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calloe's review
3.0
I did enjoy the premise of the story, but I just didn't really like or understand the ending. Plus the writing wasn't really my style.
themandimonster's review against another edition
5.0
I really loved this take on the Frankenstein tale. This is definitely a book I will revisit... Maybe even soon. I liked it that much.
annnnne's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
anpu325's review
3.0
A cute book. Kind of annoyed that the cause of the apocalypse was never really explained.
marieintheraw's review
3.0
took awhile to get going, but pretty average overall. I did like Nell as she was very believable
alexcaleb_etc's review
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
4.0
A book I have so much love for in every sense. It's structural form, specifically the split in pale and pasture reflected through more poetic sections vs more traditional prose sections really adds to the dreamlike, paradise quality of Nell's memory of the past vs the more practical aspects of her present.
Nell as a protagonist also really spoke to me. She consistently has a drive that I love to see in protagonists despite dancing around the shadow of her father's legacy and her mother's memory. She feels very neurodivergent to me, and I found myself really relating to her struggles of feeling too well and too sick all at the same time, constantly trying to find a balance between what is expected of her and what she truly wishes to do.
I know several people expressed dislike of the slow pace, however I really loved that aspect too. I did feel the ending fell flat and indeed could have been better executed but regardless this is a book I come back to almost yearly. I am in love with how Griffin gives character to the world through atmosphere, allowing readers to immerse themselves in it, though I agree certain aspects could be better fleshed out. In many ways this is a Frankenstein story, in other ways not, but I still find myself coming back to it for reasons I can't fully explain
Nell as a protagonist also really spoke to me. She consistently has a drive that I love to see in protagonists despite dancing around the shadow of her father's legacy and her mother's memory. She feels very neurodivergent to me, and I found myself really relating to her struggles of feeling too well and too sick all at the same time, constantly trying to find a balance between what is expected of her and what she truly wishes to do.
I know several people expressed dislike of the slow pace, however I really loved that aspect too. I did feel the ending fell flat and indeed could have been better executed but regardless this is a book I come back to almost yearly. I am in love with how Griffin gives character to the world through atmosphere, allowing readers to immerse themselves in it, though I agree certain aspects could be better fleshed out. In many ways this is a Frankenstein story, in other ways not, but I still find myself coming back to it for reasons I can't fully explain
proficientweirdo's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
whosevita's review
3.0
I wanted to love this book soo bad, but for more than half I was just waiting for this book to get good. Not entranced to know what happened next, but just slugging through occasionally stressed because I was scared the author was gonna drop why I wanted to read this.
The world building was just so lacking to me. It is too vague. As an author you have to find a balance between puking exposition and not telling anything. What the hell was that sickness? When did it even happen? How long ago? What sickness just takes some random body parts and nothing else?
I thought the society was really cool but also lacking. Because let's be real, in what post apocalyptic society do people have time to just build a unnecessarily huge statue?
Where does the food even come from?
It wanted to go like a retro future approach I think? With like men wearing collared shirts and pompadours and smoking indoors but also robotic arms.
But it is just al too vague. I think the author had this amazing vision but she just couldn't translate it well in her story.
Also the prose of the book was...okay? The first person narration was really annoying though. It didn't provoke me to feel anymore connected to the character I just felt like reading insert y/n fanfiction. I think the author tried a little too hard to be pretentious for a YA SciFi novel.
This book wasn't about a girl and the robot she built, but about a girl building a robot. If I had completely different expectations I would have liked this book more.
The world building was just so lacking to me. It is too vague. As an author you have to find a balance between puking exposition and not telling anything. What the hell was that sickness? When did it even happen? How long ago? What sickness just takes some random body parts and nothing else?
I thought the society was really cool but also lacking. Because let's be real, in what post apocalyptic society do people have time to just build a unnecessarily huge statue?
Where does the food even come from?
It wanted to go like a retro future approach I think? With like men wearing collared shirts and pompadours and smoking indoors but also robotic arms.
But it is just al too vague. I think the author had this amazing vision but she just couldn't translate it well in her story.
Also the prose of the book was...okay? The first person narration was really annoying though. It didn't provoke me to feel anymore connected to the character I just felt like reading insert y/n fanfiction. I think the author tried a little too hard to be pretentious for a YA SciFi novel.
This book wasn't about a girl and the robot she built, but about a girl building a robot. If I had completely different expectations I would have liked this book more.
bezarue's review against another edition
challenging
dark
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
3.0
I think this book was maybe a bit too cerebral for me. But at the same time, I couldn't work out what it was trying to get at. I'm not so sure it made sense.
hmcreading's review
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0