competencefantasy's Reviews (912)

This reminds me most obviously of black swan and scratches an itch somewhere in between gilmore girls and damages. The characters and setting are well done. The drama got to the point of stressing me out a time or two. The male love interest is completely uninteresting. I am very interested in the sequel.

I appreciate the author's talent for character even better this time around. I imprinted on one of her minor characters. Those of you who know me know that's an automatic positive review. I continue to like how well the nuances in these relationships and situations are portrayed. Give this a try. It keeps improving.

Things that I'm qualified to give this praise for

It is so very period
The characters are great
Funny as heck

Portrayals I don't feel qualified to judge in context of time
racism (sometimes the characters are against it sometimes they are accepting of it)
sexism (see above)
diet culture (see above)
homephobia
suicide (actually I do feel qualfied to say that there's a too vivid desceiption in there be safe friends)

It's sweet. It's cute. The ending was a little surprising. It is what it needs to be. Not much more to say.

I think I want to like it based on the title, and it's got some good ideas but... sigh. I just can't get into it.

A lot of the other reviews mention boyhood being one of the major themes. Maybe that's my issue. I've never found that theme of any interest.

Wheel of time is too formative for me to complain too much, but there is a long section in the middle of this that is just about useless to me.

This is so beautiful. I was completely invested despite reading it when my brain was acting up and my body was tired. Gorgeous, emotionally pulling, and thematically fascinating from end to end.

2nd readthrough: I love this; oh I love this. The characters are whole. There are quotes that bare my soul. That one scene, that other scene. I just *fit* in this book.

The rating is less based on sheer quality and more an acknowledgement that this is about as for me as a book in this genre can get. It has made me think the genre might be of interest to me too.

100 percent Macbeth retelling and 100 percent revenge fantasy. I know nothing else like it. The whole thing is told in melodramatic language that you'll love or hate, but that I found very effective in winding me up. The author has a gift for getting into the voice and headspace of her protagonist, complications and all. At the end of it I felt kind of dizzy.