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kyle_j_durrant 's review for:
For You
by Mona Kabbani
This is a fantasy story that wears its darkness on its sleeve. From the start, we get a sense of this being an unpleasant world to live in, from the darkness of the characters' surroundings to the backgrounds of the characters themselves.
I know that Bloodborne provided inspiration for this novella; it shows, but never in a way that feels lazy or plagiarised. "For You" possesses its own rules and world building, which are neatly presented without affecting flow or immersion.
The characters, for the brevity of their presence, were engaging and, overall, likeable. I appreciated the mystery behind the protagonist's presence, the truth of which was revealed as the story progressed in a satisfying manner that was well foreshadowed.
You can expect lovely prose that doesn't get too dense, making this book a treat to read. I'm sure there are metaphorical elements aplenty that I'm a little too much of a literal reader to appreciate, but despite this, I still very much enjoyed the story.
Perhaps my only criticism would be elements of pacing. The short length demanded that things happened quickly. The bonds of friendship developed by the central characters felt like they formed too quickly (although I suppose when thrust together by circumstance this can be a necessity), and the final outcome, whilst satisfying, also had a mildly jarring element that could have benefitted from a little extra development.
Perhaps my only other critique is that I wanted it to continue beyond the final line. I wanted a little more; to an extent, things didn't feel entirely resolved. But in true Bloodborne, and Souls-like, spirit, I suppose we're left to piece together what happens next for ourselves.
Even with these criticisms, however, I can't bring myself to rate this any lower than 5⭐s.
I know that Bloodborne provided inspiration for this novella; it shows, but never in a way that feels lazy or plagiarised. "For You" possesses its own rules and world building, which are neatly presented without affecting flow or immersion.
The characters, for the brevity of their presence, were engaging and, overall, likeable. I appreciated the mystery behind the protagonist's presence, the truth of which was revealed as the story progressed in a satisfying manner that was well foreshadowed.
You can expect lovely prose that doesn't get too dense, making this book a treat to read. I'm sure there are metaphorical elements aplenty that I'm a little too much of a literal reader to appreciate, but despite this, I still very much enjoyed the story.
Perhaps my only criticism would be elements of pacing. The short length demanded that things happened quickly. The bonds of friendship developed by the central characters felt like they formed too quickly (although I suppose when thrust together by circumstance this can be a necessity), and the final outcome, whilst satisfying, also had a mildly jarring element that could have benefitted from a little extra development.
Perhaps my only other critique is that I wanted it to continue beyond the final line. I wanted a little more; to an extent, things didn't feel entirely resolved. But in true Bloodborne, and Souls-like, spirit, I suppose we're left to piece together what happens next for ourselves.
Even with these criticisms, however, I can't bring myself to rate this any lower than 5⭐s.