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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
Good, just not what I expected. More of a fairy tale kind of story than a story about magic (or math). I get the Jack subplot and how it was necessary to give some context to the fears of main characters, but it felt... melodramatic? Jack and her partner don't get a lot of pagetime, which doesn't give them a lot of room to transcend melodrama.
Reading this felt like taking different turns down corridors and alleys, mostly pleasantly surprised with the result of each turn. I liked the shifts in perspective and the build up to tension had my eyes skimming over the page to get to the resolution as fast as possible.
It felt like walking into the characters' lives, already in motion and accustomed to their habits and the hoops they jump through to live as close as possible to something that feels normal.
It felt like walking into the characters' lives, already in motion and accustomed to their habits and the hoops they jump through to live as close as possible to something that feels normal.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I really, really wanted to like this book more than I did. It seemed like more of a sketch than a fully realized work. The magic, characters, and plot were all underdeveloped. Great concept and potential, but imho this book wasn't ready for publication.
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Set in WWII-era San Francisco, this was a quick love story with a hint of magic.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Xenophobia, Lesbophobia
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-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
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Lesbophobia
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence
adventurous
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I liked this one a lot. It tells the story of a group of queer women in San Francisco in the 1940s, which was really interesting cause I don't know much about SF history. I think based on the cover and the imprint that this would be Sci-fi, but its more of a grounded fantasy, really with only light fantasy elements.
Its a historical novella, so, there's a lot of homophobia and racism in this, thought it felt like it was handled well. I got the impression that the settings in this book were all very real and steeped in SF/queer history, but again, I just don't know that much about it. It was interesting and really sad how these people all had to basically be entertainment in order to live their lives honestly.
The story itself is about Haskell, a painter of erotic pulp novels, and Emily, a singer, and their romance together. Their romance was so touching, and I love the escapism that this novella gave them.
Its a historical novella, so, there's a lot of homophobia and racism in this, thought it felt like it was handled well. I got the impression that the settings in this book were all very real and steeped in SF/queer history, but again, I just don't know that much about it. It was interesting and really sad how these people all had to basically be entertainment in order to live their lives honestly.
The story itself is about Haskell, a painter of erotic pulp novels, and Emily, a singer, and their romance together. Their romance was so touching, and I love the escapism that this novella gave them.