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A review by brightbelladonna22
A Darker Mischief by Derek Milman
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I am so conflicted about A Darker Mischief, because there are so many things to love about it, and yet it just didn't click for me.
What I loved:
-the dark academia setting is beautifully done. I found myself lost in the world that Milman created. It felt both realistically drawn and eerie, and I think this balance works very well
-the queer rep. I appreciated that Cal and Luke's relationship was not all sunshine and roses, and it felt very realistic for two queer sophomores struggling with their budding sexuality. I also liked how their relationship dynamics play out across the hyper-masculinity of Luke's world (high school sports + secret societies) in particular. Again, not something I've seen in dark academia and really well done
-the twists and turns were great! While I did see some of them coming, there were many that I didn't. The villain is not who you expect, and I liked the mystery of it all
-"compulsively readable" would aptly describe A Darker Mischief
What I didn't:
-The Secret History comp led me to expect dense, meaty prose alongside the atmosphere, but the prose here was...very light? It definitely feeds into that page turner feel, and I think many teens will be drawn to Milman's accessible writing, but it didn't grab me
-I struggled to connect with Cal's motives. While they feel realistic for a teen--fitting in especially--the people he wants to fit in with don't feel particularly decent or cool? I really struggled with why in particular Cal would be drawn to the society
-no spoilers here, but Gretchen, who ends up being a major part of the plot, felt like more of an afterthought at times. She was very present in the beginning of the book and the end, but gets lost somewhere in the middle, to the point that I almost forgot about her
Again, this is definitely a personal taste thing! I really appreciate that Milman's characters are sophomores, and I think it'll capture that age group very well (a lot of YA that I've read lately has 18 year old MCs, so I definitely love seeing more of a true YA feel).
Many thanks to NetGalley, Scholastic, and Derek Milman for gifting me this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!
What I loved:
-the dark academia setting is beautifully done. I found myself lost in the world that Milman created. It felt both realistically drawn and eerie, and I think this balance works very well
-the queer rep. I appreciated that Cal and Luke's relationship was not all sunshine and roses, and it felt very realistic for two queer sophomores struggling with their budding sexuality. I also liked how their relationship dynamics play out across the hyper-masculinity of Luke's world (high school sports + secret societies) in particular. Again, not something I've seen in dark academia and really well done
-the twists and turns were great! While I did see some of them coming, there were many that I didn't. The villain is not who you expect, and I liked the mystery of it all
-"compulsively readable" would aptly describe A Darker Mischief
What I didn't:
-The Secret History comp led me to expect dense, meaty prose alongside the atmosphere, but the prose here was...very light? It definitely feeds into that page turner feel, and I think many teens will be drawn to Milman's accessible writing, but it didn't grab me
-I struggled to connect with Cal's motives. While they feel realistic for a teen--fitting in especially--the people he wants to fit in with don't feel particularly decent or cool? I really struggled with why in particular Cal would be drawn to the society
-no spoilers here, but Gretchen, who ends up being a major part of the plot, felt like more of an afterthought at times. She was very present in the beginning of the book and the end, but gets lost somewhere in the middle, to the point that I almost forgot about her
Again, this is definitely a personal taste thing! I really appreciate that Milman's characters are sophomores, and I think it'll capture that age group very well (a lot of YA that I've read lately has 18 year old MCs, so I definitely love seeing more of a true YA feel).
Many thanks to NetGalley, Scholastic, and Derek Milman for gifting me this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!