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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
Of course Seanan could write a grocery list and I would eagerly read it. This was fun - I actually have wondered about Rose and Mary.
Really interesting world building. I liked the short story collection format, excited to read the next book.
adventurous
dark
emotional
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Blood, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content, Grief
The narrator is a ghost who died in a car accident and spends her after-life alternately helping people avoid life-ending accidents and shepherding their ghosts away from the scenes of their deaths. No moments of death are described in detail, only the occasional aftermath.
A perfect book for autumn reading. Also, and this could just be the baby driver talking, what with discovering the enjoyment that can come from driving, but the entire atmosphere of the book particularly spoke to me.
4.5 Stars, I'm docking it for over-the-top metaphor use ;) Some of them spun too far out of her control (see what I did there?)...
I didn't realize this was the same author who wrote Rosemary and Rue, thank goodness, because I really didn't enjoy that one, but I loved this one. She's built an incredible world (underworld?) here that's rich with urban legend, folklore, and bittersweet tragedy. Death is only the beginning in this story, and while some themes are cyclical enough to become well-worn in just the course of the story, it stayed fresh enough to keep me solidly interested.
I'm disappointed this one lost the poll for October's Vaginal Fantasy book club pick, because I would have loved to discuss it and see the hangout cover it, but I'm glad it made the poll or I might never have heard of it!
I didn't realize this was the same author who wrote Rosemary and Rue, thank goodness, because I really didn't enjoy that one, but I loved this one. She's built an incredible world (underworld?) here that's rich with urban legend, folklore, and bittersweet tragedy. Death is only the beginning in this story, and while some themes are cyclical enough to become well-worn in just the course of the story, it stayed fresh enough to keep me solidly interested.
I'm disappointed this one lost the poll for October's Vaginal Fantasy book club pick, because I would have loved to discuss it and see the hangout cover it, but I'm glad it made the poll or I might never have heard of it!
I'm no stranger to Seanan's work, as I genuinely enjoy the October Daye series. This book is a little out of my normal genre, but as a friend suggested it to me and I knew I liked Seanan's style, I dove in headfirst. The star rating I'll give it is because it reads like it is still the original concept- a backstory and sidequests for an NPC who was suddenly handed first person POV and told to "IDK, Just Figure it out."
I had a difficult time connecting with Rose. But I would bet that people who are into Americana, midcentury and/or the popular tv show "Supernatural" would be more invested in this than I am. Still, it's always a good practice to step out of your literary bubble and try something new. It seems to be my theme for 2020 anyway.
I had a difficult time connecting with Rose. But I would bet that people who are into Americana, midcentury and/or the popular tv show "Supernatural" would be more invested in this than I am. Still, it's always a good practice to step out of your literary bubble and try something new. It seems to be my theme for 2020 anyway.
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Damnit. This book kept me up til 4 a.m. on a work night.
Honestly, that's all the review it really needs, in my opinion, and this is the morning after, so some (groggy) thoughts:
- I got an American Gods vibe off of this. If someone hasn't done it already, someone ought to mail Neil Gaiman a copy of this and tell him to read it because some of the 'flavor' is the same and I loved it.
- I live an hour southeast of Ann Arbor. I.....I really want to know where Buckley Township is in Seanan's head. Really really. Because the town I live in could totally be it. Any of the little towns surrounding me could totally be it. It's so neat (and new) to see where I live reflected in books -- I guess Michigan just isn't cool enough to make it into any other stories.
I think that's all the thinking I can muster this morning. Gods.
Honestly, that's all the review it really needs, in my opinion, and this is the morning after, so some (groggy) thoughts:
- I got an American Gods vibe off of this. If someone hasn't done it already, someone ought to mail Neil Gaiman a copy of this and tell him to read it because some of the 'flavor' is the same and I loved it.
- I live an hour southeast of Ann Arbor. I.....I really want to know where Buckley Township is in Seanan's head. Really really. Because the town I live in could totally be it. Any of the little towns surrounding me could totally be it. It's so neat (and new) to see where I live reflected in books -- I guess Michigan just isn't cool enough to make it into any other stories.
I think that's all the thinking I can muster this morning. Gods.
So, I want to note that the rating is a reflection partially of the subject matter.
I LOVED the concept - building the mythology behind all those ghost stories you heard as a kid. The book follows Rose, who died on the way to her prom. After she died, she became a hitchhiking ghost, helping other souls who died on the road get to where they were going. Rose doesn't age - even 60 years later, she is still sixteen and still travelling the roads looking for a ride.
The problem I had was twofold - the book is apparently set in-universe to one of Seanan's other works and it's HEAVY on the Americana. I haven't read many of Seanan's other works, so this made a lot of the book a little bit of a guessing game for what some of the terms meant. It also meant that I likely missed a lot of references and cameos. The book was also so into cars, small towns, diesel, trucks, and small diners. Classic Americana stuff. I'm not American so I don't think it translated so well for me.
It is very well written, and I think that there will definitely be people who will appreciate it more, I just don't think that this was the right book for me.
I LOVED the concept - building the mythology behind all those ghost stories you heard as a kid. The book follows Rose, who died on the way to her prom. After she died, she became a hitchhiking ghost, helping other souls who died on the road get to where they were going. Rose doesn't age - even 60 years later, she is still sixteen and still travelling the roads looking for a ride.
The problem I had was twofold - the book is apparently set in-universe to one of Seanan's other works and it's HEAVY on the Americana. I haven't read many of Seanan's other works, so this made a lot of the book a little bit of a guessing game for what some of the terms meant. It also meant that I likely missed a lot of references and cameos. The book was also so into cars, small towns, diesel, trucks, and small diners. Classic Americana stuff. I'm not American so I don't think it translated so well for me.
It is very well written, and I think that there will definitely be people who will appreciate it more, I just don't think that this was the right book for me.
Of all of the problems with this book, and there were many, the biggest is that the question of whether Rose defeats Bobby Cross and his soul-consuming car or if Bobby gets Rose's soul is never answered. That's THE point of conflict in the story, and it doesn't get resolved.