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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
tense
medium-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mass/school shootings
Grateful for the opportunity to catch this emerging trilogy. Excited about seeing the preview and buildup for its release-- and then the initial immediate raving about it-- I finally had the chance to dive in. What a read. What a ridiculously-packed layered story. So much touched on in politics, social issues, race, human nature, and... throwing in magic, mystical beings, parallel universes... and one would think this is going to be a jumbled mess of a ride. And while it IS timeline-hopping, reality-shifting, back-and-forth, frustratingly fast-paced-- and at the same time, frustratingly banal-- it not only WORKS, but it is done by a masterful artist who somehow pulls it all together. In all honesty, I was frustrated most of the way through it. Wishing it made some sense. Hoping for things to find its mark... in fantastical Sci-Fi/Fantasy, fictional realism, and/or social commentary... and it never does. It thrives in this mix of 'mess.' Jason Sheehan's line in his NPR review of this novel hit home hard: "It is both beautifully fantastical and wondrously mundane."
Asking myself, many times, whether I could finish the story due to my ongoing frustration, I kept turning pages. Eagerly. Pulled forward through the shifting incomprehensible threads of human travails. Not anyone can balance a monster story in a setting that is real. The magic Turnbull has in making so many emotive moments within this whirling molasses flow is worth all the raving. Still, this reader is not sure whether the investment is worth pushing through 2 more upcoming frustrating adventures. Knowing myself though, I'll gripe to myself all the way through the magical moments.
Asking myself, many times, whether I could finish the story due to my ongoing frustration, I kept turning pages. Eagerly. Pulled forward through the shifting incomprehensible threads of human travails. Not anyone can balance a monster story in a setting that is real. The magic Turnbull has in making so many emotive moments within this whirling molasses flow is worth all the raving. Still, this reader is not sure whether the investment is worth pushing through 2 more upcoming frustrating adventures. Knowing myself though, I'll gripe to myself all the way through the magical moments.
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
3.75/5
This was decent for me, but it was a little difficult to get invested in at first.
What starts out as the story of a man gunned down by police turns into the story of "monsters" and their fight to be recognized as beings worthy of the right to live their lives as they see fit.
This is a complex story weaving in so many themes, with civil rights at the forefront. It is so relevant to the fight that so many people who have been "othered" are facing today.
It was well done, but the reason I had an issue with it is the style of the telling. There are so many POVs, and the story jumps between them before you really get a sense of who is who and what's going on.
The story was decent, though, so I will be continuing this series.
This was decent for me, but it was a little difficult to get invested in at first.
What starts out as the story of a man gunned down by police turns into the story of "monsters" and their fight to be recognized as beings worthy of the right to live their lives as they see fit.
This is a complex story weaving in so many themes, with civil rights at the forefront. It is so relevant to the fight that so many people who have been "othered" are facing today.
It was well done, but the reason I had an issue with it is the style of the telling. There are so many POVs, and the story jumps between them before you really get a sense of who is who and what's going on.
The story was decent, though, so I will be continuing this series.
This book is complex, and unapologetically layered. No Gods, No Monsters drops you into a world where monsters are real and so are conspiracies, secret societies, and deep systemic fear... so basically current day society. The non-linear storytelling did take some adjusting to, but once I let go of needing to understand everything, I really got into the rhythm of it.
What really stood out to me was how Turnbull weaves political resistance and issues of morality and humanity into a story about the supernatural. It’s not just about monsters, it’s about who gets labeled one, and why. The commentary on power, surveillance, oppression, and collective action is so smart and so relevant. I love when speculative fiction doesn’t shy away from real-world stuff, and this book leans all the way in.
It’s the kind of story that challenges you and rewards you for sticking with it. Mind turning in all the right ways, like a puzzle you’re still mulling over in your head after the last page.
And by the end, you’re left wondering: who REALLY are the monsters?
This was a fantastic book to listen to for me. It really takes the idea of gods and monsters, and shows us what it might look like if we were to discover that we live among in with these creatures every day. It peals back, the layers of our societies systematic structures in an enthralling way. I can't wait to the next one.
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book took effort to follow, but I loved it and couldn't put it down. I look forward to the sequels especially given how the real-world political context both has and hasn't changed.
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes