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colt_allen1068's review against another edition
I loved the bright sessions and maybe this is a read instead of listen to book, but it didn’t hold my attention like 1 and 2 did! I think it had to do with new characters and no frame of reference of how they related to the others if at all!
the_bookish_escape's review
3.75
Damien deserves rights after all?? How did this bastard made me cry?
..
Okay back to the start.
At first I was very sceptical. The slang felt very forced and I hated the overuse of Caps. I also didn’t klick with the journal-ish writing style since it made it really hard for me to connect to the lovestory. But then it became very clear that this isn’t about the lovestory. Rose left A LOT of things out from what we got in the bright sessions. Her character in combination with her ability and her complicated friendship with Damien + her family situation was just sooo interesting! I really loved the complexity she had in all of her relationships (not to mention with herself). That book got me hooked in a non stop binge read after she meet Damien. Although, it was a frustrating reading experience a lot of times (especially the sibling dynamic).
I could go on and on but overall:
A book with many unexpected twists and turns, that definitely picks up after 100 pages or so. It really gave me a little bit of closure on Damian’s storyline and I enjoyed Rose as morally grey character a lot. A must read for every bright session fan out there.
..
Okay back to the start.
At first I was very sceptical. The slang felt very forced and I hated the overuse of Caps. I also didn’t klick with the journal-ish writing style since it made it really hard for me to connect to the lovestory. But then it became very clear that this isn’t about the lovestory. Rose left A LOT of things out from what we got in the bright sessions. Her character in combination with her ability and her complicated friendship with Damien + her family situation was just sooo interesting! I really loved the complexity she had in all of her relationships (not to mention with herself). That book got me hooked in a non stop binge read after she meet Damien. Although, it was a frustrating reading experience a lot of times (especially the sibling dynamic).
I could go on and on but overall:
A book with many unexpected twists and turns, that definitely picks up after 100 pages or so. It really gave me a little bit of closure on Damian’s storyline and I enjoyed Rose as morally grey character a lot. A must read for every bright session fan out there.
callunavulgari's review
5.0
God, okay. So technically this oscillated wildly between a 3 and a 5 for me. I do not actually like it when fanfiction is referenced in mainstream media, be it novels or movies or just interviews. I have complicated feelings there (see also, the assholes on Etsy putting the entire community at risk for doing book bindings to make a little cash off of someone else’s work - yuck, and also fuck you). This book had A LOT of that, which turned me off to a good portion of Rose and Emily’s relationship. Just let things fly under the radar, people. Please.
As far as the rest of it? More complicated feelings. The writing was a little stilted at parts, though that could just be the fact that I think the narrator is more comfortable doing voice work for podcasts. But the backbone was decent. A little circular when it comes to Damien, but I’m beginning to think that anything Lauren writes about him will be. That said, seeing Damien again in these novels? Hearing Charlie’s voice? Getting a hint of closure with Damien himself, but also his relationship with Mark? I am agonized all over again.
So, this gets a 5 instead of a 3, because I have feelings. I’m happy that it was left open-ended. I’m just… those last two letters that he wrote got to me. Try, fail, try again.
As far as the rest of it? More complicated feelings. The writing was a little stilted at parts, though that could just be the fact that I think the narrator is more comfortable doing voice work for podcasts. But the backbone was decent. A little circular when it comes to Damien, but I’m beginning to think that anything Lauren writes about him will be. That said, seeing Damien again in these novels? Hearing Charlie’s voice? Getting a hint of closure with Damien himself, but also his relationship with Mark? I am agonized all over again.
So, this gets a 5 instead of a 3, because I have feelings. I’m happy that it was left open-ended. I’m just… those last two letters that he wrote got to me. Try, fail, try again.
speculativeshelves's review
4.0
Some Faraway Place is my favorite installment of The Bright Sessions novels – telling a beautiful and emotional story that runs parallel to events in the podcast. I enjoyed the previous novels and this one combined my favorite aspects of both – the direct connection to events in the podcast as seen in The Infinite Noise and the focus of messy and flawed characters trying (and sometimes/usually) failing to do their best because they're human that was seen in A Neon Darkness. The Infinite Noise overall felt more light and fun, A Neon Darkness felt dark and serious and Some Faraway Place has moments of both. It strikes the perfect balance between the feelings I had reading those previous installments making this book the one that made me fully experience the same emotions I felt while listening to The Bright Sessions for the first time.
I loved the format of this story – told across Rose's journal entries, Aaron's forum threads, Emily's blog posts, and Damien's letters – which gave wonderful insight into the other characters even though this is Rose's story. These different perspectives allowed the story to feel similar to Rose's dreamdives giving access to their thoughts and emotions that they may not be sharing with each other.
Similar to the other installments, I don't know if this book will have the same impact for readers who have not listed to the podcast and don't already have an attachment to these characters. In addition, while the three Bright Sessions books standalone from each other, I think having read the others (particularly A Neon Darkness) made me enjoy the story more. This story intertwines with the other books and the podcast beautifully and feels like the perfect closure to the wonderful universe Lauren Shippen has created.
I loved the format of this story – told across Rose's journal entries, Aaron's forum threads, Emily's blog posts, and Damien's letters – which gave wonderful insight into the other characters even though this is Rose's story. These different perspectives allowed the story to feel similar to Rose's dreamdives giving access to their thoughts and emotions that they may not be sharing with each other.
Similar to the other installments, I don't know if this book will have the same impact for readers who have not listed to the podcast and don't already have an attachment to these characters. In addition, while the three Bright Sessions books standalone from each other, I think having read the others (particularly A Neon Darkness) made me enjoy the story more. This story intertwines with the other books and the podcast beautifully and feels like the perfect closure to the wonderful universe Lauren Shippen has created.
yuera's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
mads4191's review
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
jacehan's review against another edition
3.0
I liked it, but the problem here is that it’s very much an expansion of the podcast, in a way the previous two books are. (The Infinite Noise is totally independent other than a few scenes, and A Neon Darkness even more so.)
This wouldn’t be a problem, I think, if it leaned into that, but it tried to eat its cake and have it, too. So we got a bunch of scenes and plots rehashed from the podcast, which feels redundant if you had already listen, but not enough of them to clearly explain all those plots, if you hadn’t.
This wouldn’t be a problem, I think, if it leaned into that, but it tried to eat its cake and have it, too. So we got a bunch of scenes and plots rehashed from the podcast, which feels redundant if you had already listen, but not enough of them to clearly explain all those plots, if you hadn’t.
petitpoucetreveur's review
4.0
I have now consumed every canon content for The Bright Session's universe and my life will never be the same.
Thoughts incoming.
Thoughts incoming.
akkaquacka's review
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
agardill's review
5.0
I loved this book! Along with all of the fiction that Lauren Shippen creates. She does an amazing job of telling dynamic relationships between people, relationships that aren't always typical and I really like that. This book had great relationships between characters -- between siblings, parents, friends, and romantic partners. I felt like there was a lesson to learn in every single one of how to build better relationships with those around us.
I will say though, that this is coming from someone who has read the previous two books in this series and listened to the podcast. And this book in particular is not really a stand alone book - you benefit a lot from listening to the podcast and reading the previous book, the Neon Darkness.
I will say though, that this is coming from someone who has read the previous two books in this series and listened to the podcast. And this book in particular is not really a stand alone book - you benefit a lot from listening to the podcast and reading the previous book, the Neon Darkness.