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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
a new favourite !!!
was slightly confusing at times, but that's probably just my adhd talking.
was slightly confusing at times, but that's probably just my adhd talking.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
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
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-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
I was entertained from the first word to the last. Creative & inclusive. Loved it.
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I can honestly say I'm sad to be disappointed by this one. The concept seemed very interesting, and I was very excited to read it. However, I can't say it delivered.
Issue #1: While I could relate to the characters' struggles, I didn't feel like I knew much about them outside their specific queerness and religious trauma, if that. I absolutely get Benji's angst - however, I needed some time to get to know him (and especially his dad) before I cared about them both. A flashback, at least. "Start with action" is good writing advice, until it's not.
Issue #2: While the connections between the characters made sense and it was clear they would develop eventually, I did not feel in the slightest that we were given enough time to see their relationships blossom. Benji, at some point, says he knows what the others - his new friends - would say in a situation, but not once had we seen him actually interact with them enough to know what they'd say or to him, or have reason to think they've actually become friends.
Issue #3: I do hate the over-explanation of micro-labels in a non-contemporary setting. The book immediately feels like it's got an expiration date shorter than a bag of spinach. Hit me with a hammer next.
Issue #4: The description of anything outside the gore and body horror (which was enthusiastically described to the point where it became boring) was non-existent. I had no idea what the physical space where everything happened looked like, could not imagine distances or quantities of people, rooms, streets, or anything else. Very rarely have I seen such a visceral story take place in a space of absolute nothing.
Issue #5, and maybe the worst: It's a virus, so it's science, not magic. But it also gives you powers, and you refer to them as powers? I have no idea what the world-building and magic system is, and it's not convincing as a plot device in the slightest.
Issue #6, and maybe the least important compared to the others, but still: I actually groaned out loud whenTheo injected himself with the stuff to become a monster too because he deserved it more than Benji or whatever . That's so cheap and overplayed that it actually turned out to be funny, and it completely messed up the final confrontation for me.
I'm not going to say there was nothing good about the book. The concept was great, the twisted biblical terminology worked pretty well, and there were moments where you actively ached for and with Benji. The imagery of the trigger-happy adults ready to sacrifice children to do their dirty work, the corrupted churches and religious leaders, those were concepts that worked quite well and were actively moving the story forward. However, it's very clear - as the author acknowledges - that this is a story written very clearly by a teenager in pain, not a full-fledged author. A good idea, strong emotion, diversity, and a delight in describing guts and body horror do not a great book make.
I do want to stress that I will very happily look into AJW's other book, as I believe he's got good potential to create powerful stories, and he's got a hell of a lot to say, if you excuse the play on words. While I believe he missed the mark on many things with this one, it's understandable in a debut. His other works will tell.
Issue #1: While I could relate to the characters' struggles, I didn't feel like I knew much about them outside their specific queerness and religious trauma, if that. I absolutely get Benji's angst - however, I needed some time to get to know him (and especially his dad) before I cared about them both. A flashback, at least. "Start with action" is good writing advice, until it's not.
Issue #2: While the connections between the characters made sense and it was clear they would develop eventually, I did not feel in the slightest that we were given enough time to see their relationships blossom. Benji, at some point, says he knows what the others - his new friends - would say in a situation, but not once had we seen him actually interact with them enough to know what they'd say or to him, or have reason to think they've actually become friends.
Issue #3: I do hate the over-explanation of micro-labels in a non-contemporary setting. The book immediately feels like it's got an expiration date shorter than a bag of spinach. Hit me with a hammer next.
Issue #4: The description of anything outside the gore and body horror (which was enthusiastically described to the point where it became boring) was non-existent. I had no idea what the physical space where everything happened looked like, could not imagine distances or quantities of people, rooms, streets, or anything else. Very rarely have I seen such a visceral story take place in a space of absolute nothing.
Issue #5, and maybe the worst: It's a virus, so it's science, not magic. But it also gives you powers, and you refer to them as powers? I have no idea what the world-building and magic system is, and it's not convincing as a plot device in the slightest.
Issue #6, and maybe the least important compared to the others, but still: I actually groaned out loud when
I'm not going to say there was nothing good about the book. The concept was great, the twisted biblical terminology worked pretty well, and there were moments where you actively ached for and with Benji. The imagery of the trigger-happy adults ready to sacrifice children to do their dirty work, the corrupted churches and religious leaders, those were concepts that worked quite well and were actively moving the story forward. However, it's very clear - as the author acknowledges - that this is a story written very clearly by a teenager in pain, not a full-fledged author. A good idea, strong emotion, diversity, and a delight in describing guts and body horror do not a great book make.
I do want to stress that I will very happily look into AJW's other book, as I believe he's got good potential to create powerful stories, and he's got a hell of a lot to say, if you excuse the play on words. While I believe he missed the mark on many things with this one, it's understandable in a debut. His other works will tell.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
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
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
dark
funny
sad
tense
fast-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
This book was everything I needed. It was good to feel my rage along with Benji. AJ White truly captured a disgusting and horrifically real part of the trans experience. This book was a mirror for the parts of myself I don’t often acknowledge.
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-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:
Complicated