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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
This book has some of the best prose up to this point in this series, offset with some of the worst prose up to this point in this series. Coffin in the sky, I did not care for. It could have been much more tense and terrifying, but it did not deliver. Lemon Heart was better and overall enjoyable. Happy Birthday was my favourite, and super engaging, up until the ending, which was ramping up so well and then I was conflicted. I get it, and it does work; however, underwhelming and is the type of ending we did for our grade 3 story assignments. Honestly, Reiko should have said yolo and joined the Loop. Just my two cents here.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
At first, I felt like this book was cynical, merely cashing in on the Ring trillogy's success in order to make money. A fair enough goal, but not an artistic one. But as I read past the first story, I found it immensely gripping and a good read. Suzuki's writing continues to delight and disturb. It's also much better paced than the Loop, which I criticised for a slow start/middle. It was not bored reading it.
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A series of three short stories that are part of the Ring series. Each one is fantastic in it’s own right. With each one being connected to one of the three Ring trilogy books. I breezed through this little companion series and I find myself aching for more.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I really enjoyed this book because it complements Koji Suzuki's previous novels about The Ring universe. Its tone is more like a sci-fi mystery than a horror novel, though. As a standalone book, it would probably be rather confusing because about 2/3 of the way through the book the novel drastically shifts focus from the past to the future. If you've read Suzuki's Ring trilogy (Ring, Spiral, and Loop) Birthday is a real treat because it ties up all the loose ends and questions left by the trilogy's conclusion.
2.5-3 stars.
This was definitely the best book out of all the series.
Three short stories concentrating on the women of the trilogy.
I quite enjoyed the first two, but the third one was not to my taste. Felt like, once again, there wasn't much new to it, and this story could have been forgotten all together.
This was definitely the best book out of all the series.
Three short stories concentrating on the women of the trilogy.
I quite enjoyed the first two, but the third one was not to my taste. Felt like, once again, there wasn't much new to it, and this story could have been forgotten all together.