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gaylic's Reviews (728)
It took a while to get into it. 100 pages in, I was able to get into more of a groove of just going with the journey the characters were on and the psychological aspects of their conversations became more interesting the more pressure was put on them. I had a difficult time in the first half because the overwhelming Man Pain that the main character is relying in to try and get you attached quickly felt over used and tiring. A dead wife is not going to make me automatically care about a dude and it was a bit if a letdown after the vast array of personalities in the crew i. TSIASOS.
However, Layla’s death was used much more powerfully in the end, even if it wasn’t a mindblowing twist when Alex finally sees her last moments alive. What was fascinating was how he was able to realize that he had attached his own angry, fearful, and bitter views onto Layla, the same way he had let it get in the way of his relationship when she was alive. Having him finally let go of his own fears in order to save someone else gave a decently rounded arc for Alex that made me glad I stuck with the book instead of shelving it unfinished like I was originally tempted.
Overall it’s a good read, quick if you can push through the parts that drag early on, and much more thought provoking then anticipated. Paolini’s afterward is also worth reading to gain a sense of why he wrote the story and what he had wanted people to gain from it. Might even suggest reading it first, as I read it halfway through and got the push I needed to stick with the story.
However, Layla’s death was used much more powerfully in the end, even if it wasn’t a mindblowing twist when Alex finally sees her last moments alive. What was fascinating was how he was able to realize that he had attached his own angry, fearful, and bitter views onto Layla, the same way he had let it get in the way of his relationship when she was alive. Having him finally let go of his own fears in order to save someone else gave a decently rounded arc for Alex that made me glad I stuck with the book instead of shelving it unfinished like I was originally tempted.
Overall it’s a good read, quick if you can push through the parts that drag early on, and much more thought provoking then anticipated. Paolini’s afterward is also worth reading to gain a sense of why he wrote the story and what he had wanted people to gain from it. Might even suggest reading it first, as I read it halfway through and got the push I needed to stick with the story.
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I wanted to like this book. It had the potential for everything I love about romance tropes. But the “butch” character wasn’t even soft butch, she was femme with a Ruby Rose haircut and overalls, the constant phrasing of “women and nonbinary people” became so repetitive that it made me want to stop reading more than once, and the side characters all felt like they were there for representation points. I hardly ever stop a book without finishing, but I skimmed the second half of the book because I couldn’t take the dragging scenes and felt like I missed nothing. The romance ended up being underwhelming and I was left feeling like I wasted $18.
Kawabata’s writing is always like pieces of poetry strung together to look like prose. There isn’t a heavy plot, but you still feel connected to the characters, and the dialogue leaves you feeling heavy. Yoko’s death feels sudden and disconnected on the surface, but makes sense with the overall themes of the destructive relationship that Shimamaru has with the ski hot springs and Komako. It’s as sad as almost all of Kawabata’s other books, but worth reading if you love Japanese literature.