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kibiiiariii's review
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Kidnapping, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Homophobia, Murder, Pedophilia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Stalking, Trafficking, Vomit, Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Confinement, Death, Grief, and Outing
noldorin's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I think "Airy Nothing" is a quite good read mainly due to John, who's very ambiguous. Wether we interpret him as a trans woman, trans man or non binary it doesn't really matter and I really like this aspect.
Aside from John, the characters are quite lovely despite de context of the world they live in and what goes on around them. I got quickly attached to Jack and John and really liked the dynamic they had.
Another bit I like a lot is the Author's Note, explaining why certain lines from Shakespeare were used in each chapters. It gives a bit of a look in the writing process and it's also pretty nice to understand, with contexts, why the lines were chosen.
However what made me not give "Airy Nothing" 4 stars or more is majorly the pace of it. It's, in my opinion, too fast paced.
Everything is very quick and while I chose to interpret it as the way John views the world around him and all the new, overwhelming sensations, it did make it difficult sometimes to concentrate.
Sometimes the switch between what's the real world and John's view could also be confusing and mixing this with the fast pace of scenes it ended up being a lot to process and concentrate on.
Aside from John, the characters are quite lovely despite de context of the world they live in and what goes on around them. I got quickly attached to Jack and John and really liked the dynamic they had.
Another bit I like a lot is the Author's Note, explaining why certain lines from Shakespeare were used in each chapters. It gives a bit of a look in the writing process and it's also pretty nice to understand, with contexts, why the lines were chosen.
However what made me not give "Airy Nothing" 4 stars or more is majorly the pace of it. It's, in my opinion, too fast paced.
Everything is very quick and while I chose to interpret it as the way John views the world around him and all the new, overwhelming sensations, it did make it difficult sometimes to concentrate.
Sometimes the switch between what's the real world and John's view could also be confusing and mixing this with the fast pace of scenes it ended up being a lot to process and concentrate on.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, and Violence
sofiadanielle's review
adventurous
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
4.0
I got this book on a whim, enjoying the cover and the book synopsis seemed promising. I will say, I enjoyed the book, but there are some hitches, hence my rating.
The language used seemed a bit confusing at first, trying to figure out what John is “seeing” versus what’s actually real life, but once you get a hang of this, you can navigate the story a bit easier.
Another qualm I have is that the plot “peak” The Butcher’s death scene, and surrounding scenes seemed rushed and maybe too quick. Though I suppose many scenes in the novel are written in similar fashion with how fast they go.
I also wish the ending was longer, but the final chapter was a quick and sweet ending. I loved both Black Jack and John, and the magical elements (whether only in John’s head or not) were a nice touch to the storyline. Excited to read more of Pattern’s work in the future :)
The language used seemed a bit confusing at first, trying to figure out what John is “seeing” versus what’s actually real life, but once you get a hang of this, you can navigate the story a bit easier.
Another qualm I have is that the plot “peak”
I also wish the ending was longer, but the final chapter was a quick and sweet ending. I loved both Black Jack and John, and the magical elements (whether only in John’s head or not) were a nice touch to the storyline. Excited to read more of Pattern’s work in the future :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, and Homophobia
Moderate: Vomit and Violence
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