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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
funny
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
An even queerer Frankenstein, but one that glosses over the folly of man’s hubris for the verdant potentiality of unconventional growth. There is a lot to love about this story, which is mostly quaint with a few shocks of violence thrown in, just to add some color. What I appreciated most was the understated and yet deeply rooted relationship between the two main characters, Simon and Gregor. Both characters were complicated and interesting and had meaningful individual lives, and at the same time they have a union that is a wonderful mix of crankiness and passion. In their individual quirks and the ways they make space for and uphold each other, even possibly grumbling the whole while, offered a really touching portrayal of a deep relationship. The writing was lush and occasionally exorbitant, fitting for a greenhouse sanctuary. The occasional use of epistolary material, be it correspondence or journal entries, helped offer heaps of exposition without feeling didactic and also allowed for smoother temporal transitions; they felt effective, without being too numerous to overwhelm the story but well-spaced to keep everything moving. The pacing, in general, was swift, which I appreciated, not laboring on anything too long, however this did also make things feel rushed at times. And the overall story was sweet, even if it is built on the bones of numerous skeletons.
What held me back from really loving this story was what felt like emotional leaps and jumps that the characters made. I mentioned I enjoyed the swift pacing, but sometimes it felt too rushed, and the character decisions and emotional landscapes felt jagged, a near perpetual whiplash. There just felt a convenience to the story, things happened too easily, be it narrative devices or character revelations. There wasn’t enough whimsy to be considered camp in any way, which I appreciated, it was solidly in the “weird” category, that off-center kind of grin that you feel nervous about reciprocating. But with that being the case, considering the stakes, there never felt like any real conflict or peril. Whenever anything came up that might have created narrative conflict its resolution was always a foregone conclusion. I felt like I could see the outline of narrative and character beats just under the skin of the text, if that makes sense, and that left me with a weird feeling that is a mixture of being rushed and also perfunctory. While the story doesn’t have any wild surprises it is anything but perfunctory, which is why quietly having that experience distanced me from the story.
The idea is creative and fun, exploring ideas of responsibility, to oneself in the face of social ostracization but also to others you care for and to others in general, while at the same time transplanting gothic sentimentalities into an explosively fecund environment. The story never lags, and while that did occasion a sense of being rushed I would rather that than being stalled out and bored. At the heart of the story is a group of loveable and relatable characters, trying to find their way towards happiness in a world that is deadest against their existence. Colorful, weird, and joyful with just a hint of heartache (and an occasional dash of homicide) this is certainly an enjoyable novel, and it leaves me interested in seeing what Noah Medlock cultivates next.
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love toxic gays! Oh my god. This book truly is a great mix of Frankenstein, Little Shop of Horrors, and the toxic gays from Sex and the City. The imagery that was created was beautiful but at times I did find myself confused on which man was which while they were having a conversation.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
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:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I wanted to like this, I love fungus AND horror, but unfortunately the characters were not good enough to carry the plot :( They were constantly radically changing personality and relationships for no apparent reason, and I just couldn't make it make sense.