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A review by bookph1le
Company Town by Madeline Ashby
2.0
Well, that...did not go where I was expecting it to.
I can't quite figure out how I feel about this book. Two stars doesn't seem fair as I liked many things about it, but it just didn't hold together for me in the end. I feel basically "meh" about it.
Read at your own risk as there will be MEGA spoilers.
- Some of the book was so resonant, like when Hwa read the rape threat on her wall and started thinking about how many times women have had to put up with that threat. I'm sure any woman who reads this book is nodding at that part. I hope any man who reads it stops and takes note.
- The love scene between Hwa and Daniel actually brought tears to my eyes. It was so lovely. Their whole relationship was lovely.
- But damn is that extradimensional being thing just did not work for me. I don't think it came up out of nowhere as there are clues planted throughout the story, but I guess the book wasn't what I expected. That disappointed me, but obviously that's a matter of personal preference and not what I would call a flaw of the book. I'm not opposed to stories about extra dimensions, and sometimes I enjoy them, but I didn't think that's what was going on in this book, and the sense of dissonance I felt made it hard for me to feel satisfied in the end.
- Hwa is a great character. She's complicated and cranky and vulnerable and all the things I want a good character to be--male or female. She breaks the "strong woman" trope in a way--not because she isn't strong, but because strength means a lot more than that trope would lead you to believe.
- There is diversity all over the place in this book, and it is good.
I can't quite figure out how I feel about this book. Two stars doesn't seem fair as I liked many things about it, but it just didn't hold together for me in the end. I feel basically "meh" about it.
Read at your own risk as there will be MEGA spoilers.
Spoiler
- Wow, has pop culture left me jaded. I suspected Joel for a good stretch, both because of the "blind spot" dream and because he was just so nice. Pop culture has taught me nice is not to be trusted. How sad is that? I'm sorry, Joel. I did you wrong, and you didn't deserve it. I love the fact that you're a decent, nice, and moral character. I would really love to see more characters like you in literature.- Some of the book was so resonant, like when Hwa read the rape threat on her wall and started thinking about how many times women have had to put up with that threat. I'm sure any woman who reads this book is nodding at that part. I hope any man who reads it stops and takes note.
- The love scene between Hwa and Daniel actually brought tears to my eyes. It was so lovely. Their whole relationship was lovely.
- But damn is that extradimensional being thing just did not work for me. I don't think it came up out of nowhere as there are clues planted throughout the story, but I guess the book wasn't what I expected. That disappointed me, but obviously that's a matter of personal preference and not what I would call a flaw of the book. I'm not opposed to stories about extra dimensions, and sometimes I enjoy them, but I didn't think that's what was going on in this book, and the sense of dissonance I felt made it hard for me to feel satisfied in the end.
- Hwa is a great character. She's complicated and cranky and vulnerable and all the things I want a good character to be--male or female. She breaks the "strong woman" trope in a way--not because she isn't strong, but because strength means a lot more than that trope would lead you to believe.
- There is diversity all over the place in this book, and it is good.