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ivy_reyn's Reviews (249)
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I think this was maybe not the most effective short story.
I really didn't feel much of a connection to anything going on if I'm honest, which made the end, which I guessed at about 60%, not very impactful.
I did *like* the characters, and the idea was interesting but not super original.
To be blunt, it's fine but I probably won't be thinking about it after this week.
I think this was maybe not the most effective short story.
I really didn't feel much of a connection to anything going on if I'm honest, which made the end, which I guessed at about 60%, not very impactful.
I did *like* the characters, and the idea was interesting but not super original.
To be blunt, it's fine but I probably won't be thinking about it after this week.
TLDR; would not recommend
Almost a DNF at 90%
I am pretty disappointed, so this might turn into a bit of a rant. Really, I was so ready give this five stars.
Let's get into it…
The beginning of this book felt not perfect, but good. The looooong multi-page intro prose almost lost me though as I'm feeling a bit illiterate after the election, so that one's on me.
The theming and set up were so good, and though it permeated every moment it didn't feel heavy-handed, it felt appropriately heavy. The experiences and environment Mira grew up with felt so personal and real.
Then there was this random flowery language to make ‘pretty’ quotes that just don't fit in the paragraphs they're in at all. Which happens, and wouldn't have been a huge deal but did pull me out of it a bit.
Then Mira just starts being dumb as hell, and none of her thoughts make ANY sense. Actions I get, fear makes you do wild shit. But what's the point of spending SO much time to make her believe, for her to then NOT believe every. single. time. she sees a ghost?!
Then after like 70% the writing just gets bad and so repetitive. Sentences that don't make sense, bad grammar and severance structure. Saying every little thing. Full paragraphs that could be a couple of words, or a short sentence at most.
Then there's the logical leaps made by Mira that have no basis, like somehow just knowing where something is with no reasoning.
The pacing, which seemed a little slow but fittingly eerie in the beginning, feels so rushed after she returns to the plantation.
As someone who doesn't get lost easily, a lot of the last half made no sense. Plus the horror elements were so vague and allusive that they were completely ineffective.
Almost a DNF at 90%
I am pretty disappointed, so this might turn into a bit of a rant. Really, I was so ready give this five stars.
Let's get into it…
The beginning of this book felt not perfect, but good. The looooong multi-page intro prose almost lost me though as I'm feeling a bit illiterate after the election, so that one's on me.
The theming and set up were so good, and though it permeated every moment it didn't feel heavy-handed, it felt appropriately heavy. The experiences and environment Mira grew up with felt so personal and real.
Then there was this random flowery language to make ‘pretty’ quotes that just don't fit in the paragraphs they're in at all. Which happens, and wouldn't have been a huge deal but did pull me out of it a bit.
Then Mira just starts being dumb as hell, and none of her thoughts make ANY sense. Actions I get, fear makes you do wild shit. But what's the point of spending SO much time to make her believe, for her to then NOT believe every. single. time. she sees a ghost?!
Then after like 70% the writing just gets bad and so repetitive. Sentences that don't make sense, bad grammar and severance structure. Saying every little thing. Full paragraphs that could be a couple of words, or a short sentence at most.
Then there's the logical leaps made by Mira that have no basis, like somehow just knowing where something is with no reasoning.
The pacing, which seemed a little slow but fittingly eerie in the beginning, feels so rushed after she returns to the plantation.
As someone who doesn't get lost easily, a lot of the last half made no sense. Plus the horror elements were so vague and allusive that they were completely ineffective.
3.5/5
What the f*ck did I just read, but like in a good way.
Legitimately how on earth did she come up with all of these ideas. It's genuinely so impressive.
The first two stories are..... shocking. Really the first one is.... one hell of an intro. But after you get into it they even out a little.
This is a 3.5 for me personally because I found it to be a tiny bit dry and little hard for me to push myself through.
That being said, they all had such a great underlying theming and messages, so none of the weirdness was thrown in for shock alone. It pulls at your humanity just enough to cause discomfort to make you open your eyes.
What the f*ck did I just read, but like in a good way.
Legitimately how on earth did she come up with all of these ideas. It's genuinely so impressive.
The first two stories are..... shocking. Really the first one is.... one hell of an intro. But after you get into it they even out a little.
This is a 3.5 for me personally because I found it to be a tiny bit dry and little hard for me to push myself through.
That being said, they all had such a great underlying theming and messages, so none of the weirdness was thrown in for shock alone. It pulls at your humanity just enough to cause discomfort to make you open your eyes.
I think I would actually give this a 4.75 rounded up to a five stars.
First off the atmosphere? Immaculate.
Not everything is described in a way that is showing what he's actually seeing exactly but more as a like darkly metaphorical feeling, and I LOVE it.
The way that Andrew feels love is so relatable. That yearning aching darkness is just exactly everything that I want to hear and read and feel in a love story. And it is how I love, or at least how I conceptualize it.
There are so many lines about wanting to kind of graphically attach yourself to someone else that just dug so deep into my skin.
I also love how at no point did you know what was going to happen really or what the end was actually going to become. There is definitely a lot of foreshadowing for some of the bigger moments and some of the things that you felt were going to happen, but then you didn't really know for sure.
The only reason I wouldn't give it five stars on the dot is because it feels a little forced in some of the flowery language, but it is fair that Andrew would be speaking that way because that's how he writes. It just came off a little repetitive in some instances.
Beautiful 10 out of 10 and now I need a physical copy more than I need to breathe. Specifically that Barnes & Noble copy with the green edges.
First off the atmosphere? Immaculate.
Not everything is described in a way that is showing what he's actually seeing exactly but more as a like darkly metaphorical feeling, and I LOVE it.
The way that Andrew feels love is so relatable. That yearning aching darkness is just exactly everything that I want to hear and read and feel in a love story. And it is how I love, or at least how I conceptualize it.
There are so many lines about wanting to kind of graphically attach yourself to someone else that just dug so deep into my skin.
I also love how at no point did you know what was going to happen really or what the end was actually going to become. There is definitely a lot of foreshadowing for some of the bigger moments and some of the things that you felt were going to happen, but then you didn't really know for sure.
The only reason I wouldn't give it five stars on the dot is because it feels a little forced in some of the flowery language, but it is fair that Andrew would be speaking that way because that's how he writes. It just came off a little repetitive in some instances.
Beautiful 10 out of 10 and now I need a physical copy more than I need to breathe. Specifically that Barnes & Noble copy with the green edges.
3.5 Stars
I loved the not-at-all-subtle jabs against the patriarchy in all aspects of life.
I felt in my soul the distrust of doctors and the way they ignore women's concerns.
The metaphor for chronic illness is strong, with your body doing things you didn't agree to.
My big thing is I think I'm just too dumb to fully grasp the ending. I think that's okay. I enjoy the occasional, "HUH?!" ending. It gave me enough of a feeling under my skin that I'm not mad about it.
I loved the not-at-all-subtle jabs against the patriarchy in all aspects of life.
I felt in my soul the distrust of doctors and the way they ignore women's concerns.
The metaphor for chronic illness is strong, with your body doing things you didn't agree to.
My big thing is I think I'm just too dumb to fully grasp the ending. I think that's okay. I enjoy the occasional, "HUH?!" ending. It gave me enough of a feeling under my skin that I'm not mad about it.
4.75/5
I am currently having a bad time, in the best way possible. I am so uncomfortable after finishing this like an hour ago.
I have a strong constitution, and this book isn't explicitly gory or excessively violent. Yet still, I am left with a rock in my belly making me queasy.
The end. Oh, the end.
I have never had whiplash so damn hard in such quick succession in my life.
It's sooooo Hannibal in so many ways
My .25 deduction is honestly because I hated Ro. Like she is the most infuriating main character, but not in the way that's badly written. In the way where you want to slap her for being such a goddamn idiot.
Anyway, brb while I sit with this in my brain for probably forever.
I am currently having a bad time, in the best way possible. I am so uncomfortable after finishing this like an hour ago.
I have a strong constitution, and this book isn't explicitly gory or excessively violent. Yet still, I am left with a rock in my belly making me queasy.
The end. Oh, the end.
I have never had whiplash so damn hard in such quick succession in my life.
It's sooooo Hannibal in so many ways
My .25 deduction is honestly because I hated Ro. Like she is the most infuriating main character, but not in the way that's badly written. In the way where you want to slap her for being such a goddamn idiot.
Anyway, brb while I sit with this in my brain for probably forever.
3.5/5
I found Cassie relatable and the book read very quickly. And as my first real Christmas being minimal-contract with my own mother this feels appropriate, though not at all holiday themed lol.
The characters were interesting and fully fledged, if detestable.
All of the plot bleeds together in a way that feels intentional. This is much more a book for the vibes than for the plot.
There were SO many quotes that I highlighted. Whole sections that I felt in my soul.
There's really nothing *wrong* with the book it just wasn't quite my cup of tea. Or maybe I just wasn't in quite the right place for this one when I read it.
I found Cassie relatable and the book read very quickly. And as my first real Christmas being minimal-contract with my own mother this feels appropriate, though not at all holiday themed lol.
The characters were interesting and fully fledged, if detestable.
All of the plot bleeds together in a way that feels intentional. This is much more a book for the vibes than for the plot.
There were SO many quotes that I highlighted. Whole sections that I felt in my soul.
There's really nothing *wrong* with the book it just wasn't quite my cup of tea. Or maybe I just wasn't in quite the right place for this one when I read it.
