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3.34 AVERAGE
3.34 AVERAGE
3.5 ⭐️
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Spoiler warnings!
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I got this book through a blind date with a book purchase with a dark academia theme.
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Instead of being centered around some sort of university, like most of those dark academia books are, this one was centered around a summer internship/job at an art gallery and had heavy themes of divination and tarot in it
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On paper, that sounds like a really good plot, or at least components of a good plot
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The reason these dark academia books don’t always hit for me is that I often don’t invest too much in the main female character/protagonist, or the MFC
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It’s often because they’re just pretty basic and used as a storytelling device rather than a super complex character I can relate to or admire. I had the same exact thing happen when I read the ninth house series.
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There are a lot of story beats that I think are good, but if I’m not crazy into the MMC or the MFC, I can never read it as high.
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Ann had this haunted past with her dad dying, and I liked the background she had and being such a versed linguist. But she kind of just drifts along through life instead of actively pursuing opportunities that she wants.
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I love a scheming antagonist, and we always knew something was suspicious with Rachel the whole book
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But I don’t know! The author just didn’t really make me fall in love with any of the characters or give me enough context behind why they did some of the things they did.
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For example, why did Rachel kill her parents? Why did Rachel‘s roommate jump off a building and kill herself?
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Leo is such a burnout, wet blanket of a character, but at least he followed a lot of the clichés that you might expect (in that he was a thief and in it for money and kind of aloof romantically)
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I do like that Ann never ends up with him at the end.
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But Ann turning into this sinister murderer at the end and feeling as if fates are mapped out in the cards already didn’t really fit her characters personality all throughout the book
•
Spoiler warnings!
•
I got this book through a blind date with a book purchase with a dark academia theme.
•
Instead of being centered around some sort of university, like most of those dark academia books are, this one was centered around a summer internship/job at an art gallery and had heavy themes of divination and tarot in it
•
On paper, that sounds like a really good plot, or at least components of a good plot
•
The reason these dark academia books don’t always hit for me is that I often don’t invest too much in the main female character/protagonist, or the MFC
•
It’s often because they’re just pretty basic and used as a storytelling device rather than a super complex character I can relate to or admire. I had the same exact thing happen when I read the ninth house series.
•
There are a lot of story beats that I think are good, but if I’m not crazy into the MMC or the MFC, I can never read it as high.
•
Ann had this haunted past with her dad dying, and I liked the background she had and being such a versed linguist. But she kind of just drifts along through life instead of actively pursuing opportunities that she wants.
•
I love a scheming antagonist, and we always knew something was suspicious with Rachel the whole book
•
But I don’t know! The author just didn’t really make me fall in love with any of the characters or give me enough context behind why they did some of the things they did.
•
For example, why did Rachel kill her parents? Why did Rachel‘s roommate jump off a building and kill herself?
•
Leo is such a burnout, wet blanket of a character, but at least he followed a lot of the clichés that you might expect (in that he was a thief and in it for money and kind of aloof romantically)
•
I do like that Ann never ends up with him at the end.
•
But Ann turning into this sinister murderer at the end and feeling as if fates are mapped out in the cards already didn’t really fit her characters personality all throughout the book
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I bought my copy of the book from half price and didn’t notice until I started reading the book that after chapter 29. My book as 14 torn pages missing from the book. Given the mysterious nature of this text. That being academics discovering tarot cards I’m lowkey interested in figuring out what the missing 14 pages say.
Overall the book was enjoyable. The mentality of the main characters Rachel and Ann are not very surprising to see in academia. The validation one tends to desire in such a space is erksome in the need to live up to a socially constructed standard of publish or perish. Leo was my favorite character 🫶🏾
Overall the book was enjoyable. The mentality of the main characters Rachel and Ann are not very surprising to see in academia. The validation one tends to desire in such a space is erksome in the need to live up to a socially constructed standard of publish or perish. Leo was my favorite character 🫶🏾
3.5
A page turner for sure, got a bit too wild/melodramatic at the end for me but well written and enjoyed the entertainment value. Would make a good film.
A page turner for sure, got a bit too wild/melodramatic at the end for me but well written and enjoyed the entertainment value. Would make a good film.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It was ok. I didn’t see the plot twists coming, and it tied together well. the descriptions of the Cloisters was pretty cool. the writing style wasn’t particularly unique or interesting imo
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Listened to this in a single sitting!!
[Jessica rec]
[Jessica rec]
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes