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escapismforlife's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This story is beautiful and solidifies that Marie Lu's writing to this day can still make me cry.
Fun fact about me before you read this review : I had a minor in Woman and Gender Studies. One that I completed spring of 2021.
A real life firgure like Marianne Mozart is why I refuse to keep my mouth shut when it comes to my opinion. And incorporating characters in stories that have sensitive men who listen, validate and help women and women of color.
While she had many privileges and rights growing up getting her due recognition and respect was never one of them. And for that reason I will continue to be critical of men and women who I'm around to not live in delusion of the western society's patriarchal oppression.
Fun fact about me before you read this review : I had a minor in Woman and Gender Studies. One that I completed spring of 2021.
A real life firgure like Marianne Mozart is why I refuse to keep my mouth shut when it comes to my opinion. And incorporating characters in stories that have sensitive men who listen, validate and help women and women of color.
While she had many privileges and rights growing up getting her due recognition and respect was never one of them. And for that reason I will continue to be critical of men and women who I'm around to not live in delusion of the western society's patriarchal oppression.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Child abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Chronic illness, Sexism, and Confinement
Moderate: Abandonment and Violence
Minor: Body horror
allyhoo811's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
My admittedly disorganized thoughts after reading "The Kingdom of Back"
Positives (for me):
1) I don't feel this book should be marketed as YA. Yes, the protagonist is a teenage girl, but it feels much more general audience to me.
2) The writing style is beautiful and had a dreamlike quality. I found myself falling asleep on several occasions while reading this one -- not because it was boring, but the cadence of the words just kind of lulled me into dreamland lol
3) This book has some wonderful Dark "Peter Pan" vibes (reminded me a bit of Season 3 of Once Upon A Time in that way). If you enjoy that story, I'd try this.
4) Fans of portal fantasies should check this out.
5) The brother/sister relationship in this story is perfection.
6) I loved that I was never sure what the author intended the Kingdom of Back to be: was it a real place, a dream, I childhood game, or was Nannerl experiencing some kind of mental health issues (schizophrenia perhaps).
Negatives (for me):
1) The last 2 or 3 chapters (after the time jump to post-Mozart's death) really brought the book down for me. They didn't feel necessary to me and really left me confused (not in a good way this time) to the author's intentions for what the Kingdom was and what the theme of the story was. It should have just ended without these chapters included.
2) There are several historical inaccuracies (at least according to some very basic google research). It doesn't greatly affect the story, but if you like researching your historical fiction/fantasy you will find it is there.
Positives (for me):
1) I don't feel this book should be marketed as YA. Yes, the protagonist is a teenage girl, but it feels much more general audience to me.
2) The writing style is beautiful and had a dreamlike quality. I found myself falling asleep on several occasions while reading this one -- not because it was boring, but the cadence of the words just kind of lulled me into dreamland lol
3) This book has some wonderful Dark "Peter Pan" vibes (reminded me a bit of Season 3 of Once Upon A Time in that way). If you enjoy that story, I'd try this.
4) Fans of portal fantasies should check this out.
5) The brother/sister relationship in this story is perfection.
6) I loved that I was never sure what the author intended the Kingdom of Back to be: was it a real place, a dream, I childhood game, or was Nannerl experiencing some kind of mental health issues (schizophrenia perhaps).
Negatives (for me):
1) The last 2 or 3 chapters (after the time jump to post-Mozart's death) really brought the book down for me. They didn't feel necessary to me and really left me confused (not in a good way this time) to the author's intentions for what the Kingdom was and what the theme of the story was. It should have just ended without these chapters included.
2) There are several historical inaccuracies (at least according to some very basic google research). It doesn't greatly affect the story, but if you like researching your historical fiction/fantasy you will find it is there.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Medical content, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Abandonment, Confinement, Death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Terminal illness
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Xenophobia
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