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4.2 AVERAGE
4.2 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Oh Frances, how you are exactly like me. I fear that if i read this back in 2014-2017, i wouldve had more hope in a friendship i had left. Man how i wish my story went like this. But alas here we are. These stars are biased obviously but it was an enjoyable read
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-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:
Yes
“Hello. I hope somebody is listening.”
This was such a unique YA contemporary! I loved Frances and Aled's friendship. The themes explored in this book—i.e. finding a place to belong and making your voice heard—were so beautifully portrayed and reflected on, and I loved Universe City as a backdrop. There were some parts that were hard to get through, but the whole story is so heartwrenchingly important, and the representation and diversity in the characters felt so realistic and respectful. I did find it a little hard at times to connect with the writing, which was done in a way that made certain things feel like they were happening in a strange limbo dreamlike place that I couldn't quite reach, and the plot did get a bit slow in places, but the characters and their complex relationships made up for it. I'm so glad I read this!
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Suicide
could’ve been my favorite book of the year, but the ending felt anticlimactic and didn’t like wrap everything up - 4.25
ummm looking back I feel like I’ve forgot everything I read about this
ummm looking back I feel like I’ve forgot everything I read about this
fast-paced
by no means a perfect story or perfect writing and yet i finished in <5 hours and walked away impressed by how invested i was in these characters. i appreciate the world building for the osemanverse. one qualm i have is the main character’s “interchangeable” ethnicity/race. if you put her character qualities and quirks in a white character, the story would play out the same. there is little to no indication that she is British-Ethiopian other than weak references that feel like an obligation to include racially diverse characters but not actually honor or represent them realistically. especially for a novel addressing topics of imposter syndrome and academic pressure, which are experienced by POC differently than by the white majority, this felt like a missed opportunity.