Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

Ceux qu'il nous faut retrouver by Joan He

63 reviews

booksthatburn's review against another edition

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I don't like the feeling of being poised in suspense to find out whether the twist is obvious or strange. There are two main characters with two different understandings of what their reality is, and I got far enough to know I didn't care who was right, if one or both of them are actually dead, or if it's some additional permutation I didn't think of.

The island sequences were pretty cool, the world is an interesting dystopia, and I like the audiobook narrator. This just wasn't a story I like.
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shadereads's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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littlewishling's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

He tells a story of sisters and what it is to be human. An emotional journey about living for yourself and for others.
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librarianlayla's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This book hurts. It hurt me so much. I adored it.

Slow to start but it does pick up pace and I found myself unable to put it down, finally finishing it at 2am. 

It's raw and heartfelt and sad and tragic. 

If you love stories based on familial bonds, on tackling environmental issues and discovering one's purpose in life - this book is for you. But prepare your heart to break.
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ajthequeen's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Fresh concept, predictable (but not too cheesy/lame) twists. Big horizon zero dawn vibes from the plotline. Id love to see a sequel following the immediate end of this book. Overall 3.75 stars. I liked the characters and i liked that they were complex and Kasey was Autistic (you can pry that out of my cold dead hands) but it was never really seen as a flaw and kasey came to love herself because of it. I liked that actinium wasnt a broody sad boy and that there was no huge romance plot. 
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ghostlyprince's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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smrj's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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mattiedancer's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

 Writing: 4⭐️/5 
Solidly written with some truly beautiful sections. Lots of really great foreshadowing that you don’t necessarily realize until you look back on it. Parts of the story can be a bit jarring and confusing, though He mostly smooths these out quickly. 
 
Characters: 4⭐️/5 
Beautifully different characters with realistic flaws and goals. The end felt a bit forced onto the characters, rather than created by the characters. Some sacrifices for plot over characters. 
 
Plot: 4.75⭐️/5 
Superb plot. Everything felt wrapped up at the end, but not too neatly. Some good surprises that didn’t feel forced or fake. 
 
Post-Reading Rating:  5⭐️/5 
Amazing plot. Interesting, thoughtful, well-developed and thought out. 
 
Final Rating: 4.5⭐️/5 
 
Notes: Joan He definitely sacrificed a bit of characterization for plot. Feels like a gem of the genre, regardless. 
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sarah984's review against another edition

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mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Overall I enjoyed this one. The author’s note mentioned it feeling weird to edit this book in 2020, and it definitely feels weird to read after having lived through so many climate emergencies in 2021.

Most of the characters are interesting and the central dilemmas of the book feel real. I loved the robot U-me and Cee’s routine on the island. However, I thought the romance was extremely silly and the ending was a little muddled.
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f18's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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