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A review by iam
Sere From the Green by Lauren Jankowski
Did not finish book.
DNF @ 42%
I'm pretty bummed out that I wasn't able to get into this. I've been looking forward to reading Sere From the Green for quite a while now, but pretty much nothing about it worked for me.
From the very start the writing was a bit awkward. Not that bad, but the dialogue was unnatural and stilted when you paid attention and characters frequently talked to themselves in that super weird way that is clearly only meant for the readers benefit or to give information.
What bothered me the most though was the way the POVs kept switching. I do not mind when a book has multiple POV characters, but here it was just.... such an unfortunate choice imo. The main character here is Isis, who is pulled into a world of shifters and guardians and magic and a prophecy, she obviously has no idea what is going on and is wary of it all. Yet instead of letting the reader find out about everything through her eyes, the POV switches to other characters who know everything already, who know all the big players and what's happening.
It took away any and all suspense or excitement for me.
Despite this, few things are actually explained. Each chapter new characters get introduced, new aspects of the plot get revealed, yet nobody's role or significance is ever mentioned so that for the most part I had no idea who all these people that appeared in the background were or why they were even there or which of it all was significant.
And even when it's Isis POV again where she learns about what's happening.... people give her a vague half-sentence before continuing on as if now everything was clear.
I want to say I liked that there was ace rep, even with two open and out characters on different ends of the spectrum, but aside from them mentioning their sexualities it's wasn't brough up in the part that I read. And tbh, the way it was intregrated in the conversations wasn't very smooth, though that might just be because of the above mentioned unnatural dialogue.
So... yeah, no, after spending a few days forcing myself to read as far as I got I have to admit I won't be reading on from here on. Great potential, but ultimately not for me.
I'm pretty bummed out that I wasn't able to get into this. I've been looking forward to reading Sere From the Green for quite a while now, but pretty much nothing about it worked for me.
From the very start the writing was a bit awkward. Not that bad, but the dialogue was unnatural and stilted when you paid attention and characters frequently talked to themselves in that super weird way that is clearly only meant for the readers benefit or to give information.
What bothered me the most though was the way the POVs kept switching. I do not mind when a book has multiple POV characters, but here it was just.... such an unfortunate choice imo. The main character here is Isis, who is pulled into a world of shifters and guardians and magic and a prophecy, she obviously has no idea what is going on and is wary of it all. Yet instead of letting the reader find out about everything through her eyes, the POV switches to other characters who know everything already, who know all the big players and what's happening.
It took away any and all suspense or excitement for me.
Despite this, few things are actually explained. Each chapter new characters get introduced, new aspects of the plot get revealed, yet nobody's role or significance is ever mentioned so that for the most part I had no idea who all these people that appeared in the background were or why they were even there or which of it all was significant.
And even when it's Isis POV again where she learns about what's happening.... people give her a vague half-sentence before continuing on as if now everything was clear.
I want to say I liked that there was ace rep, even with two open and out characters on different ends of the spectrum, but aside from them mentioning their sexualities it's wasn't brough up in the part that I read. And tbh, the way it was intregrated in the conversations wasn't very smooth, though that might just be because of the above mentioned unnatural dialogue.
So... yeah, no, after spending a few days forcing myself to read as far as I got I have to admit I won't be reading on from here on. Great potential, but ultimately not for me.