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3.09 AVERAGE
3.09 AVERAGE
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
increíble idea + narración extraña + una trama mal desarrollada + desarrollo de personajes super mediocre = 2 estrellas.
Hago las cuentas mientras paso las hojas de The Love Interest, mi cara mostrando el mismo aburrimiento a lo largo de toda la novela. La empecé con todas las ganas, y a medida que iba bajando mi puntaje interno intentaba no desesperar y me prometía a mi misma que iba a mejorar. Que iba a ser un buen libro, que lo iba a disfrutar, que la forma de escribir de Cale Dietrich iba a mejorar repentinamente y nos iba a dar algo merecedor de un libro satisfactorio, de esos que los terminás y decís "¡qué bueno que lo leí!". Bueno, no.
TLI promete una historia llena de pasión, acción, un romance desesperado, star-crossed lovers a lo Romeo y Julieta que dan sus vidas el uno por el otro. Esperaba leer sobre, no sé, el inmenso dolor que les oprimía el pecho cuando se daban cuenta de que estaban tan cerca y la distancia entre sus pieles los quemaba o algo así. NO SÉ. Pero en cambio recibí una novela con personajes aburridamente planos, mediocres, que intentan venderte un mundo fascinante y retorcido que puede venderse por sí sólo sin esfuerzo, pero que de alguna manera logran arruinarlo. A ver, ¿no les llama exageradamente la atención que una empresa se encargue de asignarle intereses románticos a las personas importantes para robarse todos sus secretos y, así, tener todo el mundo controlado? Porque eso es algo super perturbador digno de aparecer en esos videos de teorías conspirativas que ves a las tres de la mañana (ah, sólo yo?) pero que de alguna forma Dietrich logra convertirlo en la cosa más irreal y poco creíble del mundo. La tarea de un escritor de ficción distópica es venderte el mundo distópico, no que estés todo el rato como "em. sí. no."!!!!!! Encima, la frutilla del postre: cinco adolescentes logran destruir la compañía secreta más poderosa del mundo con siglos de antigüedad en media hora. Claro. Sí. Me imagino.
Pero la planicie de los personajes en serio me dejó recontra impactada. Hace tiempazo que no leía algo así, y me sorprendió sobremanera. Le confiesan algo BRUTAL y CAMBIA VIDAS a una mina y reacciona como si le hubieses dicho que está soleado. ??????????????
No sé. La verdad es que me siento horrible diciendo todo esto, me parte el alma que no me haya gustado y que me dé ganas de matarme de sólo pensar en todo el tiempo que perdí leyendolo. Pero al menos me entretuvo un rato, y la idea estaba buena (aunque fue vilmente desperdiciada. RIP.), así que ahí van sus dos estrellitas.
Hago las cuentas mientras paso las hojas de The Love Interest, mi cara mostrando el mismo aburrimiento a lo largo de toda la novela. La empecé con todas las ganas, y a medida que iba bajando mi puntaje interno intentaba no desesperar y me prometía a mi misma que iba a mejorar. Que iba a ser un buen libro, que lo iba a disfrutar, que la forma de escribir de Cale Dietrich iba a mejorar repentinamente y nos iba a dar algo merecedor de un libro satisfactorio, de esos que los terminás y decís "¡qué bueno que lo leí!". Bueno, no.
TLI promete una historia llena de pasión, acción, un romance desesperado, star-crossed lovers a lo Romeo y Julieta que dan sus vidas el uno por el otro. Esperaba leer sobre, no sé, el inmenso dolor que les oprimía el pecho cuando se daban cuenta de que estaban tan cerca y la distancia entre sus pieles los quemaba o algo así. NO SÉ. Pero en cambio recibí una novela con personajes aburridamente planos, mediocres, que intentan venderte un mundo fascinante y retorcido que puede venderse por sí sólo sin esfuerzo, pero que de alguna manera logran arruinarlo. A ver, ¿no les llama exageradamente la atención que una empresa se encargue de asignarle intereses románticos a las personas importantes para robarse todos sus secretos y, así, tener todo el mundo controlado? Porque eso es algo super perturbador digno de aparecer en esos videos de teorías conspirativas que ves a las tres de la mañana (ah, sólo yo?) pero que de alguna forma Dietrich logra convertirlo en la cosa más irreal y poco creíble del mundo. La tarea de un escritor de ficción distópica es venderte el mundo distópico, no que estés todo el rato como "em. sí. no."!!!!!! Encima, la frutilla del postre: cinco adolescentes logran destruir la compañía secreta más poderosa del mundo con siglos de antigüedad en media hora. Claro. Sí. Me imagino.
Pero la planicie de los personajes en serio me dejó recontra impactada. Hace tiempazo que no leía algo así, y me sorprendió sobremanera. Le confiesan algo BRUTAL y CAMBIA VIDAS a una mina y reacciona como si le hubieses dicho que está soleado. ??????????????
No sé. La verdad es que me siento horrible diciendo todo esto, me parte el alma que no me haya gustado y que me dé ganas de matarme de sólo pensar en todo el tiempo que perdí leyendolo. Pero al menos me entretuvo un rato, y la idea estaba buena (aunque fue vilmente desperdiciada. RIP.), así que ahí van sus dos estrellitas.
I was really excited for this trope subversion, but the execution was just really disappointing. Emily May said it all in her review.
This exciting and unique novel set in our present day is about teenagers who are made into teen spies. They're called Love Interests because their job is to get close, for life, to important people. There's the Nice boys and the Bad boys. One of each will try for the heart of the target and only one can win. Feelings that surprise them both threaten to overwhelm them. Will they be able to live their own lives or be shackled to the company forever? Read and find out!
DNF at 50%
I was hoping the reviews were wrong and this would turn out to be another jem, but unfortunately, it didn't turn out that way. While the story is entertaining, the poor writing and execution make the story too awkward and implausible to be fully enjoyable.
I've heard about this book on twitter first and at first glance, it seemed like everything I'd want to read. I love trope subversion. But there's just so much wrong with the execution of the concept in this book and too many plot holes. Generally, trope subversion books (at least good ones) go either the satirical or the parody way. They work best when authors resort to the extremes, point out serious issues through a comic lens to show us how ridiculous humanity is and how absurd some things we like are. But this story tried to actually be a normal story as well as a parody, and it just didn't mix well. You can't be satirical and regular at the same time because that's just two different stories.
But from the start, the whole Nice and Bad boy concepts were defined really poorly in the book. Did they hit some nails on the head? Yap. But other things just seemed ridiculous, but not in good way. So you get a mix of meta and satire, with a wink and a nudge nudge, that'll make you smile. But at other times, some tropes were just part of the story - which made things really weird because it seemed like a mixed message situation and downright bad writing. If you're going to denounce tropes you can't start employing them!
I just wish the boys actually embodied their tropes and fell in love. It's actually really cute when the two boys start falling for each other. And their interactions are the only ones that come across at least semi-authentic - unlike the rest of them. In fact, so much of the dialogue in this book is so unbelievably awkward and stilted and not at all like people talk.
Either way, I just got about halfway through the book and I just can't go on.
I was hoping the reviews were wrong and this would turn out to be another jem, but unfortunately, it didn't turn out that way. While the story is entertaining, the poor writing and execution make the story too awkward and implausible to be fully enjoyable.
I've heard about this book on twitter first and at first glance, it seemed like everything I'd want to read. I love trope subversion. But there's just so much wrong with the execution of the concept in this book and too many plot holes. Generally, trope subversion books (at least good ones) go either the satirical or the parody way. They work best when authors resort to the extremes, point out serious issues through a comic lens to show us how ridiculous humanity is and how absurd some things we like are. But this story tried to actually be a normal story as well as a parody, and it just didn't mix well. You can't be satirical and regular at the same time because that's just two different stories.
But from the start, the whole Nice and Bad boy concepts were defined really poorly in the book. Did they hit some nails on the head? Yap. But other things just seemed ridiculous, but not in good way. So you get a mix of meta and satire, with a wink and a nudge nudge, that'll make you smile. But at other times, some tropes were just part of the story - which made things really weird because it seemed like a mixed message situation and downright bad writing. If you're going to denounce tropes you can't start employing them!
I just wish the boys actually embodied their tropes and fell in love. It's actually really cute when the two boys start falling for each other. And their interactions are the only ones that come across at least semi-authentic - unlike the rest of them. In fact, so much of the dialogue in this book is so unbelievably awkward and stilted and not at all like people talk.
Either way, I just got about halfway through the book and I just can't go on.
adventurous
Story idea: excellent
Execution: terrible
Writing: bordering on some of the worst I've seen published.
Can't believe: I actually finished this book
Execution: terrible
Writing: bordering on some of the worst I've seen published.
Can't believe: I actually finished this book
The Love Interest was one of my most anticipated books of this year and unfortunately I didn't get it until recently. Until I was in a reading slump. Typical.
But that didn't stop me from enjoying this book. It was an entertaining and fun read. I loved Caden, I loved Dyl (even if there were times I wanted to punch him) I loved Juliet and well...all the main kids.
The last quarter of the book I couldn't put down and considering how distracted I've been, this is a testament for how good this book actually is
This was an awesome book and I'd definitely recommend it.
But that didn't stop me from enjoying this book. It was an entertaining and fun read. I loved Caden, I loved Dyl (even if there were times I wanted to punch him) I loved Juliet and well...all the main kids.
The last quarter of the book I couldn't put down and considering how distracted I've been, this is a testament for how good this book actually is
This was an awesome book and I'd definitely recommend it.