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gossamer_lens's Reviews (1.48k)
I found the premise interesting and was enjoying the build up. However, I wasn't enjoying how much the main character's weight was being emphasized. And then when the main character was "lumbering out of the car, unable to get out of the car like a normal person" I was not enjoying the details. And then the main character reveals she is 6 feet tall and 230 lbs... I was just done with how the whole weight thing was being handled.
There are too many books for me to keep going when I'm just not feeling this now.
There are too many books for me to keep going when I'm just not feeling this now.
I really enjoyed this book. A fun and refreshing take on the Cinderella story. Many Cinderella tales feel very overdone, and uncompelling. But this book lifts many of the ideas and plot points of Cinderella while putting into a fresh world and story. It would feel compelling even if you didn't know the story of Cinderella. But it also is fun and has some neat twists even if you know the story.
6/3/2022 - I read this for a book club and as such, I reserve the right to change my rating after the discussion (on 6/8/2022). However, on an initial read, I just feel like this was an okay book. I don't think there was any real thesis or takeaways from this book other than knowing Michael Finkel has a deep interest in the idea of quiet, hermits, and the experience of Christopher Knight. I think Knight has an interesting experience he could give insight into if he wanted, but this book just doesn't really feel like it gives a whole lot of insight into that story as Knight didn't want to give insight. Instead, I think it speaks more to Finkel's feelings and what he found interesting to reflect on when Knight was discovered.
So overall, a kinda interesting read. But it just didn't feel compelling to me personally. I think if I had no prior knowledge of hermits, the outdoors, or consideration for introverts or people with mental health problems... I would have found this more compelling. But as is... I felt very "eh".
6/20/2022 - After the bookclub I had to sit back and think about this book. I just absolutely cannot stand Finkel's way of going about his career and this books creation. I frankly don't think this book should exist. I think Knight should have been left alone and I think Finkel took way too much responsibility and ownership over Knights story both in his writing of it and in his ways of obtaining information. Having researched more about Finkel, he is blacklisted from my shelves ane future reading. He is not someone I trust at all and I don't care to read anything he has to say.
So overall, a kinda interesting read. But it just didn't feel compelling to me personally. I think if I had no prior knowledge of hermits, the outdoors, or consideration for introverts or people with mental health problems... I would have found this more compelling. But as is... I felt very "eh".
6/20/2022 - After the bookclub I had to sit back and think about this book. I just absolutely cannot stand Finkel's way of going about his career and this books creation. I frankly don't think this book should exist. I think Knight should have been left alone and I think Finkel took way too much responsibility and ownership over Knights story both in his writing of it and in his ways of obtaining information. Having researched more about Finkel, he is blacklisted from my shelves ane future reading. He is not someone I trust at all and I don't care to read anything he has to say.
I enjoyed the new character(s) on their own, the plot was interesting, the twists were fun, and overall it was an enjoyable/okay read. The romance focused on in this book wasn't my cup of tea at all and it felt a bit forced and against the main characters nature. But overall an okay and enjoyable read. I am already hopping into the next book and I hope it gets better.
This is one of those books that I just don't understand my own feelings on. I think this book will stick with me for a good while and it has given me a lot of food for thought. The characters were interesting and unique. The pacing, at least for the first 90% of the book, was excellent and made for a read that kept asking me to come back to it ASAP. I think my actual enjoyment of the material would be a 3 star... but the way everything was written was a 5 star for me. The prose were enticing and vivid. I don't know that I will want to re-read this book. But my indecision on how I feel having read it makes me wonder if I will come back to re-read it one day.
I personally don't see where a sequel fits into this book... so I won't be reading the next book just as I have no real interest in a continuation of this book and its themes from this same author. But I liked the writing a lot, so I might look for other works by this author. Idk.
I personally don't see where a sequel fits into this book... so I won't be reading the next book just as I have no real interest in a continuation of this book and its themes from this same author. But I liked the writing a lot, so I might look for other works by this author. Idk.
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This was a very solid conclusion to the series. It was a bit longer than I thought necessary but overall satisfying and interesting. I enjoyed how the various conflicts were handled and I thought there was some interesting development to the characters. I felt that a lot of them really grew and came into themselves. The romances were all solid and were decent while not the focus, as there were other things going on. I think the ending felt a little too explained to me and overall it was just a bit too long to feel super well-paced to me. But a solid read overall and I would be interested in reading more of Meyer's work.
I don't feel like this is my kind of book and I didn't particularly love the main character. But I found the writing compelling, the plot to be good, and the overall way of presenting the events and information of the book was intriguing. I definitely enjoyed this read and felt that the ending was satisfying and clearly the book was made with an overarching point that I feel was explored in a thoughtful manner and brought to a proper conclusion. Would recommend to anyone who likes literary fiction and a thoughtful contemplation on what it means to be human and to make meaning out of life.
This book was an interesting story that perfectly catered to questions that a reasonable reader would have when reading the main series. It did a fantastic job of cameoing main characters in the main series as well without making the book feel like it was some throwaway "see more of these characters" book. So many additional stories feel like they were made as a cash grab or to see more of our fav characters outside of their actually interesting story. This wasn't one of those at all.
I love that this book doesn't back away from the villains being villains. There are moments that engender pity, understanding, and sympathy.... but so far it hasn't made the villains sympathetic. Instead, it just serves to make them understandable and interesting. I would honestly probably round this book up to a 5-star if it wasn't for the fact that I did feel a couple of explained things from the main series were... perhaps forgotten or not quite adhered to for this story. But honestly, the story was interesting and fun enough that I give it a pass for any perceived deviation from what we were given in the original series.
I love that this book doesn't back away from the villains being villains. There are moments that engender pity, understanding, and sympathy.... but so far it hasn't made the villains sympathetic. Instead, it just serves to make them understandable and interesting. I would honestly probably round this book up to a 5-star if it wasn't for the fact that I did feel a couple of explained things from the main series were... perhaps forgotten or not quite adhered to for this story. But honestly, the story was interesting and fun enough that I give it a pass for any perceived deviation from what we were given in the original series.