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terranovanz's review against another edition
4.0
A ripping second half made up for a slow start. A worthy companion to The Midwife and Etta.
bethtabler's review
2.0
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my open and honest review.
As much as I wanted to, I cannot become engaged with this story. It is a post-apocalyptic novel that delves into gender identity. On the surface, this sounds damn interesting. But this story is hampered by its flowery writing style, I think more so than the other books in the series. I tried an audiobook, a paper copy, and an e-reader to see if a different reading device would help, and it didn't. I don't think I am the correct person for this book and I had to DNF at 30%.
As much as I wanted to, I cannot become engaged with this story. It is a post-apocalyptic novel that delves into gender identity. On the surface, this sounds damn interesting. But this story is hampered by its flowery writing style, I think more so than the other books in the series. I tried an audiobook, a paper copy, and an e-reader to see if a different reading device would help, and it didn't. I don't think I am the correct person for this book and I had to DNF at 30%.
slovespie's review
challenging
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
lazyeggo's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
queerofcups's review against another edition
2.0
This book was bad. The writing itself was fine, Elison clearly knows how to put a sentence together well and every one of these characters are interesting. I wish Elison had given them time and space to be as interesting as they were. I'm not sure how a book can be too long while also feeling like the writer didn't have enough time, but this one did. Everything that was supposed to be emotionally heavy about the last chapter needed to have started in the second book and I found myself skimming through literally anything characters added in the final hours of the book had to say.
Also, I thought what Elison was trying to do with the meditations on sex, sexuality and gender were interesting in the second book, but the introduction of "frags" and confusing discussion on what I guess were supposed to represent intersex people ended up feeling really gross and dehumanizing (also...I don't think evolution works that way.). All in all, it felt like Elison (or her manager) wanted to bank on the success of Book of the Unnamed Midwife and didn't give herself enough time to write a worthy sequel of what was a really great book.
Also, I thought what Elison was trying to do with the meditations on sex, sexuality and gender were interesting in the second book, but the introduction of "frags" and confusing discussion on what I guess were supposed to represent intersex people ended up feeling really gross and dehumanizing (also...I don't think evolution works that way.). All in all, it felt like Elison (or her manager) wanted to bank on the success of Book of the Unnamed Midwife and didn't give herself enough time to write a worthy sequel of what was a really great book.
vkshiro's review against another edition
4.0
At first I was a little disappointed that the main character was Flora -- I wasn't a huge fan of her but I did end up liking the book. Connie's rampage seemed to come a little out of left field though so I wish that had either been explored more or written better. But I still liked the book and the ending discovery of women who do not need men to procreate was a good way to end. Also, I'd never heard of Guevedoces so that was interesting to learn about. This happens in a remote village in the Dominican Republic where some babies are seemingly female when born but then develop male sex organs at puberty. https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-34290981
annauq's review against another edition
5.0
"We have the complete story of our attempts at civilisation, in all the forms it has taken. Every one with the same goals, every one taking a different route to get there. (...) this is the work that women do. We keep the fire of civilisation burning, by collecting and protecting stories. It's what we have always done."
The Book of Flora is a rallying cry to queers, a fierce and unapologetic chronicle of queer love and life in a post-apocalyptic world. It's about love and about loss and jealousy and hatred and all the messy things in between. It’s about finding meaning in a meaningless world; about what it means to be a woman in a world where childbirth means everything.
But mostly its about the human condition, the ugly fuck-ups we are and the beautiful devastation we leave in our wake. It’s about our stories; the memories we have and the role we play in those of others. It’s about preserving queer stories against all odds, about etching out an otherwise erased existence.
There’s a rage boiling under the surface of Elison’s words; an absolute and utter refusal to submit, to accept; to gently go. It picks you up and hurls you through a vicious, broken world where men are monsters. Survival is linked to birth is linked to a legacy and on and on we go, and endless cycle of death and rebirth that leaves you breathless and needing more.
For a book about killing and dying, it is incredibly alive.
I love it, I love it, I love it.
The Book of Flora is a rallying cry to queers, a fierce and unapologetic chronicle of queer love and life in a post-apocalyptic world. It's about love and about loss and jealousy and hatred and all the messy things in between. It’s about finding meaning in a meaningless world; about what it means to be a woman in a world where childbirth means everything.
But mostly its about the human condition, the ugly fuck-ups we are and the beautiful devastation we leave in our wake. It’s about our stories; the memories we have and the role we play in those of others. It’s about preserving queer stories against all odds, about etching out an otherwise erased existence.
There’s a rage boiling under the surface of Elison’s words; an absolute and utter refusal to submit, to accept; to gently go. It picks you up and hurls you through a vicious, broken world where men are monsters. Survival is linked to birth is linked to a legacy and on and on we go, and endless cycle of death and rebirth that leaves you breathless and needing more.
For a book about killing and dying, it is incredibly alive.
I love it, I love it, I love it.
jpeterson13's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
readingwithstardust's review
5.0
This book broke my fucking heart. I love Flora with all my soul, she is so gorgeous and I'm so glad we got her story. I just, want to love her the way she deserved.
lelathecat's review against another edition
3.0
A lengthy, but satisfying end to the trilogy.
The last book in the trilogy veers a bit from the other two and has more of a conclusory feeling to the entire book. The perspectives on sexuality and gender in this one are also much more developed and obvious than in the first two books, making it feel a bit cumbersome, but the characters are so good and distract from that.
The last book in the trilogy veers a bit from the other two and has more of a conclusory feeling to the entire book. The perspectives on sexuality and gender in this one are also much more developed and obvious than in the first two books, making it feel a bit cumbersome, but the characters are so good and distract from that.