I feel like I got tricked :/ This book doesn't read so much as a Whodunnit, as it does a reimagining of "Catcher in the Rye". The narrator is untrustworthy, damaged, largely unlikable, and he makes the story about him when it should be about the murder mystery. It was well written, in a literary study kind of way. But it was not a well written /mystery/ novel, if that makes sense. I called a lot of the ending from the first few chapters.

This book, unfortunately, fell to the same curse as the Game of Thrones TV show: It starts incredibly strong, pulling you in with its ambience; then midway you start to wonder "Which of these characters am I meant to be rooting for? I don't know that I like any of them."; and by the end the author is patting herself on the back for the importance of storytellers, and it makes you wonder why you bothered sitting through this tale in the first place.

This book had a strong opening... but became incredibly disappointing the minute Darrow entered the above-ground city. Every major plot beat or character moment was lifted straight from Hunger Games. Every bit of action or flavor was The Lightning Thief meets Battle Royale, or Lord of the Flies even. Those mashups might sound exciting, but they came across as crass, even as plagiarism. Everything original - all the space-age technology and culture - was left in the dust in favor of land battles and defecation, which fantasy novels have detailed before, ad nauseum. I regret that the fact that this book takes place IN SPACE, IN THE FUTURE, meant nothing.

If you want a better space-age civil war, watch The Expanse.

I'm not sure how to look at this book... It stars children, but is not a children's book, anymore than Logan was a movie meant for children just because it had superkids in it... But if not a children's book, then what? Is this a modern gothic horror story? A parody of the revenge genre? A parable? I can't tell if the author wants me to feel afraid, disgusted, or exultant by the end of the book.

It had wonderful storytelling for 95% of the book. Sometimes the stream-of-consciousness style was confusing for me, but it was artful and purposeful, and there were many passages which stood out as beautiful/universal to me.

But the end happens so swiftly, and almost unexpectedly, that it changed my opinion of the book as a whole. With everything that happens right at the finale... it almost feels like the author is saying, "But see, the bad guys were right!" That's unsettling, the idea that the author actually sides with his villains, and this story is somehow a morality tale?

It's a piece which can be talked about and analyzed, for sure, it's not an ending which makes the story worthless. It's just... hard to process. Confusing.

CHARMING! That is the magic word for this book: charming. Maybe I'm a sucker for British-isms, and I know here and there were some usual rom-com tropes, but the author has finesse with her writing, and the characters were full and lovable. If Gilmore Girls were a ghost story it would be this book. Absolutely adored it <3.

This book is an absolute masterpiece!!! It's hilarious, it's emotional, it's a wonderful parody of Jane Eyre if you know the source material, /and also/ a delightful tale in its own right (someone unfamiliar to the Bronte sisters' writing would /not/ feel excluded!) The narration in particular, how it draws the reader in like we're sharing a piece of gossip, reminded me of the grandfather from "The Princess Bride", or the great Mr. Lemony Snicket: perfectly measured wit and insight. I also love how the three authors who collaborated on The Lady Janies series are rather like the Bronte sisters themselves, sharing their love of writing... So many layers in which to appreciate this book!!! <3

This book is terrifying and raw. Some of the details read like a modern Gothic horror story, the linkage of death and sex, sickness and love... It's a twisted tale told by an unwell narrator. Poe would be proud.

Oddly, this story is a rare case of "I think the adaptation actually did it better." The book has A LOT of extraneous characters, and the mini-series is more streamlined in its storytelling. The extra characters in the book all seem to be a little flat: All blonde girls are popular and mean, and all brunettes or curvy girls grow up to serve them... Very strange how the book makes these sweeping statements about how EVERYONE is trapped into who they will grow up to be as of middle school/high school. But the main characters are complex, and their dynamics are both horrifying and electrifying. Any scene where Adora, Camille or Amma play off each other is storytelling gold.

You would think the "heroes destined to be enemies, but instead they fall in love" setup would be tired by now, but this book is the exact opposite of "tired". The magic systems are fresh and interesting, the characters are human (both flawed and lovable), the plot has many twists and turns but the author takes time unfolding it all, pausing to build emotion and scenery... It's beautiful. It's romantic, in all senses of the word: nostalgic, yearning, steamy... And the switching POV is gripping, these two characters struggling with identity and compromise, it's a fable we all needed to hear. An absolutely un-put-down-able fairytale <3.