isabookabel's Reviews (299)

The quality of the writing itself is really good I just really didn't enjoy reading this. I can understand why others would but everything was just a bit too horrible in it for me. I do like dark books in general but this felt oppressive and I couldn't wait for it to end. It felt like a real slog to get through despite being short and generally just horrible to return to. Just not my taste.

Fantastic representation throughout and made me cry several times on the way to work.

That said, I found it hard getting past quite how irritating the main character was at times. While, this was really effective as I was crying out "Why would you do that? Why?!" It meant I didn't fall in love with the character as much as I could have done. 

I will still recommend this book to others, and i am torn with not rating it higher because of the sheer amount of positive representation in it. BUT I probably won't read it again.

I love the shardlake series. I always, feel torn on what to rate it. It is my ultimate guilty pleasure and warm blanket read. I feel 5 stars for bringing all of the feels you want from a book like this, but can't really justify giving it a top rating when comparing it to the quality some of my 5 star reads. Although, this may be edited later depending on how I feel.

Beautiful writing. It felt like it had its own rhythm and cadence and created a really clear picture of the place and people.

Good book very perceptive but fairly consistently bleak.

Think this is an excellent book for its intended audience. But I felt very frustrated by the rushed ending, scenes changed within a few paragraphs and details which got in the way brushed over. I thought some of the writing was a bit clumsy, things like

being lifted off the ground, looking at the grass beneath her feet and then being lowered to the ground - Just felt messy. Or when Maria is holding two peoples hands and also manages to use her hand to cast a spell - there were a few bits that just didn't make sense or bits which didn't offer detailed enough explanation.

Some of the points in the text felt a little laboured too. That said I enjoyed reading it and think lots of kids would love it.

It took me a while to get into this book, but the protagonist's narrative and exploration of her thought processes and emotions are so in-depth I ended up being really absorbed and think I will probably read the rest of the series. I think the complexity of emotion she has for her friend and the way the the author explores this means this book will stay with me for a long time - I can't think of another that explores so many nuances in a female friendship, over such a time period and underpins explicitly telling the reader with suggestions of more. Likewise, the internal self reflection was really profound and not something I come across often in books to this level - especially not combined with a good plot. The relationships were all rich in detail and felt very believable. 4.5 stars currently but had a hard time rating this so may return and bump up or down - partly because of all the reasons above I feel it could easily be a 5 star - but I suppose I don't feel like I love it and have enough affection for it to rate it a 5 at this moment. Partly because I spent about a week reading the first quarter of the book and feeling it drag rather, before then reading the rest in about 2 days. This meant though my feeling towards it changed, at this moment I spent much longer feeling frustrated with it than enjoying reading it. I will probably return to this at a later date and see if 4.5 seems fair. 

I enjoyed this book but it was a bit ridiculous. Very much a comfort read to get absorbed in for autumn. 

I loved listening to this as an audiobook. It was fast paced and absorbing with a really unlikeable protagonist. The ending itself I was less satisfied with as it felt a little heavy handed and predictable. I also agree that some of the ideas in the text could have been explored a bit further. I thought we would get this through exploring Athena Liu's privilege (she's never had to struggle with money). While this doesn't detract from the characters talent as a writer, I thought it would have been a good way of exploring how it may have increased the chance of her being published (more time to write, not having to work a second job, a good education). I thought this could have added more nuance, and another layer to the critiques of the publishing industry, and how it is not a meritocracy. 
Overall though, I thought this was a brilliant book and I really enjoyed reading it. It was a short punchy read and I've already recommended to friends.