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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
This book was perfect, just what I wanted to read, and made me so very happy. I have it out from the library but am buying a copy to hold and reread and love forever.
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I both enjoyed this and found it frustrating. It's very cleverly done, and it's open-ended in the sense that the characters aren't morally clear. I liked the octopus a lot.
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
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:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I liked this book more at the start of reading it than at the end of the book. It felt as though the novel had been edited perhaps too generously, the result being that I kept feeling at points as though I had missed something - like I had zoned out for a few paragraphs and missed some information that would be relevant for later. Some of this is stylistic, of course, and I can be down with that; however, this overall sense of narrative gaps is epitomized in the single character of Grace, whose motivations and reasonings for her actions felt as underdeveloped as the character herself. I could have used at least 2 more chapters on her (or from her point of view); alternately, I could have done with her as a much more secondary character, and had the novel focus on Thaniel and Mori.
On the plus side, London and Japan were well-described and felt real (though Japan, like Grace, I could have had more of). I was intrigued by Mori's creations.
On the plus side, London and Japan were well-described and felt real (though Japan, like Grace, I could have had more of). I was intrigued by Mori's creations.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
slow-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:
No
very interesting plot, could’ve easily been 5 stars if it weren’t for the completely unnecessary misogyny, rasicm and the „i‘m not like other girls“ trope. i honestly don’t understand the authors reasoning because the original plot would have been great without it.
to end the story by coupling grace and matsumoto was kinda meh? why not playing into the independent and divorced part of grace where she’s able to study physics?
The book started off reasonably strong. I was interested in the main character. But I could not continue past the very inexpert portrayal of Japanese culture and people. It seemed the author has only a passing knowledge of Japan and I got so exasperated I stopped reading. Specifically, I felt that the behaviors of the Japanese characters were not believable, nor was the way they talk.
"Well, I don't understand. You wouldn't catch England or America allowing feudal lords to run everything, it's medieval!" says the emperor of Japan in 1870. Seriously? Not only does it sound inauthentic to the way people spoke then, but it doesn't sound like something Japanese nobility would say.
"Well, I don't understand. You wouldn't catch England or America allowing feudal lords to run everything, it's medieval!" says the emperor of Japan in 1870. Seriously? Not only does it sound inauthentic to the way people spoke then, but it doesn't sound like something Japanese nobility would say.