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missbookiverse's review
4.0
Wie schon der erste Roman der Autorin ([b:Bleeding Violet|6364657|Bleeding Violet |Dia Reeves|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/413SbGwy1pL._SL75_.jpg|6551896]) lässt sich auch Slice of Cherry mit dem Wort „verrückt“ perfekt beschreiben. Gern auch „absurd“ oder „abgedreht“. Slice of Cherry führt Bleeding Violet in bester Alice im Düsterwunderland Manier fort, kippt aber noch einige Liter Blut in die Mischung.
Am Anfang hat mich das ganze Blutvergießen etwas abgeschreckt. Ich wusste ja, was ich von Dia Reeves erwarten kann, aber viele Szenen sind wirklich krankhaft und gewaltverherrlichend. Die beiden dafür verantwortlichen Schwestern sind Psychopathen, die ihrem Morddrang nur zu gern nachgeben. Je tiefer ich in dieses Teepartyuniversum eingetaucht bin, desto leichter habe ich mich erschreckenderweise daran gewöhnt. Es gibt einfach so viel zu entdecken. Die Schwestern Kit und Fancy durchleben eine komplizierte Zeit. Sie waren immer füreinander da, haben sich gefühlt wie dieselbe Person, aber plötzlich werden sie erwachsen und Kit möchte auch mal etwas ohne ihre Schwester unternehmen, ihre eigenen Gefühle entwickeln. Fancy muss lernen damit klarzukommen und versucht gleichzeitig zu akzeptieren, dass sie nicht für immer ein Kind sein kann. Zu gern trägt sie Kleider aus der Kinderabteilung, um ihren immer weiblicher werdenden Körper zu verstecken. Dabei merkt sie nicht wie lächerlich sie aussieht.
Diese Konflikte und Entwicklungen haben die Geschichte erst richtig interessant gemacht. Überall gibt es Monster, Schlüssel, eine geheime Fantasiewelt und cartoonartige Morde, aber im Kern der Geschichte stecken zwei Mädchen, die mit dem Erwachsenwerden und ihrer Beziehung zueinander kämpfen.
Von der Handlung will ich nicht viel verraten. Auf Slice of Cherry muss man sich einlassen können. Es gibt eine Geschichte, die erzählt wird, aber in Dia Reeves selbst erschaffenem Universum existieren keine Grenzen, nichts ist unmöglich. Viele mögen das als inkonsequent bezeichnen, mir hat es unheimlich viel Spaß gemacht, nie zu wissen, was als nächstes passieren kann. Mich hat keine der 500 Seiten gelangweilt und am Ende löst sich alles wunderbar auf und macht irgendwie Sinn.
Wer nach Bleeding Violet mehr will, wird hier bestens bedient und sogar mit einem kleinen Wiedersehen mit Hanna und Wyatt belohnt.
Am Anfang hat mich das ganze Blutvergießen etwas abgeschreckt. Ich wusste ja, was ich von Dia Reeves erwarten kann, aber viele Szenen sind wirklich krankhaft und gewaltverherrlichend. Die beiden dafür verantwortlichen Schwestern sind Psychopathen, die ihrem Morddrang nur zu gern nachgeben. Je tiefer ich in dieses Teepartyuniversum eingetaucht bin, desto leichter habe ich mich erschreckenderweise daran gewöhnt. Es gibt einfach so viel zu entdecken. Die Schwestern Kit und Fancy durchleben eine komplizierte Zeit. Sie waren immer füreinander da, haben sich gefühlt wie dieselbe Person, aber plötzlich werden sie erwachsen und Kit möchte auch mal etwas ohne ihre Schwester unternehmen, ihre eigenen Gefühle entwickeln. Fancy muss lernen damit klarzukommen und versucht gleichzeitig zu akzeptieren, dass sie nicht für immer ein Kind sein kann. Zu gern trägt sie Kleider aus der Kinderabteilung, um ihren immer weiblicher werdenden Körper zu verstecken. Dabei merkt sie nicht wie lächerlich sie aussieht.
Diese Konflikte und Entwicklungen haben die Geschichte erst richtig interessant gemacht. Überall gibt es Monster, Schlüssel, eine geheime Fantasiewelt und cartoonartige Morde, aber im Kern der Geschichte stecken zwei Mädchen, die mit dem Erwachsenwerden und ihrer Beziehung zueinander kämpfen.
Von der Handlung will ich nicht viel verraten. Auf Slice of Cherry muss man sich einlassen können. Es gibt eine Geschichte, die erzählt wird, aber in Dia Reeves selbst erschaffenem Universum existieren keine Grenzen, nichts ist unmöglich. Viele mögen das als inkonsequent bezeichnen, mir hat es unheimlich viel Spaß gemacht, nie zu wissen, was als nächstes passieren kann. Mich hat keine der 500 Seiten gelangweilt und am Ende löst sich alles wunderbar auf und macht irgendwie Sinn.
Wer nach Bleeding Violet mehr will, wird hier bestens bedient und sogar mit einem kleinen Wiedersehen mit Hanna und Wyatt belohnt.
angelicide's review
3.0
I absolutely loved this author's first novel, Bleeding Violet--I gave it 5 stars. I was very excited to read her second book, but unfortunately, I found it a little disappointing.
First, the good points. It was well written with vivid descriptions and interesting characters. The town of Portero, full of wondrous horrors and terrible miracles, is always a pleasure to visit. The dark tone is well complemented by the air of whimsy woven through the narrative.
All this kept me reading, despite the fact that I found it very difficult to sympathize with either of the protagonists. Sisters, Kit and Fancy Cordelle, are two young psychopaths with no redeeming qualities whatsoever, at least in the beginning. The novel is very much a twisted coming-of-age story, and both characters do learn and grow, eventually developing into more sympathetic characters. For me, though, it was too little too late.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy rooting for the bad guy now and then. Characters like Dexter Morgan and Johannes Cabal are two examples that come to mind, but despite their sociopathic tendencies, both are driven by an internally consistent morality that when closely examined, can be considered honorable and selfless. In the case of the Cordelle sisters, all I saw for much of the story was complete selfishness and total disregard for anyone outside their tight family unit.
*** The next section contains a slight spoiler about something that happens about a third of the way in. Nothing major, but if you want a clean read, skip to the next set of asterisks. ***
I also found it a bit difficult to swallow the wildly ludicrous events that occur in the "Happy Place." Without giving too much away, Fancy eventually finds a way to open a door into another reality where she is essentially God. She and Kit can literally do anything they want, not just to the Happy Place world, but to any other person unlucky enough to travel with them.
I am willing to suspend my disbelief quite a bit for urban fantasy novels, but I still feel like there should be consistent boundaries governing what types of supernatural events can occur. After reading Bleeding Violet, I thought I had a pretty good handle on what to expect from Portero. In my opinion, the Happy Place stretched those boundaries too far without adequate explanation. More than once, I found myself shaking my head and saying, "Really?"
*** spoiler over ***
Overall, I liked this book, I just thought it suffered from a couple of major problems. I am anxiously awaiting the next novel by Dia Reeves.
First, the good points. It was well written with vivid descriptions and interesting characters. The town of Portero, full of wondrous horrors and terrible miracles, is always a pleasure to visit. The dark tone is well complemented by the air of whimsy woven through the narrative.
All this kept me reading, despite the fact that I found it very difficult to sympathize with either of the protagonists. Sisters, Kit and Fancy Cordelle, are two young psychopaths with no redeeming qualities whatsoever, at least in the beginning. The novel is very much a twisted coming-of-age story, and both characters do learn and grow, eventually developing into more sympathetic characters. For me, though, it was too little too late.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy rooting for the bad guy now and then. Characters like Dexter Morgan and Johannes Cabal are two examples that come to mind, but despite their sociopathic tendencies, both are driven by an internally consistent morality that when closely examined, can be considered honorable and selfless. In the case of the Cordelle sisters, all I saw for much of the story was complete selfishness and total disregard for anyone outside their tight family unit.
*** The next section contains a slight spoiler about something that happens about a third of the way in. Nothing major, but if you want a clean read, skip to the next set of asterisks. ***
I also found it a bit difficult to swallow the wildly ludicrous events that occur in the "Happy Place." Without giving too much away, Fancy eventually finds a way to open a door into another reality where she is essentially God. She and Kit can literally do anything they want, not just to the Happy Place world, but to any other person unlucky enough to travel with them.
I am willing to suspend my disbelief quite a bit for urban fantasy novels, but I still feel like there should be consistent boundaries governing what types of supernatural events can occur. After reading Bleeding Violet, I thought I had a pretty good handle on what to expect from Portero. In my opinion, the Happy Place stretched those boundaries too far without adequate explanation. More than once, I found myself shaking my head and saying, "Really?"
*** spoiler over ***
Overall, I liked this book, I just thought it suffered from a couple of major problems. I am anxiously awaiting the next novel by Dia Reeves.
vizira's review
2.0
Lots of fun, very fast paced, but so inconsistent in terms of, well, everything, that I could not give it three stars. 2.5
audreychamaine's review
5.0
Since sisters Kit and Fancy are daughters of the infamous Bonesaw Killer, they have inherited his lust for killing. However, they don’t want to go the way of their daddy (locked up on Death Row), so they decide to only kill those who deserve it. After wishing for a safe place for their mayhem, the sisters find that they are able to open a door to another world–a happy place where all of their most bloody, twisted fantasies are able to come to life without the pesky worries of evidence and getting caught. However, Kit and Fancy are growing up, like it or not, and become involved with the sons of their father’s final victim, which threatens to ruin everything.
I loved this book! From chapter one, I was completely engrossed in the rhythm of Reeves’ language, the characterization of the Cordelle sisters, the setting in Portero, and the storyline. Reeves is twisted, to be sure, but in the best way possible. She doesn’t try to explain away the events of the story, so she never gets tangled up in the details of the world. At times, the easy nonchalance of magic and realized impossibility reminded me of early Francesca Lia Block. Kit and Fancy are fully realized characters, Fancy even more than Kit. While we may not condone the murders and torture they commit (or maybe you do–who am I to judge?), we still are able to care about them as characters. There is a hint of Dexter in that they only kill bad guys, and we love them for it, but the similarities between the two stories ends there. Whereas Dexter cannot feel emotions, Kit and Fancy drip with drama, happiness, and pain.
The book isn’t all fun and murder, though. Some serious topics are dealt with, without ever coming across as preachy, such as broken family relationships, trust issues, and not wanting to face adulthood. Reeves also did a really nice job at portraying the ups and downs of finding first love.
Readers who liked Bleeding Violet should definitely pick up this book. I actually enjoyed Slice of Cherry better between the two. Don’t worry about having to read Bleeding Violet first. Even though that book does a thorough job of explaining the inner workings of the town of Portero, you won’t be lost in Slice of Cherry without that knowledge. Each novel stands alone as a fully realized work.
Please, do you yourself a favor: grab ahold of this book, and just enjoy the ride.
I loved this book! From chapter one, I was completely engrossed in the rhythm of Reeves’ language, the characterization of the Cordelle sisters, the setting in Portero, and the storyline. Reeves is twisted, to be sure, but in the best way possible. She doesn’t try to explain away the events of the story, so she never gets tangled up in the details of the world. At times, the easy nonchalance of magic and realized impossibility reminded me of early Francesca Lia Block. Kit and Fancy are fully realized characters, Fancy even more than Kit. While we may not condone the murders and torture they commit (or maybe you do–who am I to judge?), we still are able to care about them as characters. There is a hint of Dexter in that they only kill bad guys, and we love them for it, but the similarities between the two stories ends there. Whereas Dexter cannot feel emotions, Kit and Fancy drip with drama, happiness, and pain.
The book isn’t all fun and murder, though. Some serious topics are dealt with, without ever coming across as preachy, such as broken family relationships, trust issues, and not wanting to face adulthood. Reeves also did a really nice job at portraying the ups and downs of finding first love.
Readers who liked Bleeding Violet should definitely pick up this book. I actually enjoyed Slice of Cherry better between the two. Don’t worry about having to read Bleeding Violet first. Even though that book does a thorough job of explaining the inner workings of the town of Portero, you won’t be lost in Slice of Cherry without that knowledge. Each novel stands alone as a fully realized work.
Please, do you yourself a favor: grab ahold of this book, and just enjoy the ride.
cheeraven21's review
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
banrions's review
3.0
The premise of this novel really intrigued me. The daughters of a serial killer? I'm in. Even better, they are kinda twisted themselves, rather than hate and shy away from what their father did, they are sort of like him. They like to kill as well. Sounds awesomely fucked up right? It could have been. The thing that I think ruined it for me was the town and the happy place. The town these girls live in is like a weird fantasy place. Monsters coming around to kill people is normal, casually mentioned from time to time and Fancy can see things in reflections. She can transport herself and her sister into what she calls The Happy Place. A paradise world where she can basically make anything she wants happen. For me, the fantasy portion ruined it. Not to the point where I disliked the book, but it could have been a supremely fucked up great mess of a novel that would have blew my mind, instead, it became a fantasy, which somehow lessened the kills. It made them seem like a fantasy as well. I still enjoyed the novel, but for a book about two killers, it wasn't very dark, in fact, it was hardly dark at all, and thats how I went into it thinking it would be. I was slightly disappointed I guess, but it was still interesting and worth a read. A quick read as well, despite its 500ish pages.
gilmoremk's review
4.0
What a weird, weird, weird book. I'm still not quite sure what I read, or what the narrative was. It's a twisted, meandering tale, and at times I was worried about the author and how her imagination could come up with some of the scenarios, but it was also such an intriguing book. It is not for everyone, especially if you don't like gore or uncertainty, because there is a lot of both in this book. But I like the casual approach that the author took to introducing the strange, magical things that exist in the world the girls are living in, as if they were the most normal things in the world and barely worth commenting on.
emjay24's review
5.0
I loved Slice of Cherry. I'm so glad that i randomly picked this book off the library shelf! This is the story about two teen sisters who are the daughters of a convicted serial killer. They live with their mom in a town Portero, TX. Portero is like Sunnyvale, CA, where Buffy lives. It's never a big deal, but they'll go to town and there will be blood and monster guts and destroyed cars and they'll be oh a monster must have come through here. It's a totally accepted part of life that there are weird monsters roaming around, killing people and others. This is a very dark book, but it also did remind me of Buffy, just from the goofy dark comedy that came out of living in such a place, in such a situation. These sisters are insular, at the beginning they say no other people are real but each other, but the book itself is a coming of age story of their growth. How do they reach this growth? By becoming killers themselves. And they get supernatural powers. I won't go into too much detail, because no one likes a spoiler, but the mixture of darkness, emotion and humor is perfect. I wouldn't change anything, and I'm excited to read more from this author!!