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namelesssam_'s reviews
480 reviews
The Winners by Fredrik Backman
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Detriti by Giuliana Leone
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The Other Ones by Fran Hart
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Us Against You by Fredrik Backman
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Broken Hearts & Zombie Parts by William Hussey
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Tears in the Water by Margherita Scialla
hopeful
informative
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.75
Pageboy by Elliot Page
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Citizens of Shadow: A Vampire Tale by Nicole Eigener, Nicole Eigener
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.75
Like Real People Do by E.L. Massey
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
By Your Side by Margherita Scialla
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.0
I enjoyed it overall. However, I have a few considerations that I'd like to point out in this review.
I'll start off with the good stuff:
• Characters: I LOVED Noah to pieces. He was so cute and sweet and I just wish I could hug him and experience one of his hugs. He's a cuoricino and deserves protection.
Emma was good, though a little bit moaning for my liking. I appreciated the fact that she was determined in her fragility and that she showed us realistic vulnerability. It wasn't the most straightforward character for me to empathize with (I don't normally do, with characters that identify as female, oops) but it was nice to see that she had some level of depth, that kind of stood out.
Dawson I didn't quite get. He felt a bit rushed but seemed sweet nonetheless.
• Writing style: I could see a little bit of struggle when it came down to cramming information in a short amount of pages; however, the story reads easily and its structure is well laid out. For my liking, there is a little bit too tell and not enough show, so at some point it felt like a shower of information that I struggled to keep up with. Mind that this is a me thing; maybe you, the reader, will like the writing style and that's totally ok!
• The official cover omgggg! The artwork is wonderful and Noah is exactly how I pictured him whilst reading. I also really like the colors. I think that they are soothing and warm and did I mention how pretty Noah is?
Now, on to my considerations.
• Content: As I mentioned above, it felt like a bit of a struggle choosing how to dose the amount of information in such a short amount of pages. The first half feels primarily a "tell" kind of block because the author sets the scene talking about Emma, her bond with her flatmates and best friends and how they all came together, their dynamics up until that point in time. There's little to nothing left to show and I felt like at some point I craved it.
I feel like this story would've benefitted from some extra space and pages. It has potential, and it is well written, but the content suffered a lot. If the author paced it a bit differently, they would've still been able to draw realistic and vivid characters, giving them something more, that spark that I felt was lacking in the story, that prevented me from falling in love with it.
• Queerplatonic and aro/ace rep: kudos for the idea, and the attempt to write about these topics. The third star is only for this because it is a piece of fiction that tries to give space and representation to a reality that sometimes even queer community belittles and doesn't give credit to.
And I say "tries to" because I felt a lot of lacking in these regards, but let's discuss one thing at a time.
First thing first: I loved the conversation Emma and the character involved had about what it means to be aromantic and asexual in a relationship. I think it was honest and open and put the characters in a vulnerable position. The way the two navigated that truth felt like they were also bringing some hope and some courage to those people who might be in the same situation: on the aro/ace spectrum, about to get involved in a relationship with someone who is allosexual.
Fears and concerns are normal, and the author laid them out properly.
I really enjoyed reading that exchange and I felt my heart filling up with warmth at the idea that a platonic relationship can work, and it is no different from a regular one because it still requires respect, effort, care, and honesty from both sides. If I had read this piece of work only a couple of years ago, I wouldn't have been so scared of my future, because of my sexual orientation.
However, because of how short this story was, the dynamics of the queerplatonic relationship are pretty much nonexistent. I felt a bit bitter when I realize that. I was expecting something gravitating around how to build a relationship of that sort that went beyond the simple talk, and I just got the theoretical side of it rather than the more concrete one.
I think that if the first part was a bit shorter, and less oriented on Emma's heartbreak, then the author would've had much more space to navigate the queerplatonic relationship they tried to represent. Also, the way she realizes her feelings for the love interest, felt a bit too rushed.
I wish this short story had had more space and more pages. I believe in the attempt of the author, their skills, and if they gave themself more space, turning By Your Side into a short novel instead of a short story, the representation would've suffered less.
Besides all of this, I am still proud of the author and grateful for being part of this project coming out on June 13th. Any story about the aro/ace community that even tries to give a representation of this bit of the LGBTIAQ+ community (and does it using a brain, by being respectful, by learning before writing) is welcome. I really liked the fact that Margherita Scialla gave this story a chance, despite the execution of this aspect not being able to blow me away. They put effort into this piece of work and I believe it is a starting point for something bigger, more detailed, and as heartwarming and safe as Noah felt from the very beginning.
So once again thank you to the author for choosing me and allowing me to read this short story in exchange for my honest opinion.
I will still read their other books because I really enjoy the way they build the plotlines and the characters and I can definitely see the potential and the importance of the topics they deal with in their narration.
I'll start off with the good stuff:
• Characters: I LOVED Noah to pieces. He was so cute and sweet and I just wish I could hug him and experience one of his hugs. He's a cuoricino and deserves protection.
Emma was good, though a little bit moaning for my liking. I appreciated the fact that she was determined in her fragility and that she showed us realistic vulnerability. It wasn't the most straightforward character for me to empathize with (I don't normally do, with characters that identify as female, oops) but it was nice to see that she had some level of depth, that kind of stood out.
Dawson I didn't quite get. He felt a bit rushed but seemed sweet nonetheless.
• Writing style: I could see a little bit of struggle when it came down to cramming information in a short amount of pages; however, the story reads easily and its structure is well laid out. For my liking, there is a little bit too tell and not enough show, so at some point it felt like a shower of information that I struggled to keep up with. Mind that this is a me thing; maybe you, the reader, will like the writing style and that's totally ok!
• The official cover omgggg! The artwork is wonderful and Noah is exactly how I pictured him whilst reading. I also really like the colors. I think that they are soothing and warm and did I mention how pretty Noah is?
Now, on to my considerations.
• Content: As I mentioned above, it felt like a bit of a struggle choosing how to dose the amount of information in such a short amount of pages. The first half feels primarily a "tell" kind of block because the author sets the scene talking about Emma, her bond with her flatmates and best friends and how they all came together, their dynamics up until that point in time. There's little to nothing left to show and I felt like at some point I craved it.
I feel like this story would've benefitted from some extra space and pages. It has potential, and it is well written, but the content suffered a lot. If the author paced it a bit differently, they would've still been able to draw realistic and vivid characters, giving them something more, that spark that I felt was lacking in the story, that prevented me from falling in love with it.
• Queerplatonic and aro/ace rep: kudos for the idea, and the attempt to write about these topics. The third star is only for this because it is a piece of fiction that tries to give space and representation to a reality that sometimes even queer community belittles and doesn't give credit to.
And I say "tries to" because I felt a lot of lacking in these regards, but let's discuss one thing at a time.
First thing first: I loved the conversation Emma and the character involved had about what it means to be aromantic and asexual in a relationship. I think it was honest and open and put the characters in a vulnerable position. The way the two navigated that truth felt like they were also bringing some hope and some courage to those people who might be in the same situation: on the aro/ace spectrum, about to get involved in a relationship with someone who is allosexual.
Fears and concerns are normal, and the author laid them out properly.
I really enjoyed reading that exchange and I felt my heart filling up with warmth at the idea that a platonic relationship can work, and it is no different from a regular one because it still requires respect, effort, care, and honesty from both sides. If I had read this piece of work only a couple of years ago, I wouldn't have been so scared of my future, because of my sexual orientation.
However, because of how short this story was, the dynamics of the queerplatonic relationship are pretty much nonexistent. I felt a bit bitter when I realize that. I was expecting something gravitating around how to build a relationship of that sort that went beyond the simple talk, and I just got the theoretical side of it rather than the more concrete one.
I think that if the first part was a bit shorter, and less oriented on Emma's heartbreak, then the author would've had much more space to navigate the queerplatonic relationship they tried to represent. Also, the way she realizes her feelings for the love interest, felt a bit too rushed.
I wish this short story had had more space and more pages. I believe in the attempt of the author, their skills, and if they gave themself more space, turning By Your Side into a short novel instead of a short story, the representation would've suffered less.
Besides all of this, I am still proud of the author and grateful for being part of this project coming out on June 13th. Any story about the aro/ace community that even tries to give a representation of this bit of the LGBTIAQ+ community (and does it using a brain, by being respectful, by learning before writing) is welcome. I really liked the fact that Margherita Scialla gave this story a chance, despite the execution of this aspect not being able to blow me away. They put effort into this piece of work and I believe it is a starting point for something bigger, more detailed, and as heartwarming and safe as Noah felt from the very beginning.
So once again thank you to the author for choosing me and allowing me to read this short story in exchange for my honest opinion.
I will still read their other books because I really enjoy the way they build the plotlines and the characters and I can definitely see the potential and the importance of the topics they deal with in their narration.