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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think this book would have been much better with about 200 more pages. The setting and atmosphere were gorgeous, but I wanted more development among the characters. With so many characters to balance, nothing really felt like enough. Particularly with the relationships between June and Edgar or June and Tucker.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, War
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Not quite 4 stars but really did enjoy it! Theres something about all the different storylines and secondary characters that didn't feel fully developed to me, but Maggie's writing continues to be splendid and sucks me in regardless.
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
As always with M Stiefvater books, the atmosphere is the most compelling part of the book. It echoes the vibe, of lack of a better word, of the world we live in today with its portrayal of a slice of life in history - the feeling of being on the brink of something so dark and so all-encompassing; being unable to control everything around us while trying to continue living our lives as usual; knowing something is not right but being unable to change it, even as it sucks all the joy out of us; and yet, the joy and love of simple things, the everyday things.
The more I sit with this book, the more I appreciate the nuance S has in writing of sensitive topics. Other than the obvious, there's the themes in the background - that our experiences make us what we are, and that there's a time for everything, even the mistakes we learn from; that the plans we make for ourselves don't have to be forever plans and that sometimes letting go is the right thing; and mostly, that it's not wrong to move on, even when what we're moving on from is tradition or history or expectations.
The more I sit with this book, the more I appreciate the nuance S has in writing of sensitive topics. Other than the obvious, there's the themes in the background - that our experiences make us what we are, and that there's a time for everything, even the mistakes we learn from; that the plans we make for ourselves don't have to be forever plans and that sometimes letting go is the right thing; and mostly, that it's not wrong to move on, even when what we're moving on from is tradition or history or expectations.
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
while this book started kind of slow for me, once i was in i was in. the back half really picked up pace and i think tackled some very interesting questions and problems in an absolutely bizarre situation. this is quite different from maggie’s other books but i think is a great start into adult fiction. it contains her regular stiefvater charms and prose while dealing with more mature subject manner in a very nuanced way. i though the characters were interesting and the plot was also so so interesting, especially as the story carried on. ended up loving this more than i thought!!
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
As with every book by Maggie Stiefvater that I’ve read, I found The Listeners to be a novel worth savouring. Its characters, historical backdrop, and sweetwater magic (subtle, by Stiefvater’s standards) were fertile ground for an engrossing, romantic, and moving story. This novel is beautifully rendered. My favourite quality, which I have always loved most with Maggie’s writing, is its intimacy.
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No