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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
Just couldn’t finish this one. Made it about halfway through, but found it too tedious to keep going. The characters felt one dimensional, the plot filled with holes. It is trying way too hard to be a book about female empowerment, but falls flat.
Read in one sitting - I just couldn’t put it down because I needed to know where it was going. Dystopian genre, lots of trigger warnings.
I devoured this book, I lived it; it feels important.
Such an accomplished and flawless read, it doesn’t feel like a debut at all.
It is dystopian and in that comes discomfort but it’s real power is that it is our world turned only slightly on its axis.
Celeste comes from a place where girls have the future mapped on their bodies by way of a series of moles and freckles on their skin, but they possess no agency, no control over their predictions or their lives.
Her brother Miles has the ability to read the markings and interpret them; an unusual gift amongst men and an interest that is viewed as subversive in this oppressive world. This is a story of their sibling relationship; it is complex, it is fragile, it is intense but critically it endures.
In a world where the patriarchy goes unchallenged and worse, crimes against women are blamed on the women, Laura Maylene Walter tells a story of family; the bond between siblings, the secrets we keep and the lies that are told to protect ourselves and those who we love the most.
Through the lens of a beautifully told coming of age story, she examines the idea of fate and predestination, scrutinises female agency, identity and the idea that biology is destiny.
There are a multitude of trigger warnings; rape, abduction, victim shaming - at times this is an extremely distressing read but at the same time it is one of hope and recognition of what can be achieved with understanding, intelligence and courage.
Body of Stars is unsettling but in the best of ways. I hope that this book receives the recognition that it deserves.
Thanks to Netgalley & Hodder Studio for granting me this ARC for an honest review and thank you to Laura Maylene Walter for writing an amazing book.
Such an accomplished and flawless read, it doesn’t feel like a debut at all.
It is dystopian and in that comes discomfort but it’s real power is that it is our world turned only slightly on its axis.
Celeste comes from a place where girls have the future mapped on their bodies by way of a series of moles and freckles on their skin, but they possess no agency, no control over their predictions or their lives.
Her brother Miles has the ability to read the markings and interpret them; an unusual gift amongst men and an interest that is viewed as subversive in this oppressive world. This is a story of their sibling relationship; it is complex, it is fragile, it is intense but critically it endures.
In a world where the patriarchy goes unchallenged and worse, crimes against women are blamed on the women, Laura Maylene Walter tells a story of family; the bond between siblings, the secrets we keep and the lies that are told to protect ourselves and those who we love the most.
Through the lens of a beautifully told coming of age story, she examines the idea of fate and predestination, scrutinises female agency, identity and the idea that biology is destiny.
There are a multitude of trigger warnings; rape, abduction, victim shaming - at times this is an extremely distressing read but at the same time it is one of hope and recognition of what can be achieved with understanding, intelligence and courage.
Body of Stars is unsettling but in the best of ways. I hope that this book receives the recognition that it deserves.
Thanks to Netgalley & Hodder Studio for granting me this ARC for an honest review and thank you to Laura Maylene Walter for writing an amazing book.
This story presents a metaphor for rape culture in our society. Girls are marked with birthmarks that indicate their path in life. All girls pass through a period of two weeks between girlhood and adulthood where they are completely irresistible to boys and men, some are abducted and government officials largely turn a blind eye. I gave it a 3 because it was not a super fun read but it was an excellent metaphor and in the end, you sense that maybe progress is on the horizon. I was between a 3 and 4.
This was simultaneously wonderful and deeply frustrating - not because of the writing (which I really enjoyed), but because of the all too believable world this inhabited, with the limits and shame of women defining their existence.
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Really moving story that, while not technically taking place in "our world" feels very much like women's realities today. This is a really important story for everyone to read and take something from. The illustrations are also a great extra feature to make the world feel even more real.
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love the concept of this book, but the story was just a little too weird and the ending left me feeling like it was unfinished. The pacing was irregular too. I understand that it's a metaphor for rape culture, and you can definitely see that, but I still struggled to fully understand this story.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
