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A review by gigiivid
Lovestar by Andri Snær Magnason
3.0
*Spoilers*
This is the ultimate "and then I woke up and it was all a dream oops" novel. 90% of the book explored amazing, unique science fiction/ dystopian concepts and the whole thing was building up to an epic finale where all the POV characters meet in a big clash.
Except the author seems to have gotten bored, shrugged, and tacked on the last chapter of some other novel.
I've never been so mad about the ending of a book before (and I say this after just having read [b:The Children's Bach|634140|The Children's Bach|Helen Garner|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1318128821s/634140.jpg|2810409]). I was invested in these characters, this plot, this world and then the author just...gave up. It was an unsatisfying, cliche, random and boring ending. But the rest of the book was awesome. I loved the ideas in it and it was so refreshing in the style that it was written. I've never read anything Icelandic before and I'm surprised at how well it translates (or, was it a really good translator?) Most of the Japanese fiction I've read translates a little awkwardly and the flow of the writing feels stunted. This felt poetic and fluid as if it had been written in english the first time round. I really enjoyed that!
The characters were so-so. It was frustrating that a lot of the focus was on trivial events in the book such as and not as much time was spent on the romantic plot as it actually came into an interesting part. At times the novel felt disjointed in the parts that it chose to focus on and the connections between the different people. For instance, it spent so long setting up the conflict between the lovers then gave just one chapter of Sigrid and Per actually meeting. It needed to be sustained--or, if it wasn't Magnason's main priority then I think this would've been a better novel without the lovers. It was a bit like [b:A Midsummer Night's Dream|1622|A Midsummer Night's Dream|William Shakespeare|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327874534s/1622.jpg|894834] in that the lovers were the main focus but also the most boring part.
I'm really uncertain about what I think about this novel because of the terrible ending. I enjoyed the themes and the overall ideas but I feel like the actual plot and characters needed some serious work. It needed a stronger focus on just one part rather then a shaky focus on a few different aspects of the created world. Perhaps, it could've been longer as well?
Plot rating: 4/10
Character rating: 5/10
Style of writing: 7/10
First 1/3: 6/10
Second 1/3: 8/10
Third 1/3: 3/10
Main Character rating: 5/10
Scenery rating: 6/10
Concept rating: 9.5/10
Emotional rating: 5/10
Overall: 58.5
(It seems like a harsh score but it rounds up to 3 which is where I would've put it anyway. It's a low 3/ high 2)
This is the ultimate "and then I woke up and it was all a dream oops" novel. 90% of the book explored amazing, unique science fiction/ dystopian concepts and the whole thing was building up to an epic finale where all the POV characters meet in a big clash.
Except the author seems to have gotten bored, shrugged, and tacked on the last chapter of some other novel.
I've never been so mad about the ending of a book before (and I say this after just having read [b:The Children's Bach|634140|The Children's Bach|Helen Garner|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1318128821s/634140.jpg|2810409]). I was invested in these characters, this plot, this world and then the author just...gave up. It was an unsatisfying, cliche, random and boring ending. But the rest of the book was awesome. I loved the ideas in it and it was so refreshing in the style that it was written. I've never read anything Icelandic before and I'm surprised at how well it translates (or, was it a really good translator?) Most of the Japanese fiction I've read translates a little awkwardly and the flow of the writing feels stunted. This felt poetic and fluid as if it had been written in english the first time round. I really enjoyed that!
The characters were so-so. It was frustrating that a lot of the focus was on trivial events in the book such as
Spoiler
the wolves and mickeys. What the hell was that even? I didn't understand itI'm really uncertain about what I think about this novel because of the terrible ending. I enjoyed the themes and the overall ideas but I feel like the actual plot and characters needed some serious work. It needed a stronger focus on just one part rather then a shaky focus on a few different aspects of the created world. Perhaps, it could've been longer as well?
Plot rating: 4/10
Character rating: 5/10
Style of writing: 7/10
First 1/3: 6/10
Second 1/3: 8/10
Third 1/3: 3/10
Main Character rating: 5/10
Scenery rating: 6/10
Concept rating: 9.5/10
Emotional rating: 5/10
Overall: 58.5
(It seems like a harsh score but it rounds up to 3 which is where I would've put it anyway. It's a low 3/ high 2)