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random_spider's reviews
120 reviews
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Synopsis and/or Premise:
A group of children/prepubescent British boys got stranded within some uninhibited tropical island, where them boys were allowed to be boys without constraints.
The Good and The Bad:
I'm starting on something easy to talk about: characters ๐ฆ. Having a strong and expressive cast of characters is paramount if the other aspects (setting, plot, etc.) were purposefully limited. It had four characters serving as pillars for readers to identified with, and in terms of handling their tropes this book was phenomenal. First was Ralph, the one who chases order and civility, and was the main character. Second was Piggy (my guy), the voice of reason yet undervalued. Third was Jack, a chaotic, arrogant, and antagonistic red-head who's intoxicated of the hunt. Lastly was Simon, a reserved, mysterious outcast with keen observational skills. I was intrigued by their dynamics and conflicts, plus what made them special was each had a justifiable point. Yes, even the antagonistic and relentless Jack. There was a correct choice of who was right...but there's no wrong answers.
I believe the themes/messages were tackled competently. Survival, Delirious Hysteria, Societal Collapse, Inner Darkness and Morality, etc. Each were given enough attention and were intertwined within seamlessly. Another thing I appreciated was how metaphorical/symbolic the book was. From the characters, items, events, exploration of ideas, and more. It all felt as if the novel was more than just a written narrative ๐ค (to me at least.) Now I understand why the consensus considered it as part of 20th century classics.
But my favorite part about the book...OH BOY, was the ending. It was perfect ๐, to say the least. I'm not gonna spoil it for y'all, but it stood out as my favorite out of any dystopian novels I've read (so far.) I just can't move on from the reactions of the characters, especially poor Jack ๐ฑ. This ending will be haunting me for the rest of my life (hopefully I'm just exaggerating.) All I'm going to say is that it was so provoking, so much attitude, incredibly revelatory, and so impactful as a literature. IT, ULTIMATELY, CEMENTED THE NOVEL AS A CYNICAL PARODY.
Its flaws may look few, but each dealt a substantial damage to the overall quality:
1. Confusing conversations ๐ฌ - Dialogue lines can be executed without mentioning who's doing the talking. There were times it happened here without issue, but there were also times that too many "alike" characters exchanging, leading to an easy mix-ups, and for me, backtrackings.
2. Rough prose โ๏ธ - To be honest, it's quite difficult to read technically, as the writing was often distracted. It could actually be an intentional decision of the author to convey the gradual failure of order, but if that's the case then why was it consistent from the start when things were still fine?
3. Awkward pacing ๐ - It's undeniable how the narrative just slackens at times (especially in the middle portion of the book.) It might also be the cause of the rough prose and confusing conversations.
Final Thoughts:
Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a cryptic, suspenseful, and gritty horror-dystopian novel about a bunch of boys stuck on an island. I had to admit the foreword by Lois Lowry, introduction by Stephen King, as well as the afterword by Jennifer Buehler did greatly improve my expectations, experience, and understanding of the book. If I have to pick a pet peeve, I am not a fan of how fat-phobic it was. But despite its gashing flaws, this is a book somehow saved by its premise, and is fundamentally an indispensable and influential literature. Definitely more than the sum of its parts.
Rating: Might regret this score (as it deserves higher) โ highest end of 6/10 .
--------------------
Links to my ratings and reviews:
Goodreads reviews
The StoryGraph
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book is such a DISRUPTOR. So much alike Animal Farm by George Orwell, with similar deceptive impressions, raw societal themes, and...pigs ๐ฝ?!?!?
"Fancy thinking the Beast was something you could hunt and kill!" said the head.
Synopsis and/or Premise:
A group of children/prepubescent British boys got stranded within some uninhibited tropical island, where them boys were allowed to be boys without constraints.
The Good and The Bad:
I'm starting on something easy to talk about: characters ๐ฆ. Having a strong and expressive cast of characters is paramount if the other aspects (setting, plot, etc.) were purposefully limited. It had four characters serving as pillars for readers to identified with, and in terms of handling their tropes this book was phenomenal. First was Ralph, the one who chases order and civility, and was the main character. Second was Piggy (my guy), the voice of reason yet undervalued. Third was Jack, a chaotic, arrogant, and antagonistic red-head who's intoxicated of the hunt. Lastly was Simon, a reserved, mysterious outcast with keen observational skills. I was intrigued by their dynamics and conflicts, plus what made them special was each had a justifiable point. Yes, even the antagonistic and relentless Jack. There was a correct choice of who was right...but there's no wrong answers.
I believe the themes/messages were tackled competently. Survival, Delirious Hysteria, Societal Collapse, Inner Darkness and Morality, etc. Each were given enough attention and were intertwined within seamlessly. Another thing I appreciated was how metaphorical/symbolic the book was. From the characters, items, events, exploration of ideas, and more. It all felt as if the novel was more than just a written narrative ๐ค (to me at least.) Now I understand why the consensus considered it as part of 20th century classics.
But my favorite part about the book...OH BOY, was the ending. It was perfect ๐, to say the least. I'm not gonna spoil it for y'all, but it stood out as my favorite out of any dystopian novels I've read (so far.) I just can't move on from the reactions of the characters, especially poor Jack ๐ฑ. This ending will be haunting me for the rest of my life (hopefully I'm just exaggerating.) All I'm going to say is that it was so provoking, so much attitude, incredibly revelatory, and so impactful as a literature. IT, ULTIMATELY, CEMENTED THE NOVEL AS A CYNICAL PARODY.
Its flaws may look few, but each dealt a substantial damage to the overall quality:
1. Confusing conversations ๐ฌ - Dialogue lines can be executed without mentioning who's doing the talking. There were times it happened here without issue, but there were also times that too many "alike" characters exchanging, leading to an easy mix-ups, and for me, backtrackings.
2. Rough prose โ๏ธ - To be honest, it's quite difficult to read technically, as the writing was often distracted. It could actually be an intentional decision of the author to convey the gradual failure of order, but if that's the case then why was it consistent from the start when things were still fine?
3. Awkward pacing ๐ - It's undeniable how the narrative just slackens at times (especially in the middle portion of the book.) It might also be the cause of the rough prose and confusing conversations.
Final Thoughts:
Lord of the Flies by William Golding is a cryptic, suspenseful, and gritty horror-dystopian novel about a bunch of boys stuck on an island. I had to admit the foreword by Lois Lowry, introduction by Stephen King, as well as the afterword by Jennifer Buehler did greatly improve my expectations, experience, and understanding of the book. If I have to pick a pet peeve, I am not a fan of how fat-phobic it was. But despite its gashing flaws, this is a book somehow saved by its premise, and is fundamentally an indispensable and influential literature. Definitely more than the sum of its parts.
Rating: Might regret this score (as it deserves higher) โ highest end of 6/10 .
--------------------
Links to my ratings and reviews:
Goodreads reviews
The StoryGraph
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
Synopsis and/or Premise:
Viv, a battle-worn orc, is done with bloodbath and decided to open a cafe. However, the citizens of Thune never heard of coffee before. It's up to Viv and to her new companions to establish a firm ground of commerce. But old and new adversaries will never let Viv's new life get by without costs.
The Good and The Bad:
This was one of those 'palate cleanser' books, perfect for in between literature feasts. It embraced the slice of life genre by taking its time to savor the little things around (i.e. Coffee, pastries, chores, visitors, etc.) The plot was simple and easy to follow with likable protagonists. It had this sort of whimsy Dungeons and Dragons (DnD) tone, as if the whole book was an immersive yet light adventure side-quest. A cutie ๐ฅฐ
The plot wasn't reminiscent of any fantasy books I've encountered. It's actually more contemporary...with a selling point that it's occurring within a fantasy world. Being business start-up related, it got the opportunity to dive into the day-to-day life of a first-time entrepreneur ๐ช. The readers witnessed Viv taking risks from scratch, all the worries and doubts, the business challenges encountered, the sweet satisfaction from the customers as well as their candid reactions, and the warm comforting sense of achievement from doing your dream. All accumulated into a set of compelling experiences.
One of my favorites novel tropes was present within: Found Family ๐ฅ. Came with it was a diverse cast of characters (which is fairly common in most DnD playthrough.) First was Viv, a retired mercenary orc who dreams to serve coffee but is business-ignorant. Tandri is next, a succubus who was a victim of her identity. Cal is a hob carpenter with cold exterior but warm within, Amity the stray dire-cat, Pandry the socially anxious/shy bard, and Thimble (my favorite one) the soft-spoken ratkin who bakes the best pastries. They composed the crew of the Legends and Lattes Cafe, and they were just uniquely charming to read. I'm also surprised how there was little to no inside drama once they overcome their initial conjectures.
Unfortunately, there were some problems I experienced reading:
1. Forced and superficial moments - There were times that an event just occurred for the sake of happening as is. I know that's the point of some plot sequences, but I was just begging for a little more depth on some scenes. But when your engrossed ๐, this problem wasn't that obvious honestly.
2. Confounding magic system - It was called "Thaumic" or something. It was some kind of invisible energy flowing around ๐, like some kind of fantastical magnetic field (I'm not sure though.) I didn't really gve enough care as it wasn't the main focus. Still, parts of the book are connected to it.
3. Sapphic attempt - The relationship between Viv and Tandri was more platonic than anything else, frankly speaking. It felt like the it was only done for the sake of LGBTQ+ representation ๐ฉโโค๏ธโ๐ฉ. I guess it didn't really harm anything, but for me, it still felt coerced.
Final Thoughts:
Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree is a high fantasy, low stakes story about an orc with a start-up cafe. Instead of a complicated narrative, it chose to prioritize the little things. It was paced nicely (though not perfectly) while embracing its 'cookie-cutter' role of being a short, cozy novel for fantasy (esp. DnD) lovers. It's not trying to be the best, which I found incredibly humbling. I just think it's a bit overhyped online (especially BookTok.) It wasn't the book's fault, though.
My paperback copy had a bonus prequel story, which was a nice additive yet roughly inconsequential.
Rating: A solid 7/10 .
--------------------
Links to my ratings and reviews:
Goodreads reviews
The StoryGraph
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A short novel with cozy "start-up business" plot and a low stake fantasy overlay. You get what you asked for โ nothing more nor less.
"Things don't have to stay as what they started out as."
Synopsis and/or Premise:
Viv, a battle-worn orc, is done with bloodbath and decided to open a cafe. However, the citizens of Thune never heard of coffee before. It's up to Viv and to her new companions to establish a firm ground of commerce. But old and new adversaries will never let Viv's new life get by without costs.
The Good and The Bad:
This was one of those 'palate cleanser' books, perfect for in between literature feasts. It embraced the slice of life genre by taking its time to savor the little things around (i.e. Coffee, pastries, chores, visitors, etc.) The plot was simple and easy to follow with likable protagonists. It had this sort of whimsy Dungeons and Dragons (DnD) tone, as if the whole book was an immersive yet light adventure side-quest. A cutie ๐ฅฐ
The plot wasn't reminiscent of any fantasy books I've encountered. It's actually more contemporary...with a selling point that it's occurring within a fantasy world. Being business start-up related, it got the opportunity to dive into the day-to-day life of a first-time entrepreneur ๐ช. The readers witnessed Viv taking risks from scratch, all the worries and doubts, the business challenges encountered, the sweet satisfaction from the customers as well as their candid reactions, and the warm comforting sense of achievement from doing your dream. All accumulated into a set of compelling experiences.
One of my favorites novel tropes was present within: Found Family ๐ฅ. Came with it was a diverse cast of characters (which is fairly common in most DnD playthrough.) First was Viv, a retired mercenary orc who dreams to serve coffee but is business-ignorant. Tandri is next, a succubus who was a victim of her identity. Cal is a hob carpenter with cold exterior but warm within, Amity the stray dire-cat, Pandry the socially anxious/shy bard, and Thimble (my favorite one) the soft-spoken ratkin who bakes the best pastries. They composed the crew of the Legends and Lattes Cafe, and they were just uniquely charming to read. I'm also surprised how there was little to no inside drama once they overcome their initial conjectures.
Unfortunately, there were some problems I experienced reading:
1. Forced and superficial moments - There were times that an event just occurred for the sake of happening as is. I know that's the point of some plot sequences, but I was just begging for a little more depth on some scenes. But when your engrossed ๐, this problem wasn't that obvious honestly.
2. Confounding magic system - It was called "Thaumic" or something. It was some kind of invisible energy flowing around ๐, like some kind of fantastical magnetic field (I'm not sure though.) I didn't really gve enough care as it wasn't the main focus. Still, parts of the book are connected to it.
3. Sapphic attempt - The relationship between Viv and Tandri was more platonic than anything else, frankly speaking. It felt like the it was only done for the sake of LGBTQ+ representation ๐ฉโโค๏ธโ๐ฉ. I guess it didn't really harm anything, but for me, it still felt coerced.
Final Thoughts:
Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree is a high fantasy, low stakes story about an orc with a start-up cafe. Instead of a complicated narrative, it chose to prioritize the little things. It was paced nicely (though not perfectly) while embracing its 'cookie-cutter' role of being a short, cozy novel for fantasy (esp. DnD) lovers. It's not trying to be the best, which I found incredibly humbling. I just think it's a bit overhyped online (especially BookTok.) It wasn't the book's fault, though.
My paperback copy had a bonus prequel story, which was a nice additive yet roughly inconsequential.
Rating: A solid 7/10 .
--------------------
Links to my ratings and reviews:
Goodreads reviews
The StoryGraph
Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score
Synopsis and/or Premise:
Naomi arrived in Knockemout in search for his twin, Tina, who then tricked and stole from her. She also left Naomi a niece to take care of. Knox, the bearded bad-boy barber, stumbled upon stressed Naomi...and he can't get his eyes away from her.
The Good and The Bad:
Writing these 'good' stuff felt as if I'm stretching all the positives from this book. I'M THAT DESPERATE. But it's challenging though, since objectively speaking there's nothing much aside from a few good scenes and quotes.
From the array of pointless (and excessive, frankly speaking) characters, only one stood out to me as at least good-written. No surprise...it's Naomi. Though her central themes were displayed repetitively (which was annoying btw), she was still a relatable character with organic actions that reflected her motivation perfectly. She wasn't obnoxious, and was simply a thoughtful and responsible, albeit with a hint of stubbornness, mature woman ๐ .
I would also like to point out that the book had so much wise quotes reflective of today's contemporary adult life and romance. It also contained a ton of messages that I personally found surprisingly insightful ๐. My favorite, so far, was one of the conversations between Knox and a side character talking about the topic of self-improvement. It was about: "If someone is too good for you, don't say you are not worthy for them. YOU SHOULD BE BETTER AND EARN THAT WORTH!!!" โ or it went something like that.
Now, why I considered this book a bad and overrated by BookTok:
1. Too long - OMG do I need to explain this?
2. Convoluted - Because of how lengthy it was, too much stuff was going on. Subplots after subplots (Naomi and Waylay Relationship, Tina's mystery, Knox's past, etc.) without firm coherency between them. Just STOP ๐ซ, pick a couple of substantial ones, then explore and utilize them to their fullest potential.
3. Cringey - Don't want to spoil them, but some moments were just...๐ฌ
4. No substance and was superficial - Like I said before, it had too much stuff. As a consequence, the allocation of attention between its numerous topics, character, plots and subplots, themes, etc were thin. There was an overarching lack of substance that would made this book stand out (in a positive way) amongst its peers within their oversaturated genre. The book was, ultimately, superficial and thus forgettable (except for me. I WON'T FORGT ABOUT THIS EXPERIENCE๐ก).
5. Knox - The only good thing from him were the smut ๐
Final Thoughts:
Things We Never Got Over (by Lucy Score) is the first book in the Knockemout series, though I'm not planning in continuing it for obvious reasons. This contemporary, chick-lit, and romance book utilizes dual character perspective (Naomi and Knox) to deliver its underwhelming and senseless plot. It could be enjoyable...if you turn off your brain while reading, that is. All I see was the wasted potentials.
You might say the book was just not for me. Yes, I agree (and thankfully not). I may not be the target audience for this one, but it doesn't mean I can't recognize trashy qualities.
The only genuine gem was the author's note.
Rating: If I would prioritize my personal opinions and emotions, I'll give this book the lowest possible score. But objectively it's around 4/10 .
--------------------
Links to my ratings and reviews:
Goodreads reviews
The StoryGraph
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
You know what's my reader's curse? I DON'T DNF A BOOK, EVER...and this costed me 4+ weeks of horrendous book slump.
"There's a difference between taking care of someone because you love them and taking care of someone because you want them to love you," she continued.
Synopsis and/or Premise:
Naomi arrived in Knockemout in search for his twin, Tina, who then tricked and stole from her. She also left Naomi a niece to take care of. Knox, the bearded bad-boy barber, stumbled upon stressed Naomi...and he can't get his eyes away from her.
The Good and The Bad:
Writing these 'good' stuff felt as if I'm stretching all the positives from this book. I'M THAT DESPERATE. But it's challenging though, since objectively speaking there's nothing much aside from a few good scenes and quotes.
From the array of pointless (and excessive, frankly speaking) characters, only one stood out to me as at least good-written. No surprise...it's Naomi. Though her central themes were displayed repetitively (which was annoying btw), she was still a relatable character with organic actions that reflected her motivation perfectly. She wasn't obnoxious, and was simply a thoughtful and responsible, albeit with a hint of stubbornness, mature woman ๐ .
I would also like to point out that the book had so much wise quotes reflective of today's contemporary adult life and romance. It also contained a ton of messages that I personally found surprisingly insightful ๐. My favorite, so far, was one of the conversations between Knox and a side character talking about the topic of self-improvement. It was about: "If someone is too good for you, don't say you are not worthy for them. YOU SHOULD BE BETTER AND EARN THAT WORTH!!!" โ or it went something like that.
Now, why I considered this book a bad and overrated by BookTok:
1. Too long - OMG do I need to explain this?
2. Convoluted - Because of how lengthy it was, too much stuff was going on. Subplots after subplots (Naomi and Waylay Relationship, Tina's mystery, Knox's past, etc.) without firm coherency between them. Just STOP ๐ซ, pick a couple of substantial ones, then explore and utilize them to their fullest potential.
3. Cringey - Don't want to spoil them, but some moments were just...๐ฌ
4. No substance and was superficial - Like I said before, it had too much stuff. As a consequence, the allocation of attention between its numerous topics, character, plots and subplots, themes, etc were thin. There was an overarching lack of substance that would made this book stand out (in a positive way) amongst its peers within their oversaturated genre. The book was, ultimately, superficial and thus forgettable (except for me. I WON'T FORGT ABOUT THIS EXPERIENCE๐ก).
5. Knox - The only good thing from him were the smut ๐
Final Thoughts:
Things We Never Got Over (by Lucy Score) is the first book in the Knockemout series, though I'm not planning in continuing it for obvious reasons. This contemporary, chick-lit, and romance book utilizes dual character perspective (Naomi and Knox) to deliver its underwhelming and senseless plot. It could be enjoyable...if you turn off your brain while reading, that is. All I see was the wasted potentials.
You might say the book was just not for me. Yes, I agree (and thankfully not). I may not be the target audience for this one, but it doesn't mean I can't recognize trashy qualities.
The only genuine gem was the author's note.
Rating: If I would prioritize my personal opinions and emotions, I'll give this book the lowest possible score. But objectively it's around 4/10 .
--------------------
Links to my ratings and reviews:
Goodreads reviews
The StoryGraph
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Synopsis and/or Premise:
A man and his son trekked a post-apocalyptic landscape by heading south to avoid the incoming frost, hoping something is good waiting.
The Good and The Bad:
I liked the world, or rather, how it was being portrayed. I don't have much experience reading post-apocalyptic settings, but this book made sure it was easy to visualize the bleak, gloomy, and ashen wasteland ๐๏ธ through its elaborative, picturesque descriptions. I admired how it didn't place an ounce of effort elaborating why the apocalypse happened. It merely scattered clues for the enigma since it wasn't that necessary. By doing so, it had a unique opportunity to instead focus on the human conditions. Which leads to...
Morality, in the context of desperate survival, was one of the major themes of the book. It was established early through the symbolic, polar divide as to how its two main characters view the events around them. There were several scenarios, from petty theft to disturbing cannibalism ๐, which presented a varying case for personal judgements. This forced the dad and son to ascertain, internalize, and absorb the values from and into each other's insights and actions โ a cycle eventually amounting into a logical character growth for them both. Also, I would love to note that their relationship was THE shining beacon; a tenderness for contrast.
The book was unique in terms of writing and prose. I wouldn't say it's the best... it's simply different and worked with the story. The continuous, chapter-less format passionately evoked a sense of journey ๐ฅพ for the readers to 'join' in with. There were also some advantages of using simple, concise wordings. First, it's obviously easier to read, making this modern classic readable for anyone. Second, and more importantly, was that it gave just enough to not determinate what the sentences meant to deliver. Thus, ironically, the simplicity actually added depth by giving a space for readers to ponder hidden meaning/s.
Right, so here are the flaws that negatively affected the rating of this book:
1. Uncomfortable confusion - There were some paragraphs that deviated from the journey...and was trippy ๐ต. I know it's some sort of a background exploration of the apocalypse, or perhaps displaying the mental conditions of the protagonists (that's my guess...I didn't fully comprehend them. But I guess that's the point.) This would be less problematic upon a reread, but was still an issue nonetheless.
2. Too long sentences - The book enjoyed extending its sentences by a flurry of related terms, thus dulling the experience. There were also the ubiquitous additions of conjunctions (such as "and" and "then") which was annoying to the brim. I kid you not, there were paragraphs that was literally 90% composed of a single sentence โ ๏ธ.
3. Telling - THE BIGGEST CRIME COMMITTED ๐ฌ. SHOW, DON'T TELL...IT'S WRITING 101!!! In turn, it was difficult to emotionally connect with the characters even though they're the core. The book denied itself a HUGE potential of immersion which not only it needed, but deserved.
Final Thoughts:
The Road by Cormac McCarthy is a dreary, post-apocalyptic journey of a man and a boy (yes, they both don't have names as well as all the other characters). It is straightforward yet lyrical, and is meant to be a modern classic. Surprisingly, there was no quotation marks involved during dialogues, which is fine since majority of the time it is focused only on the two main characters, but occasionally when there's a third person involved it gets disorienting fast. I am also mixed with the prose; it was faulty yet honorable. The ending does lack your conventional climactic moment, but it does fit with the mood of the narrative. An ok book, overall.
Rating: A tad greater than the sum of its parts. 6/10
--------------------
Links to my ratings and reviews:
Goodreads reviews
The StoryGraph
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
A common trait of any classics is being enduring; a timeless piece of significant literature. That doesn't mean they're flawless โ which is the case here.
We need to get out of the road.
Why, Papa?
Someone's coming.
Is it bad guys?
Yes. I'm afraid so.
They could be good guys. Couldn't they?
He didn't answer. He looked at the sky out of old habit but there was nothing to see.
Synopsis and/or Premise:
A man and his son trekked a post-apocalyptic landscape by heading south to avoid the incoming frost, hoping something is good waiting.
The Good and The Bad:
I liked the world, or rather, how it was being portrayed. I don't have much experience reading post-apocalyptic settings, but this book made sure it was easy to visualize the bleak, gloomy, and ashen wasteland ๐๏ธ through its elaborative, picturesque descriptions. I admired how it didn't place an ounce of effort elaborating why the apocalypse happened. It merely scattered clues for the enigma since it wasn't that necessary. By doing so, it had a unique opportunity to instead focus on the human conditions. Which leads to...
Morality, in the context of desperate survival, was one of the major themes of the book. It was established early through the symbolic, polar divide as to how its two main characters view the events around them. There were several scenarios, from petty theft to disturbing cannibalism ๐, which presented a varying case for personal judgements. This forced the dad and son to ascertain, internalize, and absorb the values from and into each other's insights and actions โ a cycle eventually amounting into a logical character growth for them both. Also, I would love to note that their relationship was THE shining beacon; a tenderness for contrast.
The book was unique in terms of writing and prose. I wouldn't say it's the best... it's simply different and worked with the story. The continuous, chapter-less format passionately evoked a sense of journey ๐ฅพ for the readers to 'join' in with. There were also some advantages of using simple, concise wordings. First, it's obviously easier to read, making this modern classic readable for anyone. Second, and more importantly, was that it gave just enough to not determinate what the sentences meant to deliver. Thus, ironically, the simplicity actually added depth by giving a space for readers to ponder hidden meaning/s.
Right, so here are the flaws that negatively affected the rating of this book:
1. Uncomfortable confusion - There were some paragraphs that deviated from the journey...and was trippy ๐ต. I know it's some sort of a background exploration of the apocalypse, or perhaps displaying the mental conditions of the protagonists (that's my guess...I didn't fully comprehend them. But I guess that's the point.) This would be less problematic upon a reread, but was still an issue nonetheless.
2. Too long sentences - The book enjoyed extending its sentences by a flurry of related terms, thus dulling the experience. There were also the ubiquitous additions of conjunctions (such as "and" and "then") which was annoying to the brim. I kid you not, there were paragraphs that was literally 90% composed of a single sentence โ ๏ธ.
3. Telling - THE BIGGEST CRIME COMMITTED ๐ฌ. SHOW, DON'T TELL...IT'S WRITING 101!!! In turn, it was difficult to emotionally connect with the characters even though they're the core. The book denied itself a HUGE potential of immersion which not only it needed, but deserved.
Final Thoughts:
The Road by Cormac McCarthy is a dreary, post-apocalyptic journey of a man and a boy (yes, they both don't have names as well as all the other characters). It is straightforward yet lyrical, and is meant to be a modern classic. Surprisingly, there was no quotation marks involved during dialogues, which is fine since majority of the time it is focused only on the two main characters, but occasionally when there's a third person involved it gets disorienting fast. I am also mixed with the prose; it was faulty yet honorable. The ending does lack your conventional climactic moment, but it does fit with the mood of the narrative. An ok book, overall.
Rating: A tad greater than the sum of its parts. 6/10
--------------------
Links to my ratings and reviews:
Goodreads reviews
The StoryGraph
Tall Story by Candy Gourlay
Synopsis and/or Premise:
Andi, a tomboy and a basketball prodigy, wasn't expecting her Filipino half-brother, Bernardo, to be this lanky, 8-foot tall giant. Now that he had migrated to them in London, the stories of two unlikely half-siblings began to converge as they make sense of each other.
The Good and The Bad:
The author's unique writing style was a shining attribute in this novel. The way she uses superstitions as a driving force for her characters gave the book a prominent magical-realism quality. This was also true to her newer novels, although at a lesser extent. Her signatory penmanship gave simple, straightforward narratives some enhancing โจ dazzle โจ.
The book had for major themes that were handled alright. First was Basketball ๐. The book (especially Andi) was an enthusiast of the sport, and was reflective about the Filipino's love for it. Second was Family ๐จโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ฆ. Again, with the Filipino themes, the book successfully portrayed the importance of having someone to share your life and experiences genuinely. Third was Expectations ๐. It presented the readers how inhibiting it was for an individual adhering to others' expectations that he/she didn't ask for. Lastly was Guilt ๐. Feeling dispirited from repeatedly blaming oneself was such a relatable scenario.
Let's keep in mind that Candy Gourlay wasn't as experienced when she wrote this book. Many of these mistakes were due to amateur skills.
1. Tardy premise - I believed the blurb was extremely misleading โ, but the more I thought about it the more I realize that there wasn't a better way to vaguely write a premise serving the plot. It had no choice but to let the promise of the book occur way too further within the story (past a third way of the book.)
2. Pandering - OMG ๐ฎ, I don't want to point this out but it was true. The book had too much 'Filipino' (and many were stereotypical) that it felt like straight pander. More nuance should have been implemented. But maybe thatโs the point of this book (whichโll diminish its value.)
3. Too much topics - Despite being a short book, it was extremely crowded without good reason. The multiple themes within were treated superficially, thus many of which ended up half-cooked in execution ๐. I think the author was a little careless about adding content after content.
4. Not convincing - The plot writing was rushed and handled weakly. Due to its limitations, heavy moments weren't given much priority, thus not producing appropriate/enough emotional impact ๐ฅ. The narrative payoff wasn't satisfactory, and as a consequence, this made the book forgettable.
Final Thoughts:
Tall Story by Candy Gourlay is a two-perspective, middle grade, contemporary novel about two distant half-siblings finally joining a single household bringing their own personal stories. Fun fact, this was a personal record breaker by being my fastest full-length novel read ๐ (only 6 hours to complete.) Anyways, I found out that in the acknowledgement the author had several inspirations that were all integrated, and now I do see why the book was an inherent jumble. Now I'm just wondering...am I the exemption here? Many of the reviews were highly positive โ which is good for them, I guess.
Rating: A middling 5/10
--------------------
Links to my ratings and reviews:
Goodreads reviews
The StoryGraph
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
"It's not your fault, Bernardo," she sighed. "None of this is your fault. It's just bad luck."
Synopsis and/or Premise:
Andi, a tomboy and a basketball prodigy, wasn't expecting her Filipino half-brother, Bernardo, to be this lanky, 8-foot tall giant. Now that he had migrated to them in London, the stories of two unlikely half-siblings began to converge as they make sense of each other.
The Good and The Bad:
The author's unique writing style was a shining attribute in this novel. The way she uses superstitions as a driving force for her characters gave the book a prominent magical-realism quality. This was also true to her newer novels, although at a lesser extent. Her signatory penmanship gave simple, straightforward narratives some enhancing โจ dazzle โจ.
The book had for major themes that were handled alright. First was Basketball ๐. The book (especially Andi) was an enthusiast of the sport, and was reflective about the Filipino's love for it. Second was Family ๐จโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ฆ. Again, with the Filipino themes, the book successfully portrayed the importance of having someone to share your life and experiences genuinely. Third was Expectations ๐. It presented the readers how inhibiting it was for an individual adhering to others' expectations that he/she didn't ask for. Lastly was Guilt ๐. Feeling dispirited from repeatedly blaming oneself was such a relatable scenario.
Let's keep in mind that Candy Gourlay wasn't as experienced when she wrote this book. Many of these mistakes were due to amateur skills.
1. Tardy premise - I believed the blurb was extremely misleading โ, but the more I thought about it the more I realize that there wasn't a better way to vaguely write a premise serving the plot. It had no choice but to let the promise of the book occur way too further within the story (past a third way of the book.)
2. Pandering - OMG ๐ฎ, I don't want to point this out but it was true. The book had too much 'Filipino' (and many were stereotypical) that it felt like straight pander. More nuance should have been implemented. But maybe thatโs the point of this book (whichโll diminish its value.)
3. Too much topics - Despite being a short book, it was extremely crowded without good reason. The multiple themes within were treated superficially, thus many of which ended up half-cooked in execution ๐. I think the author was a little careless about adding content after content.
4. Not convincing - The plot writing was rushed and handled weakly. Due to its limitations, heavy moments weren't given much priority, thus not producing appropriate/enough emotional impact ๐ฅ. The narrative payoff wasn't satisfactory, and as a consequence, this made the book forgettable.
Final Thoughts:
Tall Story by Candy Gourlay is a two-perspective, middle grade, contemporary novel about two distant half-siblings finally joining a single household bringing their own personal stories. Fun fact, this was a personal record breaker by being my fastest full-length novel read ๐ (only 6 hours to complete.) Anyways, I found out that in the acknowledgement the author had several inspirations that were all integrated, and now I do see why the book was an inherent jumble. Now I'm just wondering...am I the exemption here? Many of the reviews were highly positive โ which is good for them, I guess.
Rating: A middling 5/10
--------------------
Links to my ratings and reviews:
Goodreads reviews
The StoryGraph
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
Synopsis and/or Premise:
John Hammond invited Dr. Grant, Dr. Sattler, Dr. Malcolm, and Mr. Donald Gennaro to his private island. He is constructing the most ambitious park in the world, and he needs their professional opinions as consultations. But disaster struck where they didn't expect, and now they're trapped in an island full of genetic monsters.
The Good and The Bad:
Jurassic Park was a book that's fundamentally a philosophical argument of on the ethics of genetic manipulation ๐งฌ. It digs a deep topic on what level of responsibility does humanity needs to uphold when playing 'GOD'. From chaos theory to realist vs visionary debates, it ultimately revealed the full extent of humanity's idealistic ambitions. Now, does giving extinct species a second chance in the course of history the right move? The answer was never stated, though inclination against was obvious (but then it's just the author's proclivity.)
What I appreciate from the books was that some characters were portrayed better than their movie versions. What sets them more appealing (for me, at least) was their expressive demeanor ๐ญ. Examples like the eccentric, villainous visionary John Hammond, and the nerdy and warm Dr. Grant. From the children, Tim was older and such a badass. But my favorite character, by far, was Dr. Malcolm. He exuded this confident yet inauspicious/pessimistic standpoint, whether it may be from his actions/reactions or from his beliefs/theories, which I found charismatic.
The horror, though not groundbreaking, was still expressed competently. There were at least three categories of the genre present within: Gore, Uncanny Valley, and Powerlessness. Let's start with gore ๐ฉธ. Vivid imagery was the key, utilizing all sensory stimuli to deliver some convincing macabre scenes. Next was the utilization of uncanny valley ๐. The root, of course, was faulty genetic engineering. Grotesque descriptions and eerie/strange movements were carrying the sense of unease. How poetic it was that the revival of almost-real dinosaurs had resulted into disturbing monsters instead. Lastly, powerlessness ๐ซฅ. This was more of an intellectual kind of fear emanating from the main characters losing control of the things around them. Fear of the unknown and a disaster-genre narrative was already enough, but the frequent usage of sensory deprivation was also an appreciated compliment. It's suffocating. It's dismaying. IT'S BRILLIANT.
This book was a one of the most prominent 'love letter' to Paleontology (study of fossils). It highlighted the necessity of the study without over-glorifying it. Readers were told how beautifully important our fossils to determine the past, but it also pointed out its inherent limitations. For example, fossils give humanity the gross physiology of ancient creatures, perhaps even giving clues to its general diet and nesting patterns, but it couldn't pinpoint the intricacies/nuances on their everyday behavior. Also, I appreciate how in the acknowledgement the author drawn his ideas from the most prominent paleontologists of the time as well as updated depictions of the dinosaurs ๐ฆ, yet despite all of that he insisted that this was still a work of fiction and should not be used as legitimate scientific reference. A right move for the author that lost to pop culture.
Here were its blemishes:
1. Off start and end - Both of them drags on and on and on.... like it's trying to lose the readers' interest ๐ฅฑ. Each of them had their own problem as well. There was no central character at first, so I am forced to read dozens of world-building pages without a significant narrative. And the ending was just awkward. It felt like the plot should've already finished at certain points, but it kept going.
2. Hit or miss characters - When I said that some characters were a glow up, I made sure to use the word 'SOME' instead of 'ALL'. Yeah, several were inferior to their movie counterparts ๐. Lex (now the younger kid) was the most insufferable character and should have been fed to the carnivores. Mr. Donald Gennaro, whom I initially thought had a decent character arc, completely fumbled towards the end. Dr. Sattler's character was a failure of the author, devoid of any subtlety and care for her feminism themes. Also, I think a few characters doesn't stand out as much as they should be.
3. Info-dumps - I mean...if you've read the book, you'll immediately agree with this. It had tendencies of delving into technical aspects ๐. Paragraphs of expositions were consistent all throughout, cutting the flow of the plot abruptly.
4. Repetitive - This trait was annoying. Even though I love Dr. Malcolm, his rebukes do get old soon enough for readers who caught his point early on. He gave such 'mansplaining'. He gave such 'mansplaining' energy. On a larger aspect, the plot itself was just a cycle โป๏ธ of repeating events during the latter half of the story.
Final Thoughts:
This book by Michael Crichton is a Sci-fi, Disaster, and Horror novel that criticizes humanity's abuse via genetic engineering. Of course, the scientific relevance was now outdated since there have been major development in the field of paleontology during the 21st century, but I'm pleasantly surprised how accurate it was during its era. Although, in a storytelling perspective, the movie was the better (because it had cut a lot from the source material), there's still some unique merit in the novel that would potentially make your read worthwhile. It's just funny how Steven Spielberg convinced Michael Crichton to write a sequel because of the movie's success...yet he just loosely interpreted the The Lost World.
Rating: Thankfully, my dinosaur bias didn't go in the way of my evaluation. High 6/10
--------------------
Links to my ratings and reviews:
Goodreads reviews
The StoryGraph
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
"... Because the history of evolution is that life escapes all barriers. Life breaks free. Life expands to new territories. Painfully, perhaps even dangerously. But life finds a way."
Synopsis and/or Premise:
John Hammond invited Dr. Grant, Dr. Sattler, Dr. Malcolm, and Mr. Donald Gennaro to his private island. He is constructing the most ambitious park in the world, and he needs their professional opinions as consultations. But disaster struck where they didn't expect, and now they're trapped in an island full of genetic monsters.
The Good and The Bad:
Jurassic Park was a book that's fundamentally a philosophical argument of on the ethics of genetic manipulation ๐งฌ. It digs a deep topic on what level of responsibility does humanity needs to uphold when playing 'GOD'. From chaos theory to realist vs visionary debates, it ultimately revealed the full extent of humanity's idealistic ambitions. Now, does giving extinct species a second chance in the course of history the right move? The answer was never stated, though inclination against was obvious (but then it's just the author's proclivity.)
What I appreciate from the books was that some characters were portrayed better than their movie versions. What sets them more appealing (for me, at least) was their expressive demeanor ๐ญ. Examples like the eccentric, villainous visionary John Hammond, and the nerdy and warm Dr. Grant. From the children, Tim was older and such a badass. But my favorite character, by far, was Dr. Malcolm. He exuded this confident yet inauspicious/pessimistic standpoint, whether it may be from his actions/reactions or from his beliefs/theories, which I found charismatic.
The horror, though not groundbreaking, was still expressed competently. There were at least three categories of the genre present within: Gore, Uncanny Valley, and Powerlessness. Let's start with gore ๐ฉธ. Vivid imagery was the key, utilizing all sensory stimuli to deliver some convincing macabre scenes. Next was the utilization of uncanny valley ๐. The root, of course, was faulty genetic engineering. Grotesque descriptions and eerie/strange movements were carrying the sense of unease. How poetic it was that the revival of almost-real dinosaurs had resulted into disturbing monsters instead. Lastly, powerlessness ๐ซฅ. This was more of an intellectual kind of fear emanating from the main characters losing control of the things around them. Fear of the unknown and a disaster-genre narrative was already enough, but the frequent usage of sensory deprivation was also an appreciated compliment. It's suffocating. It's dismaying. IT'S BRILLIANT.
This book was a one of the most prominent 'love letter' to Paleontology (study of fossils). It highlighted the necessity of the study without over-glorifying it. Readers were told how beautifully important our fossils to determine the past, but it also pointed out its inherent limitations. For example, fossils give humanity the gross physiology of ancient creatures, perhaps even giving clues to its general diet and nesting patterns, but it couldn't pinpoint the intricacies/nuances on their everyday behavior. Also, I appreciate how in the acknowledgement the author drawn his ideas from the most prominent paleontologists of the time as well as updated depictions of the dinosaurs ๐ฆ, yet despite all of that he insisted that this was still a work of fiction and should not be used as legitimate scientific reference. A right move for the author that lost to pop culture.
Here were its blemishes:
1. Off start and end - Both of them drags on and on and on.... like it's trying to lose the readers' interest ๐ฅฑ. Each of them had their own problem as well. There was no central character at first, so I am forced to read dozens of world-building pages without a significant narrative. And the ending was just awkward. It felt like the plot should've already finished at certain points, but it kept going.
2. Hit or miss characters - When I said that some characters were a glow up, I made sure to use the word 'SOME' instead of 'ALL'. Yeah, several were inferior to their movie counterparts ๐. Lex (now the younger kid) was the most insufferable character and should have been fed to the carnivores. Mr. Donald Gennaro, whom I initially thought had a decent character arc, completely fumbled towards the end. Dr. Sattler's character was a failure of the author, devoid of any subtlety and care for her feminism themes. Also, I think a few characters doesn't stand out as much as they should be.
3. Info-dumps - I mean...if you've read the book, you'll immediately agree with this. It had tendencies of delving into technical aspects ๐. Paragraphs of expositions were consistent all throughout, cutting the flow of the plot abruptly.
4. Repetitive - This trait was annoying. Even though I love Dr. Malcolm, his rebukes do get old soon enough for readers who caught his point early on. He gave such 'mansplaining'. He gave such 'mansplaining' energy. On a larger aspect, the plot itself was just a cycle โป๏ธ of repeating events during the latter half of the story.
Final Thoughts:
This book by Michael Crichton is a Sci-fi, Disaster, and Horror novel that criticizes humanity's abuse via genetic engineering. Of course, the scientific relevance was now outdated since there have been major development in the field of paleontology during the 21st century, but I'm pleasantly surprised how accurate it was during its era. Although, in a storytelling perspective, the movie was the better (because it had cut a lot from the source material), there's still some unique merit in the novel that would potentially make your read worthwhile. It's just funny how Steven Spielberg convinced Michael Crichton to write a sequel because of the movie's success...yet he just loosely interpreted the The Lost World.
Rating: Thankfully, my dinosaur bias didn't go in the way of my evaluation. High 6/10
--------------------
Links to my ratings and reviews:
Goodreads reviews
The StoryGraph
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Synopsis and/or Premise:
Samsom Masur (Sam) reunited with his childhood friend, Sadie Green, and together they decided to make a video game. Sam's roommate, Marx, joins in to found a company with them. Next comes a tale of platonic intimacy, pain, ambition, desperation, and a career of making digital lives they wish to attain.
The Good and The Bad:
I'll start with its few flaws so we'll be over asap.
1. Mentioning names - This was more of a personal pet peeve, but it's irritating ๐ how the main characters frequently mention each other's names during dialogues at the start. This made the conversation felt factitious. But you could make an argument that it made sense during that time since they're newly reunited and their haven't 'resparked' yet (which I understand.)
2. Confusing swaps - This problem is fairly common in Lit Fic books, but there's no denying that it's still possible to handle it effectively and avoid confusion ๐ต. The focus frequently switched without much prior notice. Too much abruptions for a total enjoyment.
3. Random events - Yeah, there's a couple of them, and some do have good reasons. But a few exists for the plot to move forward, or to add salt to wounds. They seem...excessive ๐. But I guess it's sort of 'realistic' since many events in life just happen without our control. Eh...whatever.
โ NOW, FOR THE GOOD STUFF โ
This novel was PACKED with mature themes and topics. I'm talking about Guilt/Shame, Independence, Cultural/Racial Appropriation, Trauma, Acceptance, Feminism, and more social-centric subjects. These were revolving around the lives of our main characters ๐ซ, so it doesn't felt like the author was casually throwing contents within. In my opinion, it even made the narrative more genuine. All of these summed up to grant the book a good 'thought-provoking' quality.
Not only the story was about creative people, it was written creatively as well. The book was divided into several segments encompassing a critical point in our characters' lives/career, and a couple of them were written in such fresh techniques that made them stood out from the regulars. Marx's segment was particularly intriguing. His perspective was the first time I witnessed a 2nd Person POV within a novel. It was distinct (in a good way) and the fact that it matched with his character and personal motives made it even so endearing. Another unique chapter was the climax. Believe me when I tell you that it was on another level of creativity. By far the most fitting and ingenious culmination I've ever read ๐ (and would probably be for a while after.) It's too good to spoil, but I'm just saying it's filled with emotions, tensions, and realizations.
I watched a TikTok video stating this book's premise to be how relationships evolved over time. HOLY MOLY, IT WAS TRUE AND I LOVED IT ๐. This was all possible because of two genuine/organic, relatable, and compelling protagonists: Sam and Sadie. I believe these two and their special relationship was the highlight that made the book popular. I even think they outshined the other aspects a little too much. Their relationship origin was charming, the reunion was rejuvenating, and where their profound relationship leads to was revelatory. Attached to them was their work philosophies. I love how the book tackled the sophistication between artistic work, company growth, and tumultuous life. The protagonists' journey was full of struggles and conflicts, yet they persevere and continue to make amends of situations just because they wanted to preserve something more special than their passions. AND IT HIT DEEP HOW THE NARRATIVE TURNED THE VERY REASON OF THEIR CONNECTION INTO SOMETHING WHICH THREATENS IT ๐ฉ.
...But they're unable to stop. There'll always be tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow โ
Final Thoughts:
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow (by Gabrielle Zevin ) is a literary and contemporary fiction following two complex individuals and how their relationship evolved alongside their identical careers. This is a story of adults and for adults. It's also about the philosophies and tensions between artistic game development and company work. The book wasn't afraid of showing its readers all the 'Grey' areas of life, and I appreciate that. The writing never failed to be metaphorical (especially with the video games being reflective.) I personally love the retro vibe it had during the first half...but I could tell early on that this novel wasn't for me (yet.) Nevertheless, there's no denying it was great overall.
Rating: High end of 8/10
--------------------
Links to my reviews:
Goodreads reviews
The StoryGraph
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
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
4.0
This was one of those books that I wasn't certain at first (perhaps even a bit disappointed), but as I invest more time reading and analyzing it had proven its reputation.
"Isn't that the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over but expecting a different result."
"That's a game character's life, too," Sam said. "The world of infinite restarts. Start again at the beginning, this time you might win..."
Synopsis and/or Premise:
Samsom Masur (Sam) reunited with his childhood friend, Sadie Green, and together they decided to make a video game. Sam's roommate, Marx, joins in to found a company with them. Next comes a tale of platonic intimacy, pain, ambition, desperation, and a career of making digital lives they wish to attain.
The Good and The Bad:
I'll start with its few flaws so we'll be over asap.
1. Mentioning names - This was more of a personal pet peeve, but it's irritating ๐ how the main characters frequently mention each other's names during dialogues at the start. This made the conversation felt factitious. But you could make an argument that it made sense during that time since they're newly reunited and their haven't 'resparked' yet (which I understand.)
2. Confusing swaps - This problem is fairly common in Lit Fic books, but there's no denying that it's still possible to handle it effectively and avoid confusion ๐ต. The focus frequently switched without much prior notice. Too much abruptions for a total enjoyment.
3. Random events - Yeah, there's a couple of them, and some do have good reasons. But a few exists for the plot to move forward, or to add salt to wounds. They seem...excessive ๐. But I guess it's sort of 'realistic' since many events in life just happen without our control. Eh...whatever.
โ NOW, FOR THE GOOD STUFF โ
This novel was PACKED with mature themes and topics. I'm talking about Guilt/Shame, Independence, Cultural/Racial Appropriation, Trauma, Acceptance, Feminism, and more social-centric subjects. These were revolving around the lives of our main characters ๐ซ, so it doesn't felt like the author was casually throwing contents within. In my opinion, it even made the narrative more genuine. All of these summed up to grant the book a good 'thought-provoking' quality.
Not only the story was about creative people, it was written creatively as well. The book was divided into several segments encompassing a critical point in our characters' lives/career, and a couple of them were written in such fresh techniques that made them stood out from the regulars. Marx's segment was particularly intriguing. His perspective was the first time I witnessed a 2nd Person POV within a novel. It was distinct (in a good way) and the fact that it matched with his character and personal motives made it even so endearing. Another unique chapter was the climax. Believe me when I tell you that it was on another level of creativity. By far the most fitting and ingenious culmination I've ever read ๐ (and would probably be for a while after.) It's too good to spoil, but I'm just saying it's filled with emotions, tensions, and realizations.
I watched a TikTok video stating this book's premise to be how relationships evolved over time. HOLY MOLY, IT WAS TRUE AND I LOVED IT ๐. This was all possible because of two genuine/organic, relatable, and compelling protagonists: Sam and Sadie. I believe these two and their special relationship was the highlight that made the book popular. I even think they outshined the other aspects a little too much. Their relationship origin was charming, the reunion was rejuvenating, and where their profound relationship leads to was revelatory. Attached to them was their work philosophies. I love how the book tackled the sophistication between artistic work, company growth, and tumultuous life. The protagonists' journey was full of struggles and conflicts, yet they persevere and continue to make amends of situations just because they wanted to preserve something more special than their passions. AND IT HIT DEEP HOW THE NARRATIVE TURNED THE VERY REASON OF THEIR CONNECTION INTO SOMETHING WHICH THREATENS IT ๐ฉ.
...But they're unable to stop. There'll always be tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow โ
Final Thoughts:
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow (by Gabrielle Zevin ) is a literary and contemporary fiction following two complex individuals and how their relationship evolved alongside their identical careers. This is a story of adults and for adults. It's also about the philosophies and tensions between artistic game development and company work. The book wasn't afraid of showing its readers all the 'Grey' areas of life, and I appreciate that. The writing never failed to be metaphorical (especially with the video games being reflective.) I personally love the retro vibe it had during the first half...but I could tell early on that this novel wasn't for me (yet.) Nevertheless, there's no denying it was great overall.
Rating: High end of 8/10
--------------------
Links to my reviews:
Goodreads reviews
The StoryGraph
Deadwood by Pete Dexter
Synopsis and/or Premise:
Bill Hickok, Charley Utter, and Malcolm Nash arrives in Deadwood, a riotous mining town where anything can happen anywhere at anytime. Comes next are a series of wild events that defined the place through history while we follow a set of characters unfolding their interconnected personal stories.
The Good and The Bad:
Let's start with some positives. I liked how it embraced the full tone of the stereotypical Wild West yet it was still grounded on the realism of true historical events. A true definition of unpredictable, and the campiness just exaggerated its absurdity. It wasn't even trying to be funny in many parts, yet I find myself chortling ๐ from the zaniness.
I determined within the pages some shining moments โจ. There were scenes that was either amusing or just generally written well. There's also dialogues that had profound depth and nuances behind them, which was treat to stumble upon. There were even characters (like Soft brain/Bottle Fiend and Malcolm Nash) that I found to be my personal favorites because of their unique traits. Lastly, by being a historical fiction (accurate or perhaps not as much) it earned at least some merit through its nature of immortalizing certain place, time, and people within literature.
I'm not hiding this disappointment ๐. I could peek into the novel's full capabilities, but it was riddled with flaws. This is why it's impossible for me to rate it higher. Here they are:
1. Much needed digestible chapters - It did have 'chapters' encompassing separate dates and events. So technically, this book contained the longest chapter I've ever encountered (150+ pages.) ๐ But I think they served more on the purpose of story acts. It should had been divided into much smaller parts for better reading experience (ex. improvement on pacing.)
2. Unpersuasive and shaky writing style - The characters weren't written compellingly. Thus, it's too difficult to connect to them ๐. This should have been No. 1 priority especially if the plot cannot decide on either focusing on a central character (Charley) or to be a third person omniscient POV. It just felt like we follow most of these casts only for plot purposes. Yes โ you get the general story, but only understood it retrospectively from a bunch of tedious and stale writing.
3. All over the place narrative - The overall narrative was more of a collection of interweaving novellas ๐. There wasn't an alluring foundation aside from depictions of true historical events. This meandering plot slows the pacing much further.
4. Wasted potentials - This was more of a fundamental problem of the book and its chosen genre. I genuinely believe that Historical Fiction is one of, if not the hardest genre to pull successfully โ๏ธ. One needs to take care of three important objectives:
- To deliver an effective and moving narrative,
- To give tribute and be relatively accurate on its contextual inspiration, and
- To provide a fresh/novel perspective for the readers.
Examples of books that accomplished them are All the Light We Cannot See (by Anthony Doerr) and Bone Talk (by Candy Gourlay). Books that that missed some are The Sentinels of Andersonville (by Tracy Groot) and, unfortunately, this one.
Final Thoughts:
Deadwood (by Pete Dexter) is a gritty Western, Historical Fiction of said real-life location alongside its true events. It doesn't have one storyline but of intertwined chronicles, and it does come off more like a memoir with bits of fiction. PLEASE, don't let your children read this because there's a ton of smut. To be quite frank, it wasn't an enjoyable read especially when my hopes of the writing improving gets repeatedly broken. However, it was odd that I felt saddened as the book found closures to its characters. Well...maybe I'll admit that I was attached to them even for a little ๐ . I heard the TV show was much better.
Rating: Borderline top of 4/10
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
"Deadwood may well be the best Western ever written." โ The Washington Post Book World
To whoever wrote this blurb during the book's first published (1986), I'm not even confident this was true that time.
To whoever wrote this blurb during the book's first published (1986), I'm not even confident this was true that time.
"It weighed on him," Charley said. "He never met a human being that didn't already have an opinion on him, and it was his nature to feel an obligation to fill their expectations..."
Synopsis and/or Premise:
Bill Hickok, Charley Utter, and Malcolm Nash arrives in Deadwood, a riotous mining town where anything can happen anywhere at anytime. Comes next are a series of wild events that defined the place through history while we follow a set of characters unfolding their interconnected personal stories.
The Good and The Bad:
Let's start with some positives. I liked how it embraced the full tone of the stereotypical Wild West yet it was still grounded on the realism of true historical events. A true definition of unpredictable, and the campiness just exaggerated its absurdity. It wasn't even trying to be funny in many parts, yet I find myself chortling ๐ from the zaniness.
I determined within the pages some shining moments โจ. There were scenes that was either amusing or just generally written well. There's also dialogues that had profound depth and nuances behind them, which was treat to stumble upon. There were even characters (like Soft brain/Bottle Fiend and Malcolm Nash) that I found to be my personal favorites because of their unique traits. Lastly, by being a historical fiction (accurate or perhaps not as much) it earned at least some merit through its nature of immortalizing certain place, time, and people within literature.
I'm not hiding this disappointment ๐. I could peek into the novel's full capabilities, but it was riddled with flaws. This is why it's impossible for me to rate it higher. Here they are:
1. Much needed digestible chapters - It did have 'chapters' encompassing separate dates and events. So technically, this book contained the longest chapter I've ever encountered (150+ pages.) ๐ But I think they served more on the purpose of story acts. It should had been divided into much smaller parts for better reading experience (ex. improvement on pacing.)
2. Unpersuasive and shaky writing style - The characters weren't written compellingly. Thus, it's too difficult to connect to them ๐. This should have been No. 1 priority especially if the plot cannot decide on either focusing on a central character (Charley) or to be a third person omniscient POV. It just felt like we follow most of these casts only for plot purposes. Yes โ you get the general story, but only understood it retrospectively from a bunch of tedious and stale writing.
3. All over the place narrative - The overall narrative was more of a collection of interweaving novellas ๐. There wasn't an alluring foundation aside from depictions of true historical events. This meandering plot slows the pacing much further.
4. Wasted potentials - This was more of a fundamental problem of the book and its chosen genre. I genuinely believe that Historical Fiction is one of, if not the hardest genre to pull successfully โ๏ธ. One needs to take care of three important objectives:
- To deliver an effective and moving narrative,
- To give tribute and be relatively accurate on its contextual inspiration, and
- To provide a fresh/novel perspective for the readers.
Examples of books that accomplished them are All the Light We Cannot See (by Anthony Doerr) and Bone Talk (by Candy Gourlay). Books that that missed some are The Sentinels of Andersonville (by Tracy Groot) and, unfortunately, this one.
Final Thoughts:
Deadwood (by Pete Dexter) is a gritty Western, Historical Fiction of said real-life location alongside its true events. It doesn't have one storyline but of intertwined chronicles, and it does come off more like a memoir with bits of fiction. PLEASE, don't let your children read this because there's a ton of smut. To be quite frank, it wasn't an enjoyable read especially when my hopes of the writing improving gets repeatedly broken. However, it was odd that I felt saddened as the book found closures to its characters. Well...maybe I'll admit that I was attached to them even for a little ๐ . I heard the TV show was much better.
Rating: Borderline top of 4/10
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Synopsis and or Premise:
Three characters were at the 'end' of their lives at Puget Sound, uncovering deeply-sunken pasts while they attempt to change their futures.
The Good and The Bad:
GUYS!!! I think I found the lowest of low blows for someone who wanted to change their wasted days. Read this out:
OUCH...yet its context was hilarious in the book ๐คฃ. Ok, back to the main topic...
For a debut novel, this was exceptionally well-written and a pleasant surprise on how it handled topics with subtlety/nuance๐. Because of its wry, witty comedy I couldn't stop chuckling and gasping from absurdities. The heartfelt moments were ever-poignant, and served as a complimentary contrast to its humor. The characters were written in a convincing manner, making their interactions highly absorbing. It was also creatively written on some parts, especially Marcellus' perspective being formatted like a personal journal. Overall, it was precisely a charming/captivating read.
It was full of heart, and it circulated around our three major perspectives (there was four total w/ Ethan, but he's more of a supporting character.) Each of our protagonist had commonality; they're at the end of their lives. Tova (a 70 yrs old widow) had lost every family member, and cleans the aquariums to have purpose in her last days. Cameron (a desperate 30 yrs old) was a sore loser in life and can't get a firm grip to it due to sheer bad luck. Marcellus (a curmudgeon and smug giant Pacific octopus) counts his lasts day longing for the sea just beyond the aquarium. Their lives intertwined while the book tackled self-worth, coming to terms with oneself, making peace with the past, and so much more of these profound themes. UGH ๐ฉ JUST READ THE BOOK IT'S SOO GOOD.
My favorite aspect of the novel was how remarkably subversive it was. First of all, I understand the hate of others towards Cameron being an insufferable man-child, but I don't agree with them. From what I understood, that's the point of his character. To be an embarrassing catastrophe and puerile, and you would love to loath/laugh at him yet feel bad for him too. And like c'mon...his circumstances was funny (in a dark way ๐.) So yup, a subverted, unlikable protagonist with a peculiar appeal. The book also had genres that, on paper, shouldn't work but for some reason it did with marvelous juxtapositions. Genres like Contemporary, Magical Realism, Lit Fic, a dash of Mystery, โ and, hear me out...THRILLER!?!?!? ๐คฏ. It's because the crucial answers was intentionally laid out for the readers. From 'WHAT' to 'WHEN', it transformed the initial mystery into some unconventional non-horror, suspense thriller that was tensely due to the threat of character misunderstandings and deadlines. Yeah, ummm...I would like to remind that this was the author's first novel by the way. IT SHOULDN'T ALLOWED TO BE THIS GOOD โค๏ธ.
It's not perfect, but damn...I can't find myself putting it down. Here's a few problems I found that kept it away from the pinnacle of my rating system:
1. Flecks of Amateurishness - While reading, I noticed some texts had 'beginner' quirks/haphazardness ๐. One could even argue that this shouldn't count, and I would understand. Debut novels of new writers were often not perfect due to the inadequate mastery and experience, and THAT'S OK. But it still means the novel was likely had not reached its finest potential.
2. Slow start - It took a bit while before the core story to be on full throttle. The narrative was kinda meandering at first ๐งญ, but before it settled the author at least delivered an appealing 'no plot, just vibes' Lit Fic style of writing.
3. Cameron x Avery - Yeah...this was the wort part of the book in my analysis. It was rushed, unrealistic, and full of immature qualities ๐ถ. It's a shame since Avery was a decent character and Cameron had some ironic allure, yet their chemistry wasn't even something I would consider ok.
Final Thoughts:
Remarkably Bright Creatures is a debut novel of Shelby Van Pelt within the contemporary fiction genre cycling three major perspectives to deliver a down-to-earth narrative. This is a perfect summer read (which I'm a well past since it's October now ๐ .) Charismatic, tartish, and subversive are a few of its attributes that's well loved by most, which is evident with its 4.40+ โญs on Goodreads. It does have a lot of common with Fredrick Backman's A Man Called Ove, which is interesting since that book was a 5โญ from my ratings. Maybe I'm a sucker for stories about old people? Anyways, I think it's blurb is a bit misleading since it isn't too heavy on mystery. Highly recommend.
Rating: Easily slides within my top books. 9/10
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
4.5
Does the thought-processes of real world octopi mirror those of Marcellus? 'Cause I wish they were โ but, that means eating them would...๐จ
"Letting go," Aunt Jeanne says softly, "can be the hardest thing."
Synopsis and or Premise:
Three characters were at the 'end' of their lives at Puget Sound, uncovering deeply-sunken pasts while they attempt to change their futures.
The Good and The Bad:
GUYS!!! I think I found the lowest of low blows for someone who wanted to change their wasted days. Read this out:
"So you...want to give me a chance?"
"Not really." Terry eyes him, hard. "I expect you're the sort that's had plenty of chances. Opportunities you don't even realize. But you throw them away."
OUCH...yet its context was hilarious in the book ๐คฃ. Ok, back to the main topic...
For a debut novel, this was exceptionally well-written and a pleasant surprise on how it handled topics with subtlety/nuance๐. Because of its wry, witty comedy I couldn't stop chuckling and gasping from absurdities. The heartfelt moments were ever-poignant, and served as a complimentary contrast to its humor. The characters were written in a convincing manner, making their interactions highly absorbing. It was also creatively written on some parts, especially Marcellus' perspective being formatted like a personal journal. Overall, it was precisely a charming/captivating read.
It was full of heart, and it circulated around our three major perspectives (there was four total w/ Ethan, but he's more of a supporting character.) Each of our protagonist had commonality; they're at the end of their lives. Tova (a 70 yrs old widow) had lost every family member, and cleans the aquariums to have purpose in her last days. Cameron (a desperate 30 yrs old) was a sore loser in life and can't get a firm grip to it due to sheer bad luck. Marcellus (a curmudgeon and smug giant Pacific octopus) counts his lasts day longing for the sea just beyond the aquarium. Their lives intertwined while the book tackled self-worth, coming to terms with oneself, making peace with the past, and so much more of these profound themes. UGH ๐ฉ JUST READ THE BOOK IT'S SOO GOOD.
My favorite aspect of the novel was how remarkably subversive it was. First of all, I understand the hate of others towards Cameron being an insufferable man-child, but I don't agree with them. From what I understood, that's the point of his character. To be an embarrassing catastrophe and puerile, and you would love to loath/laugh at him yet feel bad for him too. And like c'mon...his circumstances was funny (in a dark way ๐.) So yup, a subverted, unlikable protagonist with a peculiar appeal. The book also had genres that, on paper, shouldn't work but for some reason it did with marvelous juxtapositions. Genres like Contemporary, Magical Realism, Lit Fic, a dash of Mystery, โ and, hear me out...THRILLER!?!?!? ๐คฏ. It's because the crucial answers was intentionally laid out for the readers. From 'WHAT' to 'WHEN', it transformed the initial mystery into some unconventional non-horror, suspense thriller that was tensely due to the threat of character misunderstandings and deadlines. Yeah, ummm...I would like to remind that this was the author's first novel by the way. IT SHOULDN'T ALLOWED TO BE THIS GOOD โค๏ธ.
It's not perfect, but damn...I can't find myself putting it down. Here's a few problems I found that kept it away from the pinnacle of my rating system:
1. Flecks of Amateurishness - While reading, I noticed some texts had 'beginner' quirks/haphazardness ๐. One could even argue that this shouldn't count, and I would understand. Debut novels of new writers were often not perfect due to the inadequate mastery and experience, and THAT'S OK. But it still means the novel was likely had not reached its finest potential.
2. Slow start - It took a bit while before the core story to be on full throttle. The narrative was kinda meandering at first ๐งญ, but before it settled the author at least delivered an appealing 'no plot, just vibes' Lit Fic style of writing.
3. Cameron x Avery - Yeah...this was the wort part of the book in my analysis. It was rushed, unrealistic, and full of immature qualities ๐ถ. It's a shame since Avery was a decent character and Cameron had some ironic allure, yet their chemistry wasn't even something I would consider ok.
Final Thoughts:
Remarkably Bright Creatures is a debut novel of Shelby Van Pelt within the contemporary fiction genre cycling three major perspectives to deliver a down-to-earth narrative. This is a perfect summer read (which I'm a well past since it's October now ๐ .) Charismatic, tartish, and subversive are a few of its attributes that's well loved by most, which is evident with its 4.40+ โญs on Goodreads. It does have a lot of common with Fredrick Backman's A Man Called Ove, which is interesting since that book was a 5โญ from my ratings. Maybe I'm a sucker for stories about old people? Anyways, I think it's blurb is a bit misleading since it isn't too heavy on mystery. Highly recommend.
Rating: Easily slides within my top books. 9/10
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Synopsis and/or Premise:
Kya's Ma abandoned the family. With no one to depend on, she found refuge within the marsh and became part of it. But as she grows up, she had changes in her body. This came with a confusing desire to connect to someone outside her domain.
Also, the mystery behind the death of Chase Andrew.
The Good and The Bad:
This was a love letter to nature ๐๏ธ. Specifically, a passionate serenade for both the rich and vibrant flora and fauna of North Carolina's swamplands. None could characterized this better than Kya herself. Forced by abandonment, she thrived with a life of curious recluse. Her affinity to collect and identify unnoticed life was a perfect escape from her tragic circumstances. She didn't choose the swamp, but it was the swamp who only accepted her. And this love of the wetlands did extended beyond themes. The author's prose, for example, was flowery and expressive. Her compositions of vivid vignettes was the reason why this was perhaps one of the most atmospheric book I've ever read.
I have a soft spot for gritty books, and this one does belong to that category. Mature topics like Loneliness, Trust, Discrimination, among others, were present to establish a realistic narrative. The character development of our protagonist was organic to the plot. The wide variety of supporting characters ranges from admirable to hate-worthy, and all were believable enough ๐. Yeah, the book felt real despite being a fiction.
I love โค๏ธ how the book was all about Human Urges. Each characters were being governed by their own individual urges, and collectively, it also influenced major points of the plot. Examples:
- Kya's feminine desires = urge
- Kya's skittishness = urge
- Tate's escape = stopping the urge
- Chase's motives = urge
- Pa = defeated by urge
- Ma's forsake = urge
- The plot twist = urge
I mean, I could go on and on. The whole casts had some level of internal struggle to deal with. It's clear what the message was: Many of our actions were rooted from personal urges, consequences from previous urges, or taking actions regarding them.
Not sorry for the harshness, but this book was evidently overrated. Here were the major problems I exposed:
1. Too descriptive - This wasn't much of an aggravator as book flows on (since you get used to it), and it's actually one of the factors why people love how picturesque ๐ผ๏ธ the writing. But there's no denying that it was too much sometimes. It caused some disassociation while reading by forcing some lengthy paragraphs to be skimmed over.
2. Distractions and Arbitrariness - This was also related to the "Too Much Descriptions" stated above, where extended, ornate segments were way too common. And somehow, they arbitrarily appeared into the flow. This negatively affects reader's experience by breaking their focus ๐ตโ๐ซ. There's also some major plotting distractions where the presence of the detective subplot during the first half still had little relevance and just slowed things down. Which leads to...
3. Pacing problem - Whoever read this book to analyze it critically knew what I'm talking about. THE BOOK HAD AN IDENTITY CRISIS. The flow was so uncomfortable. It felt like every act (1st, 2nd, and 3rd, or whatever you define it) was a separate book. Like c'mon, just pick a couple genres and excel on them. Don't throw all into one novel and expect some cohesiveness. And it's not like each of them were awful to be honest ๐. The lit-fic start was poignant, the romance middle was thought-provoking and had spice, and the court battle was rapid and engaging...but all-together, they weren't complimentary enough. Thus becoming each other's disruptors.
Final Thoughts:
This popular, coming-of-age novel was all about the life, experiences, and accusation of a swamp girl named Catherine Daniel Clark (a.k.a. Kya.) It juggled three major narratives: The literary fiction of the Clark family and Kya's isolation, the YA romance of the protagonists, and the detective/mystery regarding the death of Andrew Chase. But upon discernment I believe it didn't do well handling them together into stability. I also noticed how feminist it was, as well as anti-male (which, in hindsight, shouldn't be a good thing.) I'm not that interested to watch the movie as of now, but I heard it wasn't that good. Though weirdly enough, with some structural adjustment and sufficient world-building (plus cross-genre interpretations), I could actually see the core plot being an outstanding, character centric folktale fantasy-romance with some hint of mystery. Idk, maybe I'm just crazy ๐คฃ. Anyways, upon writing this review I found out that the author was, at best, controversial, or at worst, a terrible person (search Delia Owens on the web for more info.) Thankfully this review isn't about her.
Rating:
Ugh...why do I have to be an outlier? At most, 7/10.
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Well, well, well โ Great ideas and messages...but had a flawed structure. I'll cut a few slacks since this was a debut novel.
"...We call her the Marsh Girl; now scientific institutions recognize her as the Marsh Expert."
Synopsis and/or Premise:
Kya's Ma abandoned the family. With no one to depend on, she found refuge within the marsh and became part of it. But as she grows up, she had changes in her body. This came with a confusing desire to connect to someone outside her domain.
Also, the mystery behind the death of Chase Andrew.
The Good and The Bad:
This was a love letter to nature ๐๏ธ. Specifically, a passionate serenade for both the rich and vibrant flora and fauna of North Carolina's swamplands. None could characterized this better than Kya herself. Forced by abandonment, she thrived with a life of curious recluse. Her affinity to collect and identify unnoticed life was a perfect escape from her tragic circumstances. She didn't choose the swamp, but it was the swamp who only accepted her. And this love of the wetlands did extended beyond themes. The author's prose, for example, was flowery and expressive. Her compositions of vivid vignettes was the reason why this was perhaps one of the most atmospheric book I've ever read.
I have a soft spot for gritty books, and this one does belong to that category. Mature topics like Loneliness, Trust, Discrimination, among others, were present to establish a realistic narrative. The character development of our protagonist was organic to the plot. The wide variety of supporting characters ranges from admirable to hate-worthy, and all were believable enough ๐. Yeah, the book felt real despite being a fiction.
I love โค๏ธ how the book was all about Human Urges. Each characters were being governed by their own individual urges, and collectively, it also influenced major points of the plot. Examples:
- Kya's feminine desires = urge
- Kya's skittishness = urge
- Tate's escape = stopping the urge
- Chase's motives = urge
- Pa = defeated by urge
- Ma's forsake = urge
- The plot twist = urge
I mean, I could go on and on. The whole casts had some level of internal struggle to deal with. It's clear what the message was: Many of our actions were rooted from personal urges, consequences from previous urges, or taking actions regarding them.
Not sorry for the harshness, but this book was evidently overrated. Here were the major problems I exposed:
1. Too descriptive - This wasn't much of an aggravator as book flows on (since you get used to it), and it's actually one of the factors why people love how picturesque ๐ผ๏ธ the writing. But there's no denying that it was too much sometimes. It caused some disassociation while reading by forcing some lengthy paragraphs to be skimmed over.
2. Distractions and Arbitrariness - This was also related to the "Too Much Descriptions" stated above, where extended, ornate segments were way too common. And somehow, they arbitrarily appeared into the flow. This negatively affects reader's experience by breaking their focus ๐ตโ๐ซ. There's also some major plotting distractions where the presence of the detective subplot during the first half still had little relevance and just slowed things down. Which leads to...
3. Pacing problem - Whoever read this book to analyze it critically knew what I'm talking about. THE BOOK HAD AN IDENTITY CRISIS. The flow was so uncomfortable. It felt like every act (1st, 2nd, and 3rd, or whatever you define it) was a separate book. Like c'mon, just pick a couple genres and excel on them. Don't throw all into one novel and expect some cohesiveness. And it's not like each of them were awful to be honest ๐. The lit-fic start was poignant, the romance middle was thought-provoking and had spice, and the court battle was rapid and engaging...but all-together, they weren't complimentary enough. Thus becoming each other's disruptors.
Final Thoughts:
This popular, coming-of-age novel was all about the life, experiences, and accusation of a swamp girl named Catherine Daniel Clark (a.k.a. Kya.) It juggled three major narratives: The literary fiction of the Clark family and Kya's isolation, the YA romance of the protagonists, and the detective/mystery regarding the death of Andrew Chase. But upon discernment I believe it didn't do well handling them together into stability. I also noticed how feminist it was, as well as anti-male (which, in hindsight, shouldn't be a good thing.) I'm not that interested to watch the movie as of now, but I heard it wasn't that good. Though weirdly enough, with some structural adjustment and sufficient world-building (plus cross-genre interpretations), I could actually see the core plot being an outstanding, character centric folktale fantasy-romance with some hint of mystery. Idk, maybe I'm just crazy ๐คฃ. Anyways, upon writing this review I found out that the author was, at best, controversial, or at worst, a terrible person (search Delia Owens on the web for more info.) Thankfully this review isn't about her.
Rating:
Ugh...why do I have to be an outlier? At most, 7/10.