This started well. The first chapter was well written and engaged my interest. I cared about the characters. First chapter solid 4 star. But with eachThis started well. The first chapter was well written and engaged my interest. I cared about the characters. First chapter solid 4 star. But with each chapter the book just got stupid. That’s unkind but it was so stupid that I feel my head will pop if I don’t say it. It was obvious where the story was going but it was completely implausible and the more it went on the more implausible it became. Plot holes a huge truck could be driven through. And the author really did not understand women and certainly couldn’t write them. Not one believable female character. Certainly not one likeable one. I should have dnffed, especially when it hit my 3 eyeroll limit but I was so close to finished and I kept expecting this big twist that reviewers said was going to happen, which was actually completely obvious from early on, so no big twist for me. And don’t even get me started with the prose. So badly overwritten that I’m shocked this was even published. Do not understand why this book is so well reviewed. Completely understand why M. night Shyamalan made a movie of it and I don’t mean that in a complimentary way. Definitely do not recommend. ...more
A very generous 2 stars considering I really did not enjoy this. Would I have enjoyed it more if the twist that was written as being a significant twiA very generous 2 stars considering I really did not enjoy this. Would I have enjoyed it more if the twist that was written as being a significant twist actually had been? My copy of the book gave it away on the back blurb so I knew what was being shielded though not why so it was not off to a good start, structurally speaking. I did not enjoy Rosemary and I would not have chosen to read a book about animal abuse at this time in my life. So what I thought the book was going to be really wasn’t anything at all what I had expected. I wanted to dnf early on but foolishly hung on thinking there was going to be a big twist, not realizing I already knew it. So, really not a fan of this and will be unhauling from my library....more
Dnf. Loved the premise but loathed the characters and the backstory. The tie in to Loki was not enough to make me want to finish. The whole dynamic beDnf. Loved the premise but loathed the characters and the backstory. The tie in to Loki was not enough to make me want to finish. The whole dynamic between Jesse and his ex induced hard eye rolls and smothered any interest I had in the story. Not my cup of tea. Definitely having a hard time settling on something to read....more
Dnf at 35%. Found it rather boring, silly and not really like Jane Eyre except the character’s names. If a reader likes fairies maybe this will appealDnf at 35%. Found it rather boring, silly and not really like Jane Eyre except the character’s names. If a reader likes fairies maybe this will appeal. Just not my cup of tea. ...more
First dnf of the year. Just not feeling this in any way which I find surprising as it’s usually the kind of book I enjoy but alas the character develoFirst dnf of the year. Just not feeling this in any way which I find surprising as it’s usually the kind of book I enjoy but alas the character development is weak. Perhaps having the dual povs is part of my problem with this. There’s a number of characters with names that are hard to be keep straight, so the dual pov adds to the confusion. The characters aren’t particularly engaging or memorable except that one could turn into a bird and has some anger issues. It’s a little trope-y and is initially (at least 40ish percent the way thru the book) reading like a bad romance novel. The thought of reading this right now makes me feel overwhelmed and discouraged. Perhaps this will be a dnf for now and I will pick it up later. I returned the audio version as I found the narrators voice grating and if I try again Ill read rather than listen. Or I’ll unhaul tomorrow. It can go either way at this point. So disappointed as I loved her last book so much....more
Closer to 2.5 This really didn’t land for me despite some pretty cool concepts. The idea to tell a zombie story from a zombie’s pov was interesting. HCloser to 2.5 This really didn’t land for me despite some pretty cool concepts. The idea to tell a zombie story from a zombie’s pov was interesting. Having there be a lack of civil rights for the undead in the world of the living was an interesting idea for world building and conflict for our protagonist. Even the idea that Andy is kind of having a very human progression from his rebirth from death, to his childlike demeanour and dependence towards his parents to him evolving into a thinking feeling young adult experiencing lust and love and ultimately building a family was an interesting concept. The problem was two-fold for me. I just didn’t like Andy. He just wasn’t fleshed out (ha!) beyond his zombie status and his infatuation with Rita, which was always very superficial, with descriptions on what she was wearing as though that would serve as character development. And so though Andy is ‘developing’ as a zombie, he does not truly develop as a character. Secondly the humour, with the exception of the opening chapter just didn’t land for me. So 3 stars for the premise but 2 for being poorly executed. Zombie read done for Spooky October reads....more
I’ll start this right off by saying that the cover price of $25 Canadian for a 119 page book is just an absolute rip off, especially given the qualityI’ll start this right off by saying that the cover price of $25 Canadian for a 119 page book is just an absolute rip off, especially given the quality of writing. I thought it was too much when this first came out and everyone was reading it and giving it rave reviews but I refused to buy it at that price. However I recently found it at value village for a fraction of the cost and thought, hey! My lucky day! I love fairy tale retellings so I grabbed it with the feeling of a happy bargain made.
Well, having read it, I am really glad I never shelled out the full price as I had been tempted to. How was this ever published? Sure there are illustrations sprinkled throughout and the cover is gorgeous but the illustrations, really just shadow block images, are random and not seemingly attached to the story so it doesn’t really add to the experience in any way.
I will say that had the book been longer I would have dnffed as I found the character and her chipper, ‘I’m dying but hey, I’m not gonna let it get me down and God forbid, talk about it’ sarcastic demeanour just completely annoying and very hard to relate to. The tone, the story, the narrative voice was all off for me. Like trying to put hot sauce on apple pie. It just didn’t work. And the relationship between Charm (really?) and the main character was grating on my nerves.
So I’ll be unhauling this as I can’t see me ever wanting to reread it. Maybe someone will be equally as happy to find this in a secondhand bookstore and maybe they’ll enjoy it more than I did. I do seem to be in the minority with this. ...more
Well, that was really terrible. The experience was very like watching porn where the sex is bad and cringey, the story is silly and the characters areWell, that was really terrible. The experience was very like watching porn where the sex is bad and cringey, the story is silly and the characters are not very well fleshed out (ha!) There was not one redeemable thing about this book and I have no idea why I didn’t dnf.
The sex scenes with the ‘man wolf’ were so weird and awkward and I legitimately would be asking myself why would any sane woman be ok having sex with a big hairy non human? Like why? And why does this 23 year old guy start sounding all pompous and old worldly? It was really terrible on audio. Why did I keep reading?
Well, because it was Anne Rice. I loved Anne Rice. Interview With a Vampire, the Witching series were rich reading experiences where I was engaged fully with her prose, her characters and her stories but none of that worked here. It was just really awful in every way for me and that makes me sad because I was planning to reread some of her work and I’m a little afraid the time to appreciate her work was back when I first discovered it and that perhaps it’s best to leave well enough alone....more
DNF @ 27% After an initial strong first chapter, the book began to lose it’s charm for me as it progressed. I don’t enjoy first person narratives by wDNF @ 27% After an initial strong first chapter, the book began to lose it’s charm for me as it progressed. I don’t enjoy first person narratives by women whom I don’t find likeable. Those books quickly become a grind for me and even the aunties couldn’t save it. It seemed highly improbable as the story progressed. Overall, just not my cup of tea....more
Not a very successful attempt at merging Jane Austen and fantasy. This lacked the complexity with all aspects that I would attribute to Austen’s worksNot a very successful attempt at merging Jane Austen and fantasy. This lacked the complexity with all aspects that I would attribute to Austen’s works. Though the author tries to write something similar it just doesn’t quite work. Jane, the main character comes off as a bit of a stick up her arse kind of character rather than one of integrity and decency as is being aimed for. The love interest is in no ways, a desirable love interest in any way. The plot was sometimes a little boring and also overwrought. So, held my interest but overall not something that stands out for me. Jo Walton does a better job with the regency/fantasy merging and there’s the bonus that it’s about dragons. ...more
2.5 so glad I didn’t buy this! It starts off well enough but as the story progresses it lost its steam for me and garnered a couple of eye rolls towar2.5 so glad I didn’t buy this! It starts off well enough but as the story progresses it lost its steam for me and garnered a couple of eye rolls toward the last couple of chapters. Elements of the story didn’t quite come together. I understood where the story was going but it just wasn’t well executed and felt a little too YAish which I’m not a big fan of. Bummed I didn’t enjoy this more as it had an interesting premise and a promising start. ...more
Dnffed at 50%. Just cannot do another minute of this. Disappointed as I loved Elsewhere so much. But there is just too much going on and I feel compleDnffed at 50%. Just cannot do another minute of this. Disappointed as I loved Elsewhere so much. But there is just too much going on and I feel completely unattached to any of it. I get what she’s trying to do with the novel but the way it is structured with many characters povs touched by Alison’s death began to feel too much and like the story wasn’t really going anywhere. It made it hard to connect with any of it. Maybe reading it at another time will give me a fresh perspective and I’ll feel differently but right now this is definitely the wrong book at the wrong time....more
This was one I should have just dnffed. I did not enjoy it and it actually induced some eye rolls towards the end. The author has some interesting thiThis was one I should have just dnffed. I did not enjoy it and it actually induced some eye rolls towards the end. The author has some interesting things to say about the power of motherhood and how it can move the bar of what one is willing to do to protect one’s child. The premise of book eaters was interesting but in the end, I did not find the character of Devon or the story very engaging. I listened to this on audio and I think the story suffered for it. The narrator had not a great deal of emotion or differentiation between characters, so none really stood out for me. It was a chore to pick this up and I should have just dnffed but I was already 2/3s of the way through. Some of what contributed to the story not really gaining traction for me, aside from the way it was read, was that the story is told both in present day and in the past, switching over every other chapter. I don’t enjoy that type of structure for storytelling. It feels like the story is not progressing and it doesn’t allow for the tension to properly build if you know the next chapter is going to be the past rather than advancing the current plot. These are personal tastes and clearly I’m in the minority, as there are many positive reviews here on Goodreads. For me, this was not engaging, mildly annoying and had an unsatisfactory finish. Not my cup of tea....more
Not an entirely satisfying read for me. It went from a solid 4 star to 2 star read as the plot seemed to unravel into confusing, bewildering successioNot an entirely satisfying read for me. It went from a solid 4 star to 2 star read as the plot seemed to unravel into confusing, bewildering successions of wtf did I just read twists? At first, as I readjusted my idea of what was going on, I was on board, but then, there was one inexplicable plot twist after another until the story broke down into having to view it as one thing, but then the ending negated that, so as a reader, I was left wondering, what was real, what wasn’t? What did it mean for the story? Having read other summaries and reviews of the book since finishing, I haven’t read anything that completely explains or seems to understand comprehensively wtf was going on. I don’t like that so much. So, while I did enjoy the book and thought it wildly inventive, I ultimately found it unsatisfying. I would have 5 starred the shit out of it if it had it made a conclusive choice one way or the other and I’d have been on board with it, one way or the other, but I strongly disliked the ambiguity....more
“Poor Harls. He hadn’t much liked American Psycho. Savage satirist or twisted fuck? He’d asked me, when he finished it. Both, I’d said.”
And that abou“Poor Harls. He hadn’t much liked American Psycho. Savage satirist or twisted fuck? He’d asked me, when he finished it. Both, I’d said.”
And that about sums up what Duncan appears to be attempting with this book, filled with cynical observations on the human condition in the twentieth century. Sometimes, the observations are mildly entertaining but after a while, as a reader, they become annoying, hindering the flow of the story and any chance of caring even a little bit for the main character.
But on the upside, the question of whether I’d find it more interesting to read a book from the POV of a long lived supernatural being, that reflected that long life, as opposed to the idiocy of the vampires in Twilight, who appear satisfied with going to high school ad infinitum, replete with school boy crushes has been answered. ( something, I was always mildly curious about) The answer is an emphatic no. Apparently, whiny, existential, first person narrative of a world weary werewolf is just as annoying as it is in young, spunky, sassy, female leads. Not a fan.
I had been on the cusp of putting myself out of my misery and moving onto something better but I got stubborn and mildly curious when the love interest came along. Of course that set me up for more strangely unsexy prose about cunts, cocks and anuses. He does love to write about those. A lot. It became tedious. In fact, there seemed to be more writing about Jakes sexual prowess, and satirical observations of this crazy ol’ world we live in than actual plot. So, in the end, it seemed he tried too hard to be that savage twisted satirist which is a shame because every once in a while he was very capable of some good writing. Not enough to generate any interest in proceeding with the next book. That’s gonna be a hard pass for me....more
Dnfed at 28%. The writing is lovely and the main character very likeable but the book is soooo boring. I usually don’t mind a slow burn when it comes Dnfed at 28%. The writing is lovely and the main character very likeable but the book is soooo boring. I usually don’t mind a slow burn when it comes to world and character building but I didn’t have the patience for the pacing in this which seems to be predominantly about how an abandoned and abused young man copes with the responsibility and life changing effects of being thrust into court as an emperor. Lots of court politics and traditions but not enough plot line to hold my interest. I’m a little shocked to find myself dnffing my second book of the year in the same week as the first. Am I in a mood or just getting hard to please? I now have that slightly hollow feeling a reader gets when they have no idea what to read next…...more
2.5. Pretty meh about this final instalment of the series. Pretty meh about the series as well actually. Proper review to follow. But what a disappoin2.5. Pretty meh about this final instalment of the series. Pretty meh about the series as well actually. Proper review to follow. But what a disappointment....more
2.5…barely. This is going to be a bit ranty so if you loved this book, you might want to take a pass on this review but this book made me cranky and t2.5…barely. This is going to be a bit ranty so if you loved this book, you might want to take a pass on this review but this book made me cranky and the review is going to reflect that.
This started off strong. The first chapter of the book was so well written. A young girl in the horrible circumstances of extreme poverty and starvation gets the very bright idea to take her brother’s place and fate in a Buddhist monastery, and claim them for her own. Utterly believable plot and initially, sympathetic character whose success I felt invested in. It was off to a good start and if asked it would have begun as a solid four star read. Then she ends up with the rebel army and it dropped. The connection to the character had diminished and there was no narrative provided to show how the character became someone who seemed completely different from the one in the monastery. She felt like an entirely different character and the narrative was structured in such a way as to keep her distant and a little unknowable. What happened to create this change? It’s not considered important enough to show the reader. As the story progresses this not showing continues as there is less and less narrative to show what happens. So much happens behind the scenes and is told after the fact, my least favourite writing device. Was this way of writing used to surprise the reader? Was it just lack of page count? Or was it an inexperienced writer not recognizing the value of showing the story? In any case the story became hard to read at that point and I was constantly considering just not finishing. Zhu never became a fully fleshed out character, nor did any of the others. The women were all portrayed with a curious antipathy, having characteristics of shrewishness and general awfulness. A curious thing considering the inclusive nature that is supposedly at the heart of the book. Battle scenes were almost non-existent. There were battles, but again, not delved into with any degree that would have given the reader a mental picture of the action taking place, except after it had all unfolded. This left a layer of character development that should and could have been better utilized to give the characters some depth other than the one note of ‘I’m different from everybody else gender wise so I’m angsty and bitter and can justify all my shitty actions in that narrow lens’. This made the characters repetitious, boring and utterly dislikable the more the book progressed. It became eye roll worthy. I usually do not finish a book that makes my eyes roll but I was halfway finished and thought I’d give it one more chapter. It got moderately interesting at that point and became a grudging three stars and though the action was still taking place more off the page the plot did manage to hold my interest. But in the end, there was too much action off page, to the point that the suspension of disbelief, already pushed to the limit ( how can a Buddhist monk’s main tenet for herself be to want anything? It’s literally the most important tenet of Buddhism to not attach to anything. How is this not a huge plot hole for the story?) anyways, it devolves further to the main characters doing things that make it impossible to like or respect them.
To sum up, the reading experience was uneven. The pacing and characters frustrating and weak. Obvious plot holes and things that just wouldn’t have happened which spoiled the tone and setting of the book and took me out of the story again and again and made me feel downright cranky. This book was nothing like Mulan or The Song of Achilles except in the barest way, involving a girl taking the place of a boy and people of the same sex caring for each other. I am getting very tired of hyped up books being compared to beautiful works of art that are not worthy of the comparison. One blurb said it was “Magnificent in every way” Did we read the same book? Now perhaps, if there was a doubled page count where the story could be shown rather than explained after the fact and there was more development of character beyond the issue of their feelings about their gender and who they were attracted too this could be a story worthy of all the hype and praise it’s receiving. With the next book in the proposed duology, considering the strength of the writing in the first chapter of this one, if the weaknesses are addressed, I may pick it up but if not, this book is going in the unhaul pile....more
Loading...
