Scan barcode
A review by sarah2438
The Fervor by Alma Katsu
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
*I received a free Advanced Reader's Copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
I have some mixed feelings on this one. I really enjoyed the writing. There are some creepy parts that really did freak me out. I liked the range in characters, from the innocent child to the man corrupted by his grief. Overall, there are 3 main issues that I had that prevented me from giving a higher rating.
1. My biggest issue is that it feels a lot like a pandemic novel, rather than a creepy exploration of Japanese myths. I wanted more focus on the jorogumo, the kitsune, and all the demons Aiko says she can see. But these things were hardly topics. Beyond that, the pseudo science was too much for me-- I just wanted to say "that's not how that works!"
2. Considering the story is told from four perspectives, which I would say are pretty well balanced in terms of how much time each character gets, I really wanted some of them to show more depth. I wanted to know more about Aiko seeing the demons. I wanted to know more about Fran's affair with Richard-- not having any attempt at justification just left a bad taste in my mouth when I thought of her character. She also neglects her cat. Maybe we weren't supposed to like her? Finally, I also wanted to know more about Jamie, who felt very flat to me in the few memories we saw of him.
3. It's petty, but I'm from Idaho, close to where the camps were located, so I have to say it: Southern Idaho is not a prairie, it's a desert. The word prairie is used 13 times to describe the setting, and it took me out of the story every. Single. Time. It's a small detail but for it's annoying for those who know, and it would've been an easy fix.
All of this to say... I still liked the book. It was compelling and fun to read. It's not anything that I would urge people away from, and I'm sure there will be plenty of readers that aren't bothered by these issues. But I just wasn't quite satisfied.
Thank you again to NetGalley for the ARC!
TW: spiders, racist slurs, racist language
I have some mixed feelings on this one. I really enjoyed the writing. There are some creepy parts that really did freak me out. I liked the range in characters, from the innocent child to the man corrupted by his grief. Overall, there are 3 main issues that I had that prevented me from giving a higher rating.
1. My biggest issue is that it feels a lot like a pandemic novel, rather than a creepy exploration of Japanese myths. I wanted more focus on the jorogumo, the kitsune, and all the demons Aiko says she can see. But these things were hardly topics. Beyond that, the pseudo science was too much for me-- I just wanted to say "that's not how that works!"
2. Considering the story is told from four perspectives, which I would say are pretty well balanced in terms of how much time each character gets, I really wanted some of them to show more depth. I wanted to know more about Aiko seeing the demons. I wanted to know more about Fran's affair with Richard-- not having any attempt at justification just left a bad taste in my mouth when I thought of her character. She also neglects her cat. Maybe we weren't supposed to like her? Finally, I also wanted to know more about Jamie, who felt very flat to me in the few memories we saw of him.
3. It's petty, but I'm from Idaho, close to where the camps were located, so I have to say it: Southern Idaho is not a prairie, it's a desert. The word prairie is used 13 times to describe the setting, and it took me out of the story every. Single. Time. It's a small detail but for it's annoying for those who know, and it would've been an easy fix.
All of this to say... I still liked the book. It was compelling and fun to read. It's not anything that I would urge people away from, and I'm sure there will be plenty of readers that aren't bothered by these issues. But I just wasn't quite satisfied.
Thank you again to NetGalley for the ARC!
TW: spiders, racist slurs, racist language
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism