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lenorayoder's reviews
150 reviews
emotional
Diverse cast of characters:
No
When it’s good, it’s really good. I sighed, I cried. But when it misses… oof. How I yearn for some of these classics to have had good editors.
I love how much you can read between the lines with what Jane does and does not narrate. I love how much she blossoms once she’s finally in a place that feels like home. Jane and Rochester are both interesting characters, and a lot of their interactions are dynamite. I wish we got more from Rochester after the revelation - he’s actually in surprisingly little of this book. Weirdly, I feel like I didn’t really get to know him as much as I should have.
St. John drove me nuts, and I’m so mad thathe claims the closing of the book . Like, Charlotte. What the fuck. Why did I have to listen to that man one last time ?!?!?
The constant god-talk wore on me, and some of the language and descriptions were repetitive. Parts of the book really drag, and just feel like unnecessary filler. Also Bronte’s racism… really showed. It was rough.
I love how much you can read between the lines with what Jane does and does not narrate. I love how much she blossoms once she’s finally in a place that feels like home. Jane and Rochester are both interesting characters, and a lot of their interactions are dynamite. I wish we got more from Rochester after the revelation - he’s actually in surprisingly little of this book. Weirdly, I feel like I didn’t really get to know him as much as I should have.
St. John drove me nuts, and I’m so mad that
The constant god-talk wore on me, and some of the language and descriptions were repetitive. Parts of the book really drag, and just feel like unnecessary filler. Also Bronte’s racism… really showed. It was rough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Ableism, Child death, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Fatphobia, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Blood, Antisemitism, Medical content, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
DNF audio book at 4%. Didn’t like the narration or the writing. Book starts with a boring info dump.
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Easy, enjoyable read. I expect this kind of book to be a little formulaic and predictable, but this one was pretty far in that direction. Several obvious shortcuts were taken that the author should have figured out a way around, like the MC only experiencing three of the cliques, and spending very little time with some of them. I think this could have been significantly better and more interesting with some pretty minor changes, so it's disappointing that it's not.
dark
mysterious
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
This book probably deserves a higher rating but my ratings are subjectively about how much I like a book and this one was tough to enjoy.
The perspective character is so unpleasant that this book is hard to read, especially the first 50% or 70% in which not a lot is happening. Once we get towards the end and everything really starts to move the book gets a lot more enjoyable. The main character is still deeply unpleasant, but it becomes more interesting and because more is happening I wasn’t just marinating in that awful personality with nothing else to think about.
The perspective character is so unpleasant that this book is hard to read, especially the first 50% or 70% in which not a lot is happening. Once we get towards the end and everything really starts to move the book gets a lot more enjoyable. The main character is still deeply unpleasant, but it becomes more interesting and because more is happening I wasn’t just marinating in that awful personality with nothing else to think about.
It was an easy read, but it just felt so generic. Nothing about the setting or characters really drew me in, and there’s a big chunk of the book where barely anything happens. A lot of stuff threatens to happen, and the main character is afraid of stuff happening, but not much actually does. Or, I should say not much happens to the main character - everyone else seems to be living in a more interesting book that we don't get to read.
I also didn’t really believe the love between the main character and her love interest. Probably because neither felt like enough of a real person to me, and there were so many time skips. We're told their relationship and feelings develop, but we're rarely shown.
Just very meh, won’t be reading the next book.
funny
hopeful
I read some of this online back in the day but never finished, so it was nice to finally see the story's conclusion. I enjoyed the read but don't have much to say.
Jack and Bitty are cute as ever. The couples and friendships are all still heart-warming. Love the humor. I think the plot of this one isn't as interesting as Book 1, and especially the ending felt a little rushed and cliche. I still prefer Ukazu's old art style so I don't love how the characters look in this book. Still recommend, still worth the read.
Sad to say this is my least favorite Hunger Games book. That's hardly terrible, since I fucking love 3/4 of the other books and Suzanne Collins is a great author, but my hopes were so high that I was a little disappointed.
Part of what I love about the original Hunger Games trilogy is how subtle and layered it was, especially for YA. The messages and themes are clear, but it feels like you notice something new each time you read. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes still had that to a lesser degree, but Sunrise on the Reaping isn't subtle at all, and I think it's worse for it.
Unfortunately, I absolutely think this was a purposeful choice, and I understand it. This book was clearly a response to current events in the United States, including current literacy rates. People have been missing the message of the Hunger Games books for years - just look at how a lot of teens (and adults, but Collins is mostly speaking to teens so that's who we'll focus on) responded to Snow's character in Songbirds and Snakes. Probably at least half of the Everlark edits on TikTok are set to billionaire Taylor Swift's songs. When people ask for more Hunger Games media, they literally want to see more hunger games. You know, the horrific spectacle that the capitol gets excited to watch every year.
So yeah, this book is clearly less subtle as a response, and is also clearly a response to current events. I mean, Collins literally mentions the danger of deepfakes . But more than that, in an era of fake news, politicians who blatantly and obviously lie only for their constituents to blindly believe them, increasing corporate greed, and the majority of Americans being poorer than ever, this book is about the dangers of propaganda, the tools a state uses to suppress people, and the importance of continuing to resist over and over again, even if you don't immediately see results. You have to keep trying, you have to keep resisting. One day you will succeed, but that day will never come if you don't keep fighting for it.
I loved all of the new characters, and I wish we got to see more of them instead of having to retread ground. That retreading and seeing characters we've seen before made me feel less connected to this story - I felt most engaged when spending time with new characters and learning more about District 12.
Absolutely recommend you read this one. One day I will read Collins' other series because this one is so fantastic, but I need to prepare myself in case it takes over my life the way The Hunger Games has.
dark
emotional
I really liked this at first, but as we left her childhood the nonlinear style of the book felt more and more like a hindrance. It also felt like there was very little self-reflection or -analysis. Blair will often just tell the story of something shocking or strange and then move on without examining (or even mentioning) how it affected her. If the memoir was linear or more detailed, we might be able to infer those affects ourselves, but it's not. There are so few dates or other specifics mentioned that even if I wanted to I couldn’t put these stories in order. I understand the choice, it relates to how her memory works now with her MS, but in a memoir context is pretty important. If it’s not provided by the order of the stories, it should be mentioned within them.
Some of the essays are well-written, interesting, and provide unique insight. Some are random and confusing.
Again, the lack of analysis and reflection was frustrating for me. For example, there is a LOT going on with her relationship with her parents. But a lot of stories about her parents and Blair's relationship with them are vague, and important events and context feel excluded. I doubt she’s even really examined those relationships herself, let alone written about it for us. The denial is just really weird for a memoir.
mysterious
reflective
Diverse cast of characters:
No
So good. Interesting characters, vividly descriptive writing, and so much suspense. I love a gothic but even if I didn’t this would get 5 stars. Definitely recommend and will be keeping an eye out for a copy to own.
A few things haven’t aged well but luckily they’re a small part of the narrative.
A few things haven’t aged well but luckily they’re a small part of the narrative.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Toxic relationship
Minor: Infidelity, Racism, Cultural appropriation