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avoicefromthelighthouse's review
3.0
Hot take: the sequel is way better than the first book.
But okay, I have such a conflicted relationship with this series. I want to love them, and I did go out and buy the sequel right away, so clearly something's working. I love Johnny and Nick's banter, I love their horrifying but ultimately addictive relationship, and I love the evocations of different cities with such rich detail. And, of course, stellar monster content.
But there's just some sloppy editing that throws me out of the story over and over again. (I don't actually think this is Mohamed's fault; I think it's her editor's). By this I'm referring to repetition of the same information, or contradicting things already revealed. (There's one scene, in particular, where Johnny reveals something and Nick is all 'ANoTHeR LiE?!" when actually, that exact piece of info about Johnny's deal was revealed to us already in book 1. #nospoilers). Nick also has the same kinds of thoughts over and over and over again. And that clearly IS intentional - to dive into moral conundrums and character introspection. But I do find that sometimes it gets too heavy handed. Minor flaws, though. I'm still obviously very invested in this story!
Also, Nick needs to stop wandering off. Seriously Nick, why do you always go for a walk? WHY?
But okay, I have such a conflicted relationship with this series. I want to love them, and I did go out and buy the sequel right away, so clearly something's working. I love Johnny and Nick's banter, I love their horrifying but ultimately addictive relationship, and I love the evocations of different cities with such rich detail. And, of course, stellar monster content.
But there's just some sloppy editing that throws me out of the story over and over again. (I don't actually think this is Mohamed's fault; I think it's her editor's). By this I'm referring to repetition of the same information, or contradicting things already revealed. (There's one scene, in particular, where Johnny reveals something and Nick is all 'ANoTHeR LiE?!" when actually, that exact piece of info about Johnny's deal was revealed to us already in book 1. #nospoilers). Nick also has the same kinds of thoughts over and over and over again. And that clearly IS intentional - to dive into moral conundrums and character introspection. But I do find that sometimes it gets too heavy handed. Minor flaws, though. I'm still obviously very invested in this story!
Also, Nick needs to stop wandering off. Seriously Nick, why do you always go for a walk? WHY?
readingtheend's review
I enjoyed this but also spent the bulk of it being like BUT WHY WOULD YOU GO BACK TO HER OMGGGG. like, even though Nick is officially spying on her for the benefit of others, it still felt so much like him choosing to go along with her bullshit even after knowing how she's bargained the world away and used him personally for her own benefit
gaiuscruoris's review
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
talian1201's review
5.0
Loved the book and the characters. The world building was cool and interesting. Can't wait to read more by this author. Will let me friends and family know to check this book out.
riverwise's review
3.0
This should be right up my street. It’s a contemporary take on Lovecraftian cosmic horror, with guest appearances from our old friends Nyarlothotep and Azagthoth. There’s some convincing evocations of those weird and eldritch dimensions just beneath our own, and epic battles against crawling tentacled horrors. The book also has interesting things to say about colonialism and empire, allied to Indiana Jones style globetrotting and adventure. So why aren’t there five stars at the top of this review?
It’s the lead characters, I’m afraid. One of them is just an awful awful person, and the other knows it but trails round after them like a little lovesick puppy dog. To make matters worse, while they are capable of talking to other characters like adults, the conversations between the two of them are smug self important banter full of lame humour and smart arsed oneupmanship that’s more suited to minor showboating on Twitter than it is facing down alien threats to our very existence. It deflates any tension that’s building, and frankly makes me want to punch the pair of them. I'd read the first book, so to be fair I knew this going in. I'd hoped that the revelations at the end of that one might have changed this dynamic, but they haven't really, not in any practical sense. It’s probably just me. If you like Joss Whedonesque clever clever dialogue, and let’s face it a lot of people do, you might well find it charming and fall in love with them, but it didn’t work for me. It’s unfortunate that the thing I didn’t like is front and centre, because there’s an awful lot otherwise that is good here, and I’ll look out for more by this author.
It’s the lead characters, I’m afraid. One of them is just an awful awful person, and the other knows it but trails round after them like a little lovesick puppy dog. To make matters worse, while they are capable of talking to other characters like adults, the conversations between the two of them are smug self important banter full of lame humour and smart arsed oneupmanship that’s more suited to minor showboating on Twitter than it is facing down alien threats to our very existence. It deflates any tension that’s building, and frankly makes me want to punch the pair of them. I'd read the first book, so to be fair I knew this going in. I'd hoped that the revelations at the end of that one might have changed this dynamic, but they haven't really, not in any practical sense. It’s probably just me. If you like Joss Whedonesque clever clever dialogue, and let’s face it a lot of people do, you might well find it charming and fall in love with them, but it didn’t work for me. It’s unfortunate that the thing I didn’t like is front and centre, because there’s an awful lot otherwise that is good here, and I’ll look out for more by this author.
jae_under's review
1.0
:(( This was one disappointing read, especially after the introduction.
The writing style, as usual with the author was BEAUTIFUL. Just utterly gorgeous, and i had less issues with dialogue because i was pretty much used to it, its still bad but not as noticeable, and also the mc is not with the love interest in the beginning.
Im disappointed more because i had my hopes high from how it was going and how his thought process was at the beginning that YESSS he’s finally going to stop acting like his entire world revolves around this other person like a love sick puppy, but no his entire personality becomes her (obviously an exaggeration because there is a very realistic portrayal of a brown character and the family dynamic too which i do appreciate!). Yet how can i ignore the cringey dialogue??? Barely okay plot but ultimately both of these characters just made me annoyed to the point where i lost interest with the book as a whole, i stopped caring for the plot, i stopped caring for the sci-fi elements, it all just became a very unpleasant experience but my mind forced me to keep reading because my mind does not have the ability to dnf.
And that was my own fault, i know, but since ive read it im so frustrated, at certain times it felt like the character existed simply to check all the boxes of what a brown guy goes through, but take away depth to his character or emotional relevance to these things because he is too obsessed with this other person who honestly is just evil and he acknowledges that but?? Ends up going back to her every time???? Honestly i like her more as a character, i mean look at this, she literally has the power to convert a grown ass adult to follow her blindly excusing every other thing she’s done, so more power to her. Yes i just hate this mc.
Honestly all of this could’ve not been a problem if i’d enjoyed their interactions, but sadly the horrible and terrible dialogue that did NOT improve from the first book, grown ass adults bickering like teenagers and not in a realistic way, because ofcourse adults can bicker too?? But this banter felt like it belonged to preteens??? And I absolutely detested it.
I don’t think id recommend this to anyone :((. Note: i got an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The writing style, as usual with the author was BEAUTIFUL. Just utterly gorgeous, and i had less issues with dialogue because i was pretty much used to it, its still bad but not as noticeable, and also the mc is not with the love interest in the beginning.
Im disappointed more because i had my hopes high from how it was going and how his thought process was at the beginning that YESSS he’s finally going to stop acting like his entire world revolves around this other person like a love sick puppy, but no his entire personality becomes her (obviously an exaggeration because there is a very realistic portrayal of a brown character and the family dynamic too which i do appreciate!). Yet how can i ignore the cringey dialogue??? Barely okay plot but ultimately both of these characters just made me annoyed to the point where i lost interest with the book as a whole, i stopped caring for the plot, i stopped caring for the sci-fi elements, it all just became a very unpleasant experience but my mind forced me to keep reading because my mind does not have the ability to dnf.
And that was my own fault, i know, but since ive read it im so frustrated, at certain times it felt like the character existed simply to check all the boxes of what a brown guy goes through, but take away depth to his character or emotional relevance to these things because he is too obsessed with this other person who honestly is just evil and he acknowledges that but?? Ends up going back to her every time???? Honestly i like her more as a character, i mean look at this, she literally has the power to convert a grown ass adult to follow her blindly excusing every other thing she’s done, so more power to her. Yes i just hate this mc.
Honestly all of this could’ve not been a problem if i’d enjoyed their interactions, but sadly the horrible and terrible dialogue that did NOT improve from the first book, grown ass adults bickering like teenagers and not in a realistic way, because ofcourse adults can bicker too?? But this banter felt like it belonged to preteens??? And I absolutely detested it.
I don’t think id recommend this to anyone :((. Note: i got an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
meetyouineveryplace's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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
4.0
mr_sosotris's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I really liked how this book continued the angst of Nick and Johnny’s fraught friendship. And I like how the character’s flaws propel this personal conflict throughout the story. I will say that, often, I found myself wishing the characters would make it through the next horde of monsters so they could have another conversation. I kept thinking “YOU TWO NEED THERAPY!” moreso than I thought, “Wow, I wonder how they’ll get out of this fix!”
This is part 2 of a trilogy, so I will start by saying I am absolutely looking forward to Book 3, and I will reserve judgement until I’ve read the whole story, but on first impressions, I had a hard time really settling into the story. The characters spend the whole book (as they did at the end of Book 1) incredibly angry at one another. It’s so pervasively negative, that I didn’t find myself rooting for either one to succeed. I just wanted them to talk about their problems and achieve some kind of catharsis. There’s moments of levity amid all the monsters, so it never feels oppressive, but I was so mad at the characters that I couldn’t really cheer for them. But like I said, I’ll wait for Book 3 because it will no doubt complete these character’s arcs.
My other issue (and it’s a nitpicky one) is that the monsters tend to become a bit wallpapery. The characters get so use to their presence after a while that bizarre things happening in the background are met with a “Yeah, we should probably move on,” and so there’s not really a feeling that these things are a threat. The monster design is OUTSTANDING and I love the look and feel of it all, but I wish they felt more genuinely threatening. But with that said, I do like how the focus is on the characters. And there are moments of dark humour that work well with the events in the background contrasting to the lively banter in the foreground.
Overall, I enjoyed this one, and look forward to reading it again once it’s part of the completed trilogy.
This is part 2 of a trilogy, so I will start by saying I am absolutely looking forward to Book 3, and I will reserve judgement until I’ve read the whole story, but on first impressions, I had a hard time really settling into the story. The characters spend the whole book (as they did at the end of Book 1) incredibly angry at one another. It’s so pervasively negative, that I didn’t find myself rooting for either one to succeed. I just wanted them to talk about their problems and achieve some kind of catharsis. There’s moments of levity amid all the monsters, so it never feels oppressive, but I was so mad at the characters that I couldn’t really cheer for them. But like I said, I’ll wait for Book 3 because it will no doubt complete these character’s arcs.
My other issue (and it’s a nitpicky one) is that the monsters tend to become a bit wallpapery. The characters get so use to their presence after a while that bizarre things happening in the background are met with a “Yeah, we should probably move on,” and so there’s not really a feeling that these things are a threat. The monster design is OUTSTANDING and I love the look and feel of it all, but I wish they felt more genuinely threatening. But with that said, I do like how the focus is on the characters. And there are moments of dark humour that work well with the events in the background contrasting to the lively banter in the foreground.
Overall, I enjoyed this one, and look forward to reading it again once it’s part of the completed trilogy.
annarella's review
4.0
I liked this book and was fascinated by the cosmic horror and the world building.
It's easy to follow, even if I didn't read the prequel, and I liked the characters.
It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
It's easy to follow, even if I didn't read the prequel, and I liked the characters.
It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine