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A review by bailey_the_bookworm
The Genesis of Misery by Neon Yang
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
There are so many things about this book that I liked (mech fights! Weird magic rocks! Intrigue!) and it’s a vast, compelling universe. I would have DNFed but there was enough good stuff that I was willing to read the whole thing.
That said. There were also many things about this book that I found frustrating. Plot-wise, Misery becomes much less interesting as a character partway through the book—she’s a murderous, abusive liar and it’s difficult for me to get on board for that in a POV character. I don’t think you’re supposed to get on board for it, to be fair, but it was a slog.
At the writing level: certain words were way overused (various forms of “comprise” are major culprits here). The Extremely Online tenor of the writing also didn’t land right for me, especially given the world-building—it doesn’t make sense and ended up breaking immersion.
There were also some editing issues: random tense changes (present to past for two sentences for no reason), little stuff that individually wouldn’t be bad but over the course of the book became aggravating.
That said. There were also many things about this book that I found frustrating. Plot-wise, Misery becomes much less interesting as a character partway through the book—she’s a murderous, abusive liar and it’s difficult for me to get on board for that in a POV character. I don’t think you’re supposed to get on board for it, to be fair, but it was a slog.
At the writing level: certain words were way overused (various forms of “comprise” are major culprits here). The Extremely Online tenor of the writing also didn’t land right for me, especially given the world-building—it doesn’t make sense and ended up breaking immersion.
There were also some editing issues: random tense changes (present to past for two sentences for no reason), little stuff that individually wouldn’t be bad but over the course of the book became aggravating.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Torture, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Medical content, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Confinement, Classism, Emotional abuse, Murder, and War