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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Wish I could say I enjoyed this book and I understood what it was trying to deliver, unfortunately I didn't understand shit 😀🥲 why do dark academia books keep failing me these days ahhhh
Fascinating and compelling. I loved not knowing the why and piecing things together with our main character. What are we learning? What is it for? Why are these kids chosen? Are we villains? Are we good? What is even going on?
On a peaceful vacation with her mother, Sasha's life is darkened and turned upside down. Stalked by a mysterious man, she is blackmailed into completing tasks in exchange for strange coins she must not lose. Upon graduating high school, this man informs her she will attend the Institute of Special Technologies - a school nobody has ever heard of. Surrounded by her similarly threatened and frightened peers, Sasha somehow thrives in the rigorous, quite literally impossible lessons. But still, none of the students know - what are they really being trained for?
I read this for my book club, Three of Clubs, for the last book in our "Magic School" quarter.
This book was a trip, definitely something I'd put in my "weird" category. It's rare that a book holds onto its air of mystery for so long and still feels like it paid off well. What sets this apart from many dark academia stories is that the students here are not brought together by their ambition but by force. Sasha is rare amongst her peers for having a penchant for her subjects; most are too afraid to not complete their studies. I enjoyed Sasha's interactions with her peers, mainly the two boys. This book took a while to get into, and some sections dragged more than others, but for the most part, I felt that those sections still served their purposes. The closer we got to the end, the more far out the story became. Sasha gains more access to the magic that has eluded the students and she slowly notices her own transition into something greater. The final solution was given to the reader earlier than I noticed; it's done subtly enough that it reads as a metaphor first. The ending of this was so unique and strange that even though this wasn't an immediate favorite of mine, it almost warrants a reread.
Overall, this book exceeded my expectations in terms of where the story concluded. It's definitely not the average dark academia/magic school, and it's not for everyone, but once it finds it's audience, said audience will be obsessed.
I read this for my book club, Three of Clubs, for the last book in our "Magic School" quarter.
This book was a trip, definitely something I'd put in my "weird" category. It's rare that a book holds onto its air of mystery for so long and still feels like it paid off well. What sets this apart from many dark academia stories is that the students here are not brought together by their ambition but by force. Sasha is rare amongst her peers for having a penchant for her subjects; most are too afraid to not complete their studies. I enjoyed Sasha's interactions with her peers, mainly the two boys. This book took a while to get into, and some sections dragged more than others, but for the most part, I felt that those sections still served their purposes. The closer we got to the end, the more far out the story became. Sasha gains more access to the magic that has eluded the students and she slowly notices her own transition into something greater. The final solution was given to the reader earlier than I noticed; it's done subtly enough that it reads as a metaphor first. The ending of this was so unique and strange that even though this wasn't an immediate favorite of mine, it almost warrants a reread.
Overall, this book exceeded my expectations in terms of where the story concluded. It's definitely not the average dark academia/magic school, and it's not for everyone, but once it finds it's audience, said audience will be obsessed.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
This book is…something else. I don’t even know how to rate it in a way that captures my experience. Totally bizarre, definitely outside my usual comfort zone. The first half felt very slow, alternatingly monotonous and horrifying. The second half surprised me when at some point I knew I would want to pick up the next book in the series.
I think I knew in the back of my head that this book had something to do with language/word magic, but I did not expect it to unfold the way it does. So abstract and strange in a way that I typically wouldn’t like, and yet, I want to find out where it goes.
I think I knew in the back of my head that this book had something to do with language/word magic, but I did not expect it to unfold the way it does. So abstract and strange in a way that I typically wouldn’t like, and yet, I want to find out where it goes.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
i thought that perhaps, having read this once, i wouldn't fall into the overwhelming black hole that this book is.
god was i wrong, and i love this book for it.
vita nostra swallows you whole, it chews thoroughly and it does not spit you out. it takes you in and you're forced to live in it, there is no way out. one of the few books that can capture me in its abstract ideas, and even when i can't understand it, i am still taken by it and want to be taken by it.
vita nostra is strong and relentless, i hope that the other books in the series are translated soon and i look forward to reading them.
god was i wrong, and i love this book for it.
vita nostra swallows you whole, it chews thoroughly and it does not spit you out. it takes you in and you're forced to live in it, there is no way out. one of the few books that can capture me in its abstract ideas, and even when i can't understand it, i am still taken by it and want to be taken by it.
vita nostra is strong and relentless, i hope that the other books in the series are translated soon and i look forward to reading them.
I am very underwhelmed. I liked the depth and complexity of the characters and how tangible the setting was, but this reads very much like YA, with teenage relationship problems and my-mom-remarried-and-had-a-baby issues and I found that aspect of the story very tiresome. The core concept was cool in principle but I didn't care for the execution .
I also had an issue with the use of physical deformity and disability as a metaphor for growth and transformation into something not human that is very scary while it's happening to you and others. I don't think I need to spell out why this is not a great device to use.
Spoiler
the students must transcend their humanity and physical constraints and manifest into words that can directly alter the worldSpoiler
fear vs. love as a motivation can be very cliché, and the YA approach didn't help itI also had an issue with the use of physical deformity and disability as a metaphor for growth and transformation into something not human that is very scary while it's happening to you and others. I don't think I need to spell out why this is not a great device to use.
slow-paced
this weirdo of a book needed to be half the size. it could be my expectations after booktube's hype but vita nostra wasn't as impactful as i hoped it would be 😠it's verbose and flowery in the messages it tries to portray which i don't find enjoyable.
I am giving this 5 stars not because it was a good or perfect book (it was not) but because I have never in my life read anything like it