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weigel_brianna's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicide attempt and War
yilliun's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and War
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Confinement
chasinggrace's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
I thought this was so cool. What an experiment in prose and structure. What a way to weave a love story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Grief, Cannibalism, and War
james1star's review against another edition
challenging
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I think I bought into the hype of this book and it really did not deliver. I barely read anything sci-fi/fantasy or the like and I feel you need to be a little be versed in this style to get on board with this one. The story basically follows two protagonist (Red and Blue) who are the top agents of their respective factions competing in a time war. They start sending each other messages, going from friends to sometime more. This romance and connection is by far the best part, it’s sweet and over the course of the novella I did get on board. However, this is heavily overshadowed by how confusing it is and made me feel, it’s really hard to know what is both actually going on and why. The way the messages are sent/received are truly mind boggling leaving me in a daze at times - this was also really repetitive as it follows the structure: mc gets message which is destroyed, someone comes along and consumes it, we (as readers) get to read the letter, goes to next mc and so on. I only really found some footing on page 118 but as the book came towards the end I was baffled again, it’s really frustrating and made me feel very stupid at multiple points too. I also think the way communication is somewhat explored is done okay, similarly the two characters are portrayed as female (what that actually are I haven’t a clue) so this inclusion of a sapphic love was good. Nevertheless, I think the world building and descriptions of place and message sharing takes away some of the page count that could’ve been used to explore the character’s personality and depth more to actually make me get invested in their plight.
The writing is nice, it’s poetic at times and overall you know pleasant to read but the actual content doesn’t add up. I feel there’s potential and I could possibly gain more on a reread but I doubt I’d put myself though that again. I wouldn’t recommend it really at all by how annoying it was but I do know many many people absolutely love it so yh… maybe I just missed something? I really wished I had DNFd it.
Two quotes that I did enjoy:
‘Your letter, the sting, the beauty of it. Those forevers you promise. Neptune. I want to meet you in every place I ever loved.’
‘I love you. I'll write it in waves. In skies. In my heart. You'll never see, but you will know. I'll be all the poets, I'll kill them all and take each one's place in turn, and every time love's written in all the strands it will be to you. But never again like this.’
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and War
Minor: Death and Murder
imoran's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I am not okay - but I think, maybe, they are??
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit and War
anni_o's review against another edition
medium-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? Yes
5.0
I recommend you do not read what this is about before you start.
The style is poetic, beautiful but also a bit confusing at times. This did not hinder me from falling in love with both of them pretty much from the start. The romance hit me with a club from behind (i was the whacked seal), not because I was necessarily surprised by it, I am very familiar with enemies to lovers as a trope, but more because I was stunned how much INTO IT I was. My lesbian darlings, red in blue, blue in red, I- gods.
Anyway.
I adored reading this. Admit to needing the audiobook next to the book because I had difficulty concentrating, but that is probably just me (being non-native english speaking). The audiobook had GREAT voice actors tbh, very well-chosen.
I finished and I wanted to read it again. I cried. I gasped. I was giddy at some of the references.
I recommend if you read this to read it in one sitting, just completely engross yourself in it.
Loved the world, the two mains and how their way of interaction and how they write their letters showed so much about them.
Big recommendation from me, my kinda book, five stars straight up.
The style is poetic, beautiful but also a bit confusing at times. This did not hinder me from falling in love with both of them pretty much from the start. The romance hit me with a club from behind (i was the whacked seal), not because I was necessarily surprised by it, I am very familiar with enemies to lovers as a trope, but more because I was stunned how much INTO IT I was. My lesbian darlings, red in blue, blue in red, I- gods.
Anyway.
I adored reading this. Admit to needing the audiobook next to the book because I had difficulty concentrating, but that is probably just me (being non-native english speaking). The audiobook had GREAT voice actors tbh, very well-chosen.
I finished and I wanted to read it again. I cried. I gasped. I was giddy at some of the references.
I recommend if you read this to read it in one sitting, just completely engross yourself in it.
Loved the world, the two mains and how their way of interaction and how they write their letters showed so much about them.
Big recommendation from me, my kinda book, five stars straight up.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Confinement
annamercado19's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
5.0
Definitely one I look forward to rereading, to discovering new strands in how it all braids and unbraids. So incredibly captivating. I'm amazed at how I have been torn apart and put back together and both feel so encompassing at the same time.
At first, it was hard to follow the leaps through time. It felt scattered. But I think that's part of why the authors chose that, to make the letters be not just our focus, but the characters' as well. That was what wove them together. That is what felt most real to them and what they clung to.
I will likely update this review upon reread.
At first, it was hard to follow the leaps through time. It felt scattered. But I think that's part of why the authors chose that, to make the letters be not just our focus, but the characters' as well. That was what wove them together. That is what felt most real to them and what they clung to.
I will likely update this review upon reread.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, and War
Moderate: Death, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
peppypenguin's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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
5.0
Beautiful writing and storytelling. It feels like a fever dream: you have a sense of the key concepts and how the characters and their relationship are developing. I could not, for my life, visualize the time-traveling and how it worked. That’s okay because the mechanics of the time traveling for each character and their factions serve more as a way to distinguish how they move about space and time and interact with the universe. It also forced me to take my time and digest the words on the page, and in turn the story.
This is great as a novella. Because there is so much poetic prose it helps to have the story told in fewer pages, making it move a bit faster.
The letters between the characters are very well planned. You get a sense of their voices, understand their worlds, and watch their relationship bloom. They feel so real, and have so much depth, and seeing how they fall for each other and leave messages across time, as well as how their paths cross throughout the story is fantastically done.
As a lover of science fiction, this hit the right spot. The time traveling and manipulation of events as it’s done by each side was really interesting! The two sides of the war (the different futures fighting to win) are really unique and so vastly different. I love how they are explained just enough to have real depth and thought put into them.
Red and Blue are wonderful characters. You never learn their real names, but that’s the point. They are opposite sides of the same coin, and to see how they start as pure enemies but eventually come together is beautiful. The genre and unique world of the book is used as a tool, masterfully so, to tell their story.
Lovers of romance and/or science fiction should give this a go.
This is great as a novella. Because there is so much poetic prose it helps to have the story told in fewer pages, making it move a bit faster.
The letters between the characters are very well planned. You get a sense of their voices, understand their worlds, and watch their relationship bloom. They feel so real, and have so much depth, and seeing how they fall for each other and leave messages across time, as well as how their paths cross throughout the story is fantastically done.
As a lover of science fiction, this hit the right spot. The time traveling and manipulation of events as it’s done by each side was really interesting! The two sides of the war (the different futures fighting to win) are really unique and so vastly different. I love how they are explained just enough to have real depth and thought put into them.
Red and Blue are wonderful characters. You never learn their real names, but that’s the point. They are opposite sides of the same coin, and to see how they start as pure enemies but eventually come together is beautiful. The genre and unique world of the book is used as a tool, masterfully so, to tell their story.
Lovers of romance and/or science fiction should give this a go.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Incest, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Torture
cpratreads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
What a wonderfully beautiful book. I'm mad it took me so long to read it and so grateful that I finally did. This will be one I read again and again.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and War
mikathereviewer's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
This was one of my most anticipated books for this month and I am so disappointed.
The following will only be a rant about the book. Nothing good I found except that we got an explanation that "Steganography is hidden writing." and that the ending was interesting.
As always; I respect opinions from others and therefore expect the same to be done to me. If you liked the book, so be it. I don't have anything against your opinion or rating to this book.
First of all the letter beginnings are so weird and cringe sometimes. Especially these references. When I understood it right the 'Dearest Blue-da-ba-dee,' is a reference of this one annoying frog song and we also get other cringe-worthy references like 'Dearest 0000FF' (colour hexcode, you all can't legit call this cute or romantic) and of course our so 'cool' flex with languages 'My dear Miskowaanzhe' which is Anishinaabemowin 'cause of course the author totally speaks that language and didn't translate this on full purpose to sound so 'cool'.
The whole writing was always the same, no matter which character wrote the letter and therefore it was sometimes hard to distinguish the two. Both therefore seemed also flat and we only get trauma dumping in the most inappropriate ways. They both also wrote almost since the beginning like they knew eachother since ages and not like strangers that form a bond over time, which made it unrealistic for me to belive that they later on fell in love.
The writing style was also unbearable to me. It was often poetically written but in either cringe or way to melodramatic ways.
Examples
1. ‘Have you ever had a hunger that whetted itself on what you fed it, sharpened so keen and bright that it might split you open, break a new thing out?
Sometimes I think that’s what I have instead of friends.’
2. ‘I have been birds and branches. I have been bees and wolves. I have been ether flooding the void between stars, tangling their breath into networks of song. I have been fish and plankton and humus, and all these have been me.’
3. ‘I want to be a body for you.
I want to chase you, find you, I want to be eluded and teased and adored; I want to be defeated and victorious—I want you to cut me, sharpen me.’
I also never understood or rather we never got told what kind of creatures they both are. Even though it's science fiction, we barely get any of it. And we get almost no other explanations like how certain things worked like the ways with the MRI machine and stuff as that was their way of sending letter without being caught.
If the writing style would have been different and we would have got more explanations of things I might would have enjoyed the book more. But the whole book felt like a sketch that wasn't supposed to be published yet.
Wasn't for me, but perhaps someone else would like this story and its characters.
July 17, 2024
The following will only be a rant about the book. Nothing good I found except that we got an explanation that "Steganography is hidden writing." and that the ending was interesting.
As always; I respect opinions from others and therefore expect the same to be done to me. If you liked the book, so be it. I don't have anything against your opinion or rating to this book.
First of all the letter beginnings are so weird and cringe sometimes. Especially these references. When I understood it right the 'Dearest Blue-da-ba-dee,' is a reference of this one annoying frog song and we also get other cringe-worthy references like 'Dearest 0000FF' (colour hexcode, you all can't legit call this cute or romantic) and of course our so 'cool' flex with languages 'My dear Miskowaanzhe' which is Anishinaabemowin 'cause of course the author totally speaks that language and didn't translate this on full purpose to sound so 'cool'.
The whole writing was always the same, no matter which character wrote the letter and therefore it was sometimes hard to distinguish the two. Both therefore seemed also flat and we only get trauma dumping in the most inappropriate ways. They both also wrote almost since the beginning like they knew eachother since ages and not like strangers that form a bond over time, which made it unrealistic for me to belive that they later on fell in love.
The writing style was also unbearable to me. It was often poetically written but in either cringe or way to melodramatic ways.
Examples
1. ‘Have you ever had a hunger that whetted itself on what you fed it, sharpened so keen and bright that it might split you open, break a new thing out?
Sometimes I think that’s what I have instead of friends.’
2. ‘I have been birds and branches. I have been bees and wolves. I have been ether flooding the void between stars, tangling their breath into networks of song. I have been fish and plankton and humus, and all these have been me.’
3. ‘I want to be a body for you.
I want to chase you, find you, I want to be eluded and teased and adored; I want to be defeated and victorious—I want you to cut me, sharpen me.’
I also never understood or rather we never got told what kind of creatures they both are. Even though it's science fiction, we barely get any of it. And we get almost no other explanations like how certain things worked like the ways with the MRI machine and stuff as that was their way of sending letter without being caught.
If the writing style would have been different and we would have got more explanations of things I might would have enjoyed the book more. But the whole book felt like a sketch that wasn't supposed to be published yet.
Wasn't for me, but perhaps someone else would like this story and its characters.
July 17, 2024
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, and War
Moderate: Suicide, Stalking, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Abandonment