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amethystd28d4's Reviews (8)
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Saltburn 🤝 How To Murder Your Family
Works that make you roll your eyes and look up the "early life" section of the writer's wiki page
Works that make you roll your eyes and look up the "early life" section of the writer's wiki page
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fun! This is a posthumously-published novel so it's really more like reading an unpolished manuscript, but some writers are so ubiquitous in their success and influence that there's a lot to be gained from reading their rougher work. Also, from an ethical standpoint, it turns out Crichton did want this published early in his career, but was unable to find an audience for it pre-Jurassic Park. Would recommend if you're at all interested in early paleontology and the balls to the wall pettiness of the Bone Wars, of which its main players are main characters here.
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I understand why some would be disappointed, as the synopsis does make it sound like a more whimsical story than it is. The actual story is more about the ways children are failed by those who are meant to protect them, how abusers take advantage of parental absence and groom parental figures as well as children themselves. I can't fault anyone for being upset at getting a far darker journey than they expected. Personally I didn't mind that, so I found it a good, quick evening read. If you can handle the potentially triggering themes I would definitely recommend it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I was looking forward to this, but I needed more. A longer book with more time fleshing out gang members was necessary here, because the writing wasn't fun enough to make up for how brisk of a ride it was.
Secondly, I don't think the alternate history aspects of the story added anything at all, particularly when the end results were identical to how women in the old west were treated. There's also no rhyme or reason for the change - I see a lot of comparisons to The Handmaid's Tale, but for all her faults, Atwood at least acknowledges that everything that happens in her book has happened in real life, and details an actual alternate timeline that provides the reader with context and an internal logic for the world we're invited into. By contrast, it feels like North either didn't bother to ask herself why this alternate history happened, or doesn't think enough of her audience to provide us with it.
Sorry, I tried really hard but I simply wasn't given any reasons to become invested.
Secondly, I don't think the alternate history aspects of the story added anything at all, particularly when the end results were identical to how women in the old west were treated. There's also no rhyme or reason for the change - I see a lot of comparisons to The Handmaid's Tale, but for all her faults, Atwood at least acknowledges that everything that happens in her book has happened in real life, and details an actual alternate timeline that provides the reader with context and an internal logic for the world we're invited into. By contrast, it feels like North either didn't bother to ask herself why this alternate history happened, or doesn't think enough of her audience to provide us with it.
Sorry, I tried really hard but I simply wasn't given any reasons to become invested.
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Terminal illness, Violence, Xenophobia, Excrement, Religious bigotry, Murder, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment