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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
Tää oli ihana. Ei pahan mielen kirja, mutta ei mitenkään iloinenkaan. Sopivan melankolinen tähän hetkeen.
This book is just: wow. First, I have to acknowledge the fact that I've been on a roll with five-star books lately, and I'm so happy. Though, as I saw another reviewer say once: I, for some reason, cannot write long reviews on books I think are perfect. But, nevertheless, I shall try my best.
This book grapples with the concept of childhood and memory. It dives into the wonders of being a kid while also being so different from everyone surrounding you, which I think a lot of people could relate to. The themes in this book are so well done, and I felt very seen in so many places. This captured the feeling of being a little kid reading books like 'The Chronicles of Narnia' (which was, funnily enough, mentioned in the book) while still being a book intended for an older audience. It had such a child-like whimsy to it, while, again, being a very dark/moody feeling story.
I loved how the perspective of our protagonist captured so perfectly how kids process things. The writing was so simple, and yet that made it so much better. It was almost a perfect contrast to my most recent review on 'This Is How You Lose the Time War' in which I praised the descriptiveness of the writing. Here I feel like the lack of complexity within the writing-style made it all the better! Though a lot of the worldbuilding was a bit confusing due to the lack of an omnipresent author, it made it so much more engaging because we the audience are as lost as the protagonist, which then makes it even easier to relate to him.
The ending was so perfect, and I cried quite a bit. Minor spoilers: But the way in which the cycle repeated, the way the memories again became far off dreams, was so representative of the way things fade as you get older. How the transition into adulthood sometimes casts a veil on your childhood. It was so bittersweet, and so beautiful.
This book grapples with the concept of childhood and memory. It dives into the wonders of being a kid while also being so different from everyone surrounding you, which I think a lot of people could relate to. The themes in this book are so well done, and I felt very seen in so many places. This captured the feeling of being a little kid reading books like 'The Chronicles of Narnia' (which was, funnily enough, mentioned in the book) while still being a book intended for an older audience. It had such a child-like whimsy to it, while, again, being a very dark/moody feeling story.
I loved how the perspective of our protagonist captured so perfectly how kids process things. The writing was so simple, and yet that made it so much better. It was almost a perfect contrast to my most recent review on 'This Is How You Lose the Time War' in which I praised the descriptiveness of the writing. Here I feel like the lack of complexity within the writing-style made it all the better! Though a lot of the worldbuilding was a bit confusing due to the lack of an omnipresent author, it made it so much more engaging because we the audience are as lost as the protagonist, which then makes it even easier to relate to him.
The ending was so perfect, and I cried quite a bit. Minor spoilers: But the way in which the cycle repeated, the way the memories again became far off dreams, was so representative of the way things fade as you get older. How the transition into adulthood sometimes casts a veil on your childhood. It was so bittersweet, and so beautiful.
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Well. Call me surprised. This book was nothing like I had imagined. I thought it was an "adult" book but really it seemed YA. I had no idea it was going to be fantasy/horror. It was surprising then when things went "magical". I finally caught on though :) I am not fond of books where the narrator is recalling something so vividly and so detailed for a much too young child, like a 7 year old. I did think the writing was lovely and it held my attention. But it felt flat.
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A beautiful story, masterfully told. The sort of magical realism that leaves you wondering what's real and what isn't. And whether that matters.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No