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ginnikin's review
Unfortunately, I didn't like this in the end. The story was fine, and I was interested to see how it would come out. I'm just really uncomfortable with Reiko's mental state being "healed" by repudiating Miyu. There's a lot more to mental health than that; it's little things day after day after day, not grand supernatural gestures.
Also, OMG, waaaaaaaaay to many Japanese words in italics. Either include fewer or stop it with the italics. Way to announce "authentic cultural bit coming up"! *eyeroll*
Also, OMG, waaaaaaaaay to many Japanese words in italics. Either include fewer or stop it with the italics. Way to announce "authentic cultural bit coming up"! *eyeroll*
kblincoln's review
3.0
3.5 stars, actually.
I really wanted to like this one. It features a Japanese-American girl in Japan (and more or less depicts some of the issues someone who *looks* Japanese but isn't culturally/linguistically Japanese might confront) named Reiko who time travels back to samurai days when she finds a hidden shrine.
Back in the samurai days (or the period right before the Meiji Restoration when the military bakufu was clashing with loyalists to the emperor) she is Miyu, the daughter of a local samurai who is revild by the village.
Reiko is running from some pretty heavy stuff, her brother tried to commit suicide, she's got a terrible break up, and also was kicked out of school for threatening behavior. And her attitude in Japan is not...great. She's prickly and angry.
And Miyu's life, while it seems to smooth out her rough edges a bit, ends up making things worse. For the last quarter of the book Reiko/Miyu almost entirely focus on revenge and how everyone deserves to die. Over and over. In both present times and past. And its...wearing. I lost interest in Reiko as a person because she crossed some fictional character line from messed up into stark raving revenge-monsterly and it wasn't fun to go along for the ride.
There's just a lot of ...hatefulness in this story. So, read at your own risk. In terms of its portrayal of samurai life...hmmm. Some things were good, some made me shake my head (what samurai would take basically a serving girl into a bathhouse in her own Inn and take care of her, saying things like "call me if you need anything"). Just wasn't to my taste.
I really wanted to like this one. It features a Japanese-American girl in Japan (and more or less depicts some of the issues someone who *looks* Japanese but isn't culturally/linguistically Japanese might confront) named Reiko who time travels back to samurai days when she finds a hidden shrine.
Back in the samurai days (or the period right before the Meiji Restoration when the military bakufu was clashing with loyalists to the emperor) she is Miyu, the daughter of a local samurai who is revild by the village.
Reiko is running from some pretty heavy stuff, her brother tried to commit suicide, she's got a terrible break up, and also was kicked out of school for threatening behavior. And her attitude in Japan is not...great. She's prickly and angry.
And Miyu's life, while it seems to smooth out her rough edges a bit, ends up making things worse. For the last quarter of the book Reiko/Miyu almost entirely focus on revenge and how everyone deserves to die. Over and over. In both present times and past. And its...wearing. I lost interest in Reiko as a person because she crossed some fictional character line from messed up into stark raving revenge-monsterly and it wasn't fun to go along for the ride.
There's just a lot of ...hatefulness in this story. So, read at your own risk. In terms of its portrayal of samurai life...hmmm. Some things were good, some made me shake my head (what samurai would take basically a serving girl into a bathhouse in her own Inn and take care of her, saying things like "call me if you need anything"). Just wasn't to my taste.
jerseygrrrl's review
2.0
Oh, disappointing! I like that the protagonist was angry. It's refreshing to find a female main character who's completely and utterly pissed off. However, her anger goes beyond admirable to completely fucked up, dangerous, and scary. Again, not a show stopper.
The main causes for the low rating are the muddy plot, the lack of character development, and the awkward resolution. The story just didn't make emotional sense and I steadily lost interest. Two stars.
The main causes for the low rating are the muddy plot, the lack of character development, and the awkward resolution. The story just didn't make emotional sense and I steadily lost interest. Two stars.
averagebookgerblin's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I really can't say this book will be for everyone, but if the themes speak to you, you will have a great time in this world.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Mental illness
Moderate: Bullying
theloveofinches's review
4.0
"Emily how have you not read this yet" occupied my thoughts 10% of the time. the other 90% was just "YES GOOD"
writingwwolves's review
4.0
3.5 stars out of 5
This book was a lot more violent than I expected, especially considering it's YA, but I still found it to be a good & interesting read. I feel Lindsay has come up with an interesting way to explore how anger can overtake a teenager's mind, whilst also exploring an interesting part of history.
Trigger Warnings: mentions of suicide & suicidal thoughts, graphic self-harm, domestic violence mentioned, depression, homophobic/biphobic comments made by characters, ableist language toward own mental health & a lot of violence.
Extended Review: https://wp.me/p8MbIo-2sE
This book was a lot more violent than I expected, especially considering it's YA, but I still found it to be a good & interesting read. I feel Lindsay has come up with an interesting way to explore how anger can overtake a teenager's mind, whilst also exploring an interesting part of history.
Trigger Warnings: mentions of suicide & suicidal thoughts, graphic self-harm, domestic violence mentioned, depression, homophobic/biphobic comments made by characters, ableist language toward own mental health & a lot of violence.
Extended Review: https://wp.me/p8MbIo-2sE
whatsarahread's review
3.0
“A Darkly Beating Heart” by Lindsay Smith is a dark and strange story of a young woman tortured by her past and living with its consequences. As I read about Reiko and the demons she was fighting, I was fascinated by the parallels between her current life and the one she mysteriously finds herself thrust into. Both lives find her thirsty for revenge and desperate for escape, and it was interesting to see the consequences of her time travel play out between the two worlds. I can't say that I completely connected with the book and there was definitely something missing from it for me. It may be because I'm not a huge fan of thrillers, but I just never found myself invested in the story, as intriguing as it was. “A Darkly Beating Heart” is a creepy revenge tale that throws so many twists and turns into the mix that leaves the reader guessing until the final pages.
hannayuzuki's review
3.0
The writing was very melodromatic, especially in the first part of the book, it seemed like a mediocre fanficiton because of it - especially because I as a reader didn't have very much (/enough) reason at that point to sympathize fully with the Reiko (the main character).
- slight spoiler follows -
I liked how the book gave the perspective of a semi sociopathic character, it was slightly uncomfortable and thrilling reading her inner monologue.
- slight spoiler follows -
I liked how the book gave the perspective of a semi sociopathic character, it was slightly uncomfortable and thrilling reading her inner monologue.
l1brarygirl's review
2.0
*I received an electronic ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
plumeriade's review against another edition
2.0
i love angry girls. i wanted to love Reiko. but unfortunately she just ends up feeling fake and melodramatic because there's no real direction to her violent anger. i'm not saying she needs some deep, sympathetic origin story because she doesn't. but Reiko is explosively angry and wants revenge for... what? there's no reason. so don't try to act like there is one. and then at the end it just ups and poofs away and she's smiling at everyone. mmmkay.
other thoughts:
- of course the other life she experiences is some horror legend love story lmao
- of course the cousin is a jpop wannabe kawaii caricature
- a male character says he had a bit of a thing with another guy and Reiko immediately compares it to shounen-ai, and he says his girlfriend didn't mind because it was just like her BL manga
- of course she's bisexual but the only same-sex stuff is all in the past, during which she fulfilled the psycho lesbian stereotype, and the only relationships/sex during the course of the book are hetero.
other thoughts:
- of course the other life she experiences is some horror legend love story lmao
- of course the cousin is a jpop wannabe kawaii caricature
- a male character says he had a bit of a thing with another guy and Reiko immediately compares it to shounen-ai, and he says his girlfriend didn't mind because it was just like her BL manga
- of course she's bisexual but the only same-sex stuff is all in the past, during which she fulfilled the psycho lesbian stereotype, and the only relationships/sex during the course of the book are hetero.