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A review by jessica_
Below by Laurel Hightower
2.0
I was really hoping I'd like this one, and it started off with such promise!
Set in near total isolation, focusing on a creature that I've always loved the lore around, and a main character who is will to risk her life to try and save a total stranger-- those are all my buzzwords to get me to pick up a book :)
Sadly, I never understood the geography of the very small location that the story took place it. I had no sense of direction of where the main character was and the entire things felt a little to much like a fever-dream for my taste. Combine that with some cringe worthy dialogue and I struggled to complete this short novella.
On the plus side there was just as much beautiful writing and dialogue as cringy ones. The story also had a few twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting-- plus a genuine creepy moment and effective jump scare.
I also had an issues with there being a little to much focus on the themes of independence/having a voice/not being believed or listened to (definitely a feminist message) and while usually I like that (and in the beginning I adored it) but when the story was lacing in other places the focus on this element overtaking the plot started to irritate me.
Combine that with a vague open ended ending/ open to interpretation the story felt very unsatisfying.
Set in near total isolation, focusing on a creature that I've always loved the lore around, and a main character who is will to risk her life to try and save a total stranger-- those are all my buzzwords to get me to pick up a book :)
Sadly, I never understood the geography of the very small location that the story took place it. I had no sense of direction of where the main character was and the entire things felt a little to much like a fever-dream for my taste. Combine that with some cringe worthy dialogue and I struggled to complete this short novella.
On the plus side there was just as much beautiful writing and dialogue as cringy ones. The story also had a few twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting-- plus a genuine creepy moment and effective jump scare.
I also had an issues with there being a little to much focus on the themes of independence/having a voice/not being believed or listened to (definitely a feminist message) and while usually I like that (and in the beginning I adored it) but when the story was lacing in other places the focus on this element overtaking the plot started to irritate me.
Combine that with a vague open ended ending/ open to interpretation the story felt very unsatisfying.