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paintedgiraffe's review against another edition
3.0
Conflicted. The author is clearly talented and I love the way she describes all five senses. HOWEVER, like others have said, the culture is woefully unexplored, seen though the eyes of a spoiled white boy who's the son of a land developer. On the one hand, okay, I appreciate the "outsider's" perspective. But gah, he never got into the plot or truly cared about the characters. His relationship with Isabel I read more as a mere obsession than actual compassion. I don't regret reading this, as a story set in Puerto Rico is always a gem. (Underrepresented cultures ftw!) Even slopshod together, I did get a positive feeling of the beautiful country. This was sort of a miss on account of the main character being irritating, but I'll read another work by this author.
aggleeson's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
missprint_'s review against another edition
3.0
Lucas spends every summer with his hotel-developer father in Puerto Rico. The resort there, an old convent, sometimes feels more like home to Lucas than the mainland ever does.
The stories he hears there about the cursed girl with the green skin and the poison in her veins sometimes feel more real than any of the girls Lucas spends the summer romancing as a diversion. Lucas has always wanted to help her; imagined himself breaking Isabel's curse once and for all.
This summer, when his latest girlfriend disappears and Lucas starts receiving letters from Isabel herself, his life becomes inextricably entwined with the island, the curse, and a desperate search to save another lost girl before it's too late in A Fierce and Subtle Poison (2016) by Samantha Mabry.
A Fierce and Subtle Poison is Mabry's debut novel. It's easy, while reading, to see how the seeds of this story led to her subsequent novels All the Wind in the World and Tigers, Not Daughters.
Narrated by Lucas, this novel explores colonization and gentrification. Lucas witnesses firsthand the entitlement of white tourists and the damage his own father's resorts cause to the island's often fragile history.
Mabry expertly blends suspense and magic realism in this story of poison and disappeared girls although by the second half of the book it begins to feel like too many things are thrown into the plot as Lucas learns more about Isabel and her past.
A Fierce and Subtle Poison is a subtle story of longing and growing up. Recommended for readers who want to follow along with characters searching for their own compass--moral or otherwise.
Possible Pairings: Girl Serpent Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust, The Careful Undressing of Love by Corey Ann Haydu, We Were Liars by E. Lockhart, Bone Gap by Laura Ruby, Sadie by Courtney Summers
The stories he hears there about the cursed girl with the green skin and the poison in her veins sometimes feel more real than any of the girls Lucas spends the summer romancing as a diversion. Lucas has always wanted to help her; imagined himself breaking Isabel's curse once and for all.
This summer, when his latest girlfriend disappears and Lucas starts receiving letters from Isabel herself, his life becomes inextricably entwined with the island, the curse, and a desperate search to save another lost girl before it's too late in A Fierce and Subtle Poison (2016) by Samantha Mabry.
A Fierce and Subtle Poison is Mabry's debut novel. It's easy, while reading, to see how the seeds of this story led to her subsequent novels All the Wind in the World and Tigers, Not Daughters.
Narrated by Lucas, this novel explores colonization and gentrification. Lucas witnesses firsthand the entitlement of white tourists and the damage his own father's resorts cause to the island's often fragile history.
Mabry expertly blends suspense and magic realism in this story of poison and disappeared girls although by the second half of the book it begins to feel like too many things are thrown into the plot as Lucas learns more about Isabel and her past.
A Fierce and Subtle Poison is a subtle story of longing and growing up. Recommended for readers who want to follow along with characters searching for their own compass--moral or otherwise.
Possible Pairings: Girl Serpent Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust, The Careful Undressing of Love by Corey Ann Haydu, We Were Liars by E. Lockhart, Bone Gap by Laura Ruby, Sadie by Courtney Summers
beccam22's review against another edition
Just didn’t vibe with the writing and felt to young for me
kyliereads341's review against another edition
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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
goth_hearted's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I really enjoyed the bulk of this book, the character were interesting, and the premise was great. But the ending felt really rushed and a bit abrupt, which spoiled it for me. Could have easily been a 4.5 or 5 stars with a stronger ending
melindagallagher's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this quick read. I liked Lucas who was a rich American that spends the summer in Puerto Rico. I also enjoyed the references to the superstitions and legends. It also makes you more aware of the history and culture that has been destroyed to make way for condos and hotels where rich Americans can vacation.
theloveofinches's review against another edition
3.0
I have a surprising number of opinions about this book. Review to come.
Many thanks to Algonquin Young Readers for sending me a copy of this book (I'm actually not sure how I got this?) in exchange for an honest review.
Many thanks to Algonquin Young Readers for sending me a copy of this book (I'm actually not sure how I got this?) in exchange for an honest review.
vee615's review against another edition
2.0
So I was really torn about how to review this book. The story is original but, I just didn't care about any of the characters. The story is about a young man who lives in Puerto Rico with his father who is a land developer. There is a mysterious house on the island, the people of the island have made up a bunch of stories about it including that by writing a wish and then throwing it over the wall will make it come true. People dream about a girl with green skin and grass for hair. Turns out a girl does live in that house but she is poisonous. It is not determined how but it might have to do with a curse or island gods..... take your pick. Our hero want to save her, but in the meantime there are missing island girls, a suspicious cop, hurricanes and mosquitoes.
To many things were left to the reader to determine. And there just wasn't enough time to develop characters and relationships enough, because there were a million things going on. Overall, this book wasn't memorable despite it being a unique story.
To many things were left to the reader to determine. And there just wasn't enough time to develop characters and relationships enough, because there were a million things going on. Overall, this book wasn't memorable despite it being a unique story.
whatlexisreading's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0