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A review by acouplereadss
We Were Restless Things by Cole Nagamatsu
3.0
Whenever I am enticed by a cover I always want to love the words inside of it. And when I don’t there’s a disappointment I just can’t shake. Unfortunately We Were Restless Things was just not for me. However there are things I did like about it, read on friends.
I appreciate that this is not your typical YA title. It is not plot driven but instead character driven. However, I personally need a mix of both usually to fully invest in the story. It started off well but about 150 pages in petered off for me because it felt as if nothing was happening. I pushed through but wasn’t enjoying it as much as I wanted to.
A mysterious drowning in a strange town completely changes the young kids directly affected as such an event would. Told through several points of views Noemi who knows the impossible truth of what happened to Link, Amberlyn, Link’s younger sister, Jonas, Noemi’s new housemate and a smattering of others tied to the characters. Navigating all the things that come hand in hand with a coming of age story we face all the things the characters do in their everyday lives.
There were a couple things I really did like about this book. Firstly, the ace representation. I could feel how the character was feeling and what the character knew deep within herself. Secondly, the mysterious creepy woods and the lake that pulled you to enter to discover their horrors. There was something so otherworldly about the setting that kept me reading though. Lastly was Nagamatsu’s writing. That was what really kept me turning the pages even though I didn’t enjoy the book overall. I would like to read more by Nagamatsu!
I do think you’ll enjoy this story if you like atmospheric reads and character driven plots. I would loosely compare this to The Raven Boys, very loosely. Other than that it’s entirely unique and I can’t quite put my finger on who would be drawn in by this one. But definitely read it in the colder months, you’ll be pulled right in.
Thank you Raincoast Books for sending an ARC my way for review.
I appreciate that this is not your typical YA title. It is not plot driven but instead character driven. However, I personally need a mix of both usually to fully invest in the story. It started off well but about 150 pages in petered off for me because it felt as if nothing was happening. I pushed through but wasn’t enjoying it as much as I wanted to.
A mysterious drowning in a strange town completely changes the young kids directly affected as such an event would. Told through several points of views Noemi who knows the impossible truth of what happened to Link, Amberlyn, Link’s younger sister, Jonas, Noemi’s new housemate and a smattering of others tied to the characters. Navigating all the things that come hand in hand with a coming of age story we face all the things the characters do in their everyday lives.
There were a couple things I really did like about this book. Firstly, the ace representation. I could feel how the character was feeling and what the character knew deep within herself. Secondly, the mysterious creepy woods and the lake that pulled you to enter to discover their horrors. There was something so otherworldly about the setting that kept me reading though. Lastly was Nagamatsu’s writing. That was what really kept me turning the pages even though I didn’t enjoy the book overall. I would like to read more by Nagamatsu!
I do think you’ll enjoy this story if you like atmospheric reads and character driven plots. I would loosely compare this to The Raven Boys, very loosely. Other than that it’s entirely unique and I can’t quite put my finger on who would be drawn in by this one. But definitely read it in the colder months, you’ll be pulled right in.
Thank you Raincoast Books for sending an ARC my way for review.