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olivialandryxo
I haven’t read Much Ado About Nothing and I doubt I ever will, unless it’s part of the British Literature class I’m taking this semester. I didn’t actually know this was a Shakespearean retelling until after it piqued my interest and I put it on my tbr. Despite my unfavorable experiences with Shakespeare’s work in the past, I decided to give this a try.
I won’t say that I wish I hadn’t, but I would’ve been okay if I didn’t ever read this book. It was rather average and not much of it appealed to me.
The one thing I genuinely liked was the setting. This novel is set in the late 1920’s, in the Prohibition era, and it was interesting to read about. I’m not hugely into history, but lots of different aspects were woven into the story in some way. I liked it and I think it was done well.
The characters are what ruined this book for me. I found both Beatrice and Benedick quite irritating. Beatrice wants to be a doctor, something that’s not accepted in her time. She’s intelligent, capable, and quick-witted; she’s also brutally honest. None of those are bad traits in a character. What turned me off was that she clearly thought less of other girls for not being as smart or logical as she is, that she was superior. Get off your high horse, thanks. As for Benedick, the last half of his name says it all. I liked some of the side characters, but I don’t think their subplots or character arcs got enough page time. Give me less of B&B bickering and denying their feelings for each other, and more of the side characters with actually decent personalities.
The writing itself was good. As I said, my biggest problem was with the protagonists. If McKelle puts out another book, maybe I’ll check it out. But this one, though I liked the setting, was mainly a “meh” read.
I won’t say that I wish I hadn’t, but I would’ve been okay if I didn’t ever read this book. It was rather average and not much of it appealed to me.
The one thing I genuinely liked was the setting. This novel is set in the late 1920’s, in the Prohibition era, and it was interesting to read about. I’m not hugely into history, but lots of different aspects were woven into the story in some way. I liked it and I think it was done well.
The characters are what ruined this book for me. I found both Beatrice and Benedick quite irritating. Beatrice wants to be a doctor, something that’s not accepted in her time. She’s intelligent, capable, and quick-witted; she’s also brutally honest. None of those are bad traits in a character. What turned me off was that she clearly thought less of other girls for not being as smart or logical as she is, that she was superior. Get off your high horse, thanks. As for Benedick, the last half of his name says it all. I liked some of the side characters, but I don’t think their subplots or character arcs got enough page time. Give me less of B&B bickering and denying their feelings for each other, and more of the side characters with actually decent personalities.
The writing itself was good. As I said, my biggest problem was with the protagonists. If McKelle puts out another book, maybe I’ll check it out. But this one, though I liked the setting, was mainly a “meh” read.
CW: gore, suicide, mental instability
I was skeptical going into this novel, as it’s another Shakespeare retelling and Bill and I don’t get along. Let’s just say that I had good reason to be skeptical.
My main problem is that I absolutely don’t see why this book is nearly 600 pages. I think it’s too long, honestly. The story started slowly, but after about 75 pages I was intrigued. A lot of things had happened by the 200 page mark, and after that I started to lose interest. I contemplated dnfing this multiple times, but I didn’t because I was curious. That’s not something I think I’ve experienced prior; I was unbelievably bored for at least half the book, if not more, yet I was interested enough to want to continue. I’m confused too.
At about page 410, I started skimming. I skipped many perspectives, skimmed Gaela’s and Regan’s, and only truly read Elia’s. I truly stopped caring at that point and just wanted to be done with the book.
The only character I really liked was Elia, and even she wasn’t amazing, in my opinion. I liked how she gradually grew fiercer as the story progressed. Her sisters, Gaela and Regan, were monsters in their own way, and I didn’t like any of the male characters. Kayo and Morimaros had potential, but I thought they were too self-centered. I liked Ban for a time, but that changed once he let the idea of revenge get to his head. Aefa was okay, as was Brona, but unfortunately they were side characters without a lot of page time.
The writing was very dense and felt a bit as if I was reading something for school. It was a damper while I read; I’d be reading, thinking I was making decent progress, but I’d only read a page. That’s not to say that the writing was bad, because it wasn’t. It was only difficult, if you will.
Needless to say, my experience with this novel was quite the conundrum. If I remember correctly, it’s my first time delving into adult fantasy outside of V.E. Schwab and the trashfire I thought Uprooted was, but I’m not discouraged. Surely other books will be better; I just have to find them.
ETA: I almost forgot to mention that this book has a multitude of characters of color. It’s a fairly important part of the story. The only reason I didn’t mention it is being tired. Don’t mind me.
If you like adult fantasy, Shakespeare, and extremely slow stories, maybe this will sprinkle your donut. In my case, though, there were no sprinkles and my donut fell to the pits of hell. (Don’t mind my comparisons, it’s almost 1 am and I’m not proofreading this review, lol oops.)
I was skeptical going into this novel, as it’s another Shakespeare retelling and Bill and I don’t get along. Let’s just say that I had good reason to be skeptical.
My main problem is that I absolutely don’t see why this book is nearly 600 pages. I think it’s too long, honestly. The story started slowly, but after about 75 pages I was intrigued. A lot of things had happened by the 200 page mark, and after that I started to lose interest. I contemplated dnfing this multiple times, but I didn’t because I was curious. That’s not something I think I’ve experienced prior; I was unbelievably bored for at least half the book, if not more, yet I was interested enough to want to continue. I’m confused too.
At about page 410, I started skimming. I skipped many perspectives, skimmed Gaela’s and Regan’s, and only truly read Elia’s. I truly stopped caring at that point and just wanted to be done with the book.
The only character I really liked was Elia, and even she wasn’t amazing, in my opinion. I liked how she gradually grew fiercer as the story progressed. Her sisters, Gaela and Regan, were monsters in their own way, and I didn’t like any of the male characters. Kayo and Morimaros had potential, but I thought they were too self-centered. I liked Ban for a time, but that changed once he let the idea of revenge get to his head. Aefa was okay, as was Brona, but unfortunately they were side characters without a lot of page time.
The writing was very dense and felt a bit as if I was reading something for school. It was a damper while I read; I’d be reading, thinking I was making decent progress, but I’d only read a page. That’s not to say that the writing was bad, because it wasn’t. It was only difficult, if you will.
Needless to say, my experience with this novel was quite the conundrum. If I remember correctly, it’s my first time delving into adult fantasy outside of V.E. Schwab and the trashfire I thought Uprooted was, but I’m not discouraged. Surely other books will be better; I just have to find them.
ETA: I almost forgot to mention that this book has a multitude of characters of color. It’s a fairly important part of the story. The only reason I didn’t mention it is being tired. Don’t mind me.
If you like adult fantasy, Shakespeare, and extremely slow stories, maybe this will sprinkle your donut. In my case, though, there were no sprinkles and my donut fell to the pits of hell. (Don’t mind my comparisons, it’s almost 1 am and I’m not proofreading this review, lol oops.)
3.5 stars
CW: panic attacks, anxiety, trauma, death, violence
I went into this novel not really knowing what to expect. It started off as a fun sci-fi read but ended up being so much more. The thrilling aspects of this book come after incredible build-up and tension; the lighthearted gradually gives way to darker undertones and then completely started messing with my head. I really enjoyed that.
I also enjoyed the quickness of the story. This is quite the page-turner; I needed only a handful of hours to read it, and multiple times I’d stop reading and realize 50+ pages had passed. In my opinion, that’s one way to prove an author’s skill. I’m very impressed by this.
Romy is a great protagonist with a great character arc. It’s subtle, but I could absolutely tell she’d changed. She’s sweet and clever, if a bit naïve, and I think her perspective made the story all the more interesting. If someone else had narrated or the story had been told in third person, I don’t think it would’ve had the same effect.
I fully believe that this being a thriller made me like it more, and that we need more space thrillers, because wow. I saw a couple of other reviewers eluding to the unbelievable twists and high stakes that come later in the story, but I didn’t believe it until I read it myself. Those twists seriously threw me for a loop. I spent most of the last 30 pages questioning everything, another sign of Lauren’s skill.
So why the 3 star rating, if I liked it so much? Unfortunately, I had two fairly big issues with this novel. First, it took about a third of the story for me to really become interested and think of this as more than merely a simple sci-fi. This wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing, except this book is only 300 pages and therefore I feel it didn’t really work. And second, the ending was rather abrupt. I was coming down from the vicarious adrenaline rush of the ending, curious to see how Romy’s story would end, and then it was over. I think an additional 15-20 pages would’ve been beneficial. I wasn’t expecting them to get all the way to Earth II; I just wanted a few more details and a solid resolution.
Also, since it’s getting close to 1 am and I feel like being a smidge petty, I think the antagonist took their revenge a *little* too far given their motives. Or maybe, as time went on, they let themselves get a little *too* focused on said revenge. I’m not sure.
Although this novel has some flaws in my eyes, I enjoyed it more than I ever thought I would. I’d absolutely recommend it if you believe you can handle the content.
CW: panic attacks, anxiety, trauma, death, violence
I went into this novel not really knowing what to expect. It started off as a fun sci-fi read but ended up being so much more. The thrilling aspects of this book come after incredible build-up and tension; the lighthearted gradually gives way to darker undertones and then completely started messing with my head. I really enjoyed that.
I also enjoyed the quickness of the story. This is quite the page-turner; I needed only a handful of hours to read it, and multiple times I’d stop reading and realize 50+ pages had passed. In my opinion, that’s one way to prove an author’s skill. I’m very impressed by this.
Romy is a great protagonist with a great character arc. It’s subtle, but I could absolutely tell she’d changed. She’s sweet and clever, if a bit naïve, and I think her perspective made the story all the more interesting. If someone else had narrated or the story had been told in third person, I don’t think it would’ve had the same effect.
I fully believe that this being a thriller made me like it more, and that we need more space thrillers, because wow. I saw a couple of other reviewers eluding to the unbelievable twists and high stakes that come later in the story, but I didn’t believe it until I read it myself. Those twists seriously threw me for a loop. I spent most of the last 30 pages questioning everything, another sign of Lauren’s skill.
So why the 3 star rating, if I liked it so much? Unfortunately, I had two fairly big issues with this novel. First, it took about a third of the story for me to really become interested and think of this as more than merely a simple sci-fi. This wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing, except this book is only 300 pages and therefore I feel it didn’t really work. And second, the ending was rather abrupt. I was coming down from the vicarious adrenaline rush of the ending, curious to see how Romy’s story would end, and then it was over. I think an additional 15-20 pages would’ve been beneficial. I wasn’t expecting them to get all the way to Earth II; I just wanted a few more details and a solid resolution.
Also, since it’s getting close to 1 am and I feel like being a smidge petty, I think the antagonist took their revenge a *little* too far given their motives. Or maybe, as time went on, they let themselves get a little *too* focused on said revenge. I’m not sure.
Although this novel has some flaws in my eyes, I enjoyed it more than I ever thought I would. I’d absolutely recommend it if you believe you can handle the content.
4.5 stars
CW: rape, sexual assault, victim blaming, sexism
This is a raw and truly compelling novel.
The characters are flawed and deeply realistic — even the side characters are developed and important — and each one fights their own battles and tries to come to terms with losing someone they trust. All around, the development is exquisite.
All of the relationships are complex: familial, platonic, romantic. There’s a love triangle between the protagonist, her ex-girlfriend, and her brother’s best friend, and while it’s significant it isn’t overwhelming. While Mara and Alex were sweet together, I loved Mara and Charlie. They just clicked and they’re an amazing couple; after everything, I’m glad they work it out.
The discussions throughout are incredibly nuanced in order to suit our society. In addition to rape and sexual assault, this book tackles sexism, the patriarchy, queerness, and gender identity. Nothing is black and white, and much of the story explores these gray areas.
Although to me personally it didn’t quite feel like a 5 star read, this novel is beautiful inside and out, albeit heart-wrenching, and I absolutely recommend it to everyone that can handle the content. Ashley is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.
CW: rape, sexual assault, victim blaming, sexism
This is a raw and truly compelling novel.
The characters are flawed and deeply realistic — even the side characters are developed and important — and each one fights their own battles and tries to come to terms with losing someone they trust. All around, the development is exquisite.
All of the relationships are complex: familial, platonic, romantic. There’s a love triangle between the protagonist, her ex-girlfriend, and her brother’s best friend, and while it’s significant it isn’t overwhelming. While Mara and Alex were sweet together, I loved Mara and Charlie. They just clicked and they’re an amazing couple; after everything, I’m glad they work it out.
The discussions throughout are incredibly nuanced in order to suit our society. In addition to rape and sexual assault, this book tackles sexism, the patriarchy, queerness, and gender identity. Nothing is black and white, and much of the story explores these gray areas.
Although to me personally it didn’t quite feel like a 5 star read, this novel is beautiful inside and out, albeit heart-wrenching, and I absolutely recommend it to everyone that can handle the content. Ashley is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.
CW: racism, police brutality, violence
Although it’s one of the shortest I’ve read, this novel packs a punch. In only 210 pages, it tackles racism and police brutality, and it’s a powerful read. I sped through this book in a total of about 3 hours, but that didn’t detract from its impact.
The story told is one that’s completely up front and brutally honest. It hides nothing, tells everything. And even though the characters aren’t especially fleshed out, it works. They’re vividly realistic nonetheless, flawed and fighting and fearing. I think this is a testament to Nic’s skill even as a debut author, to focus on content over characters and still have everything work out.
However, there were two aspects I unfortunately didn’t like as much. First, dialogue made up about 75% of the novel, and while that’s definitely a stylistic choice that adds an extra level of uniqueness, I think it prevented side characters from being fully fleshed out. And second, I’m not sure that I’m a fan of Justyce’s romance with SJ. They were good friends and worked well together, but at least to me it felt like their relationship beyond those things didn’t really have any chemistry.
Nonetheless, I liked this book. It’s full of upsetting events but ends in a way that gives hope. It’s relevant, it’s excellent, and I urge you to read it if you can. It’s a narrative we need to listen to.
Although it’s one of the shortest I’ve read, this novel packs a punch. In only 210 pages, it tackles racism and police brutality, and it’s a powerful read. I sped through this book in a total of about 3 hours, but that didn’t detract from its impact.
The story told is one that’s completely up front and brutally honest. It hides nothing, tells everything. And even though the characters aren’t especially fleshed out, it works. They’re vividly realistic nonetheless, flawed and fighting and fearing. I think this is a testament to Nic’s skill even as a debut author, to focus on content over characters and still have everything work out.
However, there were two aspects I unfortunately didn’t like as much. First, dialogue made up about 75% of the novel, and while that’s definitely a stylistic choice that adds an extra level of uniqueness, I think it prevented side characters from being fully fleshed out. And second, I’m not sure that I’m a fan of Justyce’s romance with SJ. They were good friends and worked well together, but at least to me it felt like their relationship beyond those things didn’t really have any chemistry.
Nonetheless, I liked this book. It’s full of upsetting events but ends in a way that gives hope. It’s relevant, it’s excellent, and I urge you to read it if you can. It’s a narrative we need to listen to.
I liked this too much to give it 3 stars, but had too many problems to give it 4. So, 3.5? That may change, but I'll stick with it for now.
I'm so conflicted over this book. Not even joking.
Okay, so normally I'd divide my review into likes and dislikes, but my thoughts are jumbled. Instead, here's a list of general thoughts.
** Minor spoiler warning. **
» The story was enjoyable. I remember really liking the Indian mythology focus the first book had, and I liked the expansion on that in this one. Beyond Indian, this also featured bits of Norse and Greek myths, and possibly more I missed and/or have slipped my mind at the moment. Also, the quests have been interesting to read about, especially when they involve travel to another world. I liked reading about adventures in Shangri-la, and I loved the Silvanae. Except…
» I felt that the romance took over the story. I mentioned in one of my updates that I believed a polyamorous relationship would solve the problem, and I stand by that. But instead it was drawn out and seemed to dominate the real plot. In the beginning, Kelsey was pining for Ren and began dating other guys. Ren returned and one of those guys, Li, stuck around anyway. That was really dramatic and honestly unnecessary. Li backed off, and Kelsey and Ren were fine. I wasn't, though, because Ren handled the other guys in a jealous, somewhat controlling way. I get that it was probably a mix of his past and his tiger instincts, but just NO. Kelsey isn't an object, and she doesn't belong to you. Enter Kishan's return, and even more drama. Kishan is Ren's brother and long story short, he loves Kelsey too. They fight, they bicker, she believes she isn't worth affection from one, let alone both. Ren becomes … otherwise occupied with other obstacles, so Kelsey and Kishan go on the quest on their own. Cue angst, confessions, and a lot of unrequited feelings, particularly frustration, melancholy, and awkwardness. This was common throughout the story, and it got old quickly.
» But not all the relationships were bad. I liked the grandfatherly bond Kelsey and Mr. Kadam had, and the friendship she formed with his granddaughter Nilima. I did also like Kelsey's foster family, but just like in the first book they were forgotten almost immediately once the quest began.
» On the subject of Nilima, early on in the first few chapters, there was a line that bothered me. Nilima was mentioned for the first time in this book, I believe to take Kelsey to India, and Kelsey described her as an "exotic beauty." It only happened once, but that's just not something you say. No.
» I'm not sure what was going on with the pacing. It was really slow in the beginning and through most of the middle, but the big plan took about a chapter. It felt like a lot of buildup, some not really necessary, and only a mediocre climax. I liked the ending, but it resembled the beginning as well as the end of book one a little too much for my tastes.
I was really critical of this book, but I think it was more that I just realized issues I didn't when reading the first one. That being said, I did like this book. I liked most of the characters most of the time, as they only spent a little time being cliché. The story was interesting, just a bit too slow. I honestly love the storyline and Indian mythology in this, because it's so unique even if it isn't executed perfectly. And although the ending does emit a bit of concern from me because it could very well make a lot of unneeded drama in the third, I liked it. Yes, it was a bit cliché, but it was still done well enough for me to be curious.
I think I'll give the third book a try. It won't be a priority, but eventually I'll get to it.
(Hopefully this made some semblance of sense.)
I'm so conflicted over this book. Not even joking.
Okay, so normally I'd divide my review into likes and dislikes, but my thoughts are jumbled. Instead, here's a list of general thoughts.
** Minor spoiler warning. **
» The story was enjoyable. I remember really liking the Indian mythology focus the first book had, and I liked the expansion on that in this one. Beyond Indian, this also featured bits of Norse and Greek myths, and possibly more I missed and/or have slipped my mind at the moment. Also, the quests have been interesting to read about, especially when they involve travel to another world. I liked reading about adventures in Shangri-la, and I loved the Silvanae. Except…
» I felt that the romance took over the story. I mentioned in one of my updates that I believed a polyamorous relationship would solve the problem, and I stand by that. But instead it was drawn out and seemed to dominate the real plot. In the beginning, Kelsey was pining for Ren and began dating other guys. Ren returned and one of those guys, Li, stuck around anyway. That was really dramatic and honestly unnecessary. Li backed off, and Kelsey and Ren were fine. I wasn't, though, because Ren handled the other guys in a jealous, somewhat controlling way. I get that it was probably a mix of his past and his tiger instincts, but just NO. Kelsey isn't an object, and she doesn't belong to you. Enter Kishan's return, and even more drama. Kishan is Ren's brother and long story short, he loves Kelsey too. They fight, they bicker, she believes she isn't worth affection from one, let alone both. Ren becomes … otherwise occupied with other obstacles, so Kelsey and Kishan go on the quest on their own. Cue angst, confessions, and a lot of unrequited feelings, particularly frustration, melancholy, and awkwardness. This was common throughout the story, and it got old quickly.
» But not all the relationships were bad. I liked the grandfatherly bond Kelsey and Mr. Kadam had, and the friendship she formed with his granddaughter Nilima. I did also like Kelsey's foster family, but just like in the first book they were forgotten almost immediately once the quest began.
» On the subject of Nilima, early on in the first few chapters, there was a line that bothered me. Nilima was mentioned for the first time in this book, I believe to take Kelsey to India, and Kelsey described her as an "exotic beauty." It only happened once, but that's just not something you say. No.
» I'm not sure what was going on with the pacing. It was really slow in the beginning and through most of the middle, but the big plan took about a chapter. It felt like a lot of buildup, some not really necessary, and only a mediocre climax. I liked the ending, but it resembled the beginning as well as the end of book one a little too much for my tastes.
I was really critical of this book, but I think it was more that I just realized issues I didn't when reading the first one. That being said, I did like this book. I liked most of the characters most of the time, as they only spent a little time being cliché. The story was interesting, just a bit too slow. I honestly love the storyline and Indian mythology in this, because it's so unique even if it isn't executed perfectly. And although the ending does emit a bit of concern from me because it could very well make a lot of unneeded drama in the third, I liked it. Yes, it was a bit cliché, but it was still done well enough for me to be curious.
I think I'll give the third book a try. It won't be a priority, but eventually I'll get to it.
(Hopefully this made some semblance of sense.)
* Full review written & posted on my blog, Heir of Glitter — http://heirofglitter.com/2016/02/27/the-selection-review/ *
I enjoyed this far more than I expected I would. I thought it was slow and kind of predictable, and America's name is ridiculous, but otherwise it was great. All of the characters were strong and real. Maxon was my favorite; I loved how adorable awkward he was. I loved his relationship with America, and the encouraging friendship she had with Marlee. I'll definitely read The Elite. :)
I enjoyed this far more than I expected I would. I thought it was slow and kind of predictable, and America's name is ridiculous, but otherwise it was great. All of the characters were strong and real. Maxon was my favorite; I loved how adorable awkward he was. I loved his relationship with America, and the encouraging friendship she had with Marlee. I'll definitely read The Elite. :)
CW: torture, branding, war, slavery
I’m at a loss for words. I wouldn’t say this book is amazing, but it was still really enjoyable and an extremely wild ride. So much happened, especially in the last 150 pages.
I think both Todd and Viola had great development, and I liked that Viola was a narrator. However, they did some infuriating things and I just can’t with them. I liked them, but they also kind of make me want to pull my hair out.
** first book spoilers **
If Manchee was in this book, I guarantee it would’ve been better. He deserved better. I’m pretty sure Angharrad is there because Manchee isn’t, and she’s a sweet horse that I hope doesn’t die, but still. Manchee might’ve been too sweet for the world, but that doesn’t mean he should’ve been taken out of it. I still am and will forever be bitter, honestly.
** end spoilers **
One thing I thought was interesting was the way the story discussed and demonstrated the nuances of indirect war. It emphasized strategy and manipulation, as well as the physical and psychological effects of extended conflict. Patrick does well blending this with the fast pace and morally grey characters and atmosphere.
Also, I hope Todd and Viola’s relationship stays platonic. Toward the end they say that they love each other, but I’m really hoping they mean platonic love. First, to my knowledge, they’re only 13-14, and second, I just want a boy and a girl to save the world as friends. Is that so much to ask??
I’m glad Overdrive had the third book available, because while it wasn’t any sort of devastating cliffhanger, I’m not sure how you finish this book without immediately going to the finale. So off I go! Let’s see where this trashfire is headed.
(I mean that in the best way possible.)
I’m at a loss for words. I wouldn’t say this book is amazing, but it was still really enjoyable and an extremely wild ride. So much happened, especially in the last 150 pages.
I think both Todd and Viola had great development, and I liked that Viola was a narrator. However, they did some infuriating things and I just can’t with them. I liked them, but they also kind of make me want to pull my hair out.
** first book spoilers **
If Manchee was in this book, I guarantee it would’ve been better. He deserved better. I’m pretty sure Angharrad is there because Manchee isn’t, and she’s a sweet horse that I hope doesn’t die, but still. Manchee might’ve been too sweet for the world, but that doesn’t mean he should’ve been taken out of it. I still am and will forever be bitter, honestly.
** end spoilers **
One thing I thought was interesting was the way the story discussed and demonstrated the nuances of indirect war. It emphasized strategy and manipulation, as well as the physical and psychological effects of extended conflict. Patrick does well blending this with the fast pace and morally grey characters and atmosphere.
Also, I hope Todd and Viola’s relationship stays platonic. Toward the end they say that they love each other, but I’m really hoping they mean platonic love. First, to my knowledge, they’re only 13-14, and second, I just want a boy and a girl to save the world as friends. Is that so much to ask??
I’m glad Overdrive had the third book available, because while it wasn’t any sort of devastating cliffhanger, I’m not sure how you finish this book without immediately going to the finale. So off I go! Let’s see where this trashfire is headed.
(I mean that in the best way possible.)
3.5 stars
CW: gore, torture, war, explosions
WHAT THE FIG WAS THAT?!
I’m so confused. I’m kind of sad, a bit relieved, somewhat frustrated... who knew this series would give me so many feelings even after Manchee died in book one?? I didn’t.
A list of my thoughts/grievances:
1. Patrick Ness needs to be forbidden from including animals with personalities in his books. Manchee dying was the worst plot twist ever and even six months later I’m still devastated and oh so very bitter. I had a feeling Angharrad would die, but no, it was Acorn. And for such a dumb reason! Don’t get me attached to animals and then kill them! #rude
2. Todd died. Todd was dead. Now Todd isn’t dead. I’m legit confused. I have problems with this. First, it felt kind of like a cop-out. All of this work and build-up, especially after a 575 page war, and Todd died because 1017 was impulsive. Disappointing, but whatever. I can’t do anything about it, and I wasn’t *super* attached to him anyway. But if you’re going to kill a protagonist, stick with it!!! All of a sudden he’s alive? How? HOW? There were a few pages of him miraculously regaining consciousness, he’s officially pronounced alive, the end. And in the last book of the trilogy! Excuse me?! I need details!
3. The pacing left something to be desired. It was almost 600 pages of just war, and it didn’t have the intrigue the second book did. After 250-300 pages, it kind of got old. Explosions, fire, death, betrayal, ambushes, floods, poison… this book had it all, but unfortunately, not much more.
3b. If Todd had just killed the Mayor at the end of book two, half of this crap wouldn’t have happened. He literally brought the end of the world on himself and everyone else.
3c. What the fig was going on with the Mayor?? He could hear the whole world so he tried to control the whole world and it drove him mad. Todd apparently helped him keep it at bay, but without Todd, he was, well, mad. He could see and hear everything, basically, and had these messed up, maxed out mind powers. Noise x1000000, but as a weapon. I still don’t really get it, to be honest. And his death was anticlimactic.
4. The best surprise of this book was that Ben was still alive. I loved his reunion with Todd. It was as close to happy as anything in this story.
5. Todd and Viola kissed. Their relationship is beyond platonic, after all. I was hoping it wouldn’t be romantic, but not much I can do. At the very least, I’m glad they weren’t mushy. Their judgement was bad enough, so at least I was spared the PDA.
5b. I have nothing against their relationship turning romantic, it’s just not what I hoped for personally. If the ending was better, I might’ve been more on board.
6. Over time, the Spackle POV chapters grew on me. It allowed me to learn about their species and their culture without info-dumping. I’m still not a big fan of 1017, but he had a decent character arc.
So I finished the Chaos Walking trilogy. It was good overall, but I think this was my least favorite and, in my opinion, the ending definitely could’ve been better. It didn’t really do the story or the characters justice. In terms of plot and intrigue, I have to say the second book was the best, but the first will always be my favorite because Manchee. He deserved better.
CW: gore, torture, war, explosions
WHAT THE FIG WAS THAT?!
I’m so confused. I’m kind of sad, a bit relieved, somewhat frustrated... who knew this series would give me so many feelings even after Manchee died in book one?? I didn’t.
A list of my thoughts/grievances:
1. Patrick Ness needs to be forbidden from including animals with personalities in his books. Manchee dying was the worst plot twist ever and even six months later I’m still devastated and oh so very bitter. I had a feeling Angharrad would die, but no, it was Acorn. And for such a dumb reason! Don’t get me attached to animals and then kill them! #rude
2. Todd died. Todd was dead. Now Todd isn’t dead. I’m legit confused. I have problems with this. First, it felt kind of like a cop-out. All of this work and build-up, especially after a 575 page war, and Todd died because 1017 was impulsive. Disappointing, but whatever. I can’t do anything about it, and I wasn’t *super* attached to him anyway. But if you’re going to kill a protagonist, stick with it!!! All of a sudden he’s alive? How? HOW? There were a few pages of him miraculously regaining consciousness, he’s officially pronounced alive, the end. And in the last book of the trilogy! Excuse me?! I need details!
3. The pacing left something to be desired. It was almost 600 pages of just war, and it didn’t have the intrigue the second book did. After 250-300 pages, it kind of got old. Explosions, fire, death, betrayal, ambushes, floods, poison… this book had it all, but unfortunately, not much more.
3b. If Todd had just killed the Mayor at the end of book two, half of this crap wouldn’t have happened. He literally brought the end of the world on himself and everyone else.
3c. What the fig was going on with the Mayor?? He could hear the whole world so he tried to control the whole world and it drove him mad. Todd apparently helped him keep it at bay, but without Todd, he was, well, mad. He could see and hear everything, basically, and had these messed up, maxed out mind powers. Noise x1000000, but as a weapon. I still don’t really get it, to be honest. And his death was anticlimactic.
4. The best surprise of this book was that Ben was still alive. I loved his reunion with Todd. It was as close to happy as anything in this story.
5. Todd and Viola kissed. Their relationship is beyond platonic, after all. I was hoping it wouldn’t be romantic, but not much I can do. At the very least, I’m glad they weren’t mushy. Their judgement was bad enough, so at least I was spared the PDA.
5b. I have nothing against their relationship turning romantic, it’s just not what I hoped for personally. If the ending was better, I might’ve been more on board.
6. Over time, the Spackle POV chapters grew on me. It allowed me to learn about their species and their culture without info-dumping. I’m still not a big fan of 1017, but he had a decent character arc.
So I finished the Chaos Walking trilogy. It was good overall, but I think this was my least favorite and, in my opinion, the ending definitely could’ve been better. It didn’t really do the story or the characters justice. In terms of plot and intrigue, I have to say the second book was the best, but the first will always be my favorite because Manchee. He deserved better.
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CW: discussion of substance abuse and rape, PTSD, self-harm
Much like its predecessor, I found this book to be rather average. I liked it and I think it was entertaining, but it certainly had flaws.
In the first book, the mystery was intriguing and well-written, and my only issue with it was the antagonist monologue. While this novel didn’t have any kind of monologue, I think the mystery was weaker. I liked the exploration of art forgery, but the last fourth of the book was quite confusing. There was a poorly explained secret plot, lots of tension, a random death, and I’m not really sure what happened to the captured antagonists.
Jamie and Charlotte’s complex dynamic was one of the best parts of the first book, but in this novel, it suffered from poor communication and teenage angst. They’re on the line between friendship and romance, but misconstrued feelings messed it all up. Charlotte also worries that she can’t give Jamie what he wants should their relationship become romantic because she was raped prior to the series starting. That’s completely valid; my issue is that neither of them tried to talk about everything else between them.
I did like the setting, though. Not many YA books are set in Europe but out of England, so the adventures in Berlin were fun to read. Also, I think Lena is an underrated side character.
So while I wasn’t the biggest fan of this book, I liked it enough to continue to the series. Here’s to hoping book three is the best one yet!
Much like its predecessor, I found this book to be rather average. I liked it and I think it was entertaining, but it certainly had flaws.
In the first book, the mystery was intriguing and well-written, and my only issue with it was the antagonist monologue. While this novel didn’t have any kind of monologue, I think the mystery was weaker. I liked the exploration of art forgery, but the last fourth of the book was quite confusing. There was a poorly explained secret plot, lots of tension, a random death, and I’m not really sure what happened to the captured antagonists.
Jamie and Charlotte’s complex dynamic was one of the best parts of the first book, but in this novel, it suffered from poor communication and teenage angst. They’re on the line between friendship and romance, but misconstrued feelings messed it all up. Charlotte also worries that she can’t give Jamie what he wants should their relationship become romantic because she was raped prior to the series starting. That’s completely valid; my issue is that neither of them tried to talk about everything else between them.
I did like the setting, though. Not many YA books are set in Europe but out of England, so the adventures in Berlin were fun to read. Also, I think Lena is an underrated side character.
So while I wasn’t the biggest fan of this book, I liked it enough to continue to the series. Here’s to hoping book three is the best one yet!