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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I've been waiting for this book for a year, so when it finally came out you know I was right down to Waterstones, first thing in the morning, to get my copy.
Well, I got it and now I've finished it, and it's probably going to be another year before we get the sequel (thank god, confirmed). It definitely needs a sequel; the ending was inconclusive and too open ended, even without Penny's ending wham line. That isn't to say that the book wasn't good. On the contrary, I had a great time with it. More than once I had to put it down for a minute, until I'd stopped smiling so wide and I could concentrate again.
I love these characters. I love Simon and Baz, and I relate to Penny so much that it hurts at times. (I don't like my hands either, Penny. May I call you Penny?) I love that Agatha is completely unapologetic about wanting to leave the World of Mages. In fact, I think that's one of the best parts of this book; the characters are allowed to feel the way that they do, even when it's ugly, without the pressure to apologise for it. Agatha doesn't want to be a mage, and that's her choice. Baz wants to learn about the vampires of Las Vegas, and that's his choice, just like it's Simon's to be unhappy about it.
(I mis-typed a moment ago and wrote campires rather than vampires. They weren't that kind of fictional vampire, though. Unless you count Baz's impeccable sense of style.)
In a lot of fiction, I think you often find that characters feel the need to apologise, or are outright told to apologise, for feeling the way that they do, sometimes even when they turn out to be right to feel the way they do. It always bugs me. Apologise for poor actions all you want; the way you feel is your business alone.
I never trusted Lamb, not for a moment. Maybe no one but Baz did. Maybe that was the point, but I have to say, I didn't expect that he and NowNext were reluctant allies. I thought he was just straight up one of them. Well. I'm sure we'll be seeing them again in the sequel, or at some point further in the future still. My feelings for Shepard evolved and changed too. At the beginning, I felt exactly like Penny did. "Who the hell is this Normal and why is he acting like they owe him their knowledge or company?" I definitely warmed up to him faster than Penny did though. I really hope we see him again.
(Also, is it just me, or is there potential for an interesting relationship between he and Agatha? I don't mean romantically, necessarily, I just mean that there's a parallel there; he's a Normal who wants to know the World of Mages. She's a mage who wants no part of the World of Mages. I don't know. I think there's interesting material there somewhere.)
Anyway.
The relationship between Simon and Baz has the potential to become one of my favourites in fiction, if they can only get it together and actually talk to each other! Seriously, I was begging them to just communicate the entire way through. They adore each other. We know they adore each other. They don't know they adore each other. It's a tiny bit agonising. I want to say that they're already one of my favourite fictional couples, because when they get along they are. I love them together, when they get along. They spent much of Wayward Son doing the opposite of this.
I also feel that Rowell did a great job of discussing social issues. It's one thing to read a book about them and quite another to find one that isn't, but that has found an effective way of communicating a message about them. A lot of fiction at the moment, I find, talks about issues in an off-putting manner, coming off as shoddily done and sometimes outright repellent (take season eleven of Doctor Who. Could have been done well. Wasn't.)
It's like eating; we all need to do it, but there's a difference between doing so with a knife and fork, and forcefully cramming food down someone's throat, snarling "enjoy your nourishment, bitch" in their face. Rainbow Rowell takes the knife and fork approach, for which I am infinitely grateful.
I cannot wait for book three. Please don't take too long, Ms Rowell! (May I call you Rainbow?)
Well, I got it and now I've finished it, and it's probably going to be another year before we get the sequel (thank god, confirmed). It definitely needs a sequel; the ending was inconclusive and too open ended, even without Penny's ending wham line. That isn't to say that the book wasn't good. On the contrary, I had a great time with it. More than once I had to put it down for a minute, until I'd stopped smiling so wide and I could concentrate again.
I love these characters. I love Simon and Baz, and I relate to Penny so much that it hurts at times. (I don't like my hands either, Penny. May I call you Penny?) I love that Agatha is completely unapologetic about wanting to leave the World of Mages. In fact, I think that's one of the best parts of this book; the characters are allowed to feel the way that they do, even when it's ugly, without the pressure to apologise for it. Agatha doesn't want to be a mage, and that's her choice. Baz wants to learn about the vampires of Las Vegas, and that's his choice, just like it's Simon's to be unhappy about it.
(I mis-typed a moment ago and wrote campires rather than vampires. They weren't that kind of fictional vampire, though. Unless you count Baz's impeccable sense of style.)
In a lot of fiction, I think you often find that characters feel the need to apologise, or are outright told to apologise, for feeling the way that they do, sometimes even when they turn out to be right to feel the way they do. It always bugs me. Apologise for poor actions all you want; the way you feel is your business alone.
I never trusted Lamb, not for a moment. Maybe no one but Baz did. Maybe that was the point, but I have to say, I didn't expect that he and NowNext were reluctant allies. I thought he was just straight up one of them. Well. I'm sure we'll be seeing them again in the sequel, or at some point further in the future still. My feelings for Shepard evolved and changed too. At the beginning, I felt exactly like Penny did. "Who the hell is this Normal and why is he acting like they owe him their knowledge or company?" I definitely warmed up to him faster than Penny did though. I really hope we see him again.
(Also, is it just me, or is there potential for an interesting relationship between he and Agatha? I don't mean romantically, necessarily, I just mean that there's a parallel there; he's a Normal who wants to know the World of Mages. She's a mage who wants no part of the World of Mages. I don't know. I think there's interesting material there somewhere.)
Anyway.
The relationship between Simon and Baz has the potential to become one of my favourites in fiction, if they can only get it together and actually talk to each other! Seriously, I was begging them to just communicate the entire way through. They adore each other. We know they adore each other. They don't know they adore each other. It's a tiny bit agonising. I want to say that they're already one of my favourite fictional couples, because when they get along they are. I love them together, when they get along. They spent much of Wayward Son doing the opposite of this.
I also feel that Rowell did a great job of discussing social issues. It's one thing to read a book about them and quite another to find one that isn't, but that has found an effective way of communicating a message about them. A lot of fiction at the moment, I find, talks about issues in an off-putting manner, coming off as shoddily done and sometimes outright repellent (take season eleven of Doctor Who. Could have been done well. Wasn't.)
It's like eating; we all need to do it, but there's a difference between doing so with a knife and fork, and forcefully cramming food down someone's throat, snarling "enjoy your nourishment, bitch" in their face. Rainbow Rowell takes the knife and fork approach, for which I am infinitely grateful.
I cannot wait for book three. Please don't take too long, Ms Rowell! (May I call you Rainbow?)
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This is...so fucking good. It is a chef's kiss and a firm hug. Rowell is letting her excellent characters grow up and it's really a delight to watch and listen.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm on a pretty big Rainbow Rowell kick right now. This was a fun adventure.
My favorite line from the whole book was directed to the animal eating vampire and went something along the lines of "a snake for breakfast, a snake for lunch and a sensible dinner."
My favorite line from the whole book was directed to the animal eating vampire and went something along the lines of "a snake for breakfast, a snake for lunch and a sensible dinner."
sooo…what was the point of that? felt very unattached from the original story which i LOVE. hopefully the next book will feel more like the first one
I wish this book was just a little bit longer. After Carry On, which was just a stand-alone and works well as one, this sequel was still really good. I love these ideas, and an American road trip with Simon and Baz won me over straight away. Shepard as a new character intrigues me, especially after what he reveals at the end. And that cliffhanger ending makes me want to pick up the final book so much. My main problem is that the characters almost felt the same, and I thought there was little to distinguish the POV's from each other. Also the epilogue and prologue threw me at first, but now it make sense why it was done like that.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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:
No