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amriherd's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
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
5.0
That was wild. And I was never bored.
Effortless, detailed world building. Darkest Academia vibes with uncompromising personalities you hate yourself for liking.
It's a violent one, so buckle up if you're squeamish. It never felt unnecessary or gratuitous. It always served a purpose plot wise. And I greatly appreciated that sexual violence was implied not explicit when it easily could have been described for "the plot." Didn't play it for shock value. That alone will have me reading more books by the author.
Effortless, detailed world building. Darkest Academia vibes with uncompromising personalities you hate yourself for liking.
It's a violent one, so buckle up if you're squeamish. It never felt unnecessary or gratuitous. It always served a purpose plot wise. And I greatly appreciated that sexual violence was implied not explicit when it easily could have been described for "the plot." Didn't play it for shock value. That alone will have me reading more books by the author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicide
beancastro's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
very dark dark academia, beautiful world building and very cool idea but not everything was wrapped up, hard to enjoy it when it’s so dark and gory
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Suicide, Torture, Murder, and War
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gore, and Rape
missdanielle's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Drug use, and Rape
Minor: Sexual violence and Torture
sveni's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Torture, and Violence
3martini's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug use, Gun violence, Rape, and Vomit
ldasoqi's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
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
5.0
This was the book club pick for October and I loved it. That might be an understatement, this book alone justifies an entire year of meh picks and really highlights the value of reading books that are off of your radar. To my eye this is nearly a perfect book, it's got rollercoaster pacing, true-to-life dialogue, humor in spades, and the most cohesive/tight plotting of anything that I've read this year (and I finished The Culture this year). I cannot believe that outside of some technical manuals, this is Scott Hawkins' debut; this is a first try that has left me in awe.
Before I dive in I usually do this for books that need one: Here is your mature content warning, this book has basically every possible trigger under the sun, there's graphic murder and gore, rape and sexual assault, there's mass murder and violence to animals.
The story revolves around Carolyn, one of several orphans taken in by a mysterious and god-like figure known as Father. Each child is assigned a specific catalog of knowledge to master, and Carolyn's domain is the Library, a place that houses unimaginable secrets and powers. When Father goes missing, the children, now adults with god-like abilities, must confront the mysteries of the library and the past. If the summary left you glossy-eyed and uninterested I can't blame you, but this is one of those books that the blurb on the jacket won't ever be able to do justice to.
As I draft this review I think I've written the phrase "unlike anything i've ever read" at least a hundred times only to delete and rephrase as I think about it a little more. The thing is that there are works that are similar to this in premise, atmosphere, or tone; examples from my list are The Umbrella Academy, Vol. 1: Apocalypse Suite, The Wasp Factory, The Book of the New Sun. But from a writing standpoint, this book is wholly unique, I saw it written in another review and I cannot help but agree, that reading this book is an exercise in trusting the author.
So let's talk about the writing for a second. This is a complex and challenging book, it's non-linear in structure and the story is fragmented, with flashbacks interspersed every few chapters to drip-feed the reader the backstory and context. There is a distinct feeling of unreliability in the narration, reading this gave me the sense that I never once had the complete picture and that there was something truly horrible looming just over the horizon. If you're someone who reads a lot of fiction that sense of mystery and unease usually dissolves as you get a sense of what type of story is being told, but that moment is never within reach in this novel. Just when you think you've figured out the rules of the world, Hawkins throws in a curveball that leaves you questioning everything.
Part of that unpredictability is rooted in the characters, and we have a whole host of eccentric and terrifying characters, not least of all the main character, Carolyn. All I can really say is that she is one scary-ass lady. As more of her is revealed in each increasingly horrible flashback the tension of this book ratchets up another notch as you piece together the plot and Carolyn's role in the story. It's not just Carolyn, this book reveals more and more facets of each of its characters; the more we know the more we have to take into account the effects of the horror and brutality of their upbringing. Characters that you thought you knew can change completely with a simple revelation, all of their actions and your reckoning of them completely upended and leaving you blown away in the chaotic swirl.
I don't want to paint this book as overly serious and dark, Hawkins is a master at pairing levity with horror. As much as this book made me wince and shift uncomfortably it made me laugh out loud at just how fun all this madness can be. This story jumps from one horror to another but he never fails to use humor expertly as a relief valve; the president could be beheaded in one paragraph and his head would blow raspberries and kisses in the next. Much of the humor is in the banter and dialogue which I also loved, Hawkins writes these absolutely wacky characters but gives them frank and believable dialogue with much of the humor being couched in absurdity and wit.
I've got two closing notes and that's a wrap. The first is that I loved how direct the prose was in this book, this isn't to say there is an absence of beautiful and flowery language because there is but it's only used when appropriate. The majority of this book is direct and brutal, people don't get shot or pierced through, people get "Half their guts blown out" or get their "heart and lungs obliterated, sending a good bit of tissue out a fist-sized hole in his back". The second note is that I loved the ending, it felt like every little puzzle piece fell into place and the things I took note of were addressed in a complete and satisfying way.
TL;DR: The best description I can give is that there's a team of super kids with an unfathomable and terrifying father, intense flashes of violence and mayhem paired with dark humor, and non-linear dream-ish storytelling.
Before I dive in I usually do this for books that need one: Here is your mature content warning, this book has basically every possible trigger under the sun, there's graphic murder and gore, rape and sexual assault, there's mass murder and violence to animals.
The story revolves around Carolyn, one of several orphans taken in by a mysterious and god-like figure known as Father. Each child is assigned a specific catalog of knowledge to master, and Carolyn's domain is the Library, a place that houses unimaginable secrets and powers. When Father goes missing, the children, now adults with god-like abilities, must confront the mysteries of the library and the past. If the summary left you glossy-eyed and uninterested I can't blame you, but this is one of those books that the blurb on the jacket won't ever be able to do justice to.
As I draft this review I think I've written the phrase "unlike anything i've ever read" at least a hundred times only to delete and rephrase as I think about it a little more. The thing is that there are works that are similar to this in premise, atmosphere, or tone; examples from my list are The Umbrella Academy, Vol. 1: Apocalypse Suite, The Wasp Factory, The Book of the New Sun. But from a writing standpoint, this book is wholly unique, I saw it written in another review and I cannot help but agree, that reading this book is an exercise in trusting the author.
So let's talk about the writing for a second. This is a complex and challenging book, it's non-linear in structure and the story is fragmented, with flashbacks interspersed every few chapters to drip-feed the reader the backstory and context. There is a distinct feeling of unreliability in the narration, reading this gave me the sense that I never once had the complete picture and that there was something truly horrible looming just over the horizon. If you're someone who reads a lot of fiction that sense of mystery and unease usually dissolves as you get a sense of what type of story is being told, but that moment is never within reach in this novel. Just when you think you've figured out the rules of the world, Hawkins throws in a curveball that leaves you questioning everything.
Part of that unpredictability is rooted in the characters, and we have a whole host of eccentric and terrifying characters, not least of all the main character, Carolyn. All I can really say is that she is one scary-ass lady. As more of her is revealed in each increasingly horrible flashback the tension of this book ratchets up another notch as you piece together the plot and Carolyn's role in the story. It's not just Carolyn, this book reveals more and more facets of each of its characters; the more we know the more we have to take into account the effects of the horror and brutality of their upbringing. Characters that you thought you knew can change completely with a simple revelation, all of their actions and your reckoning of them completely upended and leaving you blown away in the chaotic swirl.
I don't want to paint this book as overly serious and dark, Hawkins is a master at pairing levity with horror. As much as this book made me wince and shift uncomfortably it made me laugh out loud at just how fun all this madness can be. This story jumps from one horror to another but he never fails to use humor expertly as a relief valve; the president could be beheaded in one paragraph and his head would blow raspberries and kisses in the next. Much of the humor is in the banter and dialogue which I also loved, Hawkins writes these absolutely wacky characters but gives them frank and believable dialogue with much of the humor being couched in absurdity and wit.
I've got two closing notes and that's a wrap. The first is that I loved how direct the prose was in this book, this isn't to say there is an absence of beautiful and flowery language because there is but it's only used when appropriate. The majority of this book is direct and brutal, people don't get shot or pierced through, people get "Half their guts blown out" or get their "heart and lungs obliterated, sending a good bit of tissue out a fist-sized hole in his back". The second note is that I loved the ending, it felt like every little puzzle piece fell into place and the things I took note of were addressed in a complete and satisfying way.
TL;DR: The best description I can give is that there's a team of super kids with an unfathomable and terrifying father, intense flashes of violence and mayhem paired with dark humor, and non-linear dream-ish storytelling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
j_o600's review against another edition
4.5
Ok. First, excellent book. If you read it, you’re not going to understand what’s going on for awhile and that’s by design.
I think there’s some amazing ideas at work, this is in many ways a meditation on trauma/PTSD and the way it shapes people. The structure is very different as a result, and I really like that instead of having a big superhero ending, the book has a weird, reflective ending instead. It feels like a more mature ending to the ideas the book plays with.
All that said, I’ve seen reviews that genuinely confuse me. It’s ok if you like a book or not, but, as an example, I saw someone mention pedophilia and be angry about it and to the best of my memory, that never happened.
I saw someone else claim the point of the book is that extreme suffering is good actually, because it makes the best version of a person—and no. No, I’d even argue that the book is almost the exact opposite of that. It’s arguably more about accepting how trauma can turn you into essentially a completely different person.
As someone with a lot of trauma, I found how this was handled to be moving and empathetic. Not perfect maybe, but I don’t think anyone writing about trauma can be perfect.
I will caution that if abuse is a hard trigger for you, you probably don’t want to read this book yet. I’ve tried to include trigger warnings for what IS in the book. Take them seriously.
Also, I see a lot of people getting upset about a POV chracter named Erwin who is your hardened older army type. He is a complex character who has multiple functions in the story. I think he needs to be there, and while he wasn’t my favorite character, he fits into the themes of PTSD (I think for obvious reasons). I don’t think the author intended him for any type of propaganda and the book intentionally stays away from anything political. I think the government and military are not idealized by any means in this story. But I see that he’s triggering people, and I understand that a military POV character could be a trigger so, if you’re upset reading this review, again, avoid book.
That said, I do think this is original and I really liked some of the bigger reveals near the end and how they developed Carolyn and Steve specifically. And the lions are amazing, best characters.
I think there’s some amazing ideas at work, this is in many ways a meditation on trauma/PTSD and the way it shapes people. The structure is very different as a result, and I really like that instead of having a big superhero ending, the book has a weird, reflective ending instead. It feels like a more mature ending to the ideas the book plays with.
All that said, I’ve seen reviews that genuinely confuse me. It’s ok if you like a book or not, but, as an example, I saw someone mention pedophilia and be angry about it and to the best of my memory, that never happened.
I saw someone else claim the point of the book is that extreme suffering is good actually, because it makes the best version of a person—and no. No, I’d even argue that the book is almost the exact opposite of that. It’s arguably more about accepting how trauma can turn you into essentially a completely different person.
As someone with a lot of trauma, I found how this was handled to be moving and empathetic. Not perfect maybe, but I don’t think anyone writing about trauma can be perfect.
I will caution that if abuse is a hard trigger for you, you probably don’t want to read this book yet. I’ve tried to include trigger warnings for what IS in the book. Take them seriously.
Also, I see a lot of people getting upset about a POV chracter named Erwin who is your hardened older army type. He is a complex character who has multiple functions in the story. I think he needs to be there, and while he wasn’t my favorite character, he fits into the themes of PTSD (I think for obvious reasons). I don’t think the author intended him for any type of propaganda and the book intentionally stays away from anything political. I think the government and military are not idealized by any means in this story. But I see that he’s triggering people, and I understand that a military POV character could be a trigger so, if you’re upset reading this review, again, avoid book.
That said, I do think this is original and I really liked some of the bigger reveals near the end and how they developed Carolyn and Steve specifically. And the lions are amazing, best characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Suicide, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Rape and Sexual violence
Minor: Animal death and Death of parent
kenleyneufeld's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Suicide, Torture, Violence, and Murder
valjeanval's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Bizarre, bloody, and a serious page turner. A dark tale of what and why are humans with lots to say on the nature of power and vengeance. The violence and gore are too much for me at times, but still a great book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Drug use, Gun violence, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
literarybitch's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
0.75
HEY, NO THANKS??
The central idea is inventive and captivating, I was fascinated to know more, and I vehemently disagree with the ending so hard that I simply cannot recommend it. To the point that actually, I'm just going to say it:
This book makes the argument that horrific cruelty & abuse are justifiable means to motivate someone to achieve their full potential.
I think that's simply so awful that it's not worth reading the rest of the book.
Against the dark landscape of slaughter and pain and rape and torture and killing and resurrection and killing again, there are oddly funny moments, joking lines that have absolutely no hope of landing. Any goodwill the interesting premise created curdled, soured, and died.
The central idea is inventive and captivating, I was fascinated to know more, and I vehemently disagree with the ending so hard that I simply cannot recommend it. To the point that actually, I'm just going to say it:
This book makes the argument that horrific cruelty & abuse are justifiable means to motivate someone to achieve their full potential.
I think that's simply so awful that it's not worth reading the rest of the book.
Against the dark landscape of slaughter and pain and rape and torture and killing and resurrection and killing again, there are oddly funny moments, joking lines that have absolutely no hope of landing. Any goodwill the interesting premise created curdled, soured, and died.
In fact, this book has caused me to rethink my standards for audiobooks. I listened to this for free and I still want my money back.
Fuck this/10
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Rape, Suicide, Torture, Violence, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail