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gretchenplz's Reviews (542)
I think this was my least favorite so far, which is a disappointment following the last book.
Just a lot happening here.
I really liked a lot of the parts, but wasn't sure how I felt about them fitting together as a whole. I really liked the Pan/Grover storyline, and I like the Percabeth origins :)
Just a lot happening here.
I really liked a lot of the parts, but wasn't sure how I felt about them fitting together as a whole. I really liked the Pan/Grover storyline, and I like the Percabeth origins :)
It is very apparent that the author is incredibly passionate about the history of Shanghai. I will give her that.
But I believe that this book would have been 100% better had it been half as long. With the way the first book ended, I expected to be able to immediately be pulled back into the world and be unable to put the book down, but that is, unfortunately, not the case.
The book could have started at 60% and I would have been happy. There are too many layers, too many characters, no smooth plot to follow. The fantasy element should have been removed if she truly wanted the significance of the historical happenings to be the focus.
All of the characters are complicated, and borderline unlikeable at times. Their juvenile view of the world is frustrating, and it, I think, is partially why the story gets so bogged down.
I did, however, really appreciate the OG Romeo & Juliet Easter eggs (quotes, scenes , etc.)!
The ending... left a lot to be desired. While we all KNOW how it's going to end, it just felt like, after 500 pages, the author was just... tired of writing? The whole book ended in a literal paragraph?? This is why we need beta readers and editors who offer their honest feedback.
The fantasy elements of this duology were weak and unnecessary. I see the metaphor that the author was going for, but it was underdeveloped and would have been better just removed and reworked so R&J had a different excuse to work together.
Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be picking up another one of Gong's books. Her writing style is just not for me, I fear. She was definitely tried for a Leigh Bardugo/Ninth House style of writing and just did not execute the way Leigh does.
My star rating is a bit soft, because I truly did hate read this entire book and would have DNF'd if it wasn't for a club.
But I believe that this book would have been 100% better had it been half as long. With the way the first book ended, I expected to be able to immediately be pulled back into the world and be unable to put the book down, but that is, unfortunately, not the case.
The book could have started at 60% and I would have been happy. There are too many layers, too many characters, no smooth plot to follow. The fantasy element should have been removed if she truly wanted the significance of the historical happenings to be the focus.
All of the characters are complicated, and borderline unlikeable at times. Their juvenile view of the world is frustrating, and it, I think, is partially why the story gets so bogged down.
I did, however, really appreciate the OG Romeo & Juliet Easter eggs (quotes, scenes , etc.)!
The ending... left a lot to be desired. While we all KNOW how it's going to end, it just felt like, after 500 pages, the author was just... tired of writing? The whole book ended in a literal paragraph?? This is why we need beta readers and editors who offer their honest feedback.
The fantasy elements of this duology were weak and unnecessary. I see the metaphor that the author was going for, but it was underdeveloped and would have been better just removed and reworked so R&J had a different excuse to work together.
Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be picking up another one of Gong's books. Her writing style is just not for me, I fear. She was definitely tried for a Leigh Bardugo/Ninth House style of writing and just did not execute the way Leigh does.
My star rating is a bit soft, because I truly did hate read this entire book and would have DNF'd if it wasn't for a club.
Again, I'm not the target audience here, really, but there was just a lot going on in this book.
TW: Eating disorder/Disordered eating. Seriously. If you are sensitive of this, do no read this book.
This book was stupid on every level possible. Stupid, shallow, uninformed, and absurd.
I am quite literally never trusting Booktok on anything ever again.
You can tell that this author desperately wanted her brownie points for being ~inclusive~ and ~woke~, then proceeded to do so in the absolutely most patronizing, ridiculous way possible. It was absolutely laughable how performative and shallow it all was. I mean, wanting to be ~woke~ and then making your big plot point/inciting incident/recurring conflict be disordered eating is just too funny.
Stassie is the villain of this story. There are too many damn characters. You're telling me there's now such a thing as a first-act breakup? The college athletics aspect was absolutely laughable. This is NOT a hockey romance — there are simply a few characters that play hockey. Respectfully, the instant-love trope doesn't work with college kids. This reads like a Wattpad fanfic that the author just didn't want to stop writing, so they added a bunch of extra chapters/drama for no reason. Why were the Christmas chapters (totally skippable, FYI) a bigger portion of the story than actual plot points? Why were none of these COLLEGE ATHLETES training during this time?!
I'm begging people who write college athlete books to actually know how college athletics work. Or at least have some clue of how a hockey season runs and how hockey works (like... they play two-game series, and scoring 8 gals in a game regularly is... not normal?). And two years after college, she wins a gold medal, and he has a Stanley Cup??? WHAT!?!?!?!
That’s all I can say at this time because I refuse to go further into a rant about this horrible excuse for a book.
If you value good writing and a romance that actually makes sense, don't waste your time.
This book was stupid on every level possible. Stupid, shallow, uninformed, and absurd.
I am quite literally never trusting Booktok on anything ever again.
You can tell that this author desperately wanted her brownie points for being ~inclusive~ and ~woke~, then proceeded to do so in the absolutely most patronizing, ridiculous way possible. It was absolutely laughable how performative and shallow it all was. I mean, wanting to be ~woke~ and then making your big plot point/inciting incident/recurring conflict be disordered eating is just too funny.
Stassie is the villain of this story. There are too many damn characters. You're telling me there's now such a thing as a first-act breakup? The college athletics aspect was absolutely laughable. This is NOT a hockey romance — there are simply a few characters that play hockey. Respectfully, the instant-love trope doesn't work with college kids. This reads like a Wattpad fanfic that the author just didn't want to stop writing, so they added a bunch of extra chapters/drama for no reason. Why were the Christmas chapters (totally skippable, FYI) a bigger portion of the story than actual plot points? Why were none of these COLLEGE ATHLETES training during this time?!
I'm begging people who write college athlete books to actually know how college athletics work. Or at least have some clue of how a hockey season runs and how hockey works (like... they play two-game series, and scoring 8 gals in a game regularly is... not normal?). And two years after college, she wins a gold medal, and he has a Stanley Cup??? WHAT!?!?!?!
That’s all I can say at this time because I refuse to go further into a rant about this horrible excuse for a book.
If you value good writing and a romance that actually makes sense, don't waste your time.
WOW, this book was PACKED.
My biggest complaint with the second book was that there really seemed to be no real forward movement. The same can absolutely not be said about this book, however!
Docking half a star because George writes some very creepy things about women and their bodies, but otherwise, this book is just perfection.
I can't imagine what reading this book without having previously watched the series was like. I'd be on the floor.
My biggest complaint with the second book was that there really seemed to be no real forward movement. The same can absolutely not be said about this book, however!
Docking half a star because George writes some very creepy things about women and their bodies, but otherwise, this book is just perfection.
I can't imagine what reading this book without having previously watched the series was like. I'd be on the floor.
Ah, another COVID-fiction/thriller!
I really enjoyed this one. Quick, easy read, with a nice twist at the end I didn't quite see coming.
My main quip is that I think the author could have been more deliberate in making it known that
I think there was a better way to approach untreated mental illness and mania without the "dangerous" stereotype. Obviously, there are circumstances where a person with these disorders can become dangerous to themselves and others, but to put bipolar disorder in that box just seems a bit cavalier to me.
Overall, a good read where you knew the narrators were unreliable and were waiting for the final shoe to drop the entire time.
I really enjoyed this one. Quick, easy read, with a nice twist at the end I didn't quite see coming.
My main quip is that I think the author could have been more deliberate in making it known that
Spoiler
bipolar disorder does not necessarily make someone dangerous. This could potentially create a harmful stigma around mental illness in general. I'm saying this after reflecting on the portion of the book where Kat tells Pip that the whole family moved to protect her because Gabe is so erratic and "dangerous."I think there was a better way to approach untreated mental illness and mania without the "dangerous" stereotype. Obviously, there are circumstances where a person with these disorders can become dangerous to themselves and others, but to put bipolar disorder in that box just seems a bit cavalier to me.
Overall, a good read where you knew the narrators were unreliable and were waiting for the final shoe to drop the entire time.
