Scan barcode
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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? No
4.0
This was a delight to read! It's not perfect, but the characters and the overall heart iare both what definitely make the story. Izzy is such a well-rounded main character, and her friendship with Raven feels so genuine. And Akka! Always here for a good pet in a story (especially when that pet isn't killed for a plot device. Looking at you, Patrick Ness lol).
Anyway, the post-apocalpytic world aspect could have been a bit more developed because by the end, it did require quite a bit of suspension of disbelief. But I still enjoyed it, and I love all the rep that it includes!
Anyway, the post-apocalpytic world aspect could have been a bit more developed because by the end, it did require quite a bit of suspension of disbelief. But I still enjoyed it, and I love all the rep that it includes!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Suicide, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, and Chronic illness
Minor: Bullying, Ableism, and Dementia
xangemthelibrarian's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I love Izzy, Raven, and Akka so much. And I love the bond they form. And while I love Izzy's frank portrayal as an autistic character, and Raven's accurate portrayal of living with anxiety in the worst of all situations, I left this story feeling just a little confused and vaguely dissatisfied.
Spoilers ahead, so if you don't want those, this is the end of the spoiler-free review. Below this paragraph I just kind of explain more in depth why I felt the way I do about this story.
I do really love Izzy and Raven. And I love how transparent they are with each other when they are uncomfortable or are really caught up in the own heads. I just thought it was rather convenient that they had so much supernatural help throughout the story. Like, they were going through it, seriously. They were worried about thier families and whether or not this was truly the end. But they always had help.
And while there isn't anything wrong with having help, especially adult help from the afterlife, it felt just like What Stays Buried by Suzanne Young. Callie had all the answers given to her, and Izzy and Raven are no different.
And then the ending. Absolutely nothing changes for them. They defeat the aliens and literally everything goes right back to the way it was. All the damage caused to the earth was undone. Izzy and Raven were the only ones who even remembered what happened. It literally felt like the author had pulled one of those "It was only a dream" plotlines.
So, it's like, I'm super torn. Because again I love Izzy and Raven. If I were their age, I would 1000/10 want to be friends with them. But like... The convenience of thier adventure took away from that sense of danger. The only one I was really worried about was poor Akka. And I am so glad Akka did not die and all the damage caused in his body by the black dust was reversed.
Spoilers ahead, so if you don't want those, this is the end of the spoiler-free review. Below this paragraph I just kind of explain more in depth why I felt the way I do about this story.
And while there isn't anything wrong with having help, especially adult help from the afterlife, it felt just like What Stays Buried by Suzanne Young. Callie had all the answers given to her, and Izzy and Raven are no different.
And then the ending. Absolutely nothing changes for them. They defeat the aliens and literally everything goes right back to the way it was. All the damage caused to the earth was undone. Izzy and Raven were the only ones who even remembered what happened. It literally felt like the author had pulled one of those "It was only a dream" plotlines.
So, it's like, I'm super torn. Because again I love Izzy and Raven. If I were their age, I would 1000/10 want to be friends with them. But like... The convenience of thier adventure took away from that sense of danger. The only one I was really worried about was poor Akka. And I am so glad Akka did not die and all the damage caused in his body by the black dust was reversed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Dementia
A lot of Akka's (the dog) trauma and injuries are explained pretty medically and detailed. I was often very afraid that this was going to be one of those books where the dog dies in the end.emily_mh's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
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? No
3.5
Reynolds did a great job with the atmosphere of this novel. The world felt very empty and uniquely dystopian in that alien way. In terms of characters, the queer and autistic rep in Izzy was so fantastic to see! And Raven was a wonderful SC. I loved how in tune he was with himself and his self-expression. He was kind and gentle, too. I so appreciate that we have characters like him in middle-grade.The relationship between him and Izzy was special. They just felt very dependable and connected. I liked that they set boundaries and asked how they could support one another. Akka really stole the show, though. Even though his speech seemed a bit millennial (which isn’t inherently a bad thing, but felt a bit jarring considering Izzy is Gen Z), he was absolutely adorable!
There were, unfortunately, a handful of negatives. Firstly, it’s never explained why the aliens wanted to invade, or what happened to them after Izzy and Raven freed humanity, not is it clear if everyone in the world was abducted or just those locally. Secondly, the reasoning behind the answers to the musical clues sometimes came across as a little convoluted. Thirdly, the plot was repetitive, in that it cycled between an ugly attack or solving a musical clue until the climax.
Rep: queer autistic MC with anxiety and depression, queer SC with anxiety, asthma, and Lyme disease
Rep: queer autistic MC with anxiety and depression, queer SC with anxiety, asthma, and Lyme disease
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Suicide
Moderate: Death, Grief, and Violence
Minor: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Ableism, Blood, Bullying, Cancer, Car accident, Child abuse, Dementia, Self harm, Terminal illness, and Vomit
Major: apocalyptic scenario Moderate: description of autistic overwhelm Minor: loss of a loved one, hurricane, menstruation, earthquake
More...