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nogayourbroga's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Read for my personal Jewish/AAPI readathon for May.
Well, I have no idea how to feel about this book.
I'm usually a sucker for trippy, atmospheric reads, and on the prose front, this mostly delivered. However, I fear that Siren Queen fails to work as a novel. Much of the prose was lyrical for lyricality's sake, rather than prettily describing things that were currently happening on the page. For most of the book, things would happen, and then the first person omniscient would reminisce with beautiful language for far, far too long, instead of letting us be immersed in the scene.
I do think that omniscient narration was a smart choice, but I don't think it was done well, if only because we got so lost in it that we forgot to see what was happening, and when we did... Well. When I saw the author's note about this initially being "three novellas in a trenchcoat," I had the sinking feeling that it still is, just hidden better. Really, this could have been a novella, or a collection of short stories, and saved us a lot of time.
The worst part might have been the epilogue, where events happen so quickly that the entirety of the past few pages grows to meet nothing.In the book, we occasionally get flash-forwards to "Jane," implied to be Luli's girlfriend in the present. We only first meet her in this rushed epilogue, after following two different love interests, the last of whom feels like endgame until the narration lets us know that it's over. Tara and Jane should have been merged into the same character and not split up like this; as it stands, it significantly weakens the storytelling.
Really, the whole epilogue should have been cut. The last chapter already closes on a powerful moment; what does it add to the story seeing everything so neatly wrapped up, other than giving a morally gray protagonist a happy ending?
This is far from the worst book I've ever read, and I did find myself enjoying the fairyland atmosphere and the magical realism a lot. But all the glamour in the world can't save your novel if it's just a novella you've padded half to death.
Well, I have no idea how to feel about this book.
I'm usually a sucker for trippy, atmospheric reads, and on the prose front, this mostly delivered. However, I fear that Siren Queen fails to work as a novel. Much of the prose was lyrical for lyricality's sake, rather than prettily describing things that were currently happening on the page. For most of the book, things would happen, and then the first person omniscient would reminisce with beautiful language for far, far too long, instead of letting us be immersed in the scene.
I do think that omniscient narration was a smart choice, but I don't think it was done well, if only because we got so lost in it that we forgot to see what was happening, and when we did... Well. When I saw the author's note about this initially being "three novellas in a trenchcoat," I had the sinking feeling that it still is, just hidden better. Really, this could have been a novella, or a collection of short stories, and saved us a lot of time.
The worst part might have been the epilogue, where events happen so quickly that the entirety of the past few pages grows to meet nothing.
Really, the whole epilogue should have been cut. The last chapter already closes on a powerful moment; what does it add to the story seeing everything so neatly wrapped up, other than giving a morally gray protagonist a happy ending?
This is far from the worst book I've ever read, and I did find myself enjoying the fairyland atmosphere and the magical realism a lot. But all the glamour in the world can't save your novel if it's just a novella you've padded half to death.
alerasaul0's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-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
3.0
woodiefrog's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
lizdaniii's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-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
5.0
dustynitrate's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
artemisd6's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
vampossum's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
missfortune99's review against another edition
5.0
An absolutely spellbinding work set around the mystical backdrop of old Hollywood. If you look for easily understood rules in your fantasy world, this won't be your pick, but for everyone else, delight in this enchanting work!
dembury's review against another edition
5.0
Dark and whimsical and queer and absolutely full of old-Hollywood grit and glam. I loved the blurring between human, monster, and myth.