. She is scarred, a reputed killer, leaves a wake of trouble in her wake, and has a serious grudge. It's a wonder she has any friends, and she kind of doesn't, but her lover Liette does her best to help, and Cavric, the soldier she kidnapped, tries somewhat helplessly. Sal is out to kill the ones that betrayed her, but it just may kill her.
I liked this story of revenge, but I got to a point in the book, and there wasn't a lot of character development. It was a lot of new monsters to fight, and new characters that Sal had ticked off in her life. The final third comes together, but I really feel like this book was about 200 pages too long. The writing is good and I would definitely read more by this author.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Orbit Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
caitgriff's review
3.0
Buried the lede WAY too deep in the book. I loved the last quarter of the book, but it was a bit much to spend 450 pages not knowing what kind of mage Sal was or why she hated that list of 7 people. There really weren't any hints or the beginning threads of a story on which the reader could pull. I could see the book losing a lot of people that way, and had I not had a long weekend off to take this book in quickly, it might have lost me too. It's basically a prequel, but the reader doesn't have the requisite knowledge of what's to come that enables so many prequels-written-after-the-originals to succeed.
I will be reading the sequel, if only because I finally feel like the story has started!
I will be reading the sequel, if only because I finally feel like the story has started!
sandyfleener's review
3.0
I had trouble getting into this story.
I just couldn't get interested in this book. I tried skimming through it but had to force myself to read as much as I did.
I just couldn't get interested in this book. I tried skimming through it but had to force myself to read as much as I did.
angelic712's review
4.0
I don’t think I have read a book where a weapon is a character before. I kinda liked it.
lenapakal's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
thewenzl's review
1.0
Didn't finish - I couldn't get into the narrative style, told in first person POV during an interrogation (kind of). It felt choppy and I couldn't really sink into a fully imagine the world with the little bits about the society that were doled out sparingly.