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A review by mcintmac
Oak King Holly King by Sebastian Nothwell
2.0
i really wanted to like this, considering i enjoyed Mr Warren’s Profession.
unfortunately, i think this is a poorly structured and underdeveloped book (that’s also 300 pages too long). at no point was there a central plot with a clear objective. this book reads like the author kept scribbling down fleeting dreams he had at night and then strung those together into a story. it feels intangible.
ALSO, this might only be 2 sentences in a 500+ book, but it’s important to me (tw: suicide): at one point, our MC debates on whether another character committed suicide. he thinks (a) he doesn’t have cause to, bc he’s privileged, (b) but it makes sense that he could bc he’s weak of character, and (c) he’s likely to have taken “the coward’s way out.” this was unbearably hurtful to read. and extremely irresponsible to write. it’s also factually incorrect on all accounts.
unfortunately, i think this is a poorly structured and underdeveloped book (that’s also 300 pages too long). at no point was there a central plot with a clear objective. this book reads like the author kept scribbling down fleeting dreams he had at night and then strung those together into a story. it feels intangible.
ALSO, this might only be 2 sentences in a 500+ book, but it’s important to me (tw: suicide): at one point, our MC debates on whether another character committed suicide. he thinks (a) he doesn’t have cause to, bc he’s privileged, (b) but it makes sense that he could bc he’s weak of character, and (c) he’s likely to have taken “the coward’s way out.” this was unbearably hurtful to read. and extremely irresponsible to write. it’s also factually incorrect on all accounts.