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fantasynovel's review against another edition
3.0
This story would have been interesting if there had been more Rosa. Unfortunately, it was 70 percent Che's boring friends. There was Sojourner, who could have been interesting if Che wasn't lusting so. Freaking. Hard. "I want to lick the sweat off her lips...I want to bathe in her sweat...I am so aroused..." It got super extreme after a while. I'd start getting uncomfortable with Che's thoughts whenever Sojourner showed up.
Then there was Leilani, who was actually very cool, but at times, it felt like the author was using her to be a mouthpiece of Important Conversations. Leilani, who's half Korean, had a white girlfriend named Veronica who was, admittedly, super annoying. Veronica didn't understand why Leilani's heritage mattered to her, etc. But at the same time, Veronica's "friends" treated her really badly. At one point, Leilani dumped Veronica, got back with her just for sex, and then dumped her again. Yeah, Leilani was going through an extremely difficult time, but ppl acted like Veronica had no feelings at all. When Leilani broke up with her, ppl rolled their eyes like "what a fucking drama queen" when Veronica slashed her wrists. Yes, her behavior was attention-seeking, but she clearly needed help. She would show understandable emotions and ppl would shit all over her.
There was also more catcalling than I have heard in my life, basically so Che could be like "Wow, I must recognize my privilege in being a guy." Like, yeah, do that, but not every other page. It's so boring.
In the end, I loved the diversity, but the author wouldn't let her characters be just characters. She made them into internet essays on racism. They could have had good conversations about the racism they faced, but instead it was set up very unnaturally.
3 stars bc Rosa was a really-well character. Minus 2 stars bc Che was too dumb to believe and his friends were annoying AF.
Then there was Leilani, who was actually very cool, but at times, it felt like the author was using her to be a mouthpiece of Important Conversations. Leilani, who's half Korean, had a white girlfriend named Veronica who was, admittedly, super annoying. Veronica didn't understand why Leilani's heritage mattered to her, etc. But at the same time, Veronica's "friends" treated her really badly. At one point, Leilani dumped Veronica, got back with her just for sex, and then dumped her again. Yeah, Leilani was going through an extremely difficult time, but ppl acted like Veronica had no feelings at all. When Leilani broke up with her, ppl rolled their eyes like "what a fucking drama queen" when Veronica slashed her wrists. Yes, her behavior was attention-seeking, but she clearly needed help. She would show understandable emotions and ppl would shit all over her.
There was also more catcalling than I have heard in my life, basically so Che could be like "Wow, I must recognize my privilege in being a guy." Like, yeah, do that, but not every other page. It's so boring.
In the end, I loved the diversity, but the author wouldn't let her characters be just characters. She made them into internet essays on racism. They could have had good conversations about the racism they faced, but instead it was set up very unnaturally.
3 stars bc Rosa was a really-well character. Minus 2 stars bc Che was too dumb to believe and his friends were annoying AF.
reeyabeegale's review against another edition
3.0
Finally done!
It's somewhere in 3.50-3.40. So this book, it wasn't as scary as I wished it would be. I don't know what it is, but there's something subtle about the horror of this book. But of course, it is a good read!
I need a few minutes to think about my actual thoughts on this book; I'll be posting my full review in my blog.
https://raveintotheabyss.wordpress.com/2016/04/27/inherited-genes/
It's somewhere in 3.50-3.40. So this book, it wasn't as scary as I wished it would be. I don't know what it is, but there's something subtle about the horror of this book. But of course, it is a good read!
I need a few minutes to think about my actual thoughts on this book; I'll be posting my full review in my blog.
https://raveintotheabyss.wordpress.com/2016/04/27/inherited-genes/
crimsoncor's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely fantastic. Creepiest thing I've read since Patricia Highsmith's Strangers on a Train. Can't recommend this enough.
suvata's review against another edition
4.0
S L O W B U R N of a novel about a creepy little sister who, for all intents and purposes, appears to be a psychopath. It kind of took a long time to get there but the ending was very satisfying.
abaugher's review against another edition
This is an absorbing story about a family with a big, psychopathic problem, and she's an adorable ten-year-old. From the perspective of her older brother, we get a frightening look at a cold, calculating, and entirely selfish personality, and the impact her machinations have on those around her. I couldn't get enough of her evil, and read it in a day.
paoakalani's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
stephxsu's review against another edition
4.0
Whoa, excuse me as my mind is f**ked after swallowing, gulping, inhaling, drowning in this intense book.
readerlatte's review against another edition
5.0
My Review: OMG this book was creepy good and I really wished that the author would release another one and make this a series. This one is so not for you if you don't like darker stories. It follows 17-year-old Che and his little sister Rosa who is 10 and I have to say that Rosa freaks me out to no end. This one I had picked up at the library bookstore for $2 bucks and it sat around forever. But I am so glad that I finally got the chance to read it.
So Rosa is a 10-year-old little girl who is VERY smart she can play chess, understand math that I SO cant do. And is so twisted and creepy that I am kind of surprised that I didn't have nightmares. She doesn't have empathy for anyone. She doesn't care who she hurts as long as she gets what she wants.
As for the main character Che, he is a normal 17-year-old boy that learns some very scary things during this story. He knows his little sister is a psychopath and records her when they talk about how she feels. I really have to say that I think the author turned into being a 17-year-old boy and did a fabulous job with the teens in this story.
The rundown of the story itself I think the author did a stellar job with the topic of a child being a psychopath. Rosa was so freaking creepy and I think this would make one killer movie! The pace of the book was perfect and I don't say that too much. It flowed very well while being fast enough to keep it interesting but slow enough to really let the story unfold and build with tension. I kept thinking of all the bad things Rosa could do and was so shocked as each one happened. I fully understand how parents don't want to think of their kids as being crazy but this family really needed a wake-up call. I felt so bad for Sally but really I think this family was very weird. As the kids called their parents by their first names instead of mom and dad. It made their family dynamics really feel off. Like the kids were separated from their parents. I mean for me I love being called mom and I wouldn't change that for anything.
While writing up this review I realized that the cast of characters in this book other than Che, David, and one other parent and an ex-boyfriend that shows up. The rest of the cast is all female. I think that really made this story even better. I mean I didn't really focus on everyone's gender. We have one character that doesn't prescribe to one at all, a few girls that are gay, and then Che and his family. I think there were a few guys at the gym that Che goes to but that's about it. The main cast was all girls.
Another thing this story did was have a character that was a boxer but also very religious. Sojourner was a full on Christian but she didn't hate on people. She was the daughter of two women (mom and momma) and I really kind of loved her. I do think that she should have been more understanding with the situation but in the end, I think she did what she thought was right to keep her and her family safe.
This book was so full of diversity that it just made it so much better!! I could not put it down and again I really need a book two to this one. We could watch Rosa grow up and hopefully be put in a mental hospital or something.
The twist at the end of this one was out of this world. It shocked and horrified me. There are two major twists by the end of this one and man I did NOT see those coming at all. And yes one made me cry.
Some other tidbits about the book:
*I really liked how the book was split up into the list that Che made.
*I think that it should have been touched on how obsessed Che was with Rosa. I think this family needed a major wake up call. That Che is not Rosa's parent and he needs to just be able to be a kid. Or ya know to get out of that house.
*At the end of this one its mentioned
Spoiler
that Lelaini's parents are of course paying for everything, this is mentioned all throughout the book. So Lelaini states that her parents wouldn't do something like this unless Che's parents had something on them. But this is never explained. I really think that this was set up to be a series but it just never happened.Go Into This One Knowing: Shocking!