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missindyrose's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Death of parent, and Animal death
schnaucl's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
It started very slow but gradually picked up momentum.
I really liked Mo, and I thought the way music was used was really interesting.
There was also some really good discussion about the history of Black romance authors.
Most of the major characters are teenagers, and act like teenagers, although this is definitely a book meant for an adult audience. The way Laura in particular would casually deploy magic to get what she wanted with very little regard for the morality of compelling someone to do something was chilling but also believable. I wonder if a more mature character would have done it as easily or if they'd just pay a little more lip serve to knowing it's wrong, but also so much easier than actually having to persuade someone to do something.
I did feel for her having not only lost her mother, but lost the ability to feel grief over her death. It would have been interesting to see that play out a little more.
I really liked Mo, and I thought the way music was used was really interesting.
There was also some really good discussion about the history of Black romance authors.
I did feel for her having not only lost her mother, but lost the ability to feel grief over her death. It would have been interesting to see that play out a little more.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Murder, Blood, Death of parent, and Violence
Minor: Cannibalism, Gore, Racism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Infidelity, Medical content, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Animal death, and Grief
sarahyjackson's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
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? Yes
5.0
I felt about this book the way I felt when I was watching Fantasia for at the Baird’s house when I was eight years old. Which is to say: transfixed, perplexed, entertained, bereft, ensnared, sad & also like a very specific kind of hopeful happy?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Vomit, Sexual content, Medical content, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Animal death
natashaleighton_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
Gorgeously tender and rich in magic and whimsy, Kelly Link’s long awaited fantasy debut was just as weird and wonderfully immersive as I hoped it would be!
With incredible world-building and an emotional, character driven narrative that borders on the uncanny, Link has created a modern masterpiece of speculative fiction that even Lewis Carroll would be envious of.
It’s set in the small, seaside town of Lovesend, MA and follows three teens (Mo, Daniel and Laura) who return from the dead and tasked (by their seemingly magical high school music teacher, no less) with learning to use the magic they each now posses. As well as remember the circumstances that led to their deaths.
But with talking animals, unhinged goddesses and mysterious magical boys slowly overtaking the town—our formerly unalive MCs must succeed if they wish to save themselves (and their town) from the bizarre goings on that seek to destroy everything they hold most dear.
This is actually the first of Link’s work I’ve ever read, but the glowing praise for her short stories made me eager to get my hands on her first full length novel—and unsurprisingly, it didn’t disappoint. The prose is fabulously lyrical and the intricately woven characters were an absolute joy to get to know.
With meticulously crafted backstories and messy, melodramatic relationships driving the narrative-Susannah, Laura, Mo and Daniel, and their experiences with life and love (in all its varied forms) was powerfully compelling.
From the grief stricken pain of losing a family member, to strained sibling relationships, first loves and embittered rivalries— we really delve into the core of each of our flawed protagonists. Capturing such an emotionally detailed picture that, by the end I was emotionally invested in them all to some extent.
Even antagonist Bogomil, and (the Aziraphale to his Crowley) counterpart, Mr. Anabin (who I was prepared to dislike on sight) had some tender blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments that got me rooting for them too. But of all the characters we encounter, it was Carousel (Daniel’s precocious little sister) that I loved the most—her reactions and sass were sheer perfection and I’d love to see a short story (or two) centred around her.
I should probably also mention that it does clock in at just over 600 pages (626 in the UK arc), which I know seems daunting if you don’t read a lot of chunky books. However, the writing was soo beautifully done that the length didn’t really bother me, and I pretty much inhaled the first hundred or so pages without even realising.
Overall, an immersive and thoroughly enjoyable love letter to love—and all things strange and unusual,that fans of Buffy, Good Omens or Tim Burton’s are sure to enjoy.
Also a huge thank you to Jade over at Head of Zeus for the wonderful proof
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual content, Body horror, and Blood
Minor: Animal death, Racism, and Child death
uranaishi's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Death of parent, Grief, and Death
Moderate: Gore, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Murder, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Medical content, Child death, Bullying, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
Minor: Drug use, Self harm, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Dysphoria, Kidnapping, Slavery, Alcohol, Infidelity, Cursing, Stalking, Cultural appropriation, Deportation, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
marywahlmeierbracciano's review
adventurous
challenging
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
The Book of Love is so special to me that I struggle to put it into words. Days after finishing it, all I want to do is listen to the eponymous Magnetic Fields song—moody, romantic—and think about this book. Don’t let the page count scare you; Kelly Link’s effortless storytelling kept me reading, never bored over nearly 700 pages, and I didn’t want it to end. With a super dynamic cast of characters, this story is largely about grief and self-discovery, but its message is also that love can be supernatural—it can defy dimensions. It’s set in our world with just a twist of magic, and it’s very funny, playful, and sometimes delightfully absurd. It’s beautifully intimate and daydreamy, with John Cage references and niche guitar stuff that I didn’t get, and I loved it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death of parent, Sexual content, and Blood
Minor: Racism, Murder, Child death, Medical content, Homophobia, Cannibalism, Vomit, and Animal death
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