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april_does_feral_sometimes 's review for:
The Rook
by Daniel O'Malley
Since I'm no neophyte on GR, and because I rarely get feedback, I feel confident that I can honestly say this is a stupidly written novel - great idea, chess and patriotic mutant people with powers, etc., but the horrible childish dialogue is not just grating, it's completely imbecile. I am aware I'm going against the HUGE volume of reviews that adore this book. However, I simply could not get past the inane, inappropriately-used, ill-timed jokey snark.
Myfanny, uh, Myfanwy Thomas is 31 but she speaks 8th grade snark. The reason for that became obvious the further I got into the story - this is exactly like the kind of stuff I was writing in the 8th grade, only my protaganist was a cat who was a spy. She lived in a cat world of cat people, and I imagined her as a spy saving the world just like the spies in 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.' and 'The Wild Wild West.'
I thought my cat story was brilliant, if I said so myself. My teacher gave me A's. I was very satisfied. Until I went to the library and discovered there not only were a million children's books about spy cats, but they were really really good. Literary, even. Unfortunately for me, because I have severe deficits in my character, I cried and moaned and gave up immediately any idea of becoming a writer.
After reading 'The Rook', perhaps I should have pursued being published after all.....
Myfanny, uh, Myfanwy Thomas is 31 but she speaks 8th grade snark. The reason for that became obvious the further I got into the story - this is exactly like the kind of stuff I was writing in the 8th grade, only my protaganist was a cat who was a spy. She lived in a cat world of cat people, and I imagined her as a spy saving the world just like the spies in 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.' and 'The Wild Wild West.'
I thought my cat story was brilliant, if I said so myself. My teacher gave me A's. I was very satisfied. Until I went to the library and discovered there not only were a million children's books about spy cats, but they were really really good. Literary, even. Unfortunately for me, because I have severe deficits in my character, I cried and moaned and gave up immediately any idea of becoming a writer.
After reading 'The Rook', perhaps I should have pursued being published after all.....