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A review by becclectic
Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
This book wasn’t what I was expecting, and in a great way. The title is misleads that this is a great mystery novel, although it is a fantastic one.
The references to other works seemed overwhelming, especially as some sources do exist and others were only in Blue’s world, and I noted some inaccuracies. These were typically around some of the denser passages that I found myself skimming over, and they felt as if they were trying too hard to be academic.
It does feel like a play off of A Secret History and other dark academia novels, but overall I enjoyed it and enjoyed the ending and how it was crafted. Could be a hard book to recommend, but it’s definitely one that makes you think.
The references to other works seemed overwhelming, especially as some sources do exist and others were only in Blue’s world, and I noted some inaccuracies. These were typically around some of the denser passages that I found myself skimming over, and they felt as if they were trying too hard to be academic.
It does feel like a play off of A Secret History and other dark academia novels, but overall I enjoyed it and enjoyed the ending and how it was crafted. Could be a hard book to recommend, but it’s definitely one that makes you think.