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folkofthebook's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
Magic isn’t fuck around.
Magic is find out.
a queer polyamorous retelling of orpheus and eurydice with some other mythology thrown in set to the backdrop of miami.
unfortunately i'm not very familiar w the source material, so i think it was less impactful for me that way. however, i still enjoyed reading it. the lush, tropical settings and imaginative verse made this a vivid read; i think it could actually be a really cool as a stage adaptation because of the dance, music, and photography elements.
it deals w some heavier topics for teens but i think appropriately so for a YA book. overall i preferred my other read from this author (the ghosts of rose hill) but i'm excited to read more from them.
My name is Andres Santos, and I believe I have more love than darkness to give.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Car accident, Eating disorder, War, Suicide attempt, Infidelity, and Self harm
readingwithkaitlyn's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Child abuse, Mental illness, Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, and Grief
Moderate: Bullying, Eating disorder, Self harm, and Blood
Minor: Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Medical content, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Cancer, Misogyny, Car accident, Homophobia, Colonisation, War, Religious bigotry, Murder, Genocide, Child death, and Abandonment
booksbeyondthebinary's review against another edition
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, War, and Death
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Car accident
justinekorson's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY FOR PROVIDING ME WITH AN ARC OF THIS STORY
SPOILERS TO FOLLOW
I don't often read novels in verse and I didn't even realize this was a novel in verse (I think I skipped over that line in the synopsis) but this was one of the better ones I read! For some verse novels I feel like it's hard for authors to world build so I can never really picture what's going on around the characters but for this novel I could see The City so well. The descriptions of The City and it's people (although short) were very impactful so I could clearly picture in my minds eye the underworld that Renee and Andres were walking through.
Vasily/Virgil was a great addition to the story too. I didn't anticipate him having as big of a role as he did but I'm glad he ended up having his own happy ending!
I REALLY loved as well how Renee and Liora didn't get upset with Andres when they found out The Prince was Andres shadow. They loved and supported him and didn't make him feel bad for his past (they did the same for Liora so it's only fair). I appreciated as well how Andres sacrifice ended up being his guitar and NOT Liora like he was worried it would be. I'm imagining a really good future for the three of them because they all seemed really mature.
SPOILERS TO FOLLOW
I don't often read novels in verse and I didn't even realize this was a novel in verse (I think I skipped over that line in the synopsis) but this was one of the better ones I read! For some verse novels I feel like it's hard for authors to world build so I can never really picture what's going on around the characters but for this novel I could see The City so well. The descriptions of The City and it's people (although short) were very impactful so I could clearly picture in my minds eye the underworld that Renee and Andres were walking through.
Vasily/Virgil was a great addition to the story too. I didn't anticipate him having as big of a role as he did but I'm glad he ended up having his own happy ending!
I REALLY loved as well how Renee and Liora didn't get upset with Andres when they found out The Prince was Andres shadow. They loved and supported him and didn't make him feel bad for his past (they did the same for Liora so it's only fair). I appreciated as well how Andres sacrifice ended up being his guitar and NOT Liora like he was worried it would be. I'm imagining a really good future for the three of them because they all seemed really mature.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Self harm, Violence, War, Blood, Body horror, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Eating disorder
entamewitchlulu's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC.
An incredibly beautiful, lyrical story about love and becoming the best version of yourself by accepting all your worst parts. I could really just make this review a list of stanzas that struck me, but it would be way better for someone to experience each of those beautiful "aha" moments of poetic understanding themselves.
I loved the mixed up bag of references to all sorts of stories of the underworld from around the world, the combining of Persephone and Eurydice, of Orpheus and Dante, even the twist of the Hero Twins of Aztec legend braided in for good measure. The surreal setting was perfectly captured by the verse style, and I loved all of the imagery of Renee's camera and Andres's guitar becoming their "weapons/shields" as they journeyed through the City.
An excellent, poignant story that settles in very nicely as you read.
An incredibly beautiful, lyrical story about love and becoming the best version of yourself by accepting all your worst parts. I could really just make this review a list of stanzas that struck me, but it would be way better for someone to experience each of those beautiful "aha" moments of poetic understanding themselves.
I loved the mixed up bag of references to all sorts of stories of the underworld from around the world, the combining of Persephone and Eurydice, of Orpheus and Dante, even the twist of the Hero Twins of Aztec legend braided in for good measure. The surreal setting was perfectly captured by the verse style, and I loved all of the imagery of Renee's camera and Andres's guitar becoming their "weapons/shields" as they journeyed through the City.
An excellent, poignant story that settles in very nicely as you read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Car accident, Emotional abuse, Death, and Child abuse
Minor: Medical content, Infidelity, Toxic friendship, Bullying, and Self harm
cathwolfiereads's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
(Thank you to R.M Romero, Holiday House, Peachtree Teen and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC)
“Death’s country” is a beautiful book written in verse about Andres and his girlfriend Renee trying to find and guide their other girlfriend Liora back to the living world again by entering death’s country.
It is very beautifully and poetically written and u really liked how the author had written the characters and their stories. However, I did feel like some parts of the story was very fast paced and/or confusing to read because of the poetic writing. But that could also be my own interpretation of the story.
And I also really liked that there were polyamorous representation in the book and also how it took up a few mental health issues and just overall showed that life isn’t always sunshine and rainbows and how we have to embrace our flaws and past in order to move forward.
But I feel like some parts of the book left out a whole lot, sure there were a good plot line but it also felt like it was a tiny bit all over the place. And sometimes the characters felt a little bland in some chapters and then in others they seemed to bloom.
I did however feel like I connected somewhat with the characters but I also felt like they were more acquaintances to me as a reader than they were someone we have been getting to know throughout the book and at one point the book and the characters felt a little boring to me because they felt like they were just strangers to the reader.
But I would still recommend this book to anyone who likes poetry, LGBTQIA+ representation and anything written in verse because then you have a spot on book for that. And maybe this book wasn’t really for me but might be someone else’s favourite book. So I highly recommend reading it and see!
“Death’s country” is a beautiful book written in verse about Andres and his girlfriend Renee trying to find and guide their other girlfriend Liora back to the living world again by entering death’s country.
It is very beautifully and poetically written and u really liked how the author had written the characters and their stories. However, I did feel like some parts of the story was very fast paced and/or confusing to read because of the poetic writing. But that could also be my own interpretation of the story.
And I also really liked that there were polyamorous representation in the book and also how it took up a few mental health issues and just overall showed that life isn’t always sunshine and rainbows and how we have to embrace our flaws and past in order to move forward.
But I feel like some parts of the book left out a whole lot, sure there were a good plot line but it also felt like it was a tiny bit all over the place. And sometimes the characters felt a little bland in some chapters and then in others they seemed to bloom.
I did however feel like I connected somewhat with the characters but I also felt like they were more acquaintances to me as a reader than they were someone we have been getting to know throughout the book and at one point the book and the characters felt a little boring to me because they felt like they were just strangers to the reader.
But I would still recommend this book to anyone who likes poetry, LGBTQIA+ representation and anything written in verse because then you have a spot on book for that. And maybe this book wasn’t really for me but might be someone else’s favourite book. So I highly recommend reading it and see!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Eating disorder and Emotional abuse
Minor: Car accident, Death, Self harm, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, and Medical content
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