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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
The first half of this book was really slow and that made it difficult for me to get in to. The second half gets a lot more interesting to the point where I’m now interested in continuing to read the series. But, there are a lot of different characters to try and keep track of and the POV jumps around a lot so tracking what was going on was tricky for me. I highly recommend NOT listening to the audiobook and reading a physician copy instead. Being able to flip back and forth was vital.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
a beautifully structured and written supernatural mystery, of sorts, that operates both literally and allegorically. His prose is judicious and hits hard. Like the best mysteries, he understands how to build a peel so that its revelations are satisfying and impactful. He also knows when not to reveal anything.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book for review.
I was interested in the premise of this book- what happens when monsters or supernatural beings reveal that they've been among us all along? But I had difficulties.
The book jumps around a lot. There were at least three or four different storylines happening when I put the book down. Some of them might have been tangentially connected, but I couldn't tell. It seemed like one character (who spoke in first person) would insert themselves into the middle of other storylines like they were observing, but they were either dreaming, astrally-projecting, or somehow being there without any other characters noticing. I wasn't sure what was happening. The breaks between the storylines themselves were abrupt in transition. Maybe the copy of the book I had didn't have breaks marked as clearly, but I had difficulty with the changing storylines. Also, the characters themselves didn't seem to have distinct voices. There were different characters introduced, but I had a hard time keeping track of who was who because they "sounded" similar to me. Sondra and Sonya, for example. They were introduced in the same sentence and I couldn't distinguish them personality-wise.
Tone fluctuated, too. There was a young woman agonizing about her brother, who had been molested as a boy, and how she failed to save him. Then a quick change to a scene about a secret semi-cannibal cult- horror, sort of? Then a character having a beer in St. Thomas reminiscing about old times.
I couldn't seem to concentrate enough to get a handle on what was happening, and I ended up putting the book down for good.
I was interested in the premise of this book- what happens when monsters or supernatural beings reveal that they've been among us all along? But I had difficulties.
The book jumps around a lot. There were at least three or four different storylines happening when I put the book down. Some of them might have been tangentially connected, but I couldn't tell. It seemed like one character (who spoke in first person) would insert themselves into the middle of other storylines like they were observing, but they were either dreaming, astrally-projecting, or somehow being there without any other characters noticing. I wasn't sure what was happening. The breaks between the storylines themselves were abrupt in transition. Maybe the copy of the book I had didn't have breaks marked as clearly, but I had difficulty with the changing storylines. Also, the characters themselves didn't seem to have distinct voices. There were different characters introduced, but I had a hard time keeping track of who was who because they "sounded" similar to me. Sondra and Sonya, for example. They were introduced in the same sentence and I couldn't distinguish them personality-wise.
Tone fluctuated, too. There was a young woman agonizing about her brother, who had been molested as a boy, and how she failed to save him. Then a quick change to a scene about a secret semi-cannibal cult- horror, sort of? Then a character having a beer in St. Thomas reminiscing about old times.
I couldn't seem to concentrate enough to get a handle on what was happening, and I ended up putting the book down for good.
The worlds we imagine really exist. They are beyond some veil we can’t cross. We glimpse them through our literature, our movies, our music. They exist, but we can never visit them, can never confirm their existence.
This is, most definitely, a must read.
Monsters are real! What the hell are we gon' do now?
I didn't know what to expect from this story, but it delivered everything I liked and more. There's monsters, every type you could possibly imagine, from werewolves to... dragons? There's eldritch terrors picked right from Lovecraft's imaginarium, there's secret societies, time and space travel, and a mysterious narrator.
It's an absolute page turner. A completely diverse cast of characters, LGBT+ and race-wise, that's gonna make you want to know more about every single one of them. Sometimes a fantasy book, sometimes a thriller one, many times a horror. And it all happens seaminglessly. The prose is great, much like a literary fiction.
Monsters existed in the liminal space of half-belief and practical superstition. Even folks who claimed not to believe in God knew not to tempt devils. Superstition provided a certain kind of freedom, allowed a certain kind of power.
The audiobook is amazing, but i wouldn't recommend reading it only on audio just because the story is very complex, with a web of characters that might be hard to follow just on audio. I listened to another book with the same narrator, Lovely War, and he also did a wonderful job there. Dion Graham puts an emotive tone to every chapter, elevating the reading experience.
I'm so so happy it's the first in a series because i NEED the next books. I feel like this one just showed me the tip of the iceberg and I'm so excited to see what else is there in the universe Cadwell Turnbull created.
Nothing ends. It bleeds.
- ARC provided by Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is a book I would have loved at a different point and maybe will come back to some day but just not where I'm at currently.