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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
DNF at around 20%.
This is the worst book I’ve tried to read this year. It felt like a million characters were introduced in the first 50 pages and we had to endure excruciatingly basic dialogue and inner thoughts just for half of them to die like a day later?? The general plot for this book sounds really interesting but the execution was just bad. I hated every character, all the dialogue was eye-roll inducing, and the details didn’t make much sense - if 1/3 of the worlds population is dead, why does a news station still have power?? Anyways I really hated this and can’t make myself continue.
This is the worst book I’ve tried to read this year. It felt like a million characters were introduced in the first 50 pages and we had to endure excruciatingly basic dialogue and inner thoughts just for half of them to die like a day later?? The general plot for this book sounds really interesting but the execution was just bad. I hated every character, all the dialogue was eye-roll inducing, and the details didn’t make much sense - if 1/3 of the worlds population is dead, why does a news station still have power?? Anyways I really hated this and can’t make myself continue.
If I could give it six starts I would! This does not read like a "normal" Nora Roberts book. The apocalypse has come, and with it some very dark and scary times. Roberts did an amazing job of putting me right in the midst of world wide chaos. Twists and turns abound as all literal hell is unleashed upon the world. I think one fo the most amazing parts of this book is how great the world starts to evolve, showing parts of our society as I would not have pictured them.
The character development is (as always) a wonderful experience as we see the story lay itself out before us. This is one heck of a ride!
The character development is (as always) a wonderful experience as we see the story lay itself out before us. This is one heck of a ride!
Meh...I found it predictable and the writing itself, the dialogue, a bit too soapy for my taste. And in the end, I really did not care about any of the characters.
While reading it, I kept thinking how much better Justin Cronin's The Passage (and its sequels) are. Now THAT book made me feel the terror and the anguish, the hope and the love. And it made me care.
2 1/2 ☆
While reading it, I kept thinking how much better Justin Cronin's The Passage (and its sequels) are. Now THAT book made me feel the terror and the anguish, the hope and the love. And it made me care.
2 1/2 ☆
While not a huge fan of Nora Roberts because I don't read romance ", I absolutely love apocalyptic fiction so when this ARC arrived, I claimed it. I liked it well enough and the story was certainly interesting enough to keep me reading. I also enjoyed several of the characters and found myself caring what happened to them. What stopped this from being a 4 star for me was the magic realism element. I do love magical realism and "Swan Song" did an amazing job of combining magic realism with an apocalyptic story but this felt disjointed to me. Ok, so some people are now elves or wizards or witches or faeries? What do they know? What are the traits of each? Were they always this way and the Doom made it more pronounced? There is no explanation as to what it means to be a faerie rather than an elf and it didn't really explain if this was something the person always had and it had been intensified or if it started leading up to the Doom. This frustrated me. Also when they would get into a difficult situation, suddenly a new power would appear that would fix it and that felt contrived to me.
Overall though, It interested me enough where I will read the next one. And there will obviously be a next one.
Overall though, It interested me enough where I will read the next one. And there will obviously be a next one.
A story about how a guy stole some chips from the pantry and his sister in law wouldn’t let it go. I guess there was some magic, pandemic, and sex too. But not in a cool way.
I wanted to give Nora Roberts a second chance and I’m disappointed that she fooled me twice. I’m just not a fan of her writing.
I wanted to give Nora Roberts a second chance and I’m disappointed that she fooled me twice. I’m just not a fan of her writing.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Since I can't give half stars, I'm going to say this was more of a 3.5. I did enjoy it, but it wasn't until the back half that had me edge of my seat, can't put down. There are a lot more characters in this book than what I'm used to for a Nora Roberts. A couple of good twists and turns; I look forward to reading the next one.
There was some very good character development and then we're suddenly parted from those characters, so I really hope they turn up in the next book.
There was some very good character development and then we're suddenly parted from those characters, so I really hope they turn up in the next book.
I'm really enjoying the book but at the same time, I'm having a hard time getting through it because it's reminding me of storylines from The Walking Dead. I always have a visualization in my head and I keep wanting to rename the town to Alexandria and add fairies and magic instead of zombies.
Hoping when I re-read it before book 2 comes out I hope it won't affect me as much.
Update: Happy to report I re-read the book and even though I still see the Walking Dead in the story I can appreciate the differences and enjoy this more. This is definitely on my re-read list with most of Her other books. Updated to 5 stars.
Hoping when I re-read it before book 2 comes out I hope it won't affect me as much.
Update: Happy to report I re-read the book and even though I still see the Walking Dead in the story I can appreciate the differences and enjoy this more. This is definitely on my re-read list with most of Her other books. Updated to 5 stars.