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mmwi's review
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
intorilex's review
3.0
This book is about a memorable cast of characters surviving a deadly pandemic, while trying to navigate a strange and dangerous world. The place is referred to a Sick City and has been cordoned off from the rest of the world. It has many parallels to the shifting world we find ourselves in now. This is a slow burn mystery, with paranormal and sci-fi elements. I enjoyed the very weird, including ponytail jackers, therapy bars where you can beat up characters of your choice, and sin eaters who eat the sins of the dead so they can pass on without them. But the plot ultimately started and finished way too late in this book. The weird elements were fine, but it just didn't work together well to make a compelling book. Glad I listed to this on audio because it went by much faster, and prevented me from DNFing the book.
scarlett24's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? No
4.5
jhstutzman's review against another edition
4.0
I tried to read this on the release date and just couldn’t do it. Starting over a while later made it work. Reading a book about a pandemic, during a pandemic, was just a bit on the nose, yeah? A lot of the book is more about feeling than plot, like typical magical realism, but with some additional magical to it, alongside the disturbingly familiar realism. There’s some world building that seems to have either gone missing or been left to the reader to sort of invent into the book. But since it’s about that feeling or atmosphere as much as the plot, and this IS that atmosphere, it worked. I’m almost afraid to see what comes next from this author given how familiar this book ended up seeming.
catpewk's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
yourpal's review against another edition
There were way to many POVs for me to keep up with😭
sbratty17's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
depmythmoon's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It felt like a lot at first, but the multiple perspectives made this really enjoyable for me. Being able to spot characters going about their lives from another characters POV made it a lot like a scavenger hunt in the beginning.
Reading this now, after COVID, made this feel more real in a way. With a apocalyptic pandemic called the Laughter going around and forcing people to wear masks and gloves everywhere, it felt weird and interesting to read about. You could imagine what life could be like if the pandemic had done even more damage and supernatural and paranormal elements were involved. Of course, you’d have to suspend your belief a little, but that’s the joy of imagination.
My favorite concept of this book was how the truth was approached. A quote from early on in the book explains it: “The Truth entertains all these possibilities. You know that saying about innocent until proven guilty? That’s how we see it at the Truth. Everything’s possible until disproved. We keep an open mind.” I thought that was a great concept for the title of this conspiracy newspaper from the book. That just might be my favorite thing and biggest takeaway to be honest.
I will say, then ending did leave some questions unanswered, which bummed me out. It’s like the ending was meant to be that way so the author could come back with a sequel if they wanted. I’m impatient though, so I would have preferred all the answers payed out for me. It sucks, but it didn’t dull the enjoyment I’d got from reading and figuring out the other small mysteries.
I’d recommend the audio book. It’s 2 narrators, and their inflections when reading the character was enjoyable.
Reading this now, after COVID, made this feel more real in a way. With a apocalyptic pandemic called the Laughter going around and forcing people to wear masks and gloves everywhere, it felt weird and interesting to read about. You could imagine what life could be like if the pandemic had done even more damage and supernatural and paranormal elements were involved. Of course, you’d have to suspend your belief a little, but that’s the joy of imagination.
My favorite concept of this book was how the truth was approached. A quote from early on in the book explains it: “The Truth entertains all these possibilities. You know that saying about innocent until proven guilty? That’s how we see it at the Truth. Everything’s possible until disproved. We keep an open mind.” I thought that was a great concept for the title of this conspiracy newspaper from the book. That just might be my favorite thing and biggest takeaway to be honest.
I will say, then ending did leave some questions unanswered, which bummed me out. It’s like the ending was meant to be that way so the author could come back with a sequel if they wanted. I’m impatient though, so I would have preferred all the answers payed out for me. It sucks, but it didn’t dull the enjoyment I’d got from reading and figuring out the other small mysteries.
I’d recommend the audio book. It’s 2 narrators, and their inflections when reading the character was enjoyable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Terminal illness, Kidnapping, and Drug use
lovelybookshelf's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.0