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aformeracceleratedreader's review against another edition
adventurous
sad
slow-paced
3.25
I think the book was written beautifully, but it was too long. If I didn't have the audiobook with it, I think this could've been a dnf just because quite a few parts dragged.
I liked the characters, the world, I liked the sort of twist to it. I really enjoyed that the main character was questioning not only herself and others but even her purpose and if there is a god.
I will say the structure of this could get a little confusing for some.
I liked the characters, the world, I liked the sort of twist to it. I really enjoyed that the main character was questioning not only herself and others but even her purpose and if there is a god.
I will say the structure of this could get a little confusing for some.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
notably_bookish's review
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
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
4.0
taliaward19's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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? It's complicated
4.5
allishortell's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Take a shot every time the main character urinates in this story or lies about needing to urinate. Sure, you can mention a main character peeing in a story, people pee, it’s normal. But why do we need to be updated every time this girl needs to go pee? It adds nothing to the story.
jugglingpup's review against another edition
2.0
To see more reviews check out MI Book Reviews.
I got an ARC of this book.
I ended up not finishing this book, but I feel confident writing a review. I read a third of the book and have some pretty strong opinions.
The book isn’t bad per say. I was just bored. The story never picked up for me. If I am bored after a hundred pages, why am I still reading? The biggest issue for me really was that the story resembled one of my favorite books and it just couldn’t compare. So I think this is really on me and not the book. My favorite is a novella and had so much more of an emotional impact, then this one takes a hundred pages to really even have the plot start to go somewhere? I just couldn’t take it.
The writing was really pretty. I was impressed with how fluid that everything was. It flowed between English and Spanish in a way that felt organic and wonderful. It was not a forced switch with constantly translations for the English reader. It was just the way things were. It was lovely and really added a truth to the story that just wouldn’t have existed otherwise. I can’t imagine this story written in any other way. It really was a big detail and the main thing I liked.
The author is clearly not someone who was born with a vagina. I say this because there were SO MANY references to her period and cramping. Seriously? My period was literally two weeks long and had a week of cramping and mood swings before it. I bled so much I was seriously scared of bleeding out. I had to see doctors. I am trans and my world shut down for three weeks every month, because of this. Yet, I still thought about my period less. This was just another example of an author who doesn’t quite get what being a woman is like. The story would not have been any different if she didn’t have her period. It served no purpose but to make me roll my eyes. There were even more references to peeing, like even the smell of her urine was described at one point. It just didn’t make any sense to me. This was part of why I was bored.
I didn’t even make it to the queer content I was promised. Maybe you will make it further. I just couldn’t take the meandering plot that never seemed to start. The writing was great (most of the time). It really was just the slow pacing on this one. I wanted to like it.
I got an ARC of this book.
I ended up not finishing this book, but I feel confident writing a review. I read a third of the book and have some pretty strong opinions.
The book isn’t bad per say. I was just bored. The story never picked up for me. If I am bored after a hundred pages, why am I still reading? The biggest issue for me really was that the story resembled one of my favorite books and it just couldn’t compare. So I think this is really on me and not the book. My favorite is a novella and had so much more of an emotional impact, then this one takes a hundred pages to really even have the plot start to go somewhere? I just couldn’t take it.
The writing was really pretty. I was impressed with how fluid that everything was. It flowed between English and Spanish in a way that felt organic and wonderful. It was not a forced switch with constantly translations for the English reader. It was just the way things were. It was lovely and really added a truth to the story that just wouldn’t have existed otherwise. I can’t imagine this story written in any other way. It really was a big detail and the main thing I liked.
The author is clearly not someone who was born with a vagina. I say this because there were SO MANY references to her period and cramping. Seriously? My period was literally two weeks long and had a week of cramping and mood swings before it. I bled so much I was seriously scared of bleeding out. I had to see doctors. I am trans and my world shut down for three weeks every month, because of this. Yet, I still thought about my period less. This was just another example of an author who doesn’t quite get what being a woman is like. The story would not have been any different if she didn’t have her period. It served no purpose but to make me roll my eyes. There were even more references to peeing, like even the smell of her urine was described at one point. It just didn’t make any sense to me. This was part of why I was bored.
I didn’t even make it to the queer content I was promised. Maybe you will make it further. I just couldn’t take the meandering plot that never seemed to start. The writing was great (most of the time). It really was just the slow pacing on this one. I wanted to like it.
thatweirdbookgirlie's review against another edition
3.0
I wish I could have liked this story more. I loved the idea behind it, and the ending in particular. However the lead up to that was full of misses for me. The pacing of the story always felt a bit off, certain parts felt rushed while others seemed to drag on. There were also parts that were just straight up confusing, like many of the creatures that I just couldn't picture in my head due to lack of description (maybe it's just cultural lore that I don't know?).
I do think it's a book that's worth giving it a shot due to the overarching theme and ending that solidifies this sense of self idea.
I do think it's a book that's worth giving it a shot due to the overarching theme and ending that solidifies this sense of self idea.
lfancher's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
schem's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to Netgalley and TorTeen for an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This is the first book I have read by Oshiro. My first note is that he’s a wonderful writer with a unique storytelling perspective and the ability to explore difficult concepts within a new and intriguing framework.
We follow the story of Xochitl, a young cuentista with the ability to absorb people’s stories and return them to Solís. Xo uses her blessing to absolve the sins of those in her aldea, as is expected of her despite the great deal of pain and sacrifice required.
There are so many unique techniques Oshiro employs that all add to the story in way of richness and depth. He has expertly woven Spanish throughout the text in what results as a beautiful blending of culture. I’m curious as to how effectively this works for those unfamiliar with the language, but to me it appeared to be effortless and very cleverly utilised. It effectively establishes the setting as this otherworldly in-between place, which only adds to the dream-like quality of Xo’s world.
Another technique used was writing through the form of prayer and layered storytelling. Admittedly, Xo’s internal dialogue directed to Solís in the first quarter of the book was beginning to become tedious, but that seemed to become much more bearable upon her embarking on her journey.
The book could have vastly benefited, in my opinion, from being much shorter. As it was a travelogue, there was a great amount of ‘dead space’ in-between locations that often felt like the same experience over and over.
The characters were well-crafted and I was impressed by the depth of some of the individuals introduced throughout the story. Emilia is an eternal mystery, and one of the more fascinating characters in the story. Xochitl at times felt a little one-dimensional, suffering from being so singular-minded for most of the story that she didn’t have as much depth as others.
One thing I’d like to note is that Oshiro did a spectacular job with the ending, something I find lacking in a lot of current YA. It was a completely satisfying resolution for both Xochitl and Emilia, as well as the setting in general.
I can’t finish this review without mentioning Oshiro’s use of poetry throughout. What a beautiful and admirable addition to the story. Through snippets of poetry we come to understand the struggles faced by Xo and those around her.
An interesting and beautiful story that explores the nature of storytelling, sacrifice, and responsibility.
This is the first book I have read by Oshiro. My first note is that he’s a wonderful writer with a unique storytelling perspective and the ability to explore difficult concepts within a new and intriguing framework.
We follow the story of Xochitl, a young cuentista with the ability to absorb people’s stories and return them to Solís. Xo uses her blessing to absolve the sins of those in her aldea, as is expected of her despite the great deal of pain and sacrifice required.
There are so many unique techniques Oshiro employs that all add to the story in way of richness and depth. He has expertly woven Spanish throughout the text in what results as a beautiful blending of culture. I’m curious as to how effectively this works for those unfamiliar with the language, but to me it appeared to be effortless and very cleverly utilised. It effectively establishes the setting as this otherworldly in-between place, which only adds to the dream-like quality of Xo’s world.
Another technique used was writing through the form of prayer and layered storytelling. Admittedly, Xo’s internal dialogue directed to Solís in the first quarter of the book was beginning to become tedious, but that seemed to become much more bearable upon her embarking on her journey.
The book could have vastly benefited, in my opinion, from being much shorter. As it was a travelogue, there was a great amount of ‘dead space’ in-between locations that often felt like the same experience over and over.
The characters were well-crafted and I was impressed by the depth of some of the individuals introduced throughout the story. Emilia is an eternal mystery, and one of the more fascinating characters in the story. Xochitl at times felt a little one-dimensional, suffering from being so singular-minded for most of the story that she didn’t have as much depth as others.
One thing I’d like to note is that Oshiro did a spectacular job with the ending, something I find lacking in a lot of current YA. It was a completely satisfying resolution for both Xochitl and Emilia, as well as the setting in general.
I can’t finish this review without mentioning Oshiro’s use of poetry throughout. What a beautiful and admirable addition to the story. Through snippets of poetry we come to understand the struggles faced by Xo and those around her.
An interesting and beautiful story that explores the nature of storytelling, sacrifice, and responsibility.
mariewordaddict's review against another edition
2.0
A friend recommended this to me when I was looking for a "banned book" to read. .
I think there was a lot of potential here. It's a unique perspective and original world building and storyline. Unfortunately, I found it very disappointing and impossible for me to continue
The setup for why the young woman is a "cuentista" and what that is, to me was poor from the beginning, so I never became invested in her eventual happiness.
The society apparently worships and fears the sun but the constant references to Solis are obsessive and get dull quickly. The monsters and nightmares are less scary psychologically or physically as they are random. Raining blood, ok... but why? Etc.
Then there are the Spanish words inserted awkwardly all the time as if this isn't a novel but a vocabulary building workbook. I've definitely read books with a strong Latino/Latina/Latine cultural background and Spanish mixed in, but they flowed more naturally. I think even without this factor the writing was also stunted and the young woman's emotional processing was like that of a younger child.
I pushed myself to continue until the theoretical turning point in the drama when the two girls meet. When I reached it, but still wasn't enjoying it, I decided this isn't how I want to end my recent reading slump, by forcing myself to read something I'm not enjoying. Oh well.
I think there was a lot of potential here. It's a unique perspective and original world building and storyline. Unfortunately, I found it very disappointing and impossible for me to continue
The setup for why the young woman is a "cuentista" and what that is, to me was poor from the beginning, so I never became invested in her eventual happiness.
The society apparently worships and fears the sun but the constant references to Solis are obsessive and get dull quickly. The monsters and nightmares are less scary psychologically or physically as they are random. Raining blood, ok... but why? Etc.
Then there are the Spanish words inserted awkwardly all the time as if this isn't a novel but a vocabulary building workbook. I've definitely read books with a strong Latino/Latina/Latine cultural background and Spanish mixed in, but they flowed more naturally. I think even without this factor the writing was also stunted and the young woman's emotional processing was like that of a younger child.
I pushed myself to continue until the theoretical turning point in the drama when the two girls meet. When I reached it, but still wasn't enjoying it, I decided this isn't how I want to end my recent reading slump, by forcing myself to read something I'm not enjoying. Oh well.
isabelgb's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
I found this book very challenging to get through. Something about the writing style made it hard for me to get invested in the characters and feel close to them. I did really appreciate the nonbinary and other queer representation and linguistic diversity in a YA/fantasy book.