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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
So this book is not for everyone, I know. Sometimes it's too weird and too imaginative—not in an abstract way, but in a high fantasy sci-fi kind of way... if you know what I mean.
Basically it follows one girl and one boy, one is a witch one is a tech freak. The world-building is just amazing, though sometimes when it explains about technology science machine thing I just didn't get it lol
But other than that, if you like a story about witches and wizards got into a war with people who develop futuristic science technology, I think you'll like it. No, this book isn't mainly about that war, but it's about how nature and machines clashed. And about a girl meets a boy.
Basically it follows one girl and one boy, one is a witch one is a tech freak. The world-building is just amazing, though sometimes when it explains about technology science machine thing I just didn't get it lol
But other than that, if you like a story about witches and wizards got into a war with people who develop futuristic science technology, I think you'll like it. No, this book isn't mainly about that war, but it's about how nature and machines clashed. And about a girl meets a boy.
I started reading thanks to the Tournament of Books and could not stop. It's a great example of not judging based on genres--you never know what you end up loving.
Relationships in dangerous times
Magic vs Technology grounded in plausible dystopia
Big ideas and interesting philosophy
Magic vs Technology grounded in plausible dystopia
Big ideas and interesting philosophy
I don't know what to make of this book. At base, it's an interesting commentary on humans' influence on the environment and our relationship to technology. That said, the author's writing style makes it difficult to become invested in the characters. There are moments where you can relate to Patricia and Laurence, and then moments where... you don't. They each have a terrible childhood and experience at school. You're rooting for the moment where they throw of the yoke of awful parents and stand up for themselves, but you never quite get that satisfaction.
The writing is stilted and at times feels forced. There are sentences and paragraphs where the author is clearly trying to convey some deep, philosophical point, only to fall flat on her face. The plot rambles along not unlike a bus over pothole-laden pavement. Stretches are smooth, interesting, and just when you've been hooked by that "gotta keep reading" sensation, you hit a bump. Or a plot hole.
It's not a bad book. It's just... not a great one. Three stars? Three-and-a-half? At least a solid "Meh."
The writing is stilted and at times feels forced. There are sentences and paragraphs where the author is clearly trying to convey some deep, philosophical point, only to fall flat on her face. The plot rambles along not unlike a bus over pothole-laden pavement. Stretches are smooth, interesting, and just when you've been hooked by that "gotta keep reading" sensation, you hit a bump. Or a plot hole.
It's not a bad book. It's just... not a great one. Three stars? Three-and-a-half? At least a solid "Meh."
This book has potential but it suffers from a weird focus on things that don’t seem relevant. The most interesting thing I felt were the Tree and Peregrine but they were sort of just glossed over. They’re supposed to be something like the spirits of nature and science and in the end of the book they “get together” romantically. And it’s a good thing. But it’s never said why this was a good thing beyond “everybody gets magic now! Or science since it’s the same!”
The teachers of magic and the teachers of science seem to be more interesting than the main characters, to be honest, but we never get anything on them beyond the fact that they’re jerks or afraid.
A lot of this book seems to focus on the disaster of climate change but won’t go into it beyond “its bad” choosing to focus on how the main characters have sex or pine for one another or do the old fanfic trope of “I love them but they must not like me”.
This book is like a house with a good frame work but no walls yet. And instead of putting up walls, they skipped to wallpaper. It’s got potential, but needs some work.
The teachers of magic and the teachers of science seem to be more interesting than the main characters, to be honest, but we never get anything on them beyond the fact that they’re jerks or afraid.
A lot of this book seems to focus on the disaster of climate change but won’t go into it beyond “its bad” choosing to focus on how the main characters have sex or pine for one another or do the old fanfic trope of “I love them but they must not like me”.
This book is like a house with a good frame work but no walls yet. And instead of putting up walls, they skipped to wallpaper. It’s got potential, but needs some work.
Patricia is a budding witch, Laurence is building a supercomputer in his closet, and in the midst of their lifelong friendship magic and science threaten to create an apocalypse. The first third takes place in middle school, where both characters are victims of bullying and abuse, and is simply awful to read; the middle third is a routine but emotional 20-something coming of age, and the final third is the apocalypse plot. So if that first third seems endless: hold on, it gets better. But the entire book has an exaggerated, self-deprecatory, hipster, comic vibe, with sentences. Written. Like this.--and that style is unremitting, and I detest it. (Readers with different taste will have better luck.) I'd read in other reviews that All the Birds in the Sky is an interesting crossover between fantasy and science fiction, but, while it's an engaging premise and the end is a satisfying combines of both influences, there isn't enough meta- and genre-commentary for me. This wasn't to my tastes, nor did it reward my persistence--so I can't recommend it.
A tale of magic versus science, All the Birds in the Sky had me gripped from the very first page. It was a truly enchanting story, all the more wonderful for going in pretty much unaware of the plot, or anything about the book (apart from the pretty cover).
There was something really wonderful about Charlie Jane Anders’ writing. She added in all these unnecessary details, so small and yet they made the story all the more intriguing, the world all the more vivid. I have previously spoken about how I like magic systems that require some sort of sacrifice, rather than just saying some words or waving a wand and casting a spell, but here this system seemed to work quite well. Patricia’s magic required no sacrifice, but that felt natural. I felt that the book would not have benefited from an explanation of how the magic worked – it would have just distracted away from the story.
Although All the Birds in the Sky did lose its wind a bit in the last quarter or so, I was gripped throughout almost the entire story. It was a truly lovely story of two ‘weirdos’ who come together, united by their social awkwardness and alternative interests. As you can see by how short this review is, I just don’t feel I can truly tell you how wonderful this was – so go out and read it yourself!
I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Originally posted on my former blog, Rinn Reads.
There was something really wonderful about Charlie Jane Anders’ writing. She added in all these unnecessary details, so small and yet they made the story all the more intriguing, the world all the more vivid. I have previously spoken about how I like magic systems that require some sort of sacrifice, rather than just saying some words or waving a wand and casting a spell, but here this system seemed to work quite well. Patricia’s magic required no sacrifice, but that felt natural. I felt that the book would not have benefited from an explanation of how the magic worked – it would have just distracted away from the story.
Although All the Birds in the Sky did lose its wind a bit in the last quarter or so, I was gripped throughout almost the entire story. It was a truly lovely story of two ‘weirdos’ who come together, united by their social awkwardness and alternative interests. As you can see by how short this review is, I just don’t feel I can truly tell you how wonderful this was – so go out and read it yourself!
I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Originally posted on my former blog, Rinn Reads.
I didn't expect this book to go where it did. But it was still a fantastic mix of magic, technology and an apocalypse... I don't even know how to characterize it.