Scan barcode
mikena0408's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
maralyons's review
4.0
'We Were Restless Things' by Cole Nagamatsu is an atmospheric and poetically written YA novel with elements magical realism. The plot revolves around Jonas and Noemi and a mystery of how a classmate drowned in a forest the year before. The story begins when Jonas moves to a new town into a home with his father, his girlfriend, and girlfriend’s daughter-Noemi. The aftermath of the friend’s death is felt by Noemi and her friends, who Jonas gets to know. Noemi and Jonas live near the forest that took their friend’s life. The descriptions, especially of the forest and magical elements, are stunningly beautiful. Though the concept is fascinating, the plot is a bit uneven. There is not a lot of action through much of the novel. Sophie Amoss and Tom Picasso excellently narrate the audiobook, each taking turns to narrate parts in the perspective of the young women and young men in the story. They really enhance the eerie atmosphere of Nagamatsu has created in their writing.
Thank you RB Media and NetGalley for providing this audiobook ARC.
Thank you RB Media and NetGalley for providing this audiobook ARC.
rosariofacio's review
4.0
This was a very interesting read for me. I have been reading fantasy and scifi books all year so when I saw what this book was about it pulled me in to try something new and I'm not disappointed. Thank you to Netgalley for approving me for the e-arc. I really enjoyed reading about each of the characters and everything they're trying to figure out for themselves throughout the story and this whole mystery lake gave me the creeps which I loved because I hardly ever feel creeped out by anything in books. I'm a little sad with how it ended though because I wanted more but in the end it did well.
jaysereads's review
1.0
Dnf from me.
Unfortunately this book just wasn't what I thought it was going to be.
It was too high-schooly, too mopey/moody and I just didn't connect with any of the characters.
Unfortunately this book just wasn't what I thought it was going to be.
It was too high-schooly, too mopey/moody and I just didn't connect with any of the characters.
sausome's review against another edition
2.0
This book is difficult to describe.
I was truly lured in by the gorgeous cover and the premise of the story. The idea of a strange lake that appears and disappears in the middle of the Minnesota woods; the idea of the body of a high school boy found in the woods, dead by drowning with no lake in sight; the idea of a possible ghost sending texts to his living friend ... all of these things sound like the makings of a really fascinating read. And yet ...
There are definite nuggets of "fascinating" in this book, to be sure. I felt myself wavering between intrigued and bored, with "bored" ultimately winning out. The book seemed to almost be two books Frankenstein-stitched together. The teenage relationship elements felt really teenager-y. I felt I was reading "Eclipse" without vampires or werewolves, just drama. What makes this book better than that, though, is that it fully embraces the exploration of queer relationships. This story includes two girls becoming interested in one another, in addition to very long and fraught discussions about asexuality and what sex means to a relationship. I almost couldn't believe I was reading this in some chapters, and reading about a ghostly figure, a disappearing lake, a creepy lighthouse exploration in another!
In addition to frank discussions about sexuality, there is a heavy overtone of grief for the whole of the book, owing to Link's death and the impact that left. There is also a brief mention of physical and emotional abuse by a parent. And there is mention of self-harm.
Grief, asexuality, lesbian relationships, self-harm, abuse ... AND ghostly lake creepiness. Perhaps this is much like Maggie Stiefvater's books, as I seem to recall reading one and having many of these elements show up. As it is, these types of reads just aren't for me.
I was truly lured in by the gorgeous cover and the premise of the story. The idea of a strange lake that appears and disappears in the middle of the Minnesota woods; the idea of the body of a high school boy found in the woods, dead by drowning with no lake in sight; the idea of a possible ghost sending texts to his living friend ... all of these things sound like the makings of a really fascinating read. And yet ...
There are definite nuggets of "fascinating" in this book, to be sure. I felt myself wavering between intrigued and bored, with "bored" ultimately winning out. The book seemed to almost be two books Frankenstein-stitched together. The teenage relationship elements felt really teenager-y. I felt I was reading "Eclipse" without vampires or werewolves, just drama. What makes this book better than that, though, is that it fully embraces the exploration of queer relationships. This story includes two girls becoming interested in one another, in addition to very long and fraught discussions about asexuality and what sex means to a relationship. I almost couldn't believe I was reading this in some chapters, and reading about a ghostly figure, a disappearing lake, a creepy lighthouse exploration in another!
In addition to frank discussions about sexuality, there is a heavy overtone of grief for the whole of the book, owing to Link's death and the impact that left. There is also a brief mention of physical and emotional abuse by a parent. And there is mention of self-harm.
Grief, asexuality, lesbian relationships, self-harm, abuse ... AND ghostly lake creepiness. Perhaps this is much like Maggie Stiefvater's books, as I seem to recall reading one and having many of these elements show up. As it is, these types of reads just aren't for me.
sevii's review
2.0
2.5 stars. I expected this to have more fantasy mystery vibes to it but it was just disappointing. More of a coming of age story but a lot of the characters were hard to relate to. I appreciate the representation of LGBTQIA+ community.
heather1999's review
dark
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
4.0
enfiles's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25