jarshi's Reviews (189)

I'm dropping this series, sorry. Maybe I just can't get with the author's writing style???

Very straight. Very white. Rainbow Rowell knows her audience. She writes like a fanfiction author and not in a good way.

A little corny, but it works. Either the author didn't have a strong grasp of how actual teenagers interact with each other, or I was out of touch when I read it. The stuff surrounding social media broke my suspension of disbelief a bit. Overall fun, quick read.

Where Monty's book lacked lovable side characters, Felicity's book delivered.

I loved Zim and I really, really loved Joanna from the moment she was introduced. Joanna was such a fun, well-rounded character and she played off Felicity's energy so well and met her at every intellectual challenge. We love an old-world naturalist and marine biologist.

One of the issues I had with Felicity in the first book was that she came off too hard logical and wasn't allowed to be multifaceted like Percy and her brother. And I had to ruminate on that feeling for a while before I was comfortable enough to accept that I didn't fully like the way she was depicted in Monty's story. She was really rounded out in this book, though.

I started reading this series in 2018. I really liked all of them. Bray's writing style weirdly is poetic. I'm not good at descriptions, but it's a level of sophistication that I've never seen from a YA series before. The way the series plays on the idea that horror doesn't need to be solely based on the supernatural because humankind has committed some of the worst horrors imaginable was so smart. The depiction of non-white and LGBT characters were also both historically rich and respectful.

The gay speakeasies. That is all.

Ling and Henry are the two standout characters of the main cast. I can relate to them the most and their friendly banter was so endearing and fun to read. I really commend Bray for being able to write two characters who have that much chemistry and none of it be romantic. And good job to her making both of them gay.

I even like Evie, who I think would be a character that I would traditionally hate. The unfurling of her story and her development from spoiled, white party girl to a three-dimensional character who is suffering from severe depression and is haunted by the past and the future was so... well done Jesus Christ! Very satisfying. Horray for Evie choosing Sam in the end. Jericho was a creep from the start.

And, no, I don't really care about Mabel.

The more I read this book the more... irritated I became with the main character. I'm not sure, but I think I just generally disliked this book and am now just fishing for logical reasons why I don't like it.

Alex... he's the least relatable character in the whole book, in my opinion. His whole deal seems to be based around the fact that he wants to help marginalized groups, to the point of wanting to become a civil rights lawyer in the future. He spends sections of the book condemning snooty rich kids who coast on their parents' money and connections, and discusses how racism and inequity exist even in progressive blue states. And that really aggravated me the entire book because it feels like he lacks self-awareness.

Maybe I'm being too critical of him and ultimately I'm just projecting how I would have suggested his character be written. But something about him attending one of the most expensive universities in the country and walking away with no debt, him taking numerous international flights to see his boyfriend, and living it up in some of the most expensive bars and hotels in the city did not sit right in my spirit.

Another beef with this book: I've lived in DC for two decades and it is very obvious the author has never lived here. The city felt so wonky.

The only way I can describe this book is that it feels like the story of Alice and Wonderland and the movie Labyrinth had a child, swaddled it in a light dark academia blanket, and sang it a lullaby.

This definitely does not make much sense and if you are confused by that description, you now know what it felt like to be me reading this book.

It's cute though.