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angelbirbs's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
queenpebbles's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Animal death
Moderate: Gun violence and Death of parent
Minor: Bullying and Racism
perfektionaise's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
bibliovino's review
5.0
My heart!
This amazing piece of literature offers so much! I fought a bit through the beginning to come to some kind of understanding of the world it was painting for me, but once I accepted the strangeness of it, I was able to relax into the genius. Half sci-fi, half fantasy, all romance, and parts revolution, this book sings with compassion and discovery. A trans anthem, a queer ballad, a human triumph and a tribute to love and acceptance. This story will wend its way into your soul!
Thank you to Nerdy Book Tours and the author for my free copy. These opinions are my own.
This amazing piece of literature offers so much! I fought a bit through the beginning to come to some kind of understanding of the world it was painting for me, but once I accepted the strangeness of it, I was able to relax into the genius. Half sci-fi, half fantasy, all romance, and parts revolution, this book sings with compassion and discovery. A trans anthem, a queer ballad, a human triumph and a tribute to love and acceptance. This story will wend its way into your soul!
Thank you to Nerdy Book Tours and the author for my free copy. These opinions are my own.
dusksolace's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Death, Blood, Body horror, Death of parent, Murder, Animal death, and Gun violence
jshawreads's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
foreverinastory's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
bookishescapades's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
mothandnessieread's review
5.0
As an existing fan of Bryn’s writing, I was excited to get to read Odder Still and was still pleasantly surprised by how much I loved this book! Everything from the wonderful main characters to the fast-paced plot combined to earn this book a spot on my favorites shelf.
Between the characters and the plot itself, I definitely have to say that the main characters, Rubem and Tavish, were my favorite parts of this story. They were both so unique and well-written and, after seeing what they went through during this story, I can only hope they get the happy ending they deserve. The quick pace of the plot, with its combination of political intrigue and constantly developing understanding of the creatures that fuel their entire society, was fascinating. Once I picked this book up, it was near impossible to put it down until the very end.
I absolutely loved this book and I can’t wait for book two in this series to come out and bring me back to these beloved characters!
mirroroftoomanybooks's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Once Stolen has a special place in my heart, especially for its setting on a fantasy Amazon rainforest, but also for its characters. I was very happy to see Rubem getting his own series, and Odder Still didn’t disappoint! He’s a charismatic main character, his romance with Tavish is compelling, and I loved the high-fantasy thriller and social commentary aspects of the plot.
(On a side note, reading Once Stolen might help if you want to know more about how Rubem ended in this situation, but this only affects the very beginning of the book. You don’t need to read Once Stolen to understand Odder Still.)
Rubem is honestly the most charismatic protagonist I’ve met in quite some time. His life is a mess, but he’s such a likable character, who just wants to go home to his pets and loneliness, but, instead, finds himself being pushed to become more involved in his own life and those of the people around him.
His relationship with Tavish was in interesting plot on its own, because of the contrast and chemistry between them. Tavish and Rubem come from opposite worlds—a white northern “princeling” and a mixed black and indigenous outcast from fantasy global south—but they feel so natural together. These differences mean their wishes and the expectations placed on them don’t always align, though, so there’s a running question in the story that you want to see answered. Can they have a relationship, despite everything that’s pushing them apart? Will they have to sacrifice each other to get what they want? Or will they lose something important to them, so they can keep each other?
But my favorite thing about Odder Still was its revolution plot. It had a nice dose of suspense and action, and I loved its moral complexity.
You have Maraheem, a city with an immense class gap, where a handful of families control everything in politics, industry and economy, and the rest of the population is left in misery. So it’s easy to believe there’s an impending revolution in the air, but it doesn’t stop at that, because you also see the story touching on acts of imperialism that aren’t limited to the upper classes. More than anything else, all the characters are people, neither wholly good or wholly bad, just making choices that sometimes pit their wellbeing and beliefs against others’, and I liked that.
I felt like some moments around/during the climax alternatively dragged or had too much happening all over the place, but there were some very nice and emotional action scenes, and I found the ending narratively satisfying. Odder Still doesn’t shy away from taking its themes to a full and realistic conclusion.
Content Warnings
Once Stolen has a special place in my heart, especially for its setting on a fantasy Amazon rainforest, but also for its characters. I was very happy to see Rubem getting his own series, and Odder Still didn’t disappoint! He’s a charismatic main character, his romance with Tavish is compelling, and I loved the high-fantasy thriller and social commentary aspects of the plot.
(On a side note, reading Once Stolen might help if you want to know more about how Rubem ended in this situation, but this only affects the very beginning of the book. You don’t need to read Once Stolen to understand Odder Still.)
Rubem is honestly the most charismatic protagonist I’ve met in quite some time. His life is a mess, but he’s such a likable character, who just wants to go home to his pets and loneliness, but, instead, finds himself being pushed to become more involved in his own life and those of the people around him.
His relationship with Tavish was in interesting plot on its own, because of the contrast and chemistry between them. Tavish and Rubem come from opposite worlds—a white northern “princeling” and a mixed black and indigenous outcast from fantasy global south—but they feel so natural together. These differences mean their wishes and the expectations placed on them don’t always align, though, so there’s a running question in the story that you want to see answered. Can they have a relationship, despite everything that’s pushing them apart? Will they have to sacrifice each other to get what they want? Or will they lose something important to them, so they can keep each other?
But my favorite thing about Odder Still was its revolution plot. It had a nice dose of suspense and action, and I loved its moral complexity.
You have Maraheem, a city with an immense class gap, where a handful of families control everything in politics, industry and economy, and the rest of the population is left in misery. So it’s easy to believe there’s an impending revolution in the air, but it doesn’t stop at that, because you also see the story touching on acts of imperialism that aren’t limited to the upper classes. More than anything else, all the characters are people, neither wholly good or wholly bad, just making choices that sometimes pit their wellbeing and beliefs against others’, and I liked that.
I felt like some moments around/during the climax alternatively dragged or had too much happening all over the place, but there were some very nice and emotional action scenes, and I found the ending narratively satisfying. Odder Still doesn’t shy away from taking its themes to a full and realistic conclusion.