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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
This is definitely a book that I have to revisit in the future. I was drawn into the story from the beginning to the point where I read the entire book in one day. I think it has elements of dark academia, but it's hard for me to say that it is dark academia. In a way, you get a little bit of everything with this book - a bildungsroman, fantasy, horror, dark academia, etc. For a book about words, I'm at a loss to find the right ones to describe it.
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Hard to put down, wanted nothing more than to immerse myself in the words and travel into the book.
In the begging it reminded me of the Umbrella Academy but less whimsy. Then there seemed to be a dash of the Atlas Six but significantly more developed and poetic.
This is a book I intend to read again so that I may dive deeper into its structure and sift through its beautifully built layers. A must for the home library
In the begging it reminded me of the Umbrella Academy but less whimsy. Then there seemed to be a dash of the Atlas Six but significantly more developed and poetic.
This is a book I intend to read again so that I may dive deeper into its structure and sift through its beautifully built layers. A must for the home library
What the?! What did I just read? Talk about an undefinable book! Highly compulsive and addictive. I only gave it 4 stars because I didn't understand some of what I read (no fault of the translation / author, some of the concepts went over my head) , but found it enjoyable anyway.
5 stars; a coming of age story told in the most engrossing and compelling, yet bizarre way I’ve ever seen. The sense of dread hooks you long enough for your curiosity to reel you the rest of the way in.
Love it so much!
Love it so much!
Not everyone will love this book - fine. You will love it if you love Russian fantasy (The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden or Nightwatch (book/ movie)) or you love dark fantasy (The Magicians by Lev Grossman or any Holly Black Books). Lev Grossman actually had a hand in getting this book translated from the original Russian. This book will challenge your expectations as well as your ability to imagine what the characters are going though. At times it felt like I was back in college Calculus, trying to imagine 4D integral shapes. Your brain will hurt, yes, but it'll be worth it. Because at the end you'll be changed forever.
[Reading the World Challenge - Ukraine]
This was a really unique and weird book. Even though I felt confused about what was going on a lot of the time, it was intriguing enough to keep me engaged and wanting to find out what happens. The inner world of the main character and her progression throughout the book are interesting. At times, it felt philosophically over my head, and the second half of the book dragged on a bit, but I'm glad I read it. Points for being something totally different than I have ever read before!
This was a really unique and weird book. Even though I felt confused about what was going on a lot of the time, it was intriguing enough to keep me engaged and wanting to find out what happens. The inner world of the main character and her progression throughout the book are interesting. At times, it felt philosophically over my head, and the second half of the book dragged on a bit, but I'm glad I read it. Points for being something totally different than I have ever read before!
Es fing vielversprechend (wenn auch stilistisch hölzern) an, aber es ist eine sehr lange Fantasie "man zwingt mich, eine grausame strenge Schule für Magie zu besuchen, ich bin in alle meine Lehrer verliebt, obwohl sie alt sind, die Lehrer sind streng und höhnisch und bei Widerworten verdoppeln sich sofort die Hausaufgaben, aber durch monströse Selbstdisziplin triumphiere ich und werde von den alten Lehrern für was ganz Besonderes gehalten, dann dasselbe wieder von vorn, nächstes Kapitel im Lehrbuch, nächstes Semester". Die Erzählstruktur ist in ihrer Besessenheit und Repetitivität pornografisch, und das kann man so machen, aber es ist halt nicht mein Kink, deshalb abgebrochen.
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars
A very strange book that I picked up to read the sample, but just kept reading. Sasha is on vacation with her mother, when she notices that she is being followed by a creepy man. She finally meets this man, who gives her physical tasks to complete every morning before dawn. Sasha is led to believe that if she doesn’t complete the tasks that bad things will happen to her mom or her mom’s new boyfriend. After successfully completing these tasks, she is chosen to study at the Institute of Special Technologies, where she meets other students that were also coerced into attending. The rest of the book revolves around her relationships with the other students and the bizarre classes, tests, and professors. I couldn’t quite wrap my head around some of the homework assignments, but the rest of the story was interesting. The ending will keep you thinking, at least until the next book in the series has been translated.
A very strange book that I picked up to read the sample, but just kept reading. Sasha is on vacation with her mother, when she notices that she is being followed by a creepy man. She finally meets this man, who gives her physical tasks to complete every morning before dawn. Sasha is led to believe that if she doesn’t complete the tasks that bad things will happen to her mom or her mom’s new boyfriend. After successfully completing these tasks, she is chosen to study at the Institute of Special Technologies, where she meets other students that were also coerced into attending. The rest of the book revolves around her relationships with the other students and the bizarre classes, tests, and professors. I couldn’t quite wrap my head around some of the homework assignments, but the rest of the story was interesting. The ending will keep you thinking, at least until the next book in the series has been translated.