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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
SUMMARY: Ireland is falling apart, caught somewhere between a fascist goverment take over and a violent resistance.There's always a reason for a family not to leave, and then suddenly it's just about too late
I had a hard time reading this book for pretty much the same reason that I think it's really powerful. It doesn't have that "epic fantasy" scope. You feel lost and disoriented here, seeing the world falling apart through such a limited perspective. Nothing seems to be caused by anything specific, just falling and falling and falling apart. But... that's the point. It's hard to follow confusion like this, and it's probably hard to orient yourself in it in real life. It's hard to trust anything. It's hard to make decisions, and that paralysis is insidious
I have one detail I thought was really cool (in such a minor way, but so tasteful and so impactful) :We never had to see anyone get raped to know that there was a threat of it. Again, that's really minor, except it's not. I'm so sick of violence against women being something an author adds to a book to up the stakes, to prove a point. Yes, it's there. It's scary. It's very very real. And no, we don't need to see it happen. Because the story can make its points without such a graphic, careless visual.
I had a hard time reading this book for pretty much the same reason that I think it's really powerful. It doesn't have that "epic fantasy" scope. You feel lost and disoriented here, seeing the world falling apart through such a limited perspective. Nothing seems to be caused by anything specific, just falling and falling and falling apart. But... that's the point. It's hard to follow confusion like this, and it's probably hard to orient yourself in it in real life. It's hard to trust anything. It's hard to make decisions, and that paralysis is insidious
I have one detail I thought was really cool (in such a minor way, but so tasteful and so impactful) :
dark
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Starts great and really engaging, and then the middle just gets so inanely repetitive for no reason at all. Feels like writing and pages used for the sake of it. The penultimate chapter is excellent, and the final chapter is disappointing on a level that cannot be explained.
For a writer that has some great metaphor and imagery, albeit using way way way too much of it for the sake of it, it massively misses the age old golden rule of 'show don't tell'.
For a writer that has some great metaphor and imagery, albeit using way way way too much of it for the sake of it, it massively misses the age old golden rule of 'show don't tell'.
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I’m sorry prophet song… I feel like I’ve let this book down… I could tell it was objectively good but I just couldn’t lock in! Was never excited to pick it up, found the style a bit challenging, and found the pacing weird - just this thing then this thing then this thing
I also think I would have preferred more of the build up and how the country ended up there than just life at war.
That being said,I did have to fight back tears on the tube when she identified Bailey !
I also think I would have preferred more of the build up and how the country ended up there than just life at war.
That being said,
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No