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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I love Welcome to Night Vale and this book contained some of the same wonderful turns of phrase, but I couldn't get into this book to save my life. Into the "unfinished" shelf you go.
So I finally started listening to Welcome to Night Vale three and a half weeks ago. I had heard about it when it first became popular, but I wasn't in the habit of listening to either podcasts or audiobooks back then, and then when that changed, the amount of episodes seemed somewhat overwhelming. Of course, I didn't realize that once I'd start I'd listen to 70+ episodes in about two weeks so there's that.
Anyway. I had a copy of this book before, but it was in German and while I tried reading it once, I couldn't get into it. And the thing is that while this book works surprisingly well on its own (like each episode of WTNV works surprisingly well on its own), you definitely have to be in the right mood to accept the weirdness.
It's difficult to explain how quickly that weirdness becomes acceptable, and now that I have completely fallen down the rabbit hole I cannot urge you enough to join me - Night Vale is wonderful. It's also absolutely horrifying at times (the library scene in this book had me so tense it was ridiculous and no I am not kidding). But - and I don't know how they do it, in between the horror and absurdity and weirdness there is so much heart and truth I want to yell at everyone about it.
Anyway.
(This is not one of my most coherent reviews.)
The book works as a stand-alone, but you have to be in the mood for some weirdness. I was surprised to find that the usual WTNV storytelling also supports a novel-length plot, and I am always in awe of how they use references without making you feel left out if you don't know what they're talking about. I also loved Jackie and Diane, and their stories. There also was another character, but I forget his name. I think it was something starting with an E.
Anyway. I had a copy of this book before, but it was in German and while I tried reading it once, I couldn't get into it. And the thing is that while this book works surprisingly well on its own (like each episode of WTNV works surprisingly well on its own), you definitely have to be in the right mood to accept the weirdness.
It's difficult to explain how quickly that weirdness becomes acceptable, and now that I have completely fallen down the rabbit hole I cannot urge you enough to join me - Night Vale is wonderful. It's also absolutely horrifying at times (the library scene in this book had me so tense it was ridiculous and no I am not kidding). But - and I don't know how they do it, in between the horror and absurdity and weirdness there is so much heart and truth I want to yell at everyone about it.
Anyway.
(This is not one of my most coherent reviews.)
The book works as a stand-alone, but you have to be in the mood for some weirdness. I was surprised to find that the usual WTNV storytelling also supports a novel-length plot, and I am always in awe of how they use references without making you feel left out if you don't know what they're talking about. I also loved Jackie and Diane, and their stories. There also was another character, but I forget his name. I think it was something starting with an E.
My favorite part was the existential terror I felt every few pages or so as another inevitable truth was casually thrown in next to a Pinkberry reference.
This is a NRN - try again in a different format another time.
I prefer the shorter form of the podcast. And more Cecil.
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
After reading both Welcome to Night Vale and It Devours!, Out of order of course! I keep running into the same issue: the endings. The journeys through these books are great, but the landings never quite stick. Maybe that's the point, though. Night Vale is all about the bizarre and the unresolved. Perhaps it's about the journey, not the destination. I've got a lot to say, but also have no idea what to say —which feels pretty appropriate for Night Vale."
funny
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes