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duriangray'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
kcelena's review
5.0
This was my third foray into Bordertown and my love for the place has only grown deeper. The city and characters are filled with such vibrancy it's almost painful to think they might not exist.
crowyhead's review against another edition
4.0
I read this back when I was in highschool and dearly loved it. The whole "Bordertown" series was great fodder for my imagination. I was pleased to find when I re-read this that the writing was as good as I remembered, and the characters remain compelling. There are times when I walk through my West Philadelphia neighborhood that I half expect to find elves on spellbox-powered motorcycles. Shetterly imagines urban magic in a wonderful manner.
maiakobabe's review against another edition
5.0
I read this book for the first time when I was in junior high, and it was my first sweet taste of Urban Fantasy. Elves on motorcycles, magic at dance clubs, werewolfs staffing used bookstores- I was hooked. I read it again this month, outloud, all in one day during a road trip to LA with my sister. We were both amazed that it not only held up to our memories, but was perhaps ever better than we remembered. We caught more references (to bands, to other sci-fi and fantasy authors) than we had the before and the overarching theme of gentrification hit harder. Highly recommend.
wealhtheow's review against another edition
3.0
I’d actually read this before and forgotten. It’s a Bordertown novel, complete with punks, drugs, and unreliable magic. I didn’t like the main character at all, but I remember liking him in sequels.
splendidlyimperfect's review against another edition
4.0
I loved the "urban fantasy" feel of this book. Humans and elves mingle in Elsewhere, where everyone is pierced and tattooed, and motorcycles run on magic. The characters are so wildly varied and unique that they don't succumb to stereotypes, and thankfully this book leaves out the typical urban fantasy trope of "a young girl falling in love with a boy from a magical realm". I would definitely recommend this book to any teens or young adults who enjoy action and fantasy!
ladyofways's review against another edition
2.0
Eh. This book is very bland, and the parts that stand out are the most objectionable ones. Ron is a traumatized young teenager who mouths off constantly and is mostly just a jerk. We're supposed to find it lovable or relatable, I think, since everyone likes him regardless? The other characters are pretty flat, and largely only described insomuch as Ron finds them attractive (or not). The plot is just... messy. A lot of Ron wandering around being upset about whatever, then a *lot* of crazy happens towards the end and it felt weird and rushed. I either disliked (Mooner) or just didn't care (Lena) about the side characters. I didn't understand the weird punishment (?) of having him get turned into a Wolfman . By the end, I understood why certain things/characters existed, but they felt either contrived (Ms. Wu, Florida) or just not interesting enough to justify their inclusion.
The major issue I had with the book is how appallingly 90s it is in terms of its attempted "progressive" messaging. Mickey didn't bother me so much; although she was transparent disability rep, it was a decent job - making a point of how she gets through life with no arms, using her feet or various tools, but (with a couple exceptions) it's not sappy. Florida was fine, although I'm also tired of "mute kid learns to talk at a Significant Moment to Make Things Better for the MC" plots. Goldy was... fine. I couldn't tell if he was intended to be gay, since it's only obliquely referenced; I honestly hope not since he treads on the "metrosexual" edge. The really awful one was King O'Beer/the gay representation in general. It's clearly meant well, but it's just trite. Plus, having your MC be homophobic and "learn better" really isn't cool anymore. Especially since it's that really gross "I can't have a gay roommate - what if he tries to ~*~sex me~*~ cause he's ~*~a gay~*~; oh wait, someone threw a rock at him & his boyfriend and now I've Learned a Life Lesson".
I think if it had been in isolation, I'd probably give the book three stars, but it's intended to be YA (I think?) and I can't in good conscience imagine giving it to a teenager when it's so painfully outdated. I'm still curious about the rest of the Borderlands stories - maybe some of these characters are from previous stories and so make more sense? But ugh, I'm done with Ron, for real.
The major issue I had with the book is how appallingly 90s it is in terms of its attempted "progressive" messaging. Mickey didn't bother me so much; although she was transparent disability rep, it was a decent job - making a point of how she gets through life with no arms, using her feet or various tools, but (with a couple exceptions) it's not sappy. Florida was fine, although I'm also tired of "mute kid learns to talk at a Significant Moment to Make Things Better for the MC" plots. Goldy was... fine. I couldn't tell if he was intended to be gay, since it's only obliquely referenced; I honestly hope not since he treads on the "metrosexual" edge. The really awful one was King O'Beer/the gay representation in general. It's clearly meant well, but it's just trite. Plus, having your MC be homophobic and "learn better" really isn't cool anymore. Especially since it's that really gross "I can't have a gay roommate - what if he tries to ~*~sex me~*~ cause he's ~*~a gay~*~; oh wait, someone threw a rock at him & his boyfriend and now I've Learned a Life Lesson".
I think if it had been in isolation, I'd probably give the book three stars, but it's intended to be YA (I think?) and I can't in good conscience imagine giving it to a teenager when it's so painfully outdated. I'm still curious about the rest of the Borderlands stories - maybe some of these characters are from previous stories and so make more sense? But ugh, I'm done with Ron, for real.
mercourier's review
4.0
Loved it back in junior high and reloving it now. Urban fantasy is probably one of my favorite things to read. The story is a little thin but the characters are still as lovable and the world of the Borderlands is completely realized.
akagingerk's review
4.0
What I learned -- that if I love the book first, I can weather the author behaving badly in public better. Still, it might have been a five, once.
joceraptor's review
2.0
I've gotta say, I have mixed feelings about this book. The dialogue was really awkward a lot of the time and I wasn't sure why the characters talked the way they did; the main character was alright, but kind of rude and I never understood his reasons for doing things; also, I felt that a lot of things Ron thought were pretty vague and meant to give hints to the reader, but I just failed to figure out what they were. That being said, I did enjoy the overall story and am looking forward to the next book (if only to learn more about Florida, she was my favorite).
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