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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
Liked the first half a lot more than the second.
Why did she never ask 22 his name? Unless I missed that? Literally bothered me so much that I wrote this review to say it.
Why did she never ask 22 his name? Unless I missed that? Literally bothered me so much that I wrote this review to say it.
I would probably never pick this book up on my own (this was a buddy read), the blurb didn't really interest me and I wasn't expecting much, so in the end I was pleasantly surprised. A few points I want to touch upon.
1. I really liked the idea of "making a war fandom", creating a few real-life superheroes, making a merch for them, creating the idea in common people that they know them... it's pretty chilling propaganda. (At the same time, I felt like I was reading a celebrity fanfiction in places...)
2. Mallory was a heroine I would usually just adored - you know, I love my socially awkward protagonist who overcomes their anxiety so they can stand up for others. And on rational level I loved that, but I didn't really feel it. Which applies to the whole book, I didn't really feel much for it, I was rationally capable to appreciate some aspects and my brain was curious about some things, but...
3. I learned from author's comment that Mallory is aro/ace. I am all for implicit representation, but I have to say that as someone who doesn't share this experience, I would love to be a little bit more kicked about it. The idea occurred to me while reading, but I really had no way to be sure which just ended in me being confused. Looking back at it, I really like the idea of a "platonic crush" that Mallory has on 22 since it's something I never really considered existing, but that's definitely very real. But once again the conversation that Jessa and Mallory have about it only made me more confused. Sometimes it's good to assume that your readers are a bit dumb, but I get it's a hard balance to maintain.
4. The sequence of events was a little bit too convenient to believe.
5. Loved 22's efforts of humor that was easily my favourite part.
6. I was disappointed that one thing didn't happen, not really plot-wise, but character-wise.
7. This book portrays beautiful friendships, which once again, I rationally appreciated, but didn't really felt. I just don't understand why...
8. The audiobook is really good. It wasn't one of the cases where I thought that the narration itself was a piece of art, but it was solid.
I enjoyed this book, but it wasn't really for me. I didn't really feel connected to it, some aspects were hard to believe, but I rationally appreciate a lot of details and themes. I probably won't read more books from this author, but that's mostly just because I feel like we are on different wavelengths.
1. I really liked the idea of "making a war fandom", creating a few real-life superheroes, making a merch for them, creating the idea in common people that they know them... it's pretty chilling propaganda. (At the same time, I felt like I was reading a celebrity fanfiction in places...)
2. Mallory was a heroine I would usually just adored - you know, I love my socially awkward protagonist who overcomes their anxiety so they can stand up for others. And on rational level I loved that, but I didn't really feel it. Which applies to the whole book, I didn't really feel much for it, I was rationally capable to appreciate some aspects and my brain was curious about some things, but...
3. I learned from author's comment that Mallory is aro/ace. I am all for implicit representation, but I have to say that as someone who doesn't share this experience, I would love to be a little bit more kicked about it. The idea occurred to me while reading, but I really had no way to be sure which just ended in me being confused. Looking back at it, I really like the idea of a "platonic crush" that Mallory has on 22 since it's something I never really considered existing, but that's definitely very real. But once again the conversation that Jessa and Mallory have about it only made me more confused. Sometimes it's good to assume that your readers are a bit dumb, but I get it's a hard balance to maintain.
4. The sequence of events was a little bit too convenient to believe.
5. Loved 22's efforts of humor that was easily my favourite part.
22 must hear me stifling curses, because he periodically throws back to me what he seems to think are words of encouragement.
At least we can breathe this air. If that changes, you’ll be the first to know.
Snipers are usually pretty quiet through here. In any case, they’d be aiming at me.
If you hear a resonance grenade activating, drop to the ground faster than it can imprint and you’ll probably survive. Pause. And we’re en route to a hospital anyway.
6. I was disappointed that one thing didn't happen, not really plot-wise, but character-wise.
Spoiler
We never learn 22's name, because Mallory never asks him. That just seems weird to me. I understand that there is not much time for it through the book, but she is trying to restore their humanity and she is obsessed with this guy. I think she would ask him, when they are trying not to fell asleep and not to die...7. This book portrays beautiful friendships, which once again, I rationally appreciated, but didn't really felt. I just don't understand why...
8. The audiobook is really good. It wasn't one of the cases where I thought that the narration itself was a piece of art, but it was solid.
I enjoyed this book, but it wasn't really for me. I didn't really feel connected to it, some aspects were hard to believe, but I rationally appreciate a lot of details and themes. I probably won't read more books from this author, but that's mostly just because I feel like we are on different wavelengths.
Just ok for me. About halfway through suspected/realized I just didn't find this book as good as reviews/rating had indicated. Stuck with it for the later half and ending to see what happens and it hopes it would pick up, which for me it did not, and ending wasn't what I'd expected. I would say if you aren't interested after the first 1/4 of the book, it's probably not going to improve for you, you either like it or not, either is fine but I've had many books really pick up in later half, for me this one really didn't.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
4.25/5
this was shaping up to be a solid 5 star read for me up until part 4. up until then i thought the world-building was great and unsettlingly plausible for dystopia, i loved all the characters (i thought mal was a very refreshing main character!), the pacing was great i literally could not put the book down. but then once it hit the final part... i'm not sure exactly what happened!! but somehow the feasibility began to break down for me, and there were some parts that i also just found wildly confusing (though i'm sure they weren't meant to be) and i found myself rereading some paragraphs several times just to grasp what a character was trying to say. and then the ending.. it wasn't that i disliked it, but it was a bit too open-ended for me and i think there were some parts of the plot that needed answers that just weren't there. not a bad ending!! but not as great as i was expecting based on how much i had enjoyed the beginning parts of the book.
one other thing i Really liked about this was.. no romance!! i didn't realize mal was aspec until i finished reading and opened the book page on here, but even before learning that i very much liked how her platonic relationships with the other characters were portrayed
this was shaping up to be a solid 5 star read for me up until part 4. up until then i thought the world-building was great and unsettlingly plausible for dystopia, i loved all the characters (i thought mal was a very refreshing main character!), the pacing was great i literally could not put the book down. but then once it hit the final part... i'm not sure exactly what happened!! but somehow the feasibility began to break down for me, and there were some parts that i also just found wildly confusing (though i'm sure they weren't meant to be) and i found myself rereading some paragraphs several times just to grasp what a character was trying to say. and then the ending.. it wasn't that i disliked it, but it was a bit too open-ended for me and i think there were some parts of the plot that needed answers that just weren't there. not a bad ending!! but not as great as i was expecting based on how much i had enjoyed the beginning parts of the book.
one other thing i Really liked about this was.. no romance!! i didn't realize mal was aspec until i finished reading and opened the book page on here, but even before learning that i very much liked how her platonic relationships with the other characters were portrayed
Holy-
You need to read this book
It's the anti-capitalist story that Ready Player One wishes it was.
Read my full review HERE. ❤ Check below for a preview!
Action packed, anti-capitalist, compelling, well written, easy to follow, emotional, and tense.
Oh man, where do I begin? I really loved this book. When I opened it, I thought “man this is kind of long, I didn’t realize!” And then literally this book doesn’t slow down at any point. It is packed with amazing content. This is going to be a hard review, because it’s packed with so many different amazing things that I don’t know how well I can narrow it down! This book is easy to follow and fast paced, but delightfully anti-capitalist in a way that Ready Player One wishes it was. But not in any of the ways you anticipate it to be.
Firebreak follows Mal, who lives with her 7 roommates in an old hotel room, living by the rules of the mega corporation, Stellaxis, amidst a corporate war stalemate. Mal and her best friend Jessa are mildly successful at streaming the wildly popular war VR game modeled after the real corporate war — the war that the corporations have monetized. Everything changes for Mal and Jessa when they get contacted by a mysterious sponsor who tells them that the super human celebrities, that everyone knows Stellaxis grew in a lab, are not lab experiments at all. They’re real war orphans, just like Mal and Jessa. Keep reading...
*I received a free copy of this book from the author and am leaving this review voluntarily*
Bookish Brews | Twitter | Pinterest | Tumblr
You need to read this book
It's the anti-capitalist story that Ready Player One wishes it was.
Read my full review HERE. ❤ Check below for a preview!
Action packed, anti-capitalist, compelling, well written, easy to follow, emotional, and tense.
Oh man, where do I begin? I really loved this book. When I opened it, I thought “man this is kind of long, I didn’t realize!” And then literally this book doesn’t slow down at any point. It is packed with amazing content. This is going to be a hard review, because it’s packed with so many different amazing things that I don’t know how well I can narrow it down! This book is easy to follow and fast paced, but delightfully anti-capitalist in a way that Ready Player One wishes it was. But not in any of the ways you anticipate it to be.
Firebreak follows Mal, who lives with her 7 roommates in an old hotel room, living by the rules of the mega corporation, Stellaxis, amidst a corporate war stalemate. Mal and her best friend Jessa are mildly successful at streaming the wildly popular war VR game modeled after the real corporate war — the war that the corporations have monetized. Everything changes for Mal and Jessa when they get contacted by a mysterious sponsor who tells them that the super human celebrities, that everyone knows Stellaxis grew in a lab, are not lab experiments at all. They’re real war orphans, just like Mal and Jessa. Keep reading...
*I received a free copy of this book from the author and am leaving this review voluntarily*
Bookish Brews | Twitter | Pinterest | Tumblr
I appreciate this book for what it is: Halo if Halo urged its players to think more critically about the regime orchestrating it all.
There were parts of Firebreak that really, truly gripped me - only to leave me chasing the high of government intrigue and that prickling fear of what will happen. What happens is not nearly as adrenaline inducing as the build up, unfortunately.
Regardless, it was so refreshing to see some ace representation, and I that Mal's flaws aren't magically erased the moment she becomes a public figure.
If the whole book managed to maintain the energy and pacing of part 3 - with the same focus on class solidarity (seriously this aspect is what kept me reading, hoping for more) and unlikely friendships instead of overpowered allies plowing through all real danger - I would give this a 4.5 stars. Sadly, it didn't.
There were parts of Firebreak that really, truly gripped me - only to leave me chasing the high of government intrigue and that prickling fear of what will happen. What happens is not nearly as adrenaline inducing as the build up, unfortunately.
Regardless, it was so refreshing to see some ace representation, and I that Mal's flaws aren't magically erased the moment she becomes a public figure.
If the whole book managed to maintain the energy and pacing of part 3 - with the same focus on class solidarity (seriously this aspect is what kept me reading, hoping for more) and unlikely friendships instead of overpowered allies plowing through all real danger - I would give this a 4.5 stars. Sadly, it didn't.
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was such a good mash up of the stuff you like from dystopias. Or at least, that I like. A hard world that's a bit on-the-nose social commentary, a big what if that stays through, solid friendship and a revolution! With mecha giants and video games!
CONTENT WARNING:
I really liked that friendship was a big part of this, and that we don't get a sense of this being "easy" for anyone. Not sure I'll read the next one because I'm not sure how it could add, but one of the most balanced and interesting dystopias I've read in awhile.
CONTENT WARNING:
Spoiler
climate disaster, poverty, medical experimentation without consent, war, chemical attacks, loss of familyI really liked that friendship was a big part of this, and that we don't get a sense of this being "easy" for anyone. Not sure I'll read the next one because I'm not sure how it could add, but one of the most balanced and interesting dystopias I've read in awhile.