Scan barcode
momo916's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
That being said, I definitely enjoyed the experience of watching the relationship between Cora and Ampersand develop as the story went on. It was a sort of self-insert kind of enjoyment, since the narrator doesn’t really seem to have any particular characteristics. Perhaps this could be attributed to the high-stress nature of most of the events of the plot, but I wouldn’t say this particularly detracts from the experience of reading the book. In a way, it allows you to look past the other flaws of the book and just kind of live in it.
A complaint I have that is particular to the audiobook is that the reader has this habit of exaggerating the inflections she adds to her voice when Cora is surprised/shocked by something (which, given the subject matter of the book, happens often). I got used to it after a while but it was annoying at first.
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Genocide, Suicide, and Excrement
Minor: Car accident
stormywolf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Unabridged Length: 16 Hours
Listened at 2.25x Speed
Read my full review at The Wolf's Den
Overall, I thought this audio successfully juggled the best of both worlds: utilizing two readers added some uniqueness to things, while the one-reader structure of Cora's story maintained familiarity. As some names and terms were unfamiliar (a common trait in sci-fi), the audio pronunciations were definitely appreciated. Though it took a little time for me to find the cadence, even at more than double speed there's still plenty of Cora's attitude coming through the narration. Seeing that the next book is adding a third reader into the mix, I'm excited to see how things progress and change, and not just in the story!
Graphic: Blood, Kidnapping, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Violence, Abandonment, Car accident, Confinement, Suicide, Cursing, Genocide, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Excrement and Vomit
arcaadepunk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Death, Genocide, Medical content, and Suicide
Minor: Car accident, Confinement, Stalking, and War
A lot of people (especially on TikTok) label this book as a romance and/or a mnstrfkr novel; the "romance" is actually minimal and the main focus of the story is not on the human/alien relationship in regards to romantic attraction but rather on the barriers that would stand between an alien and a human trying to understand each others' cultures.pineapplesurvivor's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Car accident, Classism, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence
slimy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Aliens
Snowden
Empathy
Who has a right to know the truth?
This is such an intelligent, well-written book; surprisingly witty, charming in unexpected ways, accessible to someone who doesn’t read a lot of sci-fi.
Graphic: Car accident, Abandonment, Blood, Confinement, Death, Genocide, and Stalking
pourrir's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Sidenote:
Graphic: Blood, Genocide, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Car accident and Violence
Minor: Abandonment
valpuri's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Medical content, Violence, Genocide, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Car accident, Death, Cursing, and Confinement
Minor: Torture and Suicide
orlagal's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Blood, Car accident, Medical content, and Murder
stormwise's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
I really enjoyed how the aliens were presented - I liked the main character's awareness of the human tendency to anthropomorphise. I also loved the discussion of linguistics within the text and found the way alien communication was portrayed very interesting.
I'll admit that the book took a little while to set itself up and the tone felt a bit "young adult" at the beginning, but once the action started it really picked up steam and I found myself completely absorbed. Overall I thought the writing was excellent and incredibly effective at conveying horror, tension and anxiety in certain scenes.
I'm very excited for the sequel! I'd recommend this to any sci-fi fans who like aliens, government conspiracies, and mid-2000 pop culture references.
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Car accident, Confinement, Death, Gore, Medical content, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Gore, Kidnapping, Stalking, Vomit, and Torture
incigiru's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Car accident, Death, and Genocide
Minor: Blood