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valjeanval's review against another edition
5.0
I stumbled across this in a bargain bin, and boy I do not know how it got there. I have been searching for some quiet, upmarket fantasy, and this ghost story really hits the spot. It packs so much into such a short book, dealing with grief, power, family, suicide, and all with a unique take on what ghosts are and why they linger. Highly recommended for people who want a soft, subtle, fantastical tale.
oliverreeds's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Kidnapping, and Grief
rachelini's review against another edition
4.0
There was so much interesting here! I wanted it to be longer, as I always do.
leighanneslit's review against another edition
4.0
This was my first experience with McGuire's writing that was outside of the Wayward Children series and I loved it just as much. This is a very different book with a very different concept. It deals with grief and loss and moving on after loss. And ghosts. I can't tell if this is supposed to be a YA novel or not, though there wasn't anything overwhelmingly adult about it. There are definitely more creepy vibes to it which make it a little more horror oriented, and I think that is one of the things that has turned people away from it. The ghost concept was great and the idea of ghosts being trapped in glass is explored which was interesting and a great addition to the story. I really enjoyed this book and I want to read more of her work outside of Wayward Children after reading this.
ranchel's review against another edition
5.0
Dusk or Dark or Dawn or Day is a strange little book about the paranormal. Of course, strange little books about the paranormal or a thing that Seanan McGuire excels at, and this book is no different. I don't actually have the words to explain how impactful this was. Read it anyway, especially if you've already fallen in love with literally anything else the McGuire has written.
araleith's review against another edition
2.0
I don't know what it is about Seanan's short novella standalone stuff that never seems to work for me.
kwugirl's review against another edition
2.0
Eh. Had a promising beginning, but then felt like an overly long short story that didn't have much of a point to it besides sort of setting up a mythology around ghosts and witches.
nuevecuervos's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoy Seanan McGuire's urban fantasy, and this was no exception. My complaint was that it was too short to really get into; I feel like it could have honestly benefited from side trips into the lives (err, or deaths) of the ghosts that were center stage here to build some sense of why our villains did what they did. Still the world-building was fantastic and the characters present were lovely and it was totally worth the read.
amorettemarisol's review against another edition
2.0
this is not my preferred genre to start with. i branched out in hopes of extending my pallet, but this book has me wishing i didn’t.
i would blame the publishing team for this.
it was written as though it had no outline. information on characters was randomly given throughout the story in ill timing. then when descriptions were provided, they were given in a poetic tone that did not come across correctly. it made information hard to take in and did not fit. the infamous double negatives are also a typical star in this novella (ex: i was so lost. so lost that…) over and over. these mistakes should have been caught with the help of an editor.
but i can’t let the author go either.
the character development was weak. it seemed as if she wanted to focus on keeping the speaker, Jenna, naive due to the age she died. that was an excellent thought. however, i read 125 pages before i felt a forced character growth. one that wasn’t stable for the duration of the novel. then the lines used for the antagonist? some more originality could have been shown. i wish the effort that was put into the first chapter followed through.
why give this two stars instead of one? because i admit, i went into this book incorrectly. i was under the pretenses that it would challenge grief and suicide. it did not. it simply follows Jenna, who grieves her sister and what could have been. that is the synopsis of the entire book. that is all i got from it. if that’s what i was supposed to attain, then i give it two stars for getting the message across.
however, a better team is needed. there was no connection with the title and the context unless you count the chapter you dropped it in. the concept of the book could have been great with more of a push.
read it if you have a reading goal you want to meet. don’t if it’s your intro to fantasy.
i would blame the publishing team for this.
it was written as though it had no outline. information on characters was randomly given throughout the story in ill timing. then when descriptions were provided, they were given in a poetic tone that did not come across correctly. it made information hard to take in and did not fit. the infamous double negatives are also a typical star in this novella (ex: i was so lost. so lost that…) over and over. these mistakes should have been caught with the help of an editor.
but i can’t let the author go either.
the character development was weak. it seemed as if she wanted to focus on keeping the speaker, Jenna, naive due to the age she died. that was an excellent thought. however, i read 125 pages before i felt a forced character growth. one that wasn’t stable for the duration of the novel. then the lines used for the antagonist? some more originality could have been shown. i wish the effort that was put into the first chapter followed through.
why give this two stars instead of one? because i admit, i went into this book incorrectly. i was under the pretenses that it would challenge grief and suicide. it did not. it simply follows Jenna, who grieves her sister and what could have been. that is the synopsis of the entire book. that is all i got from it. if that’s what i was supposed to attain, then i give it two stars for getting the message across.
however, a better team is needed. there was no connection with the title and the context unless you count the chapter you dropped it in. the concept of the book could have been great with more of a push.
read it if you have a reading goal you want to meet. don’t if it’s your intro to fantasy.