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lifeofpie's review
3.0
I'm really not a prude, but I don't think this is "young adult" fiction. Maybe okay for 16+ depending on maturity level, but when I think young adult, I think 14ish. YMMV
kate_johnston's review
1.0
Did not finish: stopped on p. 180.
Completely boring. I can't take 500 more pages of this.
Completely boring. I can't take 500 more pages of this.
django018's review
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
elsebeok's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
inkygirl's review
5.0
Whenever I start a big book (and at 642 pages, Zebulon Finch definitely qualifies), I cross my fingers and hopehopehope that the first few pages will pull me in right away. If they do, I can relax and settle in for what promises to be a satisfying long read. If they don't, then it's just going to be long.
Zebulon Finch had me from the beginning. I already knew the premise, which was what lured me to read the book in the first place: A 17-year-old gangster named Zebulon Finch is murdered in 1896 but is mysteriously resurrected only minutes later.
What I especially enjoyed, without giving spoilers:
- The narrative voice. Sample: "Death is a suicide dive off an incalculable cliff, a free fall of such pulverizing force that you become molten, brand new every instance." I felt like reading everything out loud, just to have the words roll around on my tongue.
- The wry wit. Zebulon Finch, despite being dead, still has a sense of humor that comes out in his observations about the people and events around him.
- The dark edge. I'm a longtime horror fan (I have a personal autographed note from Stephen King, hand-typed with liquid paper corrections!) and was fascinated by some of the macabre and nightmarish situations, the delving into what makes us afraid. Grossed out at times and had to skim paragraphs here and there, but was still fascinated. If the story had just been about the horror bits, I would have stopped reading early on...but there was SO much more.
- How Zebulon's relationships developed, both romantic and platonic. Don't want to say much more on this aspect for fear of spoilers, but I loved how some of his most meaningful relationships became inexorably woven into his life and way of approaching the world long after those people disappear from his life.
- Zebulon Finch, the main character. He can be selfish, hateful, tender, cynical, romantic. He is unlike any other immortal character I've ever encountered in a book....and I'd like more, please.
Which is why I'm SOOOOOO looking forward to the second volume!
Thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada for the ARC.
Zebulon Finch had me from the beginning. I already knew the premise, which was what lured me to read the book in the first place: A 17-year-old gangster named Zebulon Finch is murdered in 1896 but is mysteriously resurrected only minutes later.
What I especially enjoyed, without giving spoilers:
- The narrative voice. Sample: "Death is a suicide dive off an incalculable cliff, a free fall of such pulverizing force that you become molten, brand new every instance." I felt like reading everything out loud, just to have the words roll around on my tongue.
- The wry wit. Zebulon Finch, despite being dead, still has a sense of humor that comes out in his observations about the people and events around him.
- The dark edge. I'm a longtime horror fan (I have a personal autographed note from Stephen King, hand-typed with liquid paper corrections!) and was fascinated by some of the macabre and nightmarish situations, the delving into what makes us afraid. Grossed out at times and had to skim paragraphs here and there, but was still fascinated. If the story had just been about the horror bits, I would have stopped reading early on...but there was SO much more.
- How Zebulon's relationships developed, both romantic and platonic. Don't want to say much more on this aspect for fear of spoilers, but I loved how some of his most meaningful relationships became inexorably woven into his life and way of approaching the world long after those people disappear from his life.
- Zebulon Finch, the main character. He can be selfish, hateful, tender, cynical, romantic. He is unlike any other immortal character I've ever encountered in a book....and I'd like more, please.
Which is why I'm SOOOOOO looking forward to the second volume!
Thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada for the ARC.
pbanditp's review against another edition
4.0
This has been on my TBR pile for quite a bit of time. It was an amazing epic journey. Zebulon is dead, well, at least his body is. Follow Zebulon through his life before death at age 17, the struggles that he deals with from the late 1800’s right up to WWII. Who can he trust his secret to? How does he survive being eternally 17 years old? What horrors has he seen and what horrors does he commit?
kathryn51's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Torture, Body horror, Physical abuse, Violence, Gore, and Death
Moderate: Cursing, Alcohol, Medical content, Racism, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, and Hate crime
Minor: Child death, Homophobia, Sexual content, Child abuse, and Physical abuse
toystory242's review
5.0
This book is....something. This book is definitely something. I don't know exactly how to go about reviewing it, because it is such a strange book that crosses so many boundaries that other books wouldn't even think about coming close to.
Is it a YA novel? Sure, but completely devoid of romance or an antagonist or overthrowing something or someone or anything.
Is there...a setting? Sure, many settings. But we do not stay in one for very long, as the book is divided in many, very different parts in vastly different places.
What about characters? Or plot? Ladies and gentlemen, meet Zebulon Finch. This book follows him and doesn't do much else. He's not trying to overcome any sort of oppression or even trying to overcome his own predicament, which is dying at the age 17 and waking up a moment later with a dead body but a very alive mind. But following him is a pleasure. His adventures are compelling, and so is his mind. You root for him, even when he makes horrendous mistakes (which is often). You ache for him as he thinks of previous characters in previous parts of the book (which I greatly appreciated, as it helped the book flow better). You want him to be happy, but I have a feeling that he really never will be. Zebulon's voice is SO STRONG (and the absolutely FANTASTIC writing helps bring him to life); it's so potent that if you did not find even a bit of yourself liking him I would be shocked. He is temperamental, violent, and impulsive, but he is also charming, sympathetic, and often even kind. You root for him because you see that even when he does terrible things, he regrets them and tries to fix them, often failing. He's has such a long and sad existence that I am practically BEGGING Daniel Kraus to PLEASE. PLEASE GIVE HIM A HAPPY ENDING.
Wow. I mean, this book. I have not read anything like this book in my entire life, and for this reason alone I beg YOU to pick it up. I almost gave this book 4 stars, but as I thought on my reasoning, it was merely, "Well, there were some weird parts that made me uncomfortable." But that is the POINT. This book is long, weird, and like nothing else ever. It took me a long time to get through it, but I think spacing out the reading experience is a good way to read it, as there are certainly some parts where you need some time for it to sink in. I guarantee there are at least 10 "WTF???" moments, and even more "What am I reading???? Do I like it? o_O"
Also, if you enjoyed this book, I highly suggest giving The Monstromologist by Rick Yancey a go. They are very different but have a similar...vibe.
Is it a YA novel? Sure, but completely devoid of romance or an antagonist or overthrowing something or someone or anything.
Is there...a setting? Sure, many settings. But we do not stay in one for very long, as the book is divided in many, very different parts in vastly different places.
What about characters? Or plot? Ladies and gentlemen, meet Zebulon Finch. This book follows him and doesn't do much else. He's not trying to overcome any sort of oppression or even trying to overcome his own predicament, which is dying at the age 17 and waking up a moment later with a dead body but a very alive mind. But following him is a pleasure. His adventures are compelling, and so is his mind. You root for him, even when he makes horrendous mistakes (which is often). You ache for him as he thinks of previous characters in previous parts of the book (which I greatly appreciated, as it helped the book flow better). You want him to be happy, but I have a feeling that he really never will be. Zebulon's voice is SO STRONG (and the absolutely FANTASTIC writing helps bring him to life); it's so potent that if you did not find even a bit of yourself liking him I would be shocked. He is temperamental, violent, and impulsive, but he is also charming, sympathetic, and often even kind. You root for him because you see that even when he does terrible things, he regrets them and tries to fix them, often failing. He's has such a long and sad existence that I am practically BEGGING Daniel Kraus to PLEASE. PLEASE GIVE HIM A HAPPY ENDING.
Wow. I mean, this book. I have not read anything like this book in my entire life, and for this reason alone I beg YOU to pick it up. I almost gave this book 4 stars, but as I thought on my reasoning, it was merely, "Well, there were some weird parts that made me uncomfortable." But that is the POINT. This book is long, weird, and like nothing else ever. It took me a long time to get through it, but I think spacing out the reading experience is a good way to read it, as there are certainly some parts where you need some time for it to sink in. I guarantee there are at least 10 "WTF???" moments, and even more "What am I reading???? Do I like it? o_O"
Also, if you enjoyed this book, I highly suggest giving The Monstromologist by Rick Yancey a go. They are very different but have a similar...vibe.
leighcharlton's review
3.0
It started out pretty well but then it just dragged onnnnn and onnnn and then it...ended.
thedizzyreader's review
2.0
I'm not sure what compelled me to complete this meandering, bloated, bizarre book. Morbid curiosity? Kraus keeps the threads together long enough where you get invested and think this might actually be going somewhere before losing all sense of the story in Hollywood. Finch was a selfish, depressing, purposeless gangster in life and makes a selfish, depressing, purposeless cold corpse for the rest of the novel.
I'm not sure why this book is marketed YA, either. Just because the protagonist is eternally 17 doesn't make the novel YA material. In the first 100 pages readers are treated to scenes of prostitition, extortion and murder. And in the last 100 pages you get to read about the perils of engaging in coitus as an animated corpse.
There are few books that make me pause and ponder WTF did I just read and why did I do that. This book is one of them.
I'm not sure why this book is marketed YA, either. Just because the protagonist is eternally 17 doesn't make the novel YA material. In the first 100 pages readers are treated to scenes of prostitition, extortion and murder. And in the last 100 pages you get to read about the perils of engaging in coitus as an animated corpse.
There are few books that make me pause and ponder WTF did I just read and why did I do that. This book is one of them.