Scan barcode
earlgreyhhot's review against another edition
Unlikable characters, plot does not move logically
mjfmjfmjf's review against another edition
4.0
Uneven and confusing. And not quite as good as the first. In fact the first half of the book ramps up kind of slowly. The characters are all treated so badly that you are left with no one to root for. But than the back half of the book is much stronger. And as the story stitches together who the somewhat good guys and kind of bad guys become just a little clearer. Still fantasy near Hollywood with characters with non-typical flaws. And I have a copy of the sequel in hand.
essinink's review against another edition
2.0
There's a piece of writing advice I heard once: "Write from the perspective of the character with the most to lose." Mishell Baker has gleefully tossed that rule of thumb out the window, with predictably lackluster results.
The worst part is that the story really isn't bad. Told from the perspective of almost anyone but Millie, it's positively gripping. But our favorite Borderline character just doesn't have much to lose here. I mean, there's some large-scale risk, but nearly all of the build-up drama places her in the role of facilitator; she's not personally invested.
Where she is invested, it's the result of the most contrived love-tangle I've had the displeasure of reading in fiction.
...yeah. it's complicated. (And yet oddly drama-free? Millie has calmed down a lot since the first book, which somehow doesn't help matters.)
The plot itself is fine, but I kept yawning until I hit the last 100 pages or so. Pretty sure this is my farewell to the Arcadia project.
The worst part is that the story really isn't bad. Told from the perspective of almost anyone but Millie, it's positively gripping. But our favorite Borderline character just doesn't have much to lose here. I mean, there's some large-scale risk, but nearly all of the build-up drama places her in the role of facilitator; she's not personally invested.
Where she is invested, it's the result of the most contrived love-tangle I've had the displeasure of reading in fiction.
1. Her neighbor-with-benefits, whose name I can't recall because he doesn't have any role in the story. Seriously, he's there to be the guy she's sleeping with on occasion and has maybe two lines.
2. Claybriar, her Echo, who's in a love tangle with a major side character.
3. Caryl, her 19-year-old changeling boss, who also has a love tangle with a different major side character... kind of.
...yeah. it's complicated. (And yet oddly drama-free? Millie has calmed down a lot since the first book, which somehow doesn't help matters.)
The plot itself is fine, but I kept yawning until I hit the last 100 pages or so. Pretty sure this is my farewell to the Arcadia project.
laphenix's review against another edition
5.0
I love this book! I love this author! Were that more authors weren't this fierce and inclusive.
aphelia88's review against another edition
4.0
Set four months after the first book [b:Borderline|25692886|Borderline (The Arcadia Project, #1)|Mishell Baker|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1433843958s/25692886.jpg|45522468] ended, Millie is still a mess (and probably always will be) but is really trying hard to get her life together. Since leaving the Arcadia Project, she has gotten her own apartment, and is now Inaya's Assistant at Valiant Studios.
The problem is that their star showrunner wants a larger studio and Studio 13 - where the events of the last book occurred, which is full of supernatural fallout - is the only one available. When Millie calls Caryl in to help her clear up the magical residue, something odd happens: she thinks she sees a ghost. Turns out, it's a new type of Fey spirit - a wraith, a twisted nature spirit given sentience through contact with old adversary Vivian Chandler.
The existence of wraiths was unknown to the Arcadia Project, and their presence sets into motion a whole sequence of events. They can talk to each other and possess people - which made them great spies. Now the wraiths are determined to finish Vivian's work of destroying the estates of powerful Fey nobles, and Millie gets caught up in the fight to save our world and Arcadia.
Unfortunately, Caryl has been framed for murder, leaving her under house arrest, and the arrogant British chapter of the project has come to manage LA in her absence, leaving Millie mostly on her own this time. It's clear that she's never going to a by-the-book agent and that works in her favour here. There are some intriguing new characters (the Manticore!) and Millie herself is a lot more interesting.
This is definitely a better book than the first and moves along at a rapid clip. I'd be interested in reading the final book in the trilogy, [b:Impostor Syndrome|39204806|Impostor Syndrome (The Arcadia Project)|Mishell Baker|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1520929697s/39204806.jpg|56664340].
The problem is that their star showrunner wants a larger studio and Studio 13 - where the events of the last book occurred, which is full of supernatural fallout - is the only one available. When Millie calls Caryl in to help her clear up the magical residue, something odd happens: she thinks she sees a ghost. Turns out, it's a new type of Fey spirit - a wraith, a twisted nature spirit given sentience through contact with old adversary Vivian Chandler.
The existence of wraiths was unknown to the Arcadia Project, and their presence sets into motion a whole sequence of events. They can talk to each other and possess people - which made them great spies. Now the wraiths are determined to finish Vivian's work of destroying the estates of powerful Fey nobles, and Millie gets caught up in the fight to save our world and Arcadia.
Unfortunately, Caryl has been framed for murder, leaving her under house arrest, and the arrogant British chapter of the project has come to manage LA in her absence, leaving Millie mostly on her own this time. It's clear that she's never going to a by-the-book agent and that works in her favour here. There are some intriguing new characters (the Manticore!) and Millie herself is a lot more interesting.
This is definitely a better book than the first and moves along at a rapid clip. I'd be interested in reading the final book in the trilogy, [b:Impostor Syndrome|39204806|Impostor Syndrome (The Arcadia Project)|Mishell Baker|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1520929697s/39204806.jpg|56664340].
izzymendes's review against another edition
3.0
lol this was so boring. first two acts were okay, and i still really enjoyed the characters, but i was bored out of my mind during the last act. anyway will continue the series bc im so attached to everyone + caryl and millie's absolute girlboss slay queen romance.
izzymenzies's review against another edition
3.0
lol this was so boring. first two acts were okay, and i still really enjoyed the characters, but i was bored out of my mind during the last act. anyway will continue the series bc im so attached to everyone + caryl and millie's absolute girlboss slay queen romance.
kwugirl's review against another edition
3.0
Getting more into developing the mythology rather than the describing mental illness part, but still an interesting story and development for the characters.
line's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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
5.0
setaian's review
medium-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
4.5
At first I thought this book wasn't as good as Book 1, Borderline which completely blew me away. But thinking about it, I think that idea came from it being a little different. The characters have grown and changed. There is a lot of ambiguity in this book, in the world Mishell Baker is creating, and honestly, that ambiguity is what I love most about it.