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samantha_randolph's review
5.0
Combine angry and hurt girls + diversity + Japan setting (present and historical) + time travel + everything awesome, and you get the incredible A DARKLY BEATING HEART. From the first page, this gritty and dark novel consumes you, and it doesn’t stop until the last page (and if you’re me, you’re still going to be thinking about it months after).
There are few things I love more than a story that isn’t afraid to get intense, specifically when talking about the protagonist. Reiko’s journey is incredible, full of self discovery, pain, and finding hope. She starts the book suicidal, eager for vengeance, and eventually, obsessive about Miyu’s life. She goes through a lot before she reaches where she needs to be, and her path will make you frustrated, leave you in tears, give you a few laughs, more than a few swoons, and overall, make you want to flip back to page one and follow her journey again.
The writing is lush and brilliant, capturing modern day Japan and historical Japan wonderfully (and 10/10 will make you want to travel). The imagery is especially solid, and the visual descriptions paint a clear picture. This was my first Lindsay Smith novel, but I am absolutely going to go back and read her other books because of this incredible writing.
Final Verdict:
Evocative, powerful, and simply magnificent, Reiko and her story will tear into your heart and stay there for a long time.
Originally posted at The Forest of Words and Pages: http://www.forestofwordsandpages.com/2016/10/review-darkly-beating-heart-lindsay-smith/
There are few things I love more than a story that isn’t afraid to get intense, specifically when talking about the protagonist. Reiko’s journey is incredible, full of self discovery, pain, and finding hope. She starts the book suicidal, eager for vengeance, and eventually, obsessive about Miyu’s life. She goes through a lot before she reaches where she needs to be, and her path will make you frustrated, leave you in tears, give you a few laughs, more than a few swoons, and overall, make you want to flip back to page one and follow her journey again.
The writing is lush and brilliant, capturing modern day Japan and historical Japan wonderfully (and 10/10 will make you want to travel). The imagery is especially solid, and the visual descriptions paint a clear picture. This was my first Lindsay Smith novel, but I am absolutely going to go back and read her other books because of this incredible writing.
Final Verdict:
Evocative, powerful, and simply magnificent, Reiko and her story will tear into your heart and stay there for a long time.
Originally posted at The Forest of Words and Pages: http://www.forestofwordsandpages.com/2016/10/review-darkly-beating-heart-lindsay-smith/
bitchburgerbibliophile's review
4.0
I highly enjoyed this dark tale. It really chews you up and spit you out, but in the best way. Also, if you're looking for a diverse read then look no further because this is it. I would have given it 5 stars if it didn't take a bit to get into, but after getting drawn in I was glued to the book until the end. I would recommend this to anyone who likes their books dark and twisty with a dash of hope.
samreads12's review against another edition
3.0
I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
This book scared me. A Darkly Beating Heart is a story about a troubled girl who has so much hatred in her heart that at times it seems to fester and boil over the page.
After a failed suicide attempt, her parents send Reiko to Japan to spend time with family and hopefully simmer down, but all she can think about is how to hurt herself and how to hurt everyone else around her. She reluctantly follows her annoying cousin to the historic village of Kuramagi. Here, Reiko accidentally (or is it) finds herself falling back in time and inhabiting the life of Miyu, a teenage girl in Edo-period Kuramagi who's own convictions are just as or maybe even more vengeful than Reiko's. As she moves between ages, Reiko is challenged to stay in her own time or stay as Miyu permanently, however, that may turnout harder and more dangerous than it seems.
Don't expect to like Reiko. She's downright mean and listless and all she wants is revenge on the people who wronged her. And yet, as readers, we're left in the dark for most of the book as for why Reiko wanted to commit suicide, why she hates her family so much, and why she wants to hurt others and herself. Why does she want revenge? Apparently, She just does (for most of the book).
That's one of the main issues I had with this book. Other than that, A Darkly Beating Heart is a fast-paced, spooky and an eerie read. Lindsay Smith brings the setting to life, with Kuramagi being just as mysterious as Reiko. And introduces Reiko and Miyu in such a way that you can't tell where one girl begins or ends. There's just raw hatred and a craving for revenge that, we, along with Reiko, get swept away by it all.
I'm tempted to place this book in the New Adult category as well because Reiko and many of the characters in the book are older than your typical YA characters. They're all 18+ years old and in between jobs and school/college.
Other than being left in the dark (ha! Didn't mean to do that) for most of the book, I found myself racing to the end. I've never read a character quite like Reiko. I wanted to see in what ways she was going to carry out her revenge (AND WHY!).
The resolution was kind of lackluster, but the book was a ride from start to finish (from angsty teenager to near demonic-possession). Definitely pick it up if you're interested in a fast read (under 300 pages), want to read about a vengeful bisexual Japanese-American, and want a eerie (and creepy) compelling read.
PLEASE NOTE - Reader's discretion is advised: This book contains references to self-harm and the main character harms themselves, plans to harm themselves and other people.
This book scared me. A Darkly Beating Heart is a story about a troubled girl who has so much hatred in her heart that at times it seems to fester and boil over the page.
After a failed suicide attempt, her parents send Reiko to Japan to spend time with family and hopefully simmer down, but all she can think about is how to hurt herself and how to hurt everyone else around her. She reluctantly follows her annoying cousin to the historic village of Kuramagi. Here, Reiko accidentally (or is it) finds herself falling back in time and inhabiting the life of Miyu, a teenage girl in Edo-period Kuramagi who's own convictions are just as or maybe even more vengeful than Reiko's. As she moves between ages, Reiko is challenged to stay in her own time or stay as Miyu permanently, however, that may turnout harder and more dangerous than it seems.
Don't expect to like Reiko. She's downright mean and listless and all she wants is revenge on the people who wronged her. And yet, as readers, we're left in the dark for most of the book as for why Reiko wanted to commit suicide, why she hates her family so much, and why she wants to hurt others and herself. Why does she want revenge? Apparently, She just does (for most of the book).
That's one of the main issues I had with this book. Other than that, A Darkly Beating Heart is a fast-paced, spooky and an eerie read. Lindsay Smith brings the setting to life, with Kuramagi being just as mysterious as Reiko. And introduces Reiko and Miyu in such a way that you can't tell where one girl begins or ends. There's just raw hatred and a craving for revenge that, we, along with Reiko, get swept away by it all.
I'm tempted to place this book in the New Adult category as well because Reiko and many of the characters in the book are older than your typical YA characters. They're all 18+ years old and in between jobs and school/college.
Other than being left in the dark (ha! Didn't mean to do that) for most of the book, I found myself racing to the end. I've never read a character quite like Reiko. I wanted to see in what ways she was going to carry out her revenge (AND WHY!).
The resolution was kind of lackluster, but the book was a ride from start to finish (from angsty teenager to near demonic-possession). Definitely pick it up if you're interested in a fast read (under 300 pages), want to read about a vengeful bisexual Japanese-American, and want a eerie (and creepy) compelling read.
PLEASE NOTE - Reader's discretion is advised: This book contains references to self-harm and the main character harms themselves, plans to harm themselves and other people.
tesch18's review
2.0
2.5/5
I came into this a little wary, as I always am when I read books centered around non-Western cultures that are written by white authors. (I honestly was thinking about not reading this, but the queer character(s) drew me in.)
Tbh, this book was a mess. From the beginning it read like a first draft with imprecise language and plotting. But I went with it because I was desperately hoping it would get better. (Heads up: it didn't.) From there, it just devolved. The characters were one-dimensional, the world-building made no sense at all, Reiko's rage was so...unrealistic and over-the-top.... Just everything kept going wrong. (Other honorable mentions: insta-love, unexplained time travel, etc.) Even though there were two bi characters -- more than I believe I've seen in any other book -- only one of them was handled well.
You can go without reading this one.
I came into this a little wary, as I always am when I read books centered around non-Western cultures that are written by white authors. (I honestly was thinking about not reading this, but the queer character(s) drew me in.)
Tbh, this book was a mess. From the beginning it read like a first draft with imprecise language and plotting. But I went with it because I was desperately hoping it would get better. (Heads up: it didn't.) From there, it just devolved. The characters were one-dimensional, the world-building made no sense at all, Reiko's rage was so...unrealistic and over-the-top.... Just everything kept going wrong. (Other honorable mentions: insta-love, unexplained time travel, etc.) Even though there were two bi characters -- more than I believe I've seen in any other book -- only one of them was handled well.
You can go without reading this one.
asphodelic's review
1.0
(+) LGTBQ
(-) Angst, angst, angst
(-) Awfully stereotypical depiction of everything Japanese
(-) Overdramatic writing
(-) Angst, angst, angst
(-) Awfully stereotypical depiction of everything Japanese
(-) Overdramatic writing
coolcurrybooks's review
4.0
Trigger warning: self harm, suicide
Reiko is carving a path of hatred. After a stint in a psychiatric hospital, Reiko’s been sent to stay with relatives in Japan and work on her emotional issues. But Reiko is still consumed with hatred and anger for all those who she perceives as having wronged her – her ex-girlfriend, her brother, and her cousin who’s forcing Reiko and the other employees at her uncle’s graphic design firm to help her build a lifestyle brand.
When Reiko’s cousin Akiko decides the next step in building her brand is a culture festival at a historic village preserved to reflect the Edo period, Reiko is dragged along as a photographer. But she soon finds herself slipping backwards in time, into the life of Miyu, a young woman who shares Reiko’s obsession with vengeance.
By far my favorite thing about A Darkly Beating Heart is Reiko. She’s a dark, angry anti-heroine with lots of sharp edges. The full story of what led her to come to Japan is slow in the unveiling, and Reiko twists it to fit her own narrative of herself being the innocent victim of other’s manipulations. She’s possibly my favorite anti-heroine who I’ve encountered in a YA novel. While she’s not a likable person, I think we need more female protagonists who get to be dark, unlikable, and complicated.
The time travel aspect is more paranormal than science fiction or fantasy. It works mainly as a vehicle for Reiko to become subsumed into Miyu’s life and to undergo some character development. The fantastical elements were overall on the low side.
I’m also glad that A Darkly Beating Heart chose to explore mental health issues, but the portrayal seemed off when it came to meds. For one thing, there’s a scene where Reiko dumps all her pills down the toilet…. and she doesn’t get any side effects from suddenly going cold turkey on her medication! This is absolutely not the experience I’ve had with being on anti-depressants. In general A Darkly Beating Heart seemed to have a negative opinion on medication, which is something else I wouldn’t agree with given my own experiences.
I don’t have enough experience to say how well Smith handles Japanese culture, but reviewers of Japanese heritage seem to have positive things to say about it. I haven’t yet seen a review from someone of Japanese heritage raised in Japan, so opinions may vary.
Does a time traveling story about a hateful and vengeance obsessed bisexual Japanese-American girl in Japan sound appealing? If so, you should read A Darkly Beating Heart. I for one found it to be even better than I’d expected.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
I received an ARC of A Darkly Beating Heart from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Reiko is carving a path of hatred. After a stint in a psychiatric hospital, Reiko’s been sent to stay with relatives in Japan and work on her emotional issues. But Reiko is still consumed with hatred and anger for all those who she perceives as having wronged her – her ex-girlfriend, her brother, and her cousin who’s forcing Reiko and the other employees at her uncle’s graphic design firm to help her build a lifestyle brand.
When Reiko’s cousin Akiko decides the next step in building her brand is a culture festival at a historic village preserved to reflect the Edo period, Reiko is dragged along as a photographer. But she soon finds herself slipping backwards in time, into the life of Miyu, a young woman who shares Reiko’s obsession with vengeance.
By far my favorite thing about A Darkly Beating Heart is Reiko. She’s a dark, angry anti-heroine with lots of sharp edges. The full story of what led her to come to Japan is slow in the unveiling, and Reiko twists it to fit her own narrative of herself being the innocent victim of other’s manipulations. She’s possibly my favorite anti-heroine who I’ve encountered in a YA novel. While she’s not a likable person, I think we need more female protagonists who get to be dark, unlikable, and complicated.
The time travel aspect is more paranormal than science fiction or fantasy. It works mainly as a vehicle for Reiko to become subsumed into Miyu’s life and to undergo some character development. The fantastical elements were overall on the low side.
I’m also glad that A Darkly Beating Heart chose to explore mental health issues, but the portrayal seemed off when it came to meds. For one thing, there’s a scene where Reiko dumps all her pills down the toilet…. and she doesn’t get any side effects from suddenly going cold turkey on her medication! This is absolutely not the experience I’ve had with being on anti-depressants. In general A Darkly Beating Heart seemed to have a negative opinion on medication, which is something else I wouldn’t agree with given my own experiences.
I don’t have enough experience to say how well Smith handles Japanese culture, but reviewers of Japanese heritage seem to have positive things to say about it. I haven’t yet seen a review from someone of Japanese heritage raised in Japan, so opinions may vary.
Does a time traveling story about a hateful and vengeance obsessed bisexual Japanese-American girl in Japan sound appealing? If so, you should read A Darkly Beating Heart. I for one found it to be even better than I’d expected.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
I received an ARC of A Darkly Beating Heart from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
michaelion's review
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Fighting every instinct, every bone in my body to not give this book five stars. Only excuse I can give is that it was written by a white woman! But God, it's SO good! Dare I say it's perfect!!!
Speaking as a person who is not of Asian descent whatsoever.... The white woman who wrote this kinda ate this up. Miss Smith kinda gobbled. Kinda signed sealed served and delivered.They have sex on page 169. That's iconic.
Now that I'm 22, Reiko being a teenager still (and the age I was when I first read this) makes so much sense. She's so angsty, just like I was. I can almost see how this book shaped bits of who I am now. (But disregard my bias for this review!) Some of the lines are so funny, but not in a I'm laughing at you way, in a This is so honest and real to a slighted teen's experience and view of the world. I love her with all my heart. Thank you to the white woman who wrote this book because it's truly in my top 5 favorite books. And it's not number 5!
Speaking as a person who is not of Asian descent whatsoever.... The white woman who wrote this kinda ate this up. Miss Smith kinda gobbled. Kinda signed sealed served and delivered.
Now that I'm 22, Reiko being a teenager still (and the age I was when I first read this) makes so much sense. She's so angsty, just like I was. I can almost see how this book shaped bits of who I am now. (But disregard my bias for this review!) Some of the lines are so funny, but not in a I'm laughing at you way, in a This is so honest and real to a slighted teen's experience and view of the world. I love her with all my heart. Thank you to the white woman who wrote this book because it's truly in my top 5 favorite books. And it's not number 5!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Outing, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Death, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Body shaming, Gore, Grief, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Mental illness, Murder, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Fatphobia, and Bullying
Minor: Biphobia, Child abuse, Animal death, and War
fraeyalise's review
4.0
I really love everything Lindsay Smith writes. This book was weird and good and a quick read. The twists were probably predictable, but I didn't really mind, because I loved the way it was written and I loved just being on the journey.
Some people might think she went overboard with Reiko's character, but I think those people probably weren't brooding and petty as a teenager. I can see where they are coming from, and I still love Reiko's character, and the growth she exhibits. I thought it was just the right length; Smith's books always are.
I got my copy from my local public library, and now I want to buy my own as well.
Some people might think she went overboard with Reiko's character, but I think those people probably weren't brooding and petty as a teenager. I can see where they are coming from, and I still love Reiko's character, and the growth she exhibits. I thought it was just the right length; Smith's books always are.
I got my copy from my local public library, and now I want to buy my own as well.
little_imp_academia's review
1.0
I still don't know why I finished the thing instead of abandoning it. Guess we'll never know.
popthebutterfly's review
3.0
Rating: 3.5/5
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 17+ (trigger warnings for suicide, cutting, and depression. One of the main things in this book that the character struggles with and almost seems to take pride in are her self harming habits and scars. It is mentioned multiple times throughout the book that she cuts and even goes into detail about her scars and how she does the act. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make sure you can handle that or that your children can handle that before you read or let your children read this book) (Also language, sex, and gore).
I received a free copy of this book from KidLitExchange in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are my own.
A troubled girl confronts her personal demons in this time-travel thriller alternating between present day and 19th century Japan.
No one knows how to handle Reiko. She is full of hatred; all she can think about is how to best hurt herself and those people closest to her. After a failed suicide attempt at her home in Seattle, Reiko's parents send her to spend the summer with family in Japan, hoping she will learn to control her emotions. But while visiting Kuramagi, a historic village preserved to reflect the nineteenth-century Edo period, Reiko finds herself slipping backward in time into the nineteenth-century life of Miyu, a young woman even more vengeful than Reiko herself. Reiko loves escaping into Miyu's life . . . until she discovers Kuramagi's dark secret and must face down Miyu's demons as well as her own. – Amazon.com
I’ve never seen or read a character with so much vengeance in their heart except for Arya. I thought she couldn’t be topped until I met Reiko, who is our main character. There are basically three stories that go on in this book: Reiko’s past, Reiko’s present, and Miyu’s story. Reiko tells the tale of her past in a series of flashbacks, but when Miyu makes an appearance the story is told through Reiko as she is experiencing it. That’s right, Reiko is able to travel back in time to experience life as this other girl who is similar to her. Vengeance is her game and she does not aim to lose, especially now that Reiko is able to help her out. I thought that the way this story was told was very unique and I felt the plot was not at all obvious from the beginning. The story continued to have twists and turns along the way, some of them being completely unique to anything I’ve read before. The character development for Reiko and Miyu was fantastic, and the pacing was very well done. I also want to point out that Reiko is bisexual, which I thought was one of the most wonderful things about this book because it seems that Reiko struggles with her sexuality along with a lot of her other issues in this book, which can be very helpful for many teens today.
However, there were some issues with this book in my opinion. I really wanted to DNF this book until I was about 50 pages in. The book is wrote in a weird manner and the flashbacks make for a little bit of a confusing read until the reader gets used to the book’s format. The book also doesn’t development any of the minor characters outside of a handful of the many included in the book. The book also mentions suicide and goes into detail about Reiko’s attempted suicide A LOT during the book. While I did not mind and I thought that it made the character growth that much more unique, I do understand that this type of book can really hurt some people. Unfortunately because the book is set in Japan and uses a lot of Japanese terms, history, and because it discusses how Reiko is a Japanese-American who can’t speak Japanese and is basically an outcast in Japan, I feel that I cannot talk about these topics in this review because I am uneducated in those matters. If this is an important quality for you in a book, please find someone who can talk about this issue better. It would be very interesting to see a review from a Japanese-American or a native Japanese person’s perspective on this book and if you or someone you know has reviewed it and does have knowledge in these areas I’d really appreciate a link to their blog or whatever platform they reviewed on.
Verdict: While I believe this book was a good read, I did have some major issues with the book and some potential issues that might arise as this book obtains more reviews. I also felt a little uncomfortable with how much the author depended on Reiko’s cutting habits in order to make Reiko grow as a character. While I think this book is a good read and would be an excellent Halloween book, I want to implore you to really be careful if you want to read this book.
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 17+ (trigger warnings for suicide, cutting, and depression. One of the main things in this book that the character struggles with and almost seems to take pride in are her self harming habits and scars. It is mentioned multiple times throughout the book that she cuts and even goes into detail about her scars and how she does the act. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make sure you can handle that or that your children can handle that before you read or let your children read this book) (Also language, sex, and gore).
I received a free copy of this book from KidLitExchange in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are my own.
A troubled girl confronts her personal demons in this time-travel thriller alternating between present day and 19th century Japan.
No one knows how to handle Reiko. She is full of hatred; all she can think about is how to best hurt herself and those people closest to her. After a failed suicide attempt at her home in Seattle, Reiko's parents send her to spend the summer with family in Japan, hoping she will learn to control her emotions. But while visiting Kuramagi, a historic village preserved to reflect the nineteenth-century Edo period, Reiko finds herself slipping backward in time into the nineteenth-century life of Miyu, a young woman even more vengeful than Reiko herself. Reiko loves escaping into Miyu's life . . . until she discovers Kuramagi's dark secret and must face down Miyu's demons as well as her own. – Amazon.com
I’ve never seen or read a character with so much vengeance in their heart except for Arya. I thought she couldn’t be topped until I met Reiko, who is our main character. There are basically three stories that go on in this book: Reiko’s past, Reiko’s present, and Miyu’s story. Reiko tells the tale of her past in a series of flashbacks, but when Miyu makes an appearance the story is told through Reiko as she is experiencing it. That’s right, Reiko is able to travel back in time to experience life as this other girl who is similar to her. Vengeance is her game and she does not aim to lose, especially now that Reiko is able to help her out. I thought that the way this story was told was very unique and I felt the plot was not at all obvious from the beginning. The story continued to have twists and turns along the way, some of them being completely unique to anything I’ve read before. The character development for Reiko and Miyu was fantastic, and the pacing was very well done. I also want to point out that Reiko is bisexual, which I thought was one of the most wonderful things about this book because it seems that Reiko struggles with her sexuality along with a lot of her other issues in this book, which can be very helpful for many teens today.
However, there were some issues with this book in my opinion. I really wanted to DNF this book until I was about 50 pages in. The book is wrote in a weird manner and the flashbacks make for a little bit of a confusing read until the reader gets used to the book’s format. The book also doesn’t development any of the minor characters outside of a handful of the many included in the book. The book also mentions suicide and goes into detail about Reiko’s attempted suicide A LOT during the book. While I did not mind and I thought that it made the character growth that much more unique, I do understand that this type of book can really hurt some people. Unfortunately because the book is set in Japan and uses a lot of Japanese terms, history, and because it discusses how Reiko is a Japanese-American who can’t speak Japanese and is basically an outcast in Japan, I feel that I cannot talk about these topics in this review because I am uneducated in those matters. If this is an important quality for you in a book, please find someone who can talk about this issue better. It would be very interesting to see a review from a Japanese-American or a native Japanese person’s perspective on this book and if you or someone you know has reviewed it and does have knowledge in these areas I’d really appreciate a link to their blog or whatever platform they reviewed on.
Verdict: While I believe this book was a good read, I did have some major issues with the book and some potential issues that might arise as this book obtains more reviews. I also felt a little uncomfortable with how much the author depended on Reiko’s cutting habits in order to make Reiko grow as a character. While I think this book is a good read and would be an excellent Halloween book, I want to implore you to really be careful if you want to read this book.