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omnombailey's Reviews (111)
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Yikes, what a garbage book.
I will admit that I am not the intended audience for this story, which (if I had to guess) is meant for middle-aged straight cis women. The book is covered in casual instances of sexism and heteronormativity, from a big ol' manly man constantly telling the main character what to do, sometimes with "woman" added at the end (because that's hot???) to said main character preaching about being a virgin and holding out for true love,even to the point of not inserting her vibrator into her vagina..... AND YET WHEN THE LOVE INTEREST GOES DOWN ON HER AND FINGERS THE FUCK OUT OF HER, THAT WASN'T SEX AT ALL????? I honestly questioned if the author ever had sex, which is completely fine either way, but mentions of this guy's dick slamming into her cervix AS PLEASURABLE made me want to vomit.
Combined with the rushed pacing, inconsistent characterization, questionable plot, and vague as hell worldbuilding, this was legitimately awful. But I guess I shouldn't expect much thought in a story where a supposedly 23-year-old girl talks more like a lonely housewife and calls her boobs "beamers" and sex "the horizontal mambo" along with dressing like the Google image search result of "sexy school girl costume".
Please do yourself a solid and don't read this book. If you want to read filthy sex, go find some PWP smut on AO3. Trust me - it's better.
I will admit that I am not the intended audience for this story, which (if I had to guess) is meant for middle-aged straight cis women. The book is covered in casual instances of sexism and heteronormativity, from a big ol' manly man constantly telling the main character what to do, sometimes with "woman" added at the end (because that's hot???) to said main character preaching about being a virgin and holding out for true love,
Combined with the rushed pacing, inconsistent characterization, questionable plot, and vague as hell worldbuilding, this was legitimately awful. But I guess I shouldn't expect much thought in a story where a supposedly 23-year-old girl talks more like a lonely housewife and calls her boobs "beamers" and sex "the horizontal mambo" along with dressing like the Google image search result of "sexy school girl costume".
Please do yourself a solid and don't read this book. If you want to read filthy sex, go find some PWP smut on AO3. Trust me - it's better.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Transphobia
Minor: Body shaming, Transphobia
This book is VERY heavy with heteronormative ideas, from putting PIV sex above all other forms of intimacy to rigid male-female gender roles to "well he's being a guy, so of course he did X, Y, and Z."
emotional
funny
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This would be five stars if it wasn't for the last 20% of the book.
I picked this up because I wanted to read something about long-distance communication. I also had this recommended after reading Fangirl. And I was immediately hooked, too. I'm not one for epistolary stories, but it made sense. It reminded me of the friendships I've made via fandom. I was able to relate with both of the characters for completely different reasons and I loved that.
And then you get to That Part of the book and I just couldn't suspend my disbelief enough to keep enjoying it. Had I not been so far into the book, I would have stopped reading it.
Honestly, the incident itself took me off guard, which was delightful, because I love being able to read something and have the story surprise me. But then I had too many questions circulating the event. The utter disregard to how hospitals and mental health work together and on their own was baffling. I can't imagine what happened in the book to actually happen in real life.
Some people complained about Gena's poetry towards the end. I actually loved it, but then again, I grew up writing a lot of poetry similar to hers, so it made a lot of sense to me. What didn't make sense, however, was what the hell happened to Gena and Finn's relationship after That Part of the book. I feel like there was a scene or twenty missing in between all of that and the final scene. Are things better? Are they not? Are they magically in some awkward and possibly unhealthy poly thing with Charlie? I don't know. The book is never explicit about it and while I appreciate some things being left to my imagination, the fact none of this is addressed just pissed me off.
And that's the other thing. Apparently, this book is tagged as a LGBTQ+ book. I didn't realize that until after I read it and I would never call it that. Yeah, there are moments when Gena and Finn say they love each other, but it felt no different from the strong platonic love I have for some of my close fandom friends. It never felt like there was any romance or even sexual attraction. They were just really good friends. Friends can say "I love you." That's ok. I got zero vibes between them outside of that. Maybe if there was more shown than just text messages and journal posts, it would have been evident, but in its current state, the book isn't a LGBTQ+ story imo.
I still thoroughly enjoyed reading this. It was a quick read and I was attached immediately, only to be super turned off by the third part of the story. I feel like this did a better job at diving into fandom than Fangirl did by a long stretch and if it wasn't for the last part of the book, this would have a much higher rating.
I picked this up because I wanted to read something about long-distance communication. I also had this recommended after reading Fangirl. And I was immediately hooked, too. I'm not one for epistolary stories, but it made sense. It reminded me of the friendships I've made via fandom. I was able to relate with both of the characters for completely different reasons and I loved that.
And then you get to That Part of the book and I just couldn't suspend my disbelief enough to keep enjoying it. Had I not been so far into the book, I would have stopped reading it.
Honestly, the incident itself took me off guard, which was delightful, because I love being able to read something and have the story surprise me. But then I had too many questions circulating the event. The utter disregard to how hospitals and mental health work together and on their own was baffling. I can't imagine what happened in the book to actually happen in real life.
Some people complained about Gena's poetry towards the end. I actually loved it, but then again, I grew up writing a lot of poetry similar to hers, so it made a lot of sense to me. What didn't make sense, however, was what the hell happened to Gena and Finn's relationship after That Part of the book. I feel like there was a scene or twenty missing in between all of that and the final scene.
And that's the other thing. Apparently, this book is tagged as a LGBTQ+ book. I didn't realize that until after I read it and I would never call it that. Yeah, there are moments when Gena and Finn say they love each other, but it felt no different from the strong platonic love I have for some of my close fandom friends. It never felt like there was any romance or even sexual attraction. They were just really good friends. Friends can say "I love you." That's ok. I got zero vibes between them outside of that. Maybe if there was more shown than just text messages and journal posts, it would have been evident, but in its current state, the book isn't a LGBTQ+ story imo.
I still thoroughly enjoyed reading this. It was a quick read and I was attached immediately, only to be super turned off by the third part of the story. I feel like this did a better job at diving into fandom than Fangirl did by a long stretch and if it wasn't for the last part of the book, this would have a much higher rating.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Medical content, Medical trauma
A lot of hospital/medical stuff in the last 20% of the book along with caregiving
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So we made it. The final book in this series. Or at least the final chapter in Meg's story, considering Anne Bishop is doing some side stories in this same universe. I've had mixed feelings about this series as a whole. The first book was stellar, but it was all mediocre at best after that. There were some characters I absolutely adored and loved the overall interactions. And then there were others who were more like glorified cardboard cutouts than actual individuals.
I had high hopes with this book after what happened in the previous book, though I feel like most of it was forgotten. The Elders more or less massacred a shit ton of humans. That's horrifying. And yet it feels less post-apocalyptic and more like it actually wasn't that big of a deal. I thought there would have been more rebuilding or something, but nope, just going back to work like it's any other day. Hell, even the college is apparently still functional like no big deal. It just felt out of place considering how grave the situation was previously.
And I wish Anne Bishop would just stop with the constant reminders of who is who and what happened three books about when you are literally almost halfway through the damn book. Yes. We get it. We wouldn't have come this far into the series without this information. We don't need it beaten into our heads.
I have mixed feelings about the overall plot of this book, if we even want to call it that. It did feel fluffier than some of the previous books and some of the slice of life moments were fun, but I could have lived without this book existing. It didn't add anything to Meg and Simon's story; if anything, it was a shallow attempt at tossing both into danger in hopes to bring them closer. And I like stories like that, but again, considering what happened in the previous book, this just felt like it wasn't even trying. The constant reminder of the food shortages was like a migraine that wouldn't go away. The drama with Monty's family was interesting (and I especially love Twlya), though I couldn't help but feel like Jimmy was a bad, one-dimensional caricature of The Black Thug. Also everything with the Elders wanting to keep him around? That... felt so stupid. I didn't buy that one bit. Like the whole scenario painted the Elders to be way stupider than they what they were initially depicted as.
Also what the hell was up with introducing characters and then doing nothing with them? I wanted to know more about Jana. Or the Intuit who showed up in the Courtyard. Or the potential courtship that was hinted at for Nyx from the previous book. But nope, gotta focus on Meg and Simon, who I lost interest in two books ago. I know a lot of people were upset with how their relationship wrapped up, but I thought it was perfect. Leave it to the imagination and move on.
I still gobbled this up, though. For as shallow and sometimes forced as the drama was, it had me hooked. I had a hard time putting this book down once Jimmy showed up. I loved everything with the Crowgard, per usual, and Nyx and Tess being badass together are forever the highlights for me in each installment of the Others. I hope they get their own spin-off novel together. Honestly, I was way more interested in seeing those two kiss than Meg and Simon.
This book was simultaneously disappointing, but fun. It's like a snack that doesn't fill you up when you're hungry, but it's tasty enough and will hold you over until you find something more satisfying.
I had high hopes with this book after what happened in the previous book, though I feel like most of it was forgotten. The Elders more or less massacred a shit ton of humans. That's horrifying. And yet it feels less post-apocalyptic and more like it actually wasn't that big of a deal. I thought there would have been more rebuilding or something, but nope, just going back to work like it's any other day. Hell, even the college is apparently still functional like no big deal. It just felt out of place considering how grave the situation was previously.
And I wish Anne Bishop would just stop with the constant reminders of who is who and what happened three books about when you are literally almost halfway through the damn book. Yes. We get it. We wouldn't have come this far into the series without this information. We don't need it beaten into our heads.
I have mixed feelings about the overall plot of this book, if we even want to call it that. It did feel fluffier than some of the previous books and some of the slice of life moments were fun, but I could have lived without this book existing. It didn't add anything to Meg and Simon's story; if anything, it was a shallow attempt at tossing both into danger in hopes to bring them closer. And I like stories like that, but again, considering what happened in the previous book, this just felt like it wasn't even trying. The constant reminder of the food shortages was like a migraine that wouldn't go away. The drama with Monty's family was interesting (and I especially love Twlya), though I couldn't help but feel like Jimmy was a bad, one-dimensional caricature of The Black Thug. Also everything with the Elders wanting to keep him around? That... felt so stupid. I didn't buy that one bit. Like the whole scenario painted the Elders to be way stupider than they what they were initially depicted as.
Also what the hell was up with introducing characters and then doing nothing with them? I wanted to know more about Jana. Or the Intuit who showed up in the Courtyard. Or the potential courtship that was hinted at for Nyx from the previous book. But nope, gotta focus on Meg and Simon, who I lost interest in two books ago. I know a lot of people were upset with how their relationship wrapped up, but I thought it was perfect. Leave it to the imagination and move on.
I still gobbled this up, though. For as shallow and sometimes forced as the drama was, it had me hooked. I had a hard time putting this book down once Jimmy showed up. I loved everything with the Crowgard, per usual, and Nyx and Tess being badass together are forever the highlights for me in each installment of the Others. I hope they get their own spin-off novel together. Honestly, I was way more interested in seeing those two kiss than Meg and Simon.
This book was simultaneously disappointing, but fun. It's like a snack that doesn't fill you up when you're hungry, but it's tasty enough and will hold you over until you find something more satisfying.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Jimmy reads like a black thug stereotype and it's not a good look
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ho boy, where do I even begin with this.
I had a massive love/hate relationship with this book for a variety of reasons. I picked it up during a sale and the summary of two ladies falling in love enticed me, plus the reviews looked good. I hated this book initially. It wasn't until the halfway point in the story that I gained interest again, only to have the abrupt, rushed ending tick me off. So let me focus on the bits I did like before I start yelling at clouds.
I really enjoyed Wyck as a character. I related with most of her sentiments and I was more or less rooting for her well-being the entire story. The scene with her in the forest at night was hands down the best part of the whole book. Sadly, I didn't feel like she had much in terms of character development. Sure, after one particular incident in the book, she has some trauma, but once she gets over that, she's back to how she usually is.
I also loved the narrativeonce Wyck and Margaret were separated by distance. They both were able to focus on themselves and heal, Margaret way more so than Wyck. I had a hard time putting this book down during that part of the story due to how engaging it was. Muriel was also stellar, as was Michaela. Both of them stole the show each time they appeared.
...and that's kind of it in terms of what I enjoyed.
The first half of this story is torture. And not like a good torture that you'd get out of a slow burn romance, but just painful to read. It would be awesome if there could be a LGBTQ+ romance without all the angst and Tragic Backstory tied to one's sexual identity. It makes more sense from Margaret's end, considering she's older and grew up with not that open-minded of a family (though her badass mom did come around, so kudos to her), but Wyck's from New England? And in her 30s? And this book isn't that old timeline-wise? I had a really hard time believing that as someone who is also from New England, queer, and in their 30s. And I get it. That shit happens, unfortunately and it's awful, but it felt way less about a romance and more about the two of them (ok, again, Margaret more so than Wyck) coming to terms with who they are. I didn't come here for the sap story of why's it is So Hard to like women; I came here for the ladies to smooch and be lovey-dovey together and... yeah, didn't get that. Hell, I was even game for most of the story being about how they can't be together due toGavin being around, but then he dies halfway through and then... they don't... get together??? Margaret is too damn worried about, oh no, the house, and oh no, my job... and it's like, bitch, just shut up and move in with your cute new girlfriend? Fuck the horrible place you work at that has never appreciated your work? Fuck your even shittier "family" for pulling all that crazy bullshit? WHY IS THIS SO HARD TO COMPREHEND YOU'RE THE ADULTIER ADULT IN THIS SCENARIO WOW.
And Tragic Backstories aside, I just... didn't care for them as a couple. Like I just wanted Wyck to flip off Margaret and go do her own thing, maybe with finding someone else along the way. Wyck deserved better. Like SO MUCH BETTER. Every time they kissed, I was going, "But why?" Even when theybanged before Margaret headed out , I was just sighing and rolling my eyes.
Also, WOW, how hard is it to write a LGBTQ+ story without making said queer characters out to be Bad People. Legit, the two gay guys are 1) an absolute asshole (who semi redeems himself, but the transition into that was bumpy at best) who is a shitty friend to Margaret until the plot requires him to come out of nowhere and save her and also isforced out of his job for getting arrested for having sex with a dude in a public bathroom and 2) an actual pedophile who was released from jail and is violently attacked when Dickbag McDickface tips of a local newspaper that he's out and about. Aside from the fact I had zero sympathy for either of them the entire story, it would have been nice, for a change of pace, if the only gay guys in the book weren't painted as such disgusting individuals. Geez, even when Wyck was trying to reason with herself that David couldn't have been that bad because he had a consensual relationship with one of his teenage students just... nope. I don't even care if these two characters exist, but at least let another gay guy exist in the story who isn't abhorrent so it comes across less like The Gays Be Evil. Hell, even with Muriel's friend, who had her lady lover die without anyone knowing they were together... like really? REALLY??? And don't even get me started on Gavin's backstory (cool story bro, you're still a homophobic asshole, and fuck you Margaret for trying to convince Wyck otherwise). The shit with Margaret and Wyck is already enough of a dose of woe is me. We really didn't need the bonus round of melodrama.
And it's hard, because I understand a lot of this is sadly still present in the LGBTQ+ community. I understand wanting to capture the raw truth of that. But wow, it does not do this story any favors when it ends up painting a picture that makes you wonder if the author even gives a shit about queer individuals.
The only thing worse than that was the writing style. So many people have written reviews stating how lovely the writing was and I can't help but think if I even read the same book as everyone else. Everything felt so stale and stiff and bleh. The pacing is horrible, constantly jumping from place to place without so much as a hint. One chapter could be one month and then it skips to the next season in the following chapter. And half the time I didn't know where the characters were until the next page or so. Everything is going by so fast and I wish the author just SLOWED DOWN and basked in a couple of moments. It felt like there were so many ideas for scenes that needed to be shoved in quickly. The inner monologues were so jarring with how they were implemented. Sometimes thoughts are just italics and make sense, while other times it's an actual in quotes conversation WHILE ALSO IN THE MIDDLE OF ACTUAL DIALOGUE. Literally every chapter has at least one (1) case of, "*insert snarky thing here*," was what she wanted to say, but didn't. Why... why can't that be in italics. She didn't say it. Stop making it look like she said it.
And the telling... dear freaking lord, the telling.... A vast majority of the time, the descriptions are just telling you what someone sees or does or feels. So few times I'm shown how the rain is washing over a window or how the flowers smell in spring or how the characters just want to scream or whatever. It was boring to read. I didn't feel engaged with the characters or the setting or the anything. It came off like sloppy, lazy writing than anything I could lose myself in.
I started this off as three stars, only to realize halfway through my review that I had way too many issues with this book. I did enjoy it, though only for a portion of the book. Even then, the poor writing made it less enjoyable than I wanted it to be. I guess on the plus side, if it wasn't for the bits I honestly enjoyed, this would have been a one-star rating. And even then, I would never recommend this book, especially not to my fellow queer friends.
I had a massive love/hate relationship with this book for a variety of reasons. I picked it up during a sale and the summary of two ladies falling in love enticed me, plus the reviews looked good. I hated this book initially. It wasn't until the halfway point in the story that I gained interest again, only to have the abrupt, rushed ending tick me off. So let me focus on the bits I did like before I start yelling at clouds.
I really enjoyed Wyck as a character. I related with most of her sentiments and I was more or less rooting for her well-being the entire story. The scene with her in the forest at night was hands down the best part of the whole book. Sadly, I didn't feel like she had much in terms of character development. Sure, after one particular incident in the book, she has some trauma, but once she gets over that, she's back to how she usually is.
I also loved the narrative
...and that's kind of it in terms of what I enjoyed.
The first half of this story is torture. And not like a good torture that you'd get out of a slow burn romance, but just painful to read. It would be awesome if there could be a LGBTQ+ romance without all the angst and Tragic Backstory tied to one's sexual identity. It makes more sense from Margaret's end, considering she's older and grew up with not that open-minded of a family (though her badass mom did come around, so kudos to her), but Wyck's from New England? And in her 30s? And this book isn't that old timeline-wise? I had a really hard time believing that as someone who is also from New England, queer, and in their 30s. And I get it. That shit happens, unfortunately and it's awful, but it felt way less about a romance and more about the two of them (ok, again, Margaret more so than Wyck) coming to terms with who they are. I didn't come here for the sap story of why's it is So Hard to like women; I came here for the ladies to smooch and be lovey-dovey together and... yeah, didn't get that. Hell, I was even game for most of the story being about how they can't be together due to
And Tragic Backstories aside, I just... didn't care for them as a couple. Like I just wanted Wyck to flip off Margaret and go do her own thing, maybe with finding someone else along the way. Wyck deserved better. Like SO MUCH BETTER. Every time they kissed, I was going, "But why?" Even when they
Also, WOW, how hard is it to write a LGBTQ+ story without making said queer characters out to be Bad People. Legit, the two gay guys are 1) an absolute asshole (who semi redeems himself, but the transition into that was bumpy at best) who is a shitty friend to Margaret until the plot requires him to come out of nowhere and save her and also is
And it's hard, because I understand a lot of this is sadly still present in the LGBTQ+ community. I understand wanting to capture the raw truth of that. But wow, it does not do this story any favors when it ends up painting a picture that makes you wonder if the author even gives a shit about queer individuals.
The only thing worse than that was the writing style. So many people have written reviews stating how lovely the writing was and I can't help but think if I even read the same book as everyone else. Everything felt so stale and stiff and bleh. The pacing is horrible, constantly jumping from place to place without so much as a hint. One chapter could be one month and then it skips to the next season in the following chapter. And half the time I didn't know where the characters were until the next page or so. Everything is going by so fast and I wish the author just SLOWED DOWN and basked in a couple of moments. It felt like there were so many ideas for scenes that needed to be shoved in quickly. The inner monologues were so jarring with how they were implemented. Sometimes thoughts are just italics and make sense, while other times it's an actual in quotes conversation WHILE ALSO IN THE MIDDLE OF ACTUAL DIALOGUE. Literally every chapter has at least one (1) case of, "*insert snarky thing here*," was what she wanted to say, but didn't. Why... why can't that be in italics. She didn't say it. Stop making it look like she said it.
And the telling... dear freaking lord, the telling.... A vast majority of the time, the descriptions are just telling you what someone sees or does or feels. So few times I'm shown how the rain is washing over a window or how the flowers smell in spring or how the characters just want to scream or whatever. It was boring to read. I didn't feel engaged with the characters or the setting or the anything. It came off like sloppy, lazy writing than anything I could lose myself in.
I started this off as three stars, only to realize halfway through my review that I had way too many issues with this book. I did enjoy it, though only for a portion of the book. Even then, the poor writing made it less enjoyable than I wanted it to be. I guess on the plus side, if it wasn't for the bits I honestly enjoyed, this would have been a one-star rating. And even then, I would never recommend this book, especially not to my fellow queer friends.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence
Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual content, Medical content
Lots of homophobia even from queer characters, lots of angst over sexual identity, not a warm and fluffy book
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
No
This was a gorgeous book, both in visuals and narrative. I originally sought it out due to looking for more LGBT+ stories, especially with ladies. This definitely scratched that itch. Not only did it have two lovely ladies in love, but there were layers of stories told within that demonstrated all sorts of women. It made for a diverse and deep read. The humor in it mixed with the serious themes was great and I loved how expressive the illustrations were.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
I don't even know how I finished this book, let alone WHY. This was by far one of the worst books I've read in a long time. I guess there were slivers of plot I found intriguing, but they all dangled on threads, so it was more like watching a twenty car pile up never ending and waiting for it to blow up.
This is the first book in the series and it read more like the second or third. The reader is immediately thrown into this story with no explanation of anything and it's like you're expected to understand everything. The things that need to be explained never are and the things that make sense are rammed into your head to no end. The pacing is extremely choppy. I had to reread way too much to have a clue as to what was going on. I never felt on edge; I had to keep myself from yawning and skimming.
The synopsis of this book is a million times better than the actual plot. I feel like the plot changed five times throughout this story. Not in a "it developed and evolved" type of change, but that it came off as one thing, then derailed, then derailed again, and then again. The magic and supernatural stuff were never fully explained, thus I didn't care for it. There was no excitement or danger with the council or SANCTUS. All the characters are very one note and when try to come off as badass, just fall flat. Sara is a boring protagonist and I did not care about any of the "sexy" men coming into her life.
Speaking of that... what the hell was up with that? Who the hell read this book and thought "sexy" was an accurate description? Rapey is way closer than any semblance of sexy. Sara visibly - and sometimes verbally - expresses she wants nothing to do with these guys pursuing her and yet they continue to slam her into walls and kiss her and try to convince her that yes, she wants this. Fucking gag me with a spoon. I did NOT care. And I'd be fine if there were a bunch sexy bits in there that a) made sense and b) were even halfway consensual on both parties, then I'd be so game. But this story can't even decide if it's paranormal romance/erotica or urban fantasy. It's like it constantly gets confused every other chapter and just tries shit out, because why not.
I'm glad this was a free book, because I would have been pissed if I spent money on this. I have no intention of reading the rest of this series. And I love "dark" stories, especially fantasies, but there is zero depth or intrigue in this. There are better dark tales out there. Don't waste your time or money on this.
This is the first book in the series and it read more like the second or third. The reader is immediately thrown into this story with no explanation of anything and it's like you're expected to understand everything. The things that need to be explained never are and the things that make sense are rammed into your head to no end. The pacing is extremely choppy. I had to reread way too much to have a clue as to what was going on. I never felt on edge; I had to keep myself from yawning and skimming.
The synopsis of this book is a million times better than the actual plot. I feel like the plot changed five times throughout this story. Not in a "it developed and evolved" type of change, but that it came off as one thing, then derailed, then derailed again, and then again. The magic and supernatural stuff were never fully explained, thus I didn't care for it. There was no excitement or danger with the council or SANCTUS. All the characters are very one note and when try to come off as badass, just fall flat. Sara is a boring protagonist and I did not care about any of the "sexy" men coming into her life.
Speaking of that... what the hell was up with that? Who the hell read this book and thought "sexy" was an accurate description? Rapey is way closer than any semblance of sexy. Sara visibly - and sometimes verbally - expresses she wants nothing to do with these guys pursuing her and yet they continue to slam her into walls and kiss her and try to convince her that yes, she wants this. Fucking gag me with a spoon. I did NOT care. And I'd be fine if there were a bunch sexy bits in there that a) made sense and b) were even halfway consensual on both parties, then I'd be so game. But this story can't even decide if it's paranormal romance/erotica or urban fantasy. It's like it constantly gets confused every other chapter and just tries shit out, because why not.
I'm glad this was a free book, because I would have been pissed if I spent money on this. I have no intention of reading the rest of this series. And I love "dark" stories, especially fantasies, but there is zero depth or intrigue in this. There are better dark tales out there. Don't waste your time or money on this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content
Moderate: Rape
Consent issues, not remotely sexy
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I've had plenty of friends over the years tell me I should read this book. My hesitance to do so was part due to some of the reviews that didn't give it high praise, thus it worried me. But it was mostly due to me trying to read Oryx and Crake a while back and I couldn't stand that book. Got halfway through and gave up. I didn't want to read something like that again.
Well, I finally got around to reading The Handmaid's Tale and I'm glad I did.
I'm a huge fan of dystopian stories, more so when they're done correctly and not just the YA trend of dystopias. This definitely delivered with painting the backdrop of this former USA now Gilead country. I kept wanting to know more about what was going on and how this all happened and how people are completely ok with this. Or as it's mentioned, change is good for some people and worse for others. It can't always be better for everyone.
And when I learned more of what was going on and the layers peeled back, I couldn't stop reading. Offred's paranoia about everything flowed through me, as well. You're second-guessing everyone and everything after awhile. I really didn't connect with her, but I was more interested in her story than her as a person, if that makes sense. I found myself enjoying side characters (shocker) like Nick and Moira and Offred's mother.
Some people have called this book lacking actual plot, but I found everything to be going on riveting, especially the last 30% of the book. And when it ended (or at least when I got the pop up in my kindle saying it was done and asked for my review), I said out loud, "Wait, THAT'S IT?!" The cliff hanger of an ending left me both furious and content. I think I could have done without the "epilogue", but it was nice to have the additional information.
While I thoroughly enjoyed this story, it's not perfect. My biggest qualm with it, as is most people who seem to read it and don't like it, is the writing style. Or lack of one. I guess quotation marks aren't a thing, but hey, let's add in a bunch more commas! It was extremely hard to figure out who was speaking during the flashbacks and what was a flashback and so forth. It could have benefited from some much-needed formatting. And the way everything is written is... off. I get it's more stream of consciousness, seeing it's first-person from Offred's eyes, but she just rambles on about shit. All. The. Time. Not to mention she repeats herself a lot. And not even key information. It's shit like "the bed sheets are semi-sheer. I can see right through them." Yes. Yes they are. Because that is, in fact, what the word means. This happens all the damn time. That and rewording a single sentence two or three or more times to make... a point? I don't even know. Things like "I was afraid. She was afraid. We were afraid." (That's not an actual quote, but the other one more or less happened)
I don't know if it was done on purpose, but I didn't give a shit about Luke. I felt like over time, he was painted to be more and more of an asshole. I stopped caring for him after the scene with the cat. It frustrated me that Offred continues to cling onto him when he's most likely dead. Just really frustrating. I was also frustrated at the brief glimpse of homophobia on Offred's behalf via a flashback. I get it's "appropriate for the times" but it still had me rolling my eyes and left a general bad taste in my mouth.
This story was equally thought-provoking as it was horrifying. This isn't a leisurely mind candy sort of book; you actively take part in it. It's difficult for me to say I like this book or that it's a good book, not because none of that is true, but because my mind goes back to the topics and themes presented in it and how damn close to home they hit. That, however, still makes for good art, let alone story. Atwood has claimed multiple times that she doesn't write science fiction and brands stories like this as speculative fiction, but that doesn't do it justice. Nothing about this is speculative; there are plenty of people who have been exposed to violence like this and plenty of people who believe that said violence is completely appropriate and justified. The thing that horrifies me more than The Handmaid's Tale is knowing that a book published in 1986 still rings true, perhaps more so than ever, in the so-called modern age of 2017.
Well, I finally got around to reading The Handmaid's Tale and I'm glad I did.
I'm a huge fan of dystopian stories, more so when they're done correctly and not just the YA trend of dystopias. This definitely delivered with painting the backdrop of this former USA now Gilead country. I kept wanting to know more about what was going on and how this all happened and how people are completely ok with this. Or as it's mentioned, change is good for some people and worse for others. It can't always be better for everyone.
And when I learned more of what was going on and the layers peeled back, I couldn't stop reading. Offred's paranoia about everything flowed through me, as well. You're second-guessing everyone and everything after awhile. I really didn't connect with her, but I was more interested in her story than her as a person, if that makes sense. I found myself enjoying side characters (shocker) like Nick and Moira and Offred's mother.
Some people have called this book lacking actual plot, but I found everything to be going on riveting, especially the last 30% of the book. And when it ended (or at least when I got the pop up in my kindle saying it was done and asked for my review), I said out loud, "Wait, THAT'S IT?!" The cliff hanger of an ending left me both furious and content. I think I could have done without the "epilogue", but it was nice to have the additional information.
While I thoroughly enjoyed this story, it's not perfect. My biggest qualm with it, as is most people who seem to read it and don't like it, is the writing style. Or lack of one. I guess quotation marks aren't a thing, but hey, let's add in a bunch more commas! It was extremely hard to figure out who was speaking during the flashbacks and what was a flashback and so forth. It could have benefited from some much-needed formatting. And the way everything is written is... off. I get it's more stream of consciousness, seeing it's first-person from Offred's eyes, but she just rambles on about shit. All. The. Time. Not to mention she repeats herself a lot. And not even key information. It's shit like "the bed sheets are semi-sheer. I can see right through them." Yes. Yes they are. Because that is, in fact, what the word means. This happens all the damn time. That and rewording a single sentence two or three or more times to make... a point? I don't even know. Things like "I was afraid. She was afraid. We were afraid." (That's not an actual quote, but the other one more or less happened)
I don't know if it was done on purpose, but I didn't give a shit about Luke. I felt like over time, he was painted to be more and more of an asshole. I stopped caring for him after the scene with the cat. It frustrated me that Offred continues to cling onto him when he's most likely dead. Just really frustrating. I was also frustrated at the brief glimpse of homophobia on Offred's behalf via a flashback. I get it's "appropriate for the times" but it still had me rolling my eyes and left a general bad taste in my mouth.
This story was equally thought-provoking as it was horrifying. This isn't a leisurely mind candy sort of book; you actively take part in it. It's difficult for me to say I like this book or that it's a good book, not because none of that is true, but because my mind goes back to the topics and themes presented in it and how damn close to home they hit. That, however, still makes for good art, let alone story. Atwood has claimed multiple times that she doesn't write science fiction and brands stories like this as speculative fiction, but that doesn't do it justice. Nothing about this is speculative; there are plenty of people who have been exposed to violence like this and plenty of people who believe that said violence is completely appropriate and justified. The thing that horrifies me more than The Handmaid's Tale is knowing that a book published in 1986 still rings true, perhaps more so than ever, in the so-called modern age of 2017.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Animal death
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It's not often I say things like, "I've never read a story like this before," but it certainly applies to this book. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, maybe more than I should have, but I felt like a little kid again while reading it. And while it was amazing to read, there are definitely a lot of faults within the structure of the story that did make me raise an eyebrow on and off.
It's not that well-written, but it's a pretty easy read, though there are some random "big words" thrown in there every chapter that made the flow a bit jarring, like if you're reading something meant for a high schooler and out of nowhere there's a word better suited for an academic paper in grad school. Regardless, there's something quirky and whimsical with how it's written and for me, it was a breath of fresh air.
Trying to place this in a particular genre is difficult, too. It's equal parts a lot of different things and I really love that; it's not just a science fantasy book and not just a coming of age story and not just a pre-apocalypse "save the world" story. It's all of those things and more.
At the same time, it's hard to place what the hell is going on with the plot. This was far more a character-driven story than a plot-driven one. I must've been halfway through when my boyfriend asked what was going and while I told him about exact scenes I was reading, I also couldn't exactly tell him the overarching plot... because hell if I knew. There are hints sprinkled here and there, but by the time the plot fully reveals itself, you're in pretty far with the book and shit has already hit the fan. And while I was charmed by the earlier "books" within the story, I did find it annoying thatthe actual premise, the one explained on the back of the book, didn't actually take place until around 30% into the story. It focuses instead on Patricia and Laurence as kids and teenagers. All of this could have been woven easily into flashbacks throughout the main story and that could have been interesting, but it wasn't. Oh well.
I absolutely loved Patricia. I empathized with her on many levels to the point where the narrative didn't need to explain her side of things; I just got it. On the flip side, Laurence annoyed me. I loathed teenager Laurence and was mildly annoyed at best with adult Laurence. Towards the end, I came to like him a bit more, but geez, I really wanted to hit him upside the head half of the time. Also, the romance between them? Really didn't care for it. There was obvious build-up and attraction, but then there were parts that felt like they came out of nowhere. There were parts of their relationship in general that I did enjoy, but I like them so much better as good friends that are shit at communicating.
Random note, even though it's not a major theme in the book, I was happy to see a bunch of LGBT+ stuff mentioned in there and just had it be normal instead of a plot point for a character who then angsts over their identity. That made me really happy. And bonus points for having a nonbinary character, even if I wasn't happy with their fate in the end.
There were also a lot of points where I felt like someone raising my hand in the back of a classroom and the teacher actively ignored me. <spoiler?What the hell ever happened to Patricia's cat back when she was a teen? Why feel the need to go into detail about every restaurant or haunt Laurence and Seraphina went to? What the hell was this other universe Priya was sucked into because that was apparently a thing? Where was, I dunno, the obviously missing chapter to link Laurence and Patricia hanging out a lot to now deciding to have sex, even though it's mentioned they hadn't even made it to first base??? Or what the hell was the point of bringing Diantha back and what was she doing anyways to help out? Why did the last 10% of the story feel amazingly rushed? And lastly, why did I find roughly five typos in a damn published novel WHO EDITED THIS THING?????
Despite the fact I could nitpick the hell out of this book, there was definitely something charming about the overall story and a lot of the meaning behind it. I love the meld of both science and magic. I love the sorta grey morality going on everywhere. I love all the flaws the characters have. I love the humor throughout everything and nothing is picture-perfect. I love how I had so many feels from the book and found myself laughing one minute and then swelling up with tears the next. I didn't want to put this book down. It was a wild, beautiful ride.
It's not that well-written, but it's a pretty easy read, though there are some random "big words" thrown in there every chapter that made the flow a bit jarring, like if you're reading something meant for a high schooler and out of nowhere there's a word better suited for an academic paper in grad school. Regardless, there's something quirky and whimsical with how it's written and for me, it was a breath of fresh air.
Trying to place this in a particular genre is difficult, too. It's equal parts a lot of different things and I really love that; it's not just a science fantasy book and not just a coming of age story and not just a pre-apocalypse "save the world" story. It's all of those things and more.
At the same time, it's hard to place what the hell is going on with the plot. This was far more a character-driven story than a plot-driven one. I must've been halfway through when my boyfriend asked what was going and while I told him about exact scenes I was reading, I also couldn't exactly tell him the overarching plot... because hell if I knew. There are hints sprinkled here and there, but by the time the plot fully reveals itself, you're in pretty far with the book and shit has already hit the fan. And while I was charmed by the earlier "books" within the story, I did find it annoying that
I absolutely loved Patricia. I empathized with her on many levels to the point where the narrative didn't need to explain her side of things; I just got it. On the flip side, Laurence annoyed me. I loathed teenager Laurence and was mildly annoyed at best with adult Laurence. Towards the end, I came to like him a bit more, but geez, I really wanted to hit him upside the head half of the time. Also, the romance between them? Really didn't care for it. There was obvious build-up and attraction, but then there were parts that felt like they came out of nowhere. There were parts of their relationship in general that I did enjoy, but I like them so much better as good friends that are shit at communicating.
Random note, even though it's not a major theme in the book, I was happy to see a bunch of LGBT+ stuff mentioned in there and just had it be normal instead of a plot point for a character who then angsts over their identity. That made me really happy. And bonus points for having a nonbinary character, even if I wasn't happy with their fate in the end.
There were also a lot of points where I felt like someone raising my hand in the back of a classroom and the teacher actively ignored me. <spoiler?What the hell ever happened to Patricia's cat back when she was a teen? Why feel the need to go into detail about every restaurant or haunt Laurence and Seraphina went to? What the hell was this other universe Priya was sucked into because that was apparently a thing? Where was, I dunno, the obviously missing chapter to link Laurence and Patricia hanging out a lot to now deciding to have sex, even though it's mentioned they hadn't even made it to first base??? Or what the hell was the point of bringing Diantha back and what was she doing anyways to help out? Why did the last 10% of the story feel amazingly rushed? And lastly, why did I find roughly five typos in a damn published novel WHO EDITED THIS THING?????
Despite the fact I could nitpick the hell out of this book, there was definitely something charming about the overall story and a lot of the meaning behind it. I love the meld of both science and magic. I love the sorta grey morality going on everywhere. I love all the flaws the characters have. I love the humor throughout everything and nothing is picture-perfect. I love how I had so many feels from the book and found myself laughing one minute and then swelling up with tears the next. I didn't want to put this book down. It was a wild, beautiful ride.
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide attempt