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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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:
Complicated
slow-paced
Transphobic and anti-lesbian slurs that weren't justified by the story or the character at all, very slow, I hated the plottwist and the end was bad :c
I'm a fan of Klune's later works but it was so painful getting through the second half of this book
I'm a fan of Klune's later works but it was so painful getting through the second half of this book
Didn't know how to write a review for this book, it is just so wonderful, convolted, rambling, romantic, affirming, has goodies, extra good goodies, baddies, angels, archangels, a dirty sheriff and a grieving son. It was funny, sad, annoying and marvellously brought together at the end. Yes, there were bits I thought I might skip but had to go back and read, and there is religion in there but not overly so. I'm not a big angel fan but these were an integral part of the story not the story and for all the improbableness of them, it worked!
I thought I was going to struggle to get through the near 400 pages as at first I found it difficult to get into. That didn't last long though and there were a few emotional tears towards the end.
Essentially it is about the relationship between Benji and Big Eddie - there are lots of other plots but that is the main one, and very endearing and enduring it is.
I loved Nina, a person lots of society would write off but she accepted Cal and other other-worldly issues so calmly.
I had my own thoughts for The Boss but didn't guess the culprit!
Whilst the story line is a tad (!) rambling, the writing is very clean and kept moving things along. Probably a very strong 4+* read for me, so getting the bump up!
I thought I was going to struggle to get through the near 400 pages as at first I found it difficult to get into. That didn't last long though and there were a few emotional tears towards the end.
Essentially it is about the relationship between Benji and Big Eddie - there are lots of other plots but that is the main one, and very endearing and enduring it is.
I loved Nina, a person lots of society would write off but she accepted Cal and other other-worldly issues so calmly.
I had my own thoughts for The Boss but didn't guess the culprit!
Whilst the story line is a tad (!) rambling, the writing is very clean and kept moving things along. Probably a very strong 4+* read for me, so getting the bump up!
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-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
I liked this book a lot, though it went on for a while. I’m not sure about how much religion was in it. It’s the kind of book you read and then want to reach out to the author like, are you okay? This book didn’t make it seem like you were ok. The climax went on for long enough that I had a hard time re-engaging with the tension over and over again, since I couldn’t read it all in one sitting. The story was very engaging, though, and the characters were richly imagined.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Vomit, Car accident, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
Reseña: Español
Review: English (Bellow)
*************************
Ese libro me tomó por total sorpresa. Al principio estaba muy confundida y ya para el final estaba llorando. Hay algo en este libro que me recuerda a Wolfsong, no se parecen en nada… pero hay algo ahí, los bosques, la familia, un chico sufriendo…. y una luz a la distancia.
Me encantó la ambientación de este libro, casi podía oler los bosques, escuchar el río… sentir ese silencio y calidez que acompaña a un pequeño pueblo. También podía imaginar con mucha claridad esas sombras que se ocultaba y esa maldad oculta bajo tierra.
Los personajes son maravillosos: Benji ahogándose en su dolor, Cal con una sonrisa en el rostro y en el alma, Abe y su sabiduría, Big Eddy y su eterna presencia…. cada personaje es fabuloso.
Disfrute mucho del mix paranormal con misterio, no me lo esperaba y me dio una grata sorpresa. Todos los giros de la historias me dejaron estresada, con miedo, felicidad, duda, tristeza y toda emoción que puedas imaginar.
Totalmente recomendado, un libro que recordaré por mucho tiempo.
***********************************************
This book took me by total surprise. At the beginning I was very confused and by the end I was crying. There is something in this book that reminds me of Wolfsong... there is something there, the woods, the family, a boy suffering .... and a light in the distance.
I loved the setting of this book, I could almost smell the woods, feel the river ... feel the silence and warmth that lives in a small town. I could also imagine very clearly those shadows that were hidden and that evil hidden underground.
The characters are wonderful: Benji drowning in his pain, Cal with a smile on his face and soul, Abe and his wisdom, Big Eddy and his eternal presence .... Each character is fabulous.
I enjoyed the paranormal mix with mystery... I didn’t expect it and it gave me a pleasant surprise. All the twists of the stories left me stressed, with fear, happiness, doubt, sadness and every emotion you can imagine.
Totally recommended, a book that I will remember for a long time.
Review: English (Bellow)
*************************
Ese libro me tomó por total sorpresa. Al principio estaba muy confundida y ya para el final estaba llorando. Hay algo en este libro que me recuerda a Wolfsong, no se parecen en nada… pero hay algo ahí, los bosques, la familia, un chico sufriendo…. y una luz a la distancia.
Me encantó la ambientación de este libro, casi podía oler los bosques, escuchar el río… sentir ese silencio y calidez que acompaña a un pequeño pueblo. También podía imaginar con mucha claridad esas sombras que se ocultaba y esa maldad oculta bajo tierra.
Los personajes son maravillosos: Benji ahogándose en su dolor, Cal con una sonrisa en el rostro y en el alma, Abe y su sabiduría, Big Eddy y su eterna presencia…. cada personaje es fabuloso.
Disfrute mucho del mix paranormal con misterio, no me lo esperaba y me dio una grata sorpresa. Todos los giros de la historias me dejaron estresada, con miedo, felicidad, duda, tristeza y toda emoción que puedas imaginar.
Totalmente recomendado, un libro que recordaré por mucho tiempo.
***********************************************
This book took me by total surprise. At the beginning I was very confused and by the end I was crying. There is something in this book that reminds me of Wolfsong... there is something there, the woods, the family, a boy suffering .... and a light in the distance.
I loved the setting of this book, I could almost smell the woods, feel the river ... feel the silence and warmth that lives in a small town. I could also imagine very clearly those shadows that were hidden and that evil hidden underground.
The characters are wonderful: Benji drowning in his pain, Cal with a smile on his face and soul, Abe and his wisdom, Big Eddy and his eternal presence .... Each character is fabulous.
I enjoyed the paranormal mix with mystery... I didn’t expect it and it gave me a pleasant surprise. All the twists of the stories left me stressed, with fear, happiness, doubt, sadness and every emotion you can imagine.
Totally recommended, a book that I will remember for a long time.
Tkm TJ Klune, me gustó-ish el libro,
peeero los religious themes weren't it (me daban un toque de cringe, pero los medio re ignore ngl) y me aburrió la constante depresión de Benji. me fuí a releer Heartsong byeee
peeero los religious themes weren't it (me daban un toque de cringe, pero los medio re ignore ngl) y me aburrió la constante depresión de Benji. me fuí a releer Heartsong byeee
This book is a perfect expression of grief and how one deals with it. I saw myself in the main character because I lost a parent and I have gone through everything that he did...Well with the exception of finding an angel that fell from the sky. I understood the main character's anger towards family members because he thought they got over their grief easier than he did. I was the same way (still am) because I still breakdown over the loss of my parent. Grief is complex thing that is different for each person. I felt that this book tackled it in a positive away and I really enjoyed it.
Loveable characters:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Car accident
Minor: Torture
Another future 3 star, no need to finish it to make sure it's true
This is a very strange book, mixing genres and engaging in the kind of theological creativity that is not common in fiction, much less queer fiction. It's hard to review for that reason.
The good: I enjoyed this book. It was compelling and moving, and the characters were interesting and unique.
The bad: It needed a stronger edit. At times, it seems to meander, and there were sections I skimmed because they felt so repetitive. I know the repetition was deliberate, mirroring Benji's grief and showing the slow spiral towards death and back towards life. But it was too much, especially when a lot of the writing in those repetitive sections was a bit overwrought. There are some transphobic and misogynistic slurs that come from otherwise sympathetic characters.
The complicated: The theology is a lot here. A lot of it doesn't mix well with my own theological beliefs. I am particularly troubled by the idea that God deliberately comes up with terrible forced choices for humans that seem to befit a Batman villain more than a supposedly benevolent deity. But it's so clearly a working-out of grief, for the main character and (judging by the dedication) for the author, that I am reluctant to take its theological conclusions too literally.
This book is more interesting than good - it's the sort of book that could fuel a chapter in a dissertation, because it's dense with both prose and ideas. It's messy, hopeful, and awkward. It's a theological romantic thriller (warnings for some significant scenes of violence and injury toward the end of the book). It's a love story where the most important relationship is between a son and his dead father. Recommended with caveats.
The good: I enjoyed this book. It was compelling and moving, and the characters were interesting and unique.
The bad: It needed a stronger edit. At times, it seems to meander, and there were sections I skimmed because they felt so repetitive. I know the repetition was deliberate, mirroring Benji's grief and showing the slow spiral towards death and back towards life. But it was too much, especially when a lot of the writing in those repetitive sections was a bit overwrought. There are some transphobic and misogynistic slurs that come from otherwise sympathetic characters.
The complicated: The theology is a lot here. A lot of it doesn't mix well with my own theological beliefs. I am particularly troubled by the idea that God deliberately comes up with terrible forced choices for humans that seem to befit a Batman villain more than a supposedly benevolent deity. But it's so clearly a working-out of grief, for the main character and (judging by the dedication) for the author, that I am reluctant to take its theological conclusions too literally.
This book is more interesting than good - it's the sort of book that could fuel a chapter in a dissertation, because it's dense with both prose and ideas. It's messy, hopeful, and awkward. It's a theological romantic thriller (warnings for some significant scenes of violence and injury toward the end of the book). It's a love story where the most important relationship is between a son and his dead father. Recommended with caveats.