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A review by dilliemillie
Sanctuary by Andi C. Buchanan
2.0
Please note: This is my honest review of an ARC provided by Netgalley and Robot Dinosaur Press. The final publication may have changes made since the time of my reading.
This could be a truly fantastic book! but it needs some heavy revision.
I love the setup - a diverse group of neuro divergent people live in a huge haunted estate as a family. How great is that? Instead of one or two token characters, basically the entire cast of characters represents marginalized groups. But by book's end, I could tell you all about how mental and physical health impact the characters from day to day and next to nothing about who those people are outside their struggles. Some characters never got introductions and were mentioned in a manner implying readers already knew who they were (can anyone tell me who Denny is?!)
The writing style is very fragmented and overuses incomplete sentences. While this may have been an intentional choice on the part of the author, moderation is key! There are a few spelling and grammar errors and occasional continuity mistakes. Some concepts (ghost corporeality and consent) are reiterated ad nauseam, while others are barely explained (ghost hunters? Morgan's connection with the pendant?). Dramatic and/or action scenes are described with so little detail that I was at a loss to picture - or sometimes even understand - what had happened.
While I began reading with great excitement, my enthusiasm cooled and I struggled to reach the final pages. This story is imaginative and awesome! I trust that some editing will help it succeed in the way it deserves.
This could be a truly fantastic book! but it needs some heavy revision.
I love the setup - a diverse group of neuro divergent people live in a huge haunted estate as a family. How great is that? Instead of one or two token characters, basically the entire cast of characters represents marginalized groups. But by book's end, I could tell you all about how mental and physical health impact the characters from day to day and next to nothing about who those people are outside their struggles. Some characters never got introductions and were mentioned in a manner implying readers already knew who they were (can anyone tell me who Denny is?!)
The writing style is very fragmented and overuses incomplete sentences. While this may have been an intentional choice on the part of the author, moderation is key! There are a few spelling and grammar errors and occasional continuity mistakes. Some concepts (ghost corporeality and consent) are reiterated ad nauseam, while others are barely explained (ghost hunters? Morgan's connection with the pendant?). Dramatic and/or action scenes are described with so little detail that I was at a loss to picture - or sometimes even understand - what had happened.
While I began reading with great excitement, my enthusiasm cooled and I struggled to reach the final pages. This story is imaginative and awesome! I trust that some editing will help it succeed in the way it deserves.