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brockly's review
5.0
ATTENTION - I am a self-diagnosed arachnophobic. I can't even watch spider scenes in movies, yet this book still held me in its thrall from beginning to end. So, READ IT, MY SPIDER-FEARING BRETHREN.
I am completely in love with the characters in this novella, especially Erin. She's so relatable it almost hurts. Very human, flawed in the way that we all are, and yet so adorable I just want to pinch her cheeks. If I didn't share the main character's aversion to spiders, I probably would pinch 'em because she's JUST. THAT. CUTE.
Whenever I finish a work like this, I know it's a success when I'm dying to know more about the world, its lore, and the characters. My appetite for it has been whetted and now it demands to be satiated. It seems like the perfect introductory piece to a mythos. Perhaps the author would be willing to chain herself to a desk or something and write more. That would be lovely.
I must also give mad props for the realistic, respectful portrayal of a character that just so happens to be a lesbian. It isn't something one sees very often in fiction - even in 2014. It's easy for sexual orientation to remain the focus of a written work, even if it's not supposed to be, and Cait Spivey avoided this trap despite the coming-of-age theme.
BRAVA! Five stars! I don't smoke, but I need a cigarette.
I am completely in love with the characters in this novella, especially Erin. She's so relatable it almost hurts. Very human, flawed in the way that we all are, and yet so adorable I just want to pinch her cheeks. If I didn't share the main character's aversion to spiders, I probably would pinch 'em because she's JUST. THAT. CUTE.
Whenever I finish a work like this, I know it's a success when I'm dying to know more about the world, its lore, and the characters. My appetite for it has been whetted and now it demands to be satiated. It seems like the perfect introductory piece to a mythos. Perhaps the author would be willing to chain herself to a desk or something and write more. That would be lovely.
I must also give mad props for the realistic, respectful portrayal of a character that just so happens to be a lesbian. It isn't something one sees very often in fiction - even in 2014. It's easy for sexual orientation to remain the focus of a written work, even if it's not supposed to be, and Cait Spivey avoided this trap despite the coming-of-age theme.
BRAVA! Five stars! I don't smoke, but I need a cigarette.
weirdtea's review
3.0
Novellas like this one are tricky to review. It's an introduction to a larger world and story so it's going to be a bit of a tease--and that's both cool and less than perfectly satisfying. So...
I really liked Erin and her voice. The secondary characters are compelling, though not fully fleshed out. Mostly because novella.
The spiders and all that's wound up with them are intriguing.
Ultimately, I wanted more so I'll be reading the next piece.
I really liked Erin and her voice. The secondary characters are compelling, though not fully fleshed out. Mostly because novella.
The spiders and all that's wound up with them are intriguing.
Ultimately, I wanted more so I'll be reading the next piece.
reynoble's review
4.0
For a novella, I was highly intrigued with this piece. Without a doubt this is a world I want to come back to.
I have slight critiques, but otherwise nothing but love for this wonderful, queer story, and the world that it sets up for us. Being a novella it is quite short - and my only real complaint is how quickly certain events move, although it's obvious that it's for the sake of the length of the story, and I can hardly complain about that. It's an understanding as a writer that I have, although I can't help but wonder if things couldn't have gone a little bit differently. I adored, absolutely adored, the relationship depicted in the story and I cannot wait to see how Spivey delves into other relationships through out the following works - even when I felt her main character, a seventeen year old girl, had moments of childishness they generally made sense and were instantly forgiven with how she interacted with her family and the other characters around her. It was believable and relatable. At one point I was even able to put down it down - while refilling tea - and thought "if I had had stories like this as a teen, I don't think it would have taken me so long to come out." If this had been a full novel I can almost guarantee you that I wouldn't have been able to put it down.
I'm not a fan of spoilers on GR, so I won't go too far in depth here (although there will be a more in depth post on my blog, later). Ultimately I adored this story, minus the quick pacing, and can't wait to see more with these characters and specifically in this world. I think it's a perfect set up and it's certainly worth the read. It's short and sweet, but delivers on emotions, and it leaves something to be desired - but not in the way that leaves you unsatisfied so much as continually curious and excited to read what Spivey has next in store.
I have slight critiques, but otherwise nothing but love for this wonderful, queer story, and the world that it sets up for us. Being a novella it is quite short - and my only real complaint is how quickly certain events move, although it's obvious that it's for the sake of the length of the story, and I can hardly complain about that. It's an understanding as a writer that I have, although I can't help but wonder if things couldn't have gone a little bit differently. I adored, absolutely adored, the relationship depicted in the story and I cannot wait to see how Spivey delves into other relationships through out the following works - even when I felt her main character, a seventeen year old girl, had moments of childishness they generally made sense and were instantly forgiven with how she interacted with her family and the other characters around her. It was believable and relatable. At one point I was even able to put down it down - while refilling tea - and thought "if I had had stories like this as a teen, I don't think it would have taken me so long to come out." If this had been a full novel I can almost guarantee you that I wouldn't have been able to put it down.
I'm not a fan of spoilers on GR, so I won't go too far in depth here (although there will be a more in depth post on my blog, later). Ultimately I adored this story, minus the quick pacing, and can't wait to see more with these characters and specifically in this world. I think it's a perfect set up and it's certainly worth the read. It's short and sweet, but delivers on emotions, and it leaves something to be desired - but not in the way that leaves you unsatisfied so much as continually curious and excited to read what Spivey has next in store.
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