dbguide2's Reviews (863)

I like how each book expands on the world and how different characters see/experience it based on their religion or stature/class. I mean, yes, it’s the same world, but through a different character’s eyes, which basically gives the readers a chance to enter the world again.

The author incorporates the Goddess concept and characters who are Goddess touched into the story in such a way that you can’t help but get engrossed (as I love magic).

As for the two main characters, Adren and Ress, they were interesting, mostly because it took me longer to like them than in the other two books (A Question of Counsel – Aeley and Lira; Four – Tash and Mayr). They’re (Adren and Ress) not badly written, I think I just didn’t like their personalities until they proved themselves to me.

This book was an average read for the most part. I really liked the plot and setting and I felt like I was there, alongside the characters – which is why I flock to fantasy – because I like to feel like I’m there. The plot was well-written – I liked the mystery aspect and I definitely enjoyed the paranormal aspects.

I didn’t connect with the characters. I thought them a bit boring – which is a bit weird in fantasy as there’s so much room to play and you could dress them up any which way – and they were a bit unrealistic.

But all in all, this was a quick enjoyable read, definitely something to be read in an afternoon.

Deon Meyer is an extremely famous South African author and when I saw that Fever was translated (its original title being Koors) I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be funny if I got approved for the book, being a South African?’ Unfortunately, I didn’t think much further than that and I did get approved. Fever was also my first Meyer book.

I just didn’t enjoy it. I don’t know if something went awry in translation (So I skimmed the Afrikaans translation and it was more interesting in Afrikaans. There was something in the Afrikaans translation that made the story fly, which was obviously missing in the English translation). That and I didn’t enjoy the narration – Nico’s narration – it just felt flat, like he was reciting a monologue and didn’t like it. I really wanted to like the book, mostly because it’s by a South African author, but it just didn’t capture my attention. And it was also a thick book, and it’s difficult to get into a thick book if it doesn’t interest me.

There was a scene where they braaied except in the English translation they used the word ‘barbecue’ and I just laughed because obviously they just translated it and didn’t think of researching if it’s the correct word to use. No South African would use the word ‘barbecue’. I told a friend about it and she laughed too because it’s literally that – “What South African would use the word ‘barbecue?”

Warnings: Homophobia, Homophobic Language, Medication overdose (supporting character overdoses on his insulin). Supporting has depression and nothing is done about it. Intense dislike towards a diabetic person and their disorder. Racist language. Racist character. Non-consensual harassment (rubbing body parts up against another unwilling person). Slut-shaming. Lastly, the view of Christianity is a harsh one, and not necessarily true (from someone who has experienced a positive view of Christianity).

So the cover caught my attention and the description made it seem as if it was a good book…and it just wasn’t. I’m going to do my duty and tell you why I didn’t like it and the few reasons why I did. Prepare for a long review and quotes. Get your snacks and towels, kittens.

I started not feeling the love for the main character within the first 50 pages of the book. He’s so flighty and indecisive and while those are two traits associated with teenagers, the way Adam portrays it and how he comes across in the book makes him out to be childish. And he’s not. He’s in his final year of school, but the way he’s been written, it feels like he’s 14/15.

Those of you who are wondering if Christianity is like this – well, it depends on how harsh your church/pastor is. My old one was pretty harsh – part of the reason why I left – and this book’s just bringing up all the old feelings I had when attending the church and believing. I didn’t mark the book down because it brought up old feelings – I speak about the way faith is portrayed in the book in the next paragraph.

So I marked the book down half because of the characters/plot/dialogue (all usual reasons) but I also marked the book down because of how Christianity is portrayed, and more accurately, how the author portrays Christianity. Please note the following: I do not know the author, and therefore I am not aware of his religion, or lack of one; which is to say that I am discussing how the author writes the religion that is shown in the book, and not the author’s religion. So there are a few quotes in the book that…irked me, but I’ll mark all those quotes in the ‘quote’ section of the review – there’s a quote section because I couldn’t stop myself from commenting on the quotes.

But anyway – so the author writes from the main male character’s point of view, and he goes to Christian camp to try to turn straight – because you can pray the gay away, didya know? And obviously at the camp, there’s a lot of talk about faith and God and most of it is negative towards anything that some readers might deem not sinful (masturbation, premarital sex, etc.). Like I know the author is trying to get into the whole religious thing to show the readers how heavy the camp is, but the way he’s writing the story is just…not cool. It’s too much. I’m not sure if it’s just me and the feelings I have towards Christianity but I’m not liking the way everyone talks about faith in the book. I feel that the author is writing the Bible Camp view of faith (if you’re understanding me) with too much vigour – like he’s enjoying it.

And speaking of the parents – look, I grew up with Christian parents and family. My friendship circle and my parents’ friendship circle is basically made up of Christians (well, not mine so much anymore). I know what’s expected (from parents) and what God expects. But the parents in this novel are terrible…It’s like the author was tired the one night of trying to flesh out the parents and decided: ‘all right! I’ll make them crappy and just make them send Adam away so they won’t have to deal with him!’

Ok, so, warning – I’m going to talk about one of the characters and depression. So one of Adam’s roommates is depressed. They don’t really talk about why he’s depressed and they do absolutely nothing to help the poor guy. Adam and mostly everyone at the camp calls themselves Christians and yet they do nothing to help him? *cough cough* very unchristianlike.

The only reason why I sort of liked this book is because of three characters – Martin, Mike, and Rhonda. That’s it.

I think the author thinks we can read Adam’s mind. He makes Adam think/say sentences and he’s like ‘ah, yes, I was thinking about this.’ like where? Please show me. Do you know what that’s called? Inconsistency.

Another problem I had with the book was the fact that Adam met one of the male characters – his love interest – basically immediately had a crush on him *cough cough instalove* and then when the love interest and Adam have a disagreement, Adam stops having a crush on the love interest.

– I will literally pay you to be able to read this instead of the book.

– So if boys can’t shop for clothes then they can’t wear them, right? And also let’s just bring up the fact that if they were two girls shopping together no weird thoughts would be there (but then again we could argue that if the one girl is a confirmed lesbian, the other would surely follow – if we were to play by the rules shown in the book.

– A camp named after the book in the Bible that’s about the end of the world? Yeah, ok. That’s what the book’s about, right? Hopefully the Bible hasn’t changed the last time I read it. Which was in high school.

– Because jeans and a tank top will turn you to sin.

– Except the Bible tells us that God is everywhere and the only reason why screens get between us and God is because we allow it to.

– ok A: If you’re happy in your marriage, you shouldn’t be looking at other women.

B: I’m like half sure that even thinking about finding another’s man’s wife is lust or covetousness (because women are property of their husbands – right?).

– Hang on – how does being gay make you more likely to die? Romeo and Juliet were straight and they died. Gatsby was straight(ish) and he died. Jack Dawson was straight and he died (ok let’s stop with all the Di Caprio references).

– The…reputation…of a camp that converts (or tries to convert gays or stop sinners or whatever)…is good? Oh right, people think they can pray the gay away.

– *whispers* is that not a sin? Because seriously my youth had a whole talk on how to hug the opposite sex. Spoiler alert: Approach from the side, hug must not last more than 5ish seconds.

From the first line, I was hooked. Like you don’t talk about cemeteries and not get me all hyped up. I loved this book so so much. It included a lot of what I really love to see in a book. From the characters to the plot to the emotions I felt throughout this book, truly truly a great read.

I LOVED that it had so much of the culture and I enjoyed seeing that so much. From the tradition of Día de Muertos, to magic and how brujxs see it and also use it – it was all so fascinating. I always love being immersed in a book and this world drew me in as a reader – with the food, how the characters spoke to one another, how they saw themselves.

Another thing I really enjoyed was the family in this book – both found and by blood. I’m used to big families and big family gatherings. And being loud – which I’m very, very skilled in. But furthermore, seeing the found family aspects was just as good, as I think you can never get enough of that trope.

And the CHARACTERS. Yadriel!! I loved seeing how true he is and how authentic he is. Saying ‘yes, this is me’. Knowing what he wants, what he was meant to do. I loved reading his conversations with Maritza, their close friendship just warmed me right up. How they were both there for each other, encouraged each other.

Julian Diaz. What can I say about him other than I love him and his brain so very mucb because his and mine works the same way. Like he wonders if ghosts can eat? Now I know my first thought if I die. He’s happy when he’s scratching a cat? Me every hour. He was so GOOFY and I am HERE for that. I mean, I literally have notes that are like JULIAN!!!!

This was one of my most anticipated reads for this year and I’m so glad that I enjoyed it so much. I can’t wait to see what other books Aiden writes!