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ninetalevixen
Just under a full 5 stars because it’s sometimes a little over-the-top, but I did really enjoy this book so I’ll round up.
I wanna bask in the afterglow of finishing a great book, so I’ll come back to finish this review some other time.
I wanna bask in the afterglow of finishing a great book, so I’ll come back to finish this review some other time.
I’m pretty sure I only picked up this book because it fulfills “a book with a color in the title,” but am I ever glad I did pick it up.
Superficially, it has all my favorite tropes and themes — a bookstore, the ocean, friends-turned-maybe-lovers, breakups and makeups, some philosophy and quotable moments but not too many, a balance of humor and serious moments — and above all it’s about people. The writing is straightforward and honest, cutting through the bullshit to the complexity that is human life and loss and transmigration; it’s not beautiful and in this case it works.
For some people I’m sure this book will seem melodramatic, even shallow in its focus on imperfect relationships and coping mechanisms. But to me it has that je ne sais quoi of a great literary love.
Superficially, it has all my favorite tropes and themes — a bookstore, the ocean, friends-turned-maybe-lovers, breakups and makeups, some philosophy and quotable moments but not too many, a balance of humor and serious moments — and above all it’s about people. The writing is straightforward and honest, cutting through the bullshit to the complexity that is human life and loss and transmigration; it’s not beautiful and in this case it works.
For some people I’m sure this book will seem melodramatic, even shallow in its focus on imperfect relationships and coping mechanisms. But to me it has that je ne sais quoi of a great literary love.
content warnings:
rep:
★ 2.5 stars ★
I was initially really into the premise, but this one felt slow throughout — a slight pick-up once the Midnight Library actually comes into play, then it eventually starts to drag again. For me, the main problem is that this seems intended to be more introspective/character-driven yet the protagonist isn't particularly interesting or nuanced, and the rest of the cast feels almost like an afterthought. The narrative hits most of the beats I expected (due to convention and tropes, rather than a significant amount of buildup), but that also meant the ending felt anticlimactic and obligatory rather than satisfying and/or earned.
To make matters worse, there's a lot of straight philosophizing and philosophy, lots of quoting and name-checking Famous Philosophers; despite or perhaps because of my interest in philosophy (plus the fact that I took AP Lang and still have my big binder of philosophy readings), I found this increasingly tedious. It came off preachy and didn't feel like there's much, if any, room for reader interpretation of the themes/morals and takeaways.
Still, I appreciate the #ownvoices mental health rep, and there are a handful of moments or passages where the elements aligned just right to resonate with me. And I know many other readers have really liked the book overall! It just didn't work for me.
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CONVERSION: 6.93 / 15 = 2.5 stars
Prose: 5 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 4 / 10
Emotional Impact: 3 / 10
Development / Flow: 5 / 10
Setting: 6 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: 3 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 2 / 5
Memorability: 2 / 5
Spoiler
depressive episodes, suicidal ideation, suicide note, suicide attempt by OD, loss of loved ones (parents, brother, best friend; heart attack, cancer, car crash), death of pet cat, marital infidelity, mentioned alcoholismrep:
Spoiler
MC w/ depression & anxiety [Nora], gay minor char [Nora’s brother Joe], M/M minor established relationship, diverse minor char’s★ 2.5 stars ★
I was initially really into the premise, but this one felt slow throughout — a slight pick-up once the Midnight Library actually comes into play, then it eventually starts to drag again. For me, the main problem is that this seems intended to be more introspective/character-driven yet the protagonist isn't particularly interesting or nuanced, and the rest of the cast feels almost like an afterthought. The narrative hits most of the beats I expected (due to convention and tropes, rather than a significant amount of buildup), but that also meant the ending felt anticlimactic and obligatory rather than satisfying and/or earned.
To make matters worse, there's a lot of straight philosophizing and philosophy, lots of quoting and name-checking Famous Philosophers; despite or perhaps because of my interest in philosophy (plus the fact that I took AP Lang and still have my big binder of philosophy readings), I found this increasingly tedious. It came off preachy and didn't feel like there's much, if any, room for reader interpretation of the themes/morals and takeaways.
Still, I appreciate the #ownvoices mental health rep, and there are a handful of moments or passages where the elements aligned just right to resonate with me. And I know many other readers have really liked the book overall! It just didn't work for me.
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CONVERSION: 6.93 / 15 = 2.5 stars
Prose: 5 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 4 / 10
Emotional Impact: 3 / 10
Development / Flow: 5 / 10
Setting: 6 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: 3 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 2 / 5
Memorability: 2 / 5
Keeping this brief because I have the next book and want to dive right in, but I know if I wait to review I'll get the two mixed up in my head. So.
As always, Schwab has done some really fantastic worldbuilding — I wouldn't want to be a Keeper because I would definitely be the first one knocked out in a fight, but I sure love reading about them. The characters are all interesting, if not all likable, and I wasn't hugely bothered by the abrupt relationship development between Mackenzie and Owen, and the mostly-implied love triangle that followed which was a pleasant surprise .
The story itself is engaging, well-paced with a good mix of built-up gradual developments and sudden twists. There are a lot of flashbacks, not all of them necessary, but they fit in smoothly and add nuance to Mackenzie's backstory in particular. And though the ending is more of a pause than a full stop, it works for me.
As is not always the case with YA, I found that I cared far more about the actual main character than her love interest(s) [... which is how it should be, imo]. Wesley is great and I look forward to watching their relationship develop, but when things inevitably get messed up, I'll be Team Mackenzie all the way.
content warnings: loss of loved ones, blood, major injury, on-page murder
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CONVERSION: 12.9 / 15 = 4.5 stars
Prose: 8 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 8 / 10
Emotional Impact: 7 / 10
Development / Flow: 9 / 10
Setting: 10 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: N/A
Intellectual Engagement: 4 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 5 / 5
Rereadability: 4 / 5
Memorability: 5 / 5
As always, Schwab has done some really fantastic worldbuilding — I wouldn't want to be a Keeper because I would definitely be the first one knocked out in a fight, but I sure love reading about them. The characters are all interesting, if not all likable, and I wasn't hugely bothered by
The story itself is engaging, well-paced with a good mix of built-up gradual developments and sudden twists. There are a lot of flashbacks, not all of them necessary, but they fit in smoothly and add nuance to Mackenzie's backstory in particular. And though the ending is more of a pause than a full stop, it works for me.
As is not always the case with YA, I found that I cared far more about the actual main character than her love interest(s) [... which is how it should be, imo]. Wesley is great and I look forward to watching their relationship develop, but when things inevitably get messed up, I'll be Team Mackenzie all the way.
content warnings:
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CONVERSION: 12.9 / 15 = 4.5 stars
Prose: 8 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 8 / 10
Emotional Impact: 7 / 10
Development / Flow: 9 / 10
Setting: 10 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: N/A
Intellectual Engagement: 4 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 5 / 5
Rereadability: 4 / 5
Memorability: 5 / 5
This is so precious, these lil beans are so precious, I would read a whole book of just scenes like that last one.
[not including an end date or shelving this as 2019-beat-the-backlist since it's so short that I'm not counting it towards reading challenges]
[not including an end date or shelving this as 2019-beat-the-backlist since it's so short that I'm not counting it towards reading challenges]
The good/bad thing about reading the next book immediately after is that you don't need the explicit callbacks to previous events, so on the one hand they're a little annoying, I'm sure I'd be grateful for them if I hadn't had such ready access to this installment. And since the plot didn't really go the direction I was expecting, they were helpful in orienting myself within this 'verse.
This is primarily based in Hyde Preparatory School and Mackenzie's home life rather than the Archive itself, more about loose ends and moving on, which makes it very different from the first book. Not bad, just a distinct vibe; it feels closer to mainstream YA, which will work for some readers and not for others. (In my case, it definitely works — with a few exceptions, like the girl-on-girl hate and what could be read as a love triangle.)
Mackenzie is still very much the hero of our story, but we get so much in terms of the other characters: Wesley in particular, but the rest of their little found family too. I'm super invested in their well-being and development, so I'm really glad that there'll be another book.
content warnings: domestic violence, mutilation (non-graphic dream), mentioned sexual harassment/assault, (inadvertent) self-harm, roofie
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CONVERSION: 13.3 / 15 = 4.5 stars
Prose: 8 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 9 / 10
Emotional Impact: 10 / 10
Development / Flow: 8 / 10
Setting: 9 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: N/A
Intellectual Engagement: 4 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 4 / 5
Rereadability: 5 / 5
Memorability: 5 / 5
This is primarily based in Hyde Preparatory School and Mackenzie's home life rather than the Archive itself, more about loose ends and moving on, which makes it very different from the first book. Not bad, just a distinct vibe; it feels closer to mainstream YA, which will work for some readers and not for others. (In my case, it definitely works — with a few exceptions, like the girl-on-girl hate and what could be read as a love triangle.)
Mackenzie is still very much the hero of our story, but we get so much in terms of the other characters: Wesley in particular, but the rest of their little found family too. I'm super invested in their well-being and development, so I'm really glad that there'll be another book.
content warnings:
-----------
CONVERSION: 13.3 / 15 = 4.5 stars
Prose: 8 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 9 / 10
Emotional Impact: 10 / 10
Development / Flow: 8 / 10
Setting: 9 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: N/A
Intellectual Engagement: 4 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 4 / 5
Rereadability: 5 / 5
Memorability: 5 / 5
