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fayesmovinglibrary's Reviews (718)
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book is so immensely powerful??
Powerful:
- the visceral love of folklore bleeds through the pages
- I love a book that showcases how storytelling is an act of resistance. Also, how storytelling can be a memory, a ghost, and a haunting.
- the poetically devastating artistic and creative approach to showcasing generational trauma. This book felt like pure and sheer visceral pain in that regard.
“Negatives”
Literally this books only singular fault, is that at times the modern timelines are somewhat confusing to navigate & feel a tad discombobulating and disorganized, but the story and lyricism makes that truly not even really matters
This book is actually so brilliantly done; I am shocked it’s not rated higher.
Powerful:
- the visceral love of folklore bleeds through the pages
- I love a book that showcases how storytelling is an act of resistance. Also, how storytelling can be a memory, a ghost, and a haunting.
- the poetically devastating artistic and creative approach to showcasing generational trauma. This book felt like pure and sheer visceral pain in that regard.
“Negatives”
Literally this books only singular fault, is that at times the modern timelines are somewhat confusing to navigate & feel a tad discombobulating and disorganized, but the story and lyricism makes that truly not even really matters
This book is actually so brilliantly done; I am shocked it’s not rated higher.
fast-paced
Oh wow, actually insane ending ???
Negatives:
- I do have a lot of the same critiques from the first one where I feel like it was quite Juvenile at times, I don’t really care for Evangeline, it’s very predictable etc
Positives:
- I was able to suspend my disbelief MUCH more with this one & i definitely was very invested the entire time
- the Jacks and Evangeline tension hard carried & then that ending was actually wild & good
Negatives:
- I do have a lot of the same critiques from the first one where I feel like it was quite Juvenile at times, I don’t really care for Evangeline, it’s very predictable etc
Positives:
- I was able to suspend my disbelief MUCH more with this one & i definitely was very invested the entire time
- the Jacks and Evangeline tension hard carried & then that ending was actually wild & good
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
For non-book records, review text and ratings are hidden. Only mood, pace, and content warnings are visible.
funny
hopeful
relaxing
fast-paced
Who’s down to carpool to the cafe at the edge of the woods
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
⭐️⭐️.75 Hmmmmmm this didn’t particularly work in book format for me, but I genuinely think this is going to make for a really powerful Studio Ghibli movie; so I’m really excited to see what Miyazaki does with this!!
Positives:
- lots of big philosophical questions about so many different aspects of history/science etc that were actually pretty interesting
- I really enjoyed the portions from the uncle
- the overall melancholic coming of age narrative with the added level of embracing and growing through trauma and loss
Negatives:
- overall, I hate to say it but this book was very very boring and repetitive.
- I enjoyed what it was trying to do, but I feel like I didn’t take anything away from it really??
I did finish this is one sitting, & I enjoyed certain aspects of it & genuinely can see how this would make a great Studio Ghibli movie so the additional 1.5⭐️ is for that reason, but I felt very meh about this book overall
Positives:
- lots of big philosophical questions about so many different aspects of history/science etc that were actually pretty interesting
- I really enjoyed the portions from the uncle
- the overall melancholic coming of age narrative with the added level of embracing and growing through trauma and loss
Negatives:
- overall, I hate to say it but this book was very very boring and repetitive.
- I enjoyed what it was trying to do, but I feel like I didn’t take anything away from it really??
I did finish this is one sitting, & I enjoyed certain aspects of it & genuinely can see how this would make a great Studio Ghibli movie so the additional 1.5⭐️ is for that reason, but I felt very meh about this book overall
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Positives:
- I think Jacks is the best thing to come out of the Caraval world, & he truly is Stephanie Garbers best written character, & his background lore/potential romance is Garbers best writing as well.
- all of the best moments of this book were moments that centre Jacks, and all of tension between him & Evangeline were very very good.
- the trope Garber is going with between Jacks & Evangeline is actually quite interesting & I’m excited to see where she goes with it.
- this book does have some pretty whimsical fairytale writing & I enjoyed that element of it, though I was expecting a little more whimsy than I got.
Negatives:
- pretty much every other aspect of this book felt a tad cheap/weak, & it really did feel like Garber knew Jacks was so beloved as a character from the Caraval trilogy so she wanted to capitalize on his character in another trilogy (which like so valid.) However, in how she chose to do so, it feels like she kind of shoved/forced a story around him as a potential love interest again, & it didn’t feel all that well thought out or executed? A lot of the plot felt very juvenile, way too easy, & honestly quite cringe + random? To me, it felt like the only thing Stephanie put effort into was this trope with the kisses/the deal between Jacks & Evangeline, their tension, & only their moments together, as well as the mystery aspect of this prophecy/what he truly wants from Evangeline.
- Dare I say, I feel Stephanie Garber writes very weak protagonists with not very much depth, & they all kind of annoy me 😬
Positives:
- I think Jacks is the best thing to come out of the Caraval world, & he truly is Stephanie Garbers best written character, & his background lore/potential romance is Garbers best writing as well.
- all of the best moments of this book were moments that centre Jacks, and all of tension between him & Evangeline were very very good.
- the trope Garber is going with between Jacks & Evangeline is actually quite interesting & I’m excited to see where she goes with it.
- this book does have some pretty whimsical fairytale writing & I enjoyed that element of it, though I was expecting a little more whimsy than I got.
Negatives:
- pretty much every other aspect of this book felt a tad cheap/weak, & it really did feel like Garber knew Jacks was so beloved as a character from the Caraval trilogy so she wanted to capitalize on his character in another trilogy (which like so valid.) However, in how she chose to do so, it feels like she kind of shoved/forced a story around him as a potential love interest again, & it didn’t feel all that well thought out or executed? A lot of the plot felt very juvenile, way too easy, & honestly quite cringe + random? To me, it felt like the only thing Stephanie put effort into was this trope with the kisses/the deal between Jacks & Evangeline, their tension, & only their moments together, as well as the mystery aspect of this prophecy/what he truly wants from Evangeline.
- Dare I say, I feel Stephanie Garber writes very weak protagonists with not very much depth, & they all kind of annoy me 😬
Dnf 65 pages in
Another one of those instances where I’m heartbroken I’m not fluent in this books original language & the translation is unfortunately lost on me
Another one of those instances where I’m heartbroken I’m not fluent in this books original language & the translation is unfortunately lost on me
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
I fear… I have negative opinions on this book
Positives:
- the dark fantasy folk horror-esque + Ava Reid-ian purple prose was a good overall vibe & aesthetic.
- this book felt very Raven Boys xBbridge to Terabithia Spiderwick Chronicles coded….
- I’m hyper-fixating on Arcane season 2 act 1 rn & it was definitely giving Viktor/Jayce a liiiiiittttllleeeeeee dare I say….. barely & I’m probably delusional but I felt it
- the ace representation was soooooooo good & I loved the layers of monster metaphor it was utilized with
Negatives:
- overall…… I feel like the writing was very weak even though the vibes were quite good, & that really dragged the book down overall. For example, the reveals at the end should have been more jarring and visceral and I felt very meh about the whole thing when I finished it & honestly kind of wish I dnf’d it.
- I feel very disappointed because the premise of this book is crazy good, and the vibes/aesthetic are very much there, & it is good ace & lgbtq+ rep in it & I wish I enjoyed it more, just the writing fell apart for me.
Positives:
- the dark fantasy folk horror-esque + Ava Reid-ian purple prose was a good overall vibe & aesthetic.
- this book felt very Raven Boys xBbridge to Terabithia Spiderwick Chronicles coded….
- I’m hyper-fixating on Arcane season 2 act 1 rn & it was definitely giving Viktor/Jayce a liiiiiittttllleeeeeee dare I say….. barely & I’m probably delusional but I felt it
- the ace representation was soooooooo good & I loved the layers of monster metaphor it was utilized with
Negatives:
- overall…… I feel like the writing was very weak even though the vibes were quite good, & that really dragged the book down overall. For example, the reveals at the end should have been more jarring and visceral and I felt very meh about the whole thing when I finished it & honestly kind of wish I dnf’d it.
- I feel very disappointed because the premise of this book is crazy good, and the vibes/aesthetic are very much there, & it is good ace & lgbtq+ rep in it & I wish I enjoyed it more, just the writing fell apart for me.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It’s only fitting that my first read post Trump’s re-election is that of a woman violently put on trial for the sole fact that she is a woman.
“If it’s a witch they want, then it’s a witch they shall get”
I love visceral and violent female rage & evil men & religious extremists getting it fucking HANDED TO THEM…..
I went into this book expecting a 1600’s Salem Witch Trial novel, & this was sooooooo different then what I expected. This book tells a story of feminism, autonomy, gender, and most surprisingly, it’s arguably most notably a story about the sacredness of earth, and nature and how we should protect it from the corruption of man™️. This book ate the fucking house down I am so flabbergasted.
Wholeheartedly, dark fantasy in the style of Princess Mononoke meets Pans Labyrinth with the primal female rage of a woman deeply wronged during the time of extremist puritan settlements in America.
Brom is a new Insta buy author for this one holay molay.
“If it’s a witch they want, then it’s a witch they shall get”
I love visceral and violent female rage & evil men & religious extremists getting it fucking HANDED TO THEM…..
I went into this book expecting a 1600’s Salem Witch Trial novel, & this was sooooooo different then what I expected. This book tells a story of feminism, autonomy, gender, and most surprisingly, it’s arguably most notably a story about the sacredness of earth, and nature and how we should protect it from the corruption of man™️. This book ate the fucking house down I am so flabbergasted.
Wholeheartedly, dark fantasy in the style of Princess Mononoke meets Pans Labyrinth with the primal female rage of a woman deeply wronged during the time of extremist puritan settlements in America.
Brom is a new Insta buy author for this one holay molay.