Reviews

The Gloaming by Kirsty Logan

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atlastheninth's review

mysterious reflective medium-paced

Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.25

I hadn't heard that much about this book but from what I did hear and the blurb and the cover I expected this to be a cute sapphic mermaid story/romance. It is not.

There is a sapphic romance in there, yes, but I don't think it was the main story.

This book is very atmospheric as in there are characters and they are doing things but I feel what matters about this book is just vibes. And those are a bit magical, a bit dark and a bit strange.

I found it beautiful but at at the same time boring and I'm not sure what to rate it.

kat7890erina's review against another edition

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3.0

A beautifully written exploration of loss, superstition, and place. It contains one of the best paragraphs of characterisation I have ever read - for John. Or James.

The story meanders and shifts through time and character focus. All are weary and lovelorn and strange.

sophiereads21's review against another edition

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3.0

Mara and Aylah, two sisters growing up in a ramshackle old house on a remote island where people turn to stone when they die.

I picked this up because I really liked the Gracekeepers - but I think the things I liked in that are less present in the Gloaming. The plot is negligible, the story doesn't seem to have much direction. Characters are all broken people, hiding from the real world in stories. It is a great exploration of grief ad they way people feel a pull to return home.

I found it hard to enjoy! Some of this is a function of the fact that I listened to it as an audiobook, which meant the descriptions (while evocative) felt like they dragged when hearing them. But also because it's a sad story with no closure at the end.

Consequently I thought it was beautiful but hard to rate!

katecrackernut's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

doom_inique's review against another edition

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5.0

I am giving this five stars for the marked improvement in writing and storytelling. “The Gracekeepers” was an interesting story set in an interesting world, but the writing style was very choppy and the story was oddly constructed. Characters were a little thin and the book focused on characters that I felt really had nothing to do with the narrative.

“The Gloaming” is a haunting little story about a girl, Mara, and her family living in an old house on a strange island. There’s a little bit of everything: romance, mystery, adventure, loss, magic.

I enjoyed the story more than “The Gracekeepers” and found the characters to be more fleshed-out and individual. The whole world is a little less interesting, but the Island is wonderfully imagined. I found the ending to be satisfying.

The magic was both more and less subtle in this book, the relationships more believable, and I enjoyed the continued water/sea/ocean theme from the first book.