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sofia_santana's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
katieinca's review
4.0
Wisecracking urban fantasy with a mystery to solve? Yes please. Also, the protagonist is a well-written queer double amputee with borderline personality disorder (which the author publicly talks about having herself), so if you're looking to stay in-genre but mix things up, here you go. I will add that the Millie's having BPD - and the other characters' disabilities - are relevant to the plot; it's not just window dressing.
Probably 5 stars for some folks (Nebula nominated for good reason). The Hollywood setting, and the way it's integrated into the fey world ("oh, Spielberg? One of ours, of course" kind of thing) chafed just enough to keep it out of my favorites pile.
Probably 5 stars for some folks (Nebula nominated for good reason). The Hollywood setting, and the way it's integrated into the fey world ("oh, Spielberg? One of ours, of course" kind of thing) chafed just enough to keep it out of my favorites pile.
rballenger's review against another edition
3.0
Type of read: Commuter Read.
What made me pick it up: Suggested based on past reads.
Overall rating: I like the idea of 'Borderline.' I like the storyline and most of the content, but honestly, I find Millie to be one of the most annoying, ridiculous characters I've read in a while...and it's all in how they are written. Don't get me wrong, the majority of the writing for 'Borderline' is great. It's descriptive, builds the scene, gets you an idea for the characters, and makes you feel the words. However, I'm a firm believer that an author shouldn't have to keep telling the reader what they're trying to get across, at least not directly. As a reader, I should be able to learn throughout the book that some of the traits and characteristics Millie has they attribute to their diagnosis with BPD without having to continually be told, 'as a Borderline...' It's redundant and unnecessary. Additionally, I felt like Baker tried to smoosh fifty-eleven million character traits into Millie but didn't get them fully thought out so they all seem haphazard and underdeveloped. Maybe the idea is that they'll be addressed or expanded on in future books in 'The Arcadia Project' series or that is how it feels as an individual with BPD. I'm not sure. I just know, for me personally as a reader, it felt disjointed. I really wanted to love 'Borderline,' and I'm not saying I wouldn't read something else by Baker but honestly, I wasn't overly impressed enough with 'Borderline' to keep reading the series.
Reader's Note: 'Borderline' includes themes of death, dying, suicide, self harm, and abuse.
What made me pick it up: Suggested based on past reads.
Overall rating: I like the idea of 'Borderline.' I like the storyline and most of the content, but honestly, I find Millie to be one of the most annoying, ridiculous characters I've read in a while...and it's all in how they are written. Don't get me wrong, the majority of the writing for 'Borderline' is great. It's descriptive, builds the scene, gets you an idea for the characters, and makes you feel the words. However, I'm a firm believer that an author shouldn't have to keep telling the reader what they're trying to get across, at least not directly. As a reader, I should be able to learn throughout the book that some of the traits and characteristics Millie has they attribute to their diagnosis with BPD without having to continually be told, 'as a Borderline...' It's redundant and unnecessary. Additionally, I felt like Baker tried to smoosh fifty-eleven million character traits into Millie but didn't get them fully thought out so they all seem haphazard and underdeveloped. Maybe the idea is that they'll be addressed or expanded on in future books in 'The Arcadia Project' series or that is how it feels as an individual with BPD. I'm not sure. I just know, for me personally as a reader, it felt disjointed. I really wanted to love 'Borderline,' and I'm not saying I wouldn't read something else by Baker but honestly, I wasn't overly impressed enough with 'Borderline' to keep reading the series.
Reader's Note: 'Borderline' includes themes of death, dying, suicide, self harm, and abuse.
ell_jay_em7's review
5.0
I love this book. What do you get when you cross mental illness, DBT therapy, Hollywood, and fairies? One of my favorite books of all time. A lot of the writing is very clever and funny. The plot was twisty, the characters were great.
gabalodon's review
4.0
This was a really awesome, well-written fey urban fantasy. The world-building and pacing and plot progression were perfect, and the mental health and disability representation was so great and unusual to see. I thought each of the characters was very interesting and I wanted to know more about everyone. It was almost impossible to put down.
My only complaints are largely personal. It's always emotionally rough for me to have an MC thrown into the deep end of a plot with no life preserver - no friends, no family, no support system. It's set-up like it's headed toward a super sweet found family, but there's a general lack of kindness and ultimately tragedy that undercuts that suggestion.
That being said, overall a very interesting and fun read and it wrapped up tidily, if not without a lot of feels, so I'm glad I read it and I highly recommend for anyone who's a fan of urban fantasy.
My only complaints are largely personal. It's always emotionally rough for me to have an MC thrown into the deep end of a plot with no life preserver - no friends, no family, no support system. It's set-up like it's headed toward a super sweet found family, but there's a general lack of kindness and ultimately tragedy that undercuts that suggestion.
That being said, overall a very interesting and fun read and it wrapped up tidily, if not without a lot of feels, so I'm glad I read it and I highly recommend for anyone who's a fan of urban fantasy.
peterpeter's review
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was honestly a fascinating read. Surprisingly insightful into BPD, and helpful in getting a glimpse into understanding some of the reactions and thought processes of BPD individuals. On top of that, a solid and fun mystery with just the right amount of magic and fey.
shawniebooks's review
5.0
I was so surprised by this book! It's urban fantasy but so different than anything I've read. I always love a flawed main, and boy is she craptastically flawed! She completely owns it as well. I learned so much about borderline personality disorder. It was so interesting to know why our heroine did what she did in relation to her being a borderline. So, so good.
grayjay's review
1.0
The beginning irked me because I found it condescending. Like many an urban fantasy before it, an uninitiated protagonist was used to teach the reader all the rules about how magic and fairies would work in this universe, and although I admit it's a convention of the genre, I was annoyed. By the end of the book I was happy because it was a good mystery and I like fairies. Not having BPD, I don't know how accurate the portrayal of the protagonist was, but I have some personal experience with mental health and it did resonate with me, and I felt it added necessary character interest. I'll probably read the next installment eventually.
posies23's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this book. It's hard to classify -- it's in the "fantasy hollywood detective but also more" genre. Saying anything more will ruin the fun of the experience.
I thought that the writing, the narrative voice, and the storyline were all engaging and intriguing. I will definitely be reading more by this author!
Highly recommended!
I thought that the writing, the narrative voice, and the storyline were all engaging and intriguing. I will definitely be reading more by this author!
Highly recommended!
samrushingbooks's review
5.0
I read this as part of Dewey's 24 hour Readathon
This was wonderful and complex and an intriguing read. I can't think of many books (that I've read) with protagonists/narrators who are amputees, or have various mental health issues. It's one of the reasons this book stands out so well. Also, the handling of the fey is wonderful. I actually really enjoyed the complicated interpersonal relationships. The partnership of Millie and Teo, the issues Millie had with the other residents of the Arcadia project, not to mention David, Clay, Vivian, Inaya, etc...they were all so delightfully complex and wonderfully realized. I greatly enjoyed this read, and am looking forward to the next installment.
This was wonderful and complex and an intriguing read. I can't think of many books (that I've read) with protagonists/narrators who are amputees, or have various mental health issues. It's one of the reasons this book stands out so well. Also, the handling of the fey is wonderful. I actually really enjoyed the complicated interpersonal relationships. The partnership of Millie and Teo, the issues Millie had with the other residents of the Arcadia project, not to mention David, Clay, Vivian, Inaya, etc...they were all so delightfully complex and wonderfully realized. I greatly enjoyed this read, and am looking forward to the next installment.