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A review by polkadotgirl
Half Lost by Sally Green
2.0
2/5 stars:
I am so sad right now. So so so sad. This book was going to be a 3.5 rating, maybe even a 4 depending on the ending. Well, the ending came and, guess what? It was fucking terrible.
As I started reading the book I realized I was a little lost regarding certain aspects of the plot but I was 95% sure it wasn't the book's fault but mine because I read Half Wild a while ago and there were some important things and plot points that I had forgotten. However as the story progressed and we were reminded of previous events everything became clearer to me and I could get more into the story.
I really liked Nathan's thought process during the book and the way you come to understand and feel his grief and his anger. I also like how as time goes by he starts to realize that he cannot live that way and his thoughts start shifting, he becomes less resentful and he starts feeling more like the Nathan you came to know in the first two books, while at the same time now feeling less naive and more mature because of everything he went through. (It was also nice that he finally stopped thinking of Annalise and killing Annalise and hurting Annalise and how he had been stupid for trusting Annalise,...; every two seconds.)
But now let's get into what really killed this book for me: the ending.
There are two different things ending-wise that we can discuss: the ending of the plot in itself and the conclusion of the war and everything, and the ending as in what the characters' fates are.
Plot-wise the ending was pretty decent. Not good, not bad, just decent. I do think the ending was perhaps a little rushed but I guess that can be explained as war and its battles being unpredictable and fast and it's not like you're going to have much time to process things in the middle of it. I do think, though, that because of that I was left feeling a little dissatisfied. I had been waiting for certain things to happen and even when they did they felt unimportant and they didn't hit emotionally at all. There were certain things and "twists" that came pretty much out of nowhere and were poorly explained (like the introduction of blue) that I think could have benefitted from further explanation or at least more than just passing mentions when resolved.
Now, character-wise. Oh boy. OH BOY. I am so sad. And angry. I am sad and angry both. And so disappointed. How many more times are we going to have to go through the "bury your gays" trope before someone finally buries this fucking trope?! Gabriel was and is my favorite character in the trilogy and he deserved so much better than what he got. Of course, so did Nathan. I was really happy when we finally got to see Nathan and Gabriel be together and we got to see Nathan completely trusting Gabriel again and relaying on him and letting himself get pulled into Gabriel's humanity. I did feel like their coming together was a little rushed but, AGAIN, I gave it the benefit of the doubt because they're in war times and things do not get to pause just for romance's sake. That ending, though, there is no way in hell I will ever be able to forgive, forget or understand that ending. Yes, it's war. Yes, there are going to be casualties. But... It's so fucking unfair (and a little suspicious) how so many straight characters that also have played major roles in the war and that could have easily served as hard-hitting and emotional deaths get to be alive and have happy endings and the two queer characters don't get the same opportunity. Gabriel goes and dies, and then Nathan goes and turns into a tree to be closer to him and because he can't take the pain of losing Gabriel. Yeah, such a great thing for us LGBT+ folks to read. That's the kind of ending we can aspire to have. FUCK IT.
This trilogy was never going to become an all time favorite for me but it had potential to be something I really enjoyed and cherished and now... Now I won't ever be reading it again or recommending it to anyone.
I am so sad right now. So so so sad. This book was going to be a 3.5 rating, maybe even a 4 depending on the ending. Well, the ending came and, guess what? It was fucking terrible.
As I started reading the book I realized I was a little lost regarding certain aspects of the plot but I was 95% sure it wasn't the book's fault but mine because I read Half Wild a while ago and there were some important things and plot points that I had forgotten. However as the story progressed and we were reminded of previous events everything became clearer to me and I could get more into the story.
I really liked Nathan's thought process during the book and the way you come to understand and feel his grief and his anger. I also like how as time goes by he starts to realize that he cannot live that way and his thoughts start shifting, he becomes less resentful and he starts feeling more like the Nathan you came to know in the first two books, while at the same time now feeling less naive and more mature because of everything he went through. (It was also nice that he finally stopped thinking of Annalise and killing Annalise and hurting Annalise and how he had been stupid for trusting Annalise,...; every two seconds.)
But now let's get into what really killed this book for me: the ending.
There are two different things ending-wise that we can discuss: the ending of the plot in itself and the conclusion of the war and everything, and the ending as in what the characters' fates are.
Plot-wise the ending was pretty decent. Not good, not bad, just decent. I do think the ending was perhaps a little rushed but I guess that can be explained as war and its battles being unpredictable and fast and it's not like you're going to have much time to process things in the middle of it. I do think, though, that because of that I was left feeling a little dissatisfied. I had been waiting for certain things to happen and even when they did they felt unimportant and they didn't hit emotionally at all. There were certain things and "twists" that came pretty much out of nowhere and were poorly explained (like the introduction of blue) that I think could have benefitted from further explanation or at least more than just passing mentions when resolved.
Now, character-wise. Oh boy. OH BOY. I am so sad. And angry. I am sad and angry both. And so disappointed.
This trilogy was never going to become an all time favorite for me but it had potential to be something I really enjoyed and cherished and now... Now I won't ever be reading it again or recommending it to anyone.