Hello, if I am reading a book about a grown woman mating with marshmallows I am not here for serious sex scenes - IThis took itself way too seriously.
Hello, if I am reading a book about a grown woman mating with marshmallows I am not here for serious sex scenes - I'm here for ridiculousness and hilarious puns.
Some funny moments, but not nearly enough in this mercifully short novella....more
This was so messed up, and the payoff wasn't totally worth it.
It's revolting, vulgar, and depicts the absolute lowest scum of humanity, with murdBruh.
This was so messed up, and the payoff wasn't totally worth it.
It's revolting, vulgar, and depicts the absolute lowest scum of humanity, with murder, rape, vile language and all kinds of sadistic versions of these things.
The idea is that there's a virus infecting people and turning them all into the lowest form of humanity. No explanation is ever given as to how the virus came about, why it has such an effect, and basically it just seems like an excuse for Ennis to write some more disturbing, f**ked-up things. He seems fascinated with the most depraved acts of humankind. It's so messed up that it's like a horrific car crash you can't look away from.
There are some really clever moments in the writing (the 'salt incident' early on was a favourite) and it raises some really interesting moral questions, but ultimately the series was too short (only 9 issues) to properly explore the themes and ideas. There seemed to be not a lot of purpose to it all, and it's ultimately just a depressing mess.
Characters were done pretty well, though. Some really great moments when we got to know each of them, and I did find myself invested in each of their stories.
I can't say I enjoyed reading it, but I'm glad I did. There are some interesting ideas in amongst it, but not enough exploration of these things to justify the intensity and depravity of the violence. I wanted more of a payoff and the ending was too ambiguous for my tastes.
Fans of The Boys will enjoy the sadistic streak and the similar artwork, but I found the story wasn't quite as solid....more
I'm, like, 90% certain I hated this with a burning passion.
Did not like the art style at all, and the story is really weird and messed up? And at no pI'm, like, 90% certain I hated this with a burning passion.
Did not like the art style at all, and the story is really weird and messed up? And at no point was I thinking 'wow, this is good I can't stop reading' it was actually more like, 'what the actual eff is happening here I NEED ANSWERS.'
But I still read the whole thing because I kept trying to work out the point of it.
The story is about a bunch of teenagers who are spreading a mutation disease via sexual intercourse. Rather than explain anything about the disease and where it comes from and how they may cure themselves, this is more about mutant teens getting high and having a lot of sex and weird dreams/trips.
There's something here about being shunned by society because of appearances etc but it's such a done to death theme that it didn't really land here. It was weird and disturbing but ultimately the message was a bit lost I think.
Maybe people that are smarter than me will enjoy untangling this mess but it was too much teenage drama for my horror tastes....more
This is BEYOND MESSED UP and I don't know how to feel other than disgusted.
How do I even describe how disturbing this was?
Body horror, sexual depravitThis is BEYOND MESSED UP and I don't know how to feel other than disgusted.
How do I even describe how disturbing this was?
Body horror, sexual depravity, mutilations and murder, twisted entities ... the whole collection was batsh*t insane.
Some of the stories were cleverly disturbing, like the one where a girl is obsessed with scratching herself.
Some were hilarious, like the monster-girl whose head pops off every time she orgasms.
Then some were just straight up nonsensical and bizarre, like the one with some god-slug thing sucking the life from buildings.
That's just a small example - honestly, I tried to burn most of these out of my brain immediately after reading.
There is a plethora of naked bodies in all kinds of messy detail; one story even focuses on (view spoiler)[the application of penises with foreskin in new and unconventional settings. (hide spoiler)] There is an abundance of rape and mutilation and everything seems to come with its own depraved sexual angle. There's one panel showing (view spoiler)[a girl being penetrated from behind by a horse (hide spoiler)] which I'm still trying to wrap my head around.
And somehow there's still a dark, purposeful humour to it all.
This is next level Japanese horror. It goes to all kinds of extreme lengths to gross you out and succeeds almost too well. It's bizarre and twisted and will take you in unexpected directions that will more often than not make you want to scream/cry/puke.
I hated reading it, and it made me think longingly of getting into a hot shower fully clothed and sobbing til I had nothing left.
I feel like I need to read this again to figure out what the heck just happened.
Actually, reading other reviews, it seems like I might have got an ediI feel like I need to read this again to figure out what the heck just happened.
Actually, reading other reviews, it seems like I might have got an edited edition? Like where is the controversial sexual content? The story I read was pretty vague and never described anything really.
Anyhoo.
So I did really enjoy the idea that messing with a young girl's brain created an unspeakable horror that then went about ruining lives. Karma, my dudes.
I loved how it was broken up into smaller anecdotes that eventually got around to the point that all the stories were connected. I enjoyed how much power this evil woman wielded, and how so many succumbed! However I did want more sordid details.
The atmosphere was disturbing and the whole thing was intriguing but ultimately it did feel like it was missing chunks and was therefore a little light on the horror. I think I need to investigate whether there is a more detailed version I can read....more
Why yes I did just read a short story about a woman who falls in love with a wall.
It was fkn WEIRD. And yet ... the story reads like a perfectly commoWhy yes I did just read a short story about a woman who falls in love with a wall.
It was fkn WEIRD. And yet ... the story reads like a perfectly common relationship.
That's where the horror is: this woman goes through all of the stages of a normal relationship - awkward flirting, first date, conversations, physical interactions, arguments, etc. - and the only strange thing about it is the fact that the object of her affections is a wall.
It's actually quite fascinating and a statement on how much of our relationships are lived in our head. This woman is quite clearly insane, but the thoughts she has towards Wally are not so different from other complaints you hear about relationships. As I mentioned, it's all eerily familiar, and that's what makes it such a terrifying tale.
So I finished this and I'm pretty sure I didn't understand any of it but I still kinda liked it? *shrugs*
Some of the stories are straight up bizarre aSo I finished this and I'm pretty sure I didn't understand any of it but I still kinda liked it? *shrugs*
Some of the stories are straight up bizarre and seem to be pointless, but others had me really sucked in and feeling real things. Pretty much all of them end awkwardly, though, so be prepared to work out all the meanings yourself.
I liked that some were long while others were nice and short. There was almost a dystopian element to some of the tales, but overall it had a very contemporary feel. The stories are about people and relationships, rather than any logical kind of action, so I think once you get used to that it's easier to appreciate.
Still, I do really loathe that 'literary fiction' usually means 'totally vague and nonsensical'.
I definitely liked some stories more than others, and some had me really scratching my head wondering what the heck I was supposed to take from it, but in the end I somehow managed to enjoy the randomness of it all.
It won't be for everyone, but for those who think themselves clever for untangling symbolism and hidden meanings, this will be a treat.
You would think it would be a fantastic horror story but the real horror is the pain of reading this booThis is a story about a ghost seeking revenge.
You would think it would be a fantastic horror story but the real horror is the pain of reading this book.
'Minds are illegible; they read the body. Wet cold prickles under the back, the shirt too thin. Bacteria hitches a ride in the air, clings to a hair in the nostril. They move, are moved, into these discomforts, go where there are openings. (Do they open things?) The body coughs, its whole length poised and racking. The eyes leave the stars and return; the body sits up, relaxes. The joint held aloft. They are in the fingers where the burn will meet the skin. In sweet smoke.'
If you appreciate that kind of writing, congratulations. You did what I could not. Have fun with this book which is full of passsages like this. You will love it.
When did 'brilliant literature' become synonymous with 'convoluted writing that goes out of its way to say everything except what it actually needs to say'? It all seems so pretentious to me. Just tell the freaking story please.
I LOVE ghost stories. THIS STORY IS ABOUT A VENGEFUL GHOST POSSESSING PEOPLE ON ITS WAY TO FIND THE MAN RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS DEMISE. It talks about themes like consent and identity and works its way into the mind of a man who thinks he's good but is actually a scumbag and it is actually full of really fascinating ideas. There was so much here to unpack and it could have been a really brilliant, entertaining story.
But, NO.
It decides instead to tell its fantastic story through long, convoluted passages and choppy imagery that remind me of all those times I filled my essays with pointless crap just to make the word count.
Also, I appreciate the importance pronouns have in helping us defining ourselves but unfortunately in the context of this book, all of the 'they' references just made an already-complicated writing style even harder to untangle. I was so lost.
This one was just not for me, folks.
I give full props to the story - the alternating chapters give us Adam's story and 'Their' story, but unfortunately They and Adam both do really, really boring things with their time so if you're not someone who enjoys books that just languish over describing boring things in a twisted manner then you will likely find yourself as frustrated as I was.
If you enjoy unravelling long, confusing passages to tease out what they're trying to say, you'll be all over this. This is for the language lovers; the people who are happy to forfeit action for pretty words. There are some really interesting themes and plenty of symbolism but if you're after a meaty story that really delves into these things you will be disappointed.
Honestly I was so excited to read this story and that just makes it all the more disappointing for me.
This was a solid 4 mysterious stars until the ending when everything was still a mystery and I was left feeling very, very confused.
It's a unique setuThis was a solid 4 mysterious stars until the ending when everything was still a mystery and I was left feeling very, very confused.
It's a unique setup over the course of several books, but without knowing that this would probably be less confusing.
Plot: There's a rich man's daughter lost in an unusual system of caves, with doors that lead to strange places. A unique team of experts from different fields is sent in to find her.
The first 95 pages assembles the team and sends them into the caves until they end up in front of a bunch of doors, and this first 95 pages is identical in subsequent books in the series. What changes is the door they choose, leading to alternate stories.
Knowing this, I wasn't quite sure how it would play out, but I assumed something like a 'Choose Your Own Adventure' story spread across a series instead of just one book. It's an interesting concept, but personally I feel it didn't quite deliver.
The story is certainly mysterious - everyone has secrets, and the caves with the doors are quite fascinating. There's no telling where everyone is going to end up, and I rather liked that.
However, the delivery was messy and jumped around all over the place. The idea is that each book takes us through a different door, but that's not quite how it worked out in this one. Hopefully the second book is a little more clear cut.
I really like the idea of it, and it's quite fantastical, but it fell short in the end. There was too much confusion, and while I liked all the secrets and different personalities of the team members, even they never really came together enough for me to appreciate their individual roles.
Super curious about the second one, though, so I wonder how it will change my thoughts on this one!...more
WARNING: You may be a vegetarian by the end of this novel.
What a read, man. I'm still reeling.
This book is set in a super messed up dystopiaOH MY GOD.
WARNING: You may be a vegetarian by the end of this novel.
What a read, man. I'm still reeling.
This book is set in a super messed up dystopian future where animals contracted a disease that made them poisonous to humans and, as such, inedible. So now the main meat on the menu is human.
This brilliantly disturbing novel discusses, quite matter-of-factly, how the process of slaughtering humans for consumption works.
It's not an easy read, but the horror is in how completely un-horrific it makes cannibalism.
I feel comparisons to The Handmaid's Tale would not be unjust, although this goes in a different sort of direction and is far more terrifying a future. Our protagonist, Marcos, shows us the tragic state of the world through visits to the slaughterhouse/processing plant, the butcher, the laboratory, the range, and through several uncomfortable descriptions of meals or displayed 'product'. However, he's not without his own complex feelings - his dying father is in an expensive care facility, and now he's somehow found himself in possession of a specimen he never asked for, and her gaze will start something that cannot be undone.
The ease of this new world compared to the turmoil of Marcos's mental state makes for a compelling read, and I was absolutely hooked from start to finish. I forced myself to really imagine the things I was reading, so that I could feel the very real terror of a future that looks like this.
There are some moments that are not for the squeamish, but ultimately what really got me about this story was how normal everything seems. There's no tension, no scandal, no horror - it's just another day for this new world.
A haunting read, and one that will stay in your mind for a long time....more
There were definitely some creepy parts but I think the pace was a bit too inconsistent to hook me and the happeWow I have no idea what just happened.
There were definitely some creepy parts but I think the pace was a bit too inconsistent to hook me and the happenings more confusing than enticing.
Here's the lowdown: Carol is haunted by dark shadows. She winds up in a hospital where things get even stranger - a malevolent entity wants Carol for their nefarious plans. Vanessa also winds up in the same hospital, having her own strange experience. Somehow the two women are tied together, and the same evil is seemingly after them both ...
Having finished the novel, I'm still not sure what exactly happened. I feel like there was a lot that should have made this story interesting to me but it just seemed jumbled and I was too lost for it to maintain my interest.
This story plays with overlapping time periods which I love, but I think it was too ambitious to get a proper idea of here. There's also this evil something that I couldn't really work out, and I'm still not sure how it all tied together.
On one hand, there's a lot happening - lots of strange occurrences, nightmares, wanderings, evil people, etc. all coming hard and fast. On the other, the strange creepiness is broken up by complete monotony - the character we're following (Carol for Part One, Nessa for Part Two) makes/eats food, watches TV, drinks tea ... absolutely nothing interesting happens outside of the weird stuff. It was such a strange mix.
I found myself either bored or confused for pretty much the whole thing, unfortunately. I think there's a good story here but it's just not clean enough; you never really know there's a secret until it's revealed, the bad guys are evident straight up so there's not a lot of tension through guessing either way, and the time jumping occurs all the time so it loses its potency. The nightmares/night-adventures of the girls happen all the time and usually play out very similar so again, it loses its tense atmosphere through repetition.
The potential is here, so I think plenty of people will still enjoy it, but for me it just needed a bit more editing and structure to really hold the interest.
With thanks to Netgalley and the author for an ARC to read and review...more
WARNING: This review contains spoilers for the previous books in the series.
As we all know, the last boHoly crap.
This was all kinds of batsh*t insane.
WARNING: This review contains spoilers for the previous books in the series.
As we all know, the last book ended in a painful cliff hanger that led to an excruciating two-year wait. Thankfully, this book jumps straight into clearing things up for us - although, let's face it - chances are you had it worked out already.
This book begins in Russia, and it's quick to take on all kinds of trouble from a host of bad guys, meaning Jack is very much on the back foot from the beginning. Frustratingly, this book leaves him trailing further and further behind. Poor bastard.
I can't describe how painful it was for me that Jack was always so far behind. He's always been great at coming from the back to take the win but this book makes it feel almost impossible - the odds are just so ridiculously stacked against him.
This feels very much like an 'in-between' sort of novel; there's a lot of allusion to a labyrinth which was never going to make it into this book, so it feels like it spends a lot of time setting up that final challenge, rather than focusing the attention on the adventures of the lost mountains. It annoyed me a little, but only because I know I've got another wait before that conclusion which I know is going to be all kinds of epic. It also felt a little lacking in all the ancient puzzle-solving that I've enjoyed so much in the other books. The Lost Mountains of the title didn't actually feel that important to the whole progression of this particular episode.
Lots of planes and other vehicles which I always take with a grain of salt - these things don't hugely interest me but I really love the enthusiasm that comes through the writing. The creepy psycho statues are back, too, and are wreaking plenty of havoc.
The team is still split in all kinds of directions and I really miss them all working together. It adds to Jack's desperation that he seems to have to deal with so much of it by himself, but it does also give us some epic moments when characters come together again after a long and/or tense separation. But I'm very much looking forward to some serious teamwork in the last book.
Overall, I really enjoyed how crazy this adventure was, but it was also seriously fkn depressing. It was just so hard for me to read about how dire things looked for Jack at every single turn. So I guess the emotional factor messed with me a little too much to make it a 5-star. They've always been such fun novels but suddenly the drama is real and the consequences are too extreme and things just feel so damn helpless throughout this book. It hurt my heart.
Tell ya what, though. The final book is going to be all kinds of insane and I honestly can't wait. I am ready for everything in this series to come together like the most incredible tapestry ever woven. I AM READY.
I feel like this duology has really jumped around and is skint on details but I kind of loved it anyway?
WARNING: This review contains spoilers for I feel like this duology has really jumped around and is skint on details but I kind of loved it anyway?
WARNING: This review contains spoilers for the first book in the series.
Here's the plot: After narrowly escaping the city with their lives, Araby and her two competing lovers friends need to work out a game plan to stop Malcontent, take down Prospero and restore the city. Araby is intent on finding her father, who is the only one who can help April with her 'little problem'; Elliot is intent on his revolution; Will just wants to be loved is intent on protecting his loved ones. (*wink*)
This series seems almost to suffer from over editing. Normally I have the opposite problem but this jumped around so fast when I really just wanted to sit in some of these moments. I won't lie - I loved the love triangle (#TeamWill) and I wanted Araby to spend a little more time getting to know each of the boys, and let their true personalities shine. (Mostly I wanted more Will.) But this story is in a hurry to be told so things race along and if you're not paying close attention you are bound to miss a few things. It made me a little sad, but at the same time the whole atmosphere is kind of depressing so it's a good thing it didn't linger I suppose.
It's been such a strange experience reading these books during our pandemic (I read the first one earlier this year) because it's all about this plague running rampant, and the only protection from it is these special masks. No 1.5m for these kids, no. If you don't wear a mask, there's a high chance you're going to die. Thankfully, this virus is pretty evident so they know who to stay away from. But just interesting to be reading how the disease has spread and completely changed their way of life; this is a post-apocalyptic world where buildings and streets are in disrepair, dead bodies are a common sight and people are all kinds of desperate. Like I said, the whole atmosphere is kind of depressing.
Now, being based on Poe's The Masque of the Red Death, this one stays true to the source by finally taking us to that grand ball at Prospero's palace. This is very much where things completely stopped making sense to me, but I ran with it anyway because it was just a lot of random fun. Plus, Will. Haha. Can anyone guess my favourite character? :)
The Red Death is just as horrifying as in Poe's tale, but this story lacks the tension and drama of the former. Instead, it's almost anti-climatic. But the characters are fantastic and I just loved how spirited Araby was so I can't complain too much.
Basically, the story is a bit confusing and lacks real depth or substance, but the characters are a lot of fun and easy to fall in love with. Araby has some really interesting growth across the two novels, and her relationships - both with the two love interests, but also with her friends, family, and others - are fascinating to watch play out. She made a great heroine.
I feel like this series, while not jaw-droppingly brilliant, is still pretty underrated. It's a bit dark and probably not ideal for those feeling a lot of stress over Covid, but on the whole I do recommend it.
Okay I followed maybe 75% of this but it was still 100% EPIC.
WARNING: This review contains spoilers for the previous two novels in the series.
HERE WE Okay I followed maybe 75% of this but it was still 100% EPIC.
WARNING: This review contains spoilers for the previous two novels in the series.
HERE WE ARE AT THE END.
The Saints are tasked with infiltrating an Olyix ship and stowing away until they reach the enclave. The hope is that they'll be able to send out a signal so that future generations can send the cavalry. Of course, we're familiar with some members of that future generation - and they are going to need some serious firepower if they're going to succeed.
I've never been big on sci-fi, but this trilogy has completely turned that around. Even though the science is mostly completely beyond me, I've immensely enjoyed my time spent with Dellian, Yirella and the Saints. These are some cool cats making science fun again. I'm definitely keen to explore the genre further, thanks to this trilogy.
The stakes are super high for this grand finale, so the tension is way up. The plots are thickening and technology is advancing at a crazy rate. My head was properly spinning for most of it.
Yirella's always been the smart one, so it's fun watching her work her way through the problems in this book. Dellian is mostly just along for the ride, but he's still one tough cookie and he provides some interesting insights to mull over. But the Saints are still my favourite. They're such an interesting bunch and the dynamics between them are a lot of fun. I love grumpy old Yuri and sarcastic Alik; I love badass Kandara and sulky Callum; I love how Jessika does all the work and is still patient when the others constantly bug her about Neana things and she keeps explaining that she doesn't know. I love how much they get on each other's nerves and yet still work together as such a solid unit.
They're the most relatable unit in this whole series for me.
I can't talk too much about the story because I'm not kidding when I say a lot of it went over my head. *nervous laughter* But it was still just such a rocking good time and it still threw me some serious curve balls. I think the great part is that, even if you're not entirely following the science, you still pick up the essentials. It reiterates the important stuff and, while I mostly had no idea what anything looked like, I was able to follow along what was good, what was bad, and what was about to go down. And it was seriously about. to. go. DOWN.
The epic scale of this novel is exhilarating, and it just keeps building. It was a little trickier to get into because of the science, but by the end I was on the edge of my seat, anxious to discover how things would end.
The conclusion is satisfying, but there are still some loose threads which hopefully suggests we can look forward to more stories set in this world. I know that, if that's the case, I will definitely be strapping in for that ride, too. I'm committed to these guys for life, now.
The story is about Bettina (Tina), who goes searching for answers about what happened to her family. Along the way, we get sUmmmm I think I'm in love.
The story is about Bettina (Tina), who goes searching for answers about what happened to her family. Along the way, we get stories within her story; although I wouldn't consider this a book of short stories as all of the shorter stories contribute to the plot.
Things I loved
It's an Australian setting, but it's not all dry heat, scorched earth, blokes and sheilas and roos and Mick and Shazza having a fag and a stubby etc. I freaking LOATHE those Aussie stereotypes so it was so refreshing to read a story set in a small Australian town without any of that crap. The bush in this story is closer to my experience of it - dry, sure, but the life is still there. It's beautiful in its own unique (slightly deadly) kind of way. Plus it feels so isolated - like, even Aussies don't properly know about this secret place.
The mix of Australian setting and whimsy was so beautifully done. It meant that I could see this setting so clearly, while at the same time still firmly believe that strange creatures lurked behind shrubs and hung from the trees. The blend was PERFECT.
Speaking of the whimsy, GOD this had me so hooked! The whispers and legends and darting shadows and echoes ... I gotta tell ya, I was thoroughly spooked. It's so damn eerie and I was just so in love with it all. The magical element of this story is so unique, and there is part of me that was just so ... proud ... to feel like, 'this is how we do spooky creatures in Australia'. Which I'll admit seems a little bizarre, but there you have it. It's like ... this story built so well the whole secrecy side of things that reading it allowed me to take ownership of the secrets a little. It felt like I was in on it, and as spooky as these things were I wanted to protect them.
The atmosphere is properly creepy, and Tina's whole situation is such a mystery. Clearly she's a space cadet compared to her former self but what the heck happened to her? We've got Gary and Trish to ground the story, though, which mean this is more 'magical realism' - while Tina is a little bit off with the fairies and you can't trust anything she says or thinks, we have two very rational characters who still tell these mysterious stories and their own experiences. Rather than 'rational' being thrown out the window, its definition expands to encompass the unusual. It was so elegantly done.
Which brings me to the glue: the writing. It's so beautiful, man. It gave me such a clear image of the place, but it never got bogged down in details. It gives you a taste of the mystery and releases information in small doses, but there was never a moment where I felt the story had stalled. It flowed on so naturally. This is not a stagnant creek, nor white-water rapids. It's just a steady flowing stream with a few bends and dips to navigate along the way. No words are wasted, and while there is a lot of unusual happenings, it never goes over your head completely. It's strange, but not frustratingly so. Its strangeness is what enamoured me so completely.
I just loved everything about this book. It's relatively short, but not condensed. It tells these incredible myths that are woven into the story. The creatures were all totally new to me, but I fell in love with them immediately. Seriously - does legend of the 'Megaritty' exist beyond this story? Because I Googled and came up empty. But I'm so in love with this ruthless little beastie - I want to know more! It just felt like all these creatures belonged to the land, making for such a rich setting.
I suppose this is less about the story and more about the whimsy along the way, but it still kept me curious and entertained and honestly if the author ever visits this place again I AM THERE.
This will appeal to so many people: it's got beautiful language for the slow digesters; it's an authentic Australian setting that will appeal to Aussies like myself while not being a stereotype and therefore alienating those who, like me, are tired of small Australian town settings all being the same; its being Australian isn't actually a huge focus, so the setting won't deter anyone; it's got a mystery to solve; the magic is vivid and yet not overwhelming for those not particularly interested in fantasy; and it just leaves you with so many things to think about after reading.
I can't fault it.
This is definitely one I'll be talking about for a while. Absolutely one of my favourite reads this year. Get on it!
Where do I even begin with how terrible this book is?
I'm going to apologise right now to the author, because I'm not gonna be softeninSWEET JEEZUZ.
Where do I even begin with how terrible this book is?
I'm going to apologise right now to the author, because I'm not gonna be softening the blows here.
I mean, this is one of those things that might be GOOD simply because it's SO BAD.
I can't deny how immense my amusement was reading god-awful paragraphs of violence and gore and nonsense (see notes and highlights for examples).
The plot is basically a bunch of people dying under mysterious (supernatural) circumstances. It was hard to see how everything was related at first, and it was all pretty damn messy. People disappearing then turning up dead, mutilated bodies being found, psychic visions ... the plot was messier than that guy who had been skinned in chunks. There's a poor snake that is considered a suspect briefly because one dude is found with claw marks inside his throat?! I mean, how ...?!! *sigh*
There's also this bizarre overuse of full names? Everyone is so formal and full names are used on a regular basis. Erin Cross is almost never referred to as Erin, or Kyle's mother, or even 'she'. And I STILL couldn't keep track of who everyone was. But, to be fair, I skimmed a LOT. It was necessary. Unlike half of this book's words.
We've got play-by-play of pretty much every scene, and it's boring details. A lot of superfluous stuff and endless sentences with poor grammar. The style jumps around a bit which would be okay if it was done cleverly or even just clean but instead it adds to the messiness of the overall story.
The supernatural element is intriguing because the villain is so bizarre, but the psychic visions and the 'she just had a hunch/feeling/knowing' etc were ridiculous and painful.
Then you've got your basic continuity errors (eg: 'a single tear rolled down her face' followed closely by, 'she wiped the tears from her eyes') and pointless repetition (eg: 'she closed her laptop shut' ... 'grabbed her closed laptop' ... 'with her laptop under her arm' all in the same paragraph) and paragraphs of meaningless drivel and it's basically crying out for an editor. I had to choose between laughing or crying over this mess.
There's a unique monster here, but the story itself needs a lot of work to be readable. Then again, maybe I'm just still bitter about that one time I wrote a story that started with, 'They called him the Cat Skinner ...' which basically went downhill from there and my English teacher only gave me a C for it. THAT WAS LITERARY GOLD GODDAMMIT AND THIS GUY TOTALLY STOLE MY IDEA.
I have no idea what just happened but that was a freaking WILD RIDE.
I mean ...
Wow.
So you've got this bunch of kids who are off to the desert Okay.
I have no idea what just happened but that was a freaking WILD RIDE.
I mean ...
Wow.
So you've got this bunch of kids who are off to the desert for some archaeology fun but then there's a sandstorm, they get stuck wandering the desert and suddenly happen upon an oasis that should most definitely not be there. Freakiness ensues.
Let's start with the kids.
Alif - an interesting narrator. She's pretty honest, even if things get a little messy in that head of hers. I liked her, and that she was kind of a peacekeeper without being a total doormat.
Tommy - Yeahhhh alright it didn't take me long to warm up to him. Strong silent type here. Totally dreamy.
Minh - I feel like she had the most balls of the group, to be honest. No time for your BS. She is good people.
Lori - Look she was kinda annoying but I think she was supposed to be? Classic giggler who cares more about boys and looking good for boys than anything else. But she was plenty distracted by Rowen so I didn't really have to put up with her too much.
Rowen - Neutral feels. He seemed okay to me but, again, was too distracted wooing Lori to make much of a ruckus.
Luke - Oh how I loathed Luke. Luke is the kinda guy who thinks he deserves whatever he wants, just because he wants it really bad. WRONG. Take your ego and your entitlement and your ASSHOLERY out into the desert and keep walking until you crumble into the nothingness you really are.
In short: not my fave.
It takes a minute or two to find our way into the Oasis but once we do, buckle up for a strange, strange ride. Something alien appears to be messing with these kids and you never know what it's gonna do next.
But is it really alien? Is it heatstroke? Is it all a dream? What the heck is really going on here??!
This kept me on edge the entire time, trying to figure out who was messing with whom, and who was the sinister mastermind if there was one. There's so much strangeness that every time you think you've got something figured out, it changes again.
What a nail-biter.
Definitely a unique read with some crazy twists and turns that would make anyone carsick. The character dynamics are fascinating to witness - particularly as they unravel - and the whole thing is shrouded in mystery. Honestly found it hard to put down.
Highly recommend this one if you're keen for something unusual brimming with suspense that will keep you guessing until the very last page.
With thanks to Macmillan for my uncorrected proof ARC...more
I honestly have no fking clue what the hell just happened.
Alright, look.
I wasn't really sure what this book was about, going into it, and I'm not entiI honestly have no fking clue what the hell just happened.
Alright, look.
I wasn't really sure what this book was about, going into it, and I'm not entirely sure I know much better on the other side of it.
Here's what the blurb says: Sixteen-year-old sisters Maddy and Catlin have just moved to the isolated Irish town of Ballyfrann. Normally close, they find their paths diverging, as Catlin falls in love and Maddy falls ... into powers?
My run down would be similar, but I would expand on Maddy's powers being rather witchy (the fact that every chapter is a plant/herb/flower and its medicinal use is a bit of a hint) and also isolated Ballyfrann being a fkn WEIRD place.
To be perfectly honest, I was pretty bored for the first 200-odd pages, and did a fair bit of skimming. There's a lot of info about how close the sisters (twins, btw) are and how they're having a hard time fitting in, although Maddy is the weird one and Catlin is the popular one. There's a lot of random boring school stuff (which actually doesn't seem to involve any kind of classes), and the older boy that Catlin is interested in hangs out at the school so much that I was trying to figure out if I'd accidentally skipped over the explanation of why this older kid is still a student there (he's not, he's just a creeper who hangs out at the school). There are conversations between the kids that I really didn't care about, and the relationships are so watery and pale and lifeless that I just didn't care anything about them.
As for the characters, I just couldn't really get a read on any of them, except for Lon who was just a creep from the beginning. Did not like him a single bit. Maddy is quirky but she spends so much time focusing on boring things that reading from her POV is super dull. Catlin is the typical 'popular sister' who cares more about boys than her sister even though she professes this to be false. Oona was ehhhh and aside from being French didn't really have much of a personality at all, and Mamo is clearly batsh*t insane and could have been a lot of fun but was basically wasted on Maddy's ramblings. I don't think any of them were really described particularly well, so I never got a feel for who they were or what was driving them. It was a bit disappointing because I feel like there was a lot of potential that was wasted.
So here's me reading this totally boring tween story about fitting in and then there's suddenly random dead animals? Just lying on the side of the road? With no explanation? This is not a spoiler, this happens like on Day 1, and it's just so chill that it's a non-event? That confused me so much.
Here's the deal - most of this book is entirely dull and lifeless but then you get all these random super dark moments and it's like you're reading an entirely different story. I freaking LOVED the dark stuff but it was so jarring and awkward!
There was just so much wasted potential with this story, and the way it ended it felt like it'd just been setting the whole scene for an epic series of witchy adventures but ... it's a standalone? If I'm wrong about that someone please correct me, because the only way this book makes sense is if it's setting up for a series. On it's own its just ... a mess.
Spoiler thoughts: (view spoiler)[ -Turns out the whole town is full of 'weird' people. Eg. The Collinses are shape-shifters. Why make a town full of strange creatures and then not use any of them?! What a waste! -Mamo turned out to be kind of a villain at the end? Yet the whole way through, Maddy constantly turns to her for help/advice. The relationship between the two is just super confusing. -The whole deal with their mum and dad. The whole, secret witchy past. Why not give us the details? This is one of the things that had me mystified about it being a standalone. So many unanswered questions! And what the heck did that ending even mean?! -What Lon did to Catlin was PROPER PSYCHO. Yet I am confused. We never really find out what he was, why he did what he did, what the deal was with the other girls, and exactly why he was able to get away with everything for so long? YOU HAVE SHAPESHIFTERS IN YOUR TOWN. Surely there should be someone who could hunt this mofo down?? -Catlin's praying and Mary obsession? I am confused. What was the point? -The entire castle has lots of secret passageways etc but, again, we never get to explore them. What's the point?? -Goddamn when Maddy grabbed that kitten, I was bloody nearly having kittens myself! Finally some super dark, macabre action! But jeezuz that was a dark moment. I did not see it coming at all! That single moment scored the bonus star for this book. -How long was that ending? It was drawn out for so many extra, pointless chapters. EUGH, the POINTLESSNESS of it all. (hide spoiler)]
Everything about the way this ended had me convinced it was setting up for a series. I didn't even like this book all that much and I want a sequel. Without a sequel, this whole thing was just pointless.
So in summary it was kinda boring and pointless but it did have some super dark and bizarre moments that kept me entertained, even if I was scratching my head a lot by the end of it. If there's no sequel to this mess, however, it was basically just 352 pages of wasted potential.
If I am wrong, though, and there is a sequel, I WANT IT....more
Everything about this book madI'd just like to begin with ...
ARE YOU FKING KIDDING ME??
and then follow that up with ...
THANK GOD THIS TORTURE IS OVER.
Everything about this book made me so mad and I don't even know how to properly express my rage. Buckle up, kids, it's going to be a bumpy rant.
Firstly, are we all aware by now that my favourite book of all time is The Three Musketeers? That's vital information. Here's an excerpt from my review of The Vicomte de Bragelonne to give you an idea of my obsession:
The Musketeers are officially my bros, and when I read about them I imagine them as friends, which means I feel their experiences that much more significantly. I laugh out loud, I grin, I gasp, I tear up, I bite my lip and I'm pretty sure if I had a moustache I would twist it. This series gives me a very serious case of feelings.
Naturally, this Musketeer obsession leads me to read anything I get my hands on that's even closely related, and this book here is even dedicated to Dumas and the '73 and '74 films inspired by The Three Musketeers (TTM).
So here's the set up: Set in a world that slightly mirrors historic France, angels are controlled by people and basically used as slaves. Lilliath is a psychopath who did something bad, went to sleep for 137 years or so and now she's awake to finish what she started. Somehow her goal is tied to the fates of four random individuals: Henri, Simeon, Agnez and Dorotea, and there is a high chance I'm spelling all of these names wrong because they're stupid variations of normal names and I'm too damn lazy to check the spelling.
Things I hated: -The names -The over-attempt to make this a feminist novel -Angels being no more than slaves -Extensive world-building that was mostly confusing -The story was kind of bland and also confusing -Random awkward sexual tension -Issues like racism barely addressed -THIS DID NOT EVEN COME CLOSE TO THE THREE MUSKETEERS. All it did was steal a handful of characters, make them female, and then completely corrupt their essence.
Here's an example:
Rochefort. In TTM, he is d'Artagnan's nemesis. They get into it, and they're both skilled fighters, but Rochefort is totally ruthless and cunning and spends the novel doing the Cardinal's dirty work. He's a very clear villain. In this novel, the female Rochefort is the general of the female Cardinal and definitely does her dirty work, but she spends most of this novel being 'poor misunderstood me' and mooning over Dorotea. We are told she's a skilled fighter but this book is more interested in her trying to get into Dorotea's pants.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Characters/Names Firstly, the original names are ridiculous. They just didn't suit and I got them pretty mixed up because they weren't really memorable for a while. I mean who even is Henri? What did he do? Why was he here? Then you've got all the characters lifted from TTM. They're ALL female, now, too. The Cardinal, Rochefort, d'Artagnan. Milady. I think our four friends are somehow supposed to represent the original four musketeers but there are no similarities AT ALL, other than Agnez being a hothead. The angels all blend together and they are in and out of the story so fast they're not worth caring about anyway. Then the place names just made me cringe. Dumas's d'Artagnan was a Gascon; these 'musketeers' are 'Bascons' (so creative). It was such a bastard mix of 'inspired by' TTM and blatantly stolen. Everything that made me love the characters of TTM was completely absent here.
Feminism etc Look I am all for feminism but this novel was trying way too hard. And not just with feminism. There's a scene where they all get naked together because no one cares about nudity, and the book has more emphasis on same sex couples than hetero. We got told what colour skin everyone has (and it's normally a shade of brown) and all of the best warriors and most powerful characters are women. Representation is great and all, but this just feels cheap. It's like it's going out of it's way to tell you how accepting and open-minded it is, but there's way too much emphasis on it for it to seem normal. I love badass female characters, but there was just no logic to it. It took equality and ran the other way with it, so that the men in this story are soft characters being manipulated by women. Meanwhile there's the 'refusers' who are this book's version of slaves, and it doesn't discuss this issue nearly enough. Points for trying, buddy, but delivery of the themes in this novel would be a D minus.
The Angels Speaking of barely-addressed slavery, the angels in this book are RUBBISH. There are different tiers of power (thank god for the guide at the front because when they started talking about Thrones I was totally confused) but even the all-powerful archangels are slaves to humans? There are also so many of them that it was pointless keeping track of them all. They might as well have been little fairies or sprites or something. Because they are WEAK. This was such an incredibly disappointing aspect of the story.
World Building vs Story The problem is, he spent so much time building the world that there just wasn't enough time for a decent story. It was thin and pathetic and really confusing, and there was no real drive to the action. The connection between the four is tenuous and there doesn't seem to be a lot of point to anything. The world-building is extensive, but there is so much of it that it just gets tedious. Throw in that ending and this is basically a pointless, disappointing book.
Conclusion Look, this is a book that tries so hard to be so many things that it ends up being a mess. It shares some similarities with The Three Musketeers, but it wants to be its own story, too, so it just ends up being a confusing mix of familiar things and completely unrelated magic. There's no real emotion to it anywhere, and the characters don't have any real redeeming qualities. While TTM was based heavily on friendship, loyalty and daring, these 'friends' are a newly formed group, they bicker, they're greedy and ill-mannered and generally don't have strong redeeming qualities to help up overlook this. The musketeers are more of a gratuitous mention than any kind of symbol, and Lilliath is more a sulky, emotional, psychopath teenager than the cunning, skilled assassin the original Milady was. There is so much effort put into making this a story that accepts everyone and everything that there's no real tension to it. There's no struggle. Zero emotional ties to anyone or anything.
I honestly don't know how people unfamiliar with The Three Musketeers are gonna view this one. Maybe you'll have a more enjoyable time because you won't have to witness some of your favourite characters being murdered by creative license. But this was agony for me.
Originally I gave it a generous two stars on finishing, because the beastlings (another creative name) were interesting, but I gotta take that back. My heart is hurting too much. This was an absolute abomination and a shame to the musketeer name. Just read the fking original, honestly....more
This was some addictive smack right here. Yet I have no idea what just happened.
Honestly, it was actually kind of ... tame compar...
What the heck man.
This was some addictive smack right here. Yet I have no idea what just happened.
Honestly, it was actually kind of ... tame compared to what I was expecting, based on the blurb.
It suggests there's a club of elite rich boys at Cambridge who are harbouring dark secrets about the kind of activities that occur behind the club's closed doors. Hans is tasked with infiltrating the club and figuring out what exactly is going on.
I was expecting all kinds of debauchery and scandal. I was expecting to be outraged, upset, disgusted ... I was just expecting to be dragged deeper and deeper into this scandalous world of privileged kids but it didn't quite play out that way. I was intrigued, and a little confused, but not too much more than that.
Reality is, there's just not a lot of substance in this book. Makes sense, since it's only just over 200 pages and an easy read that likes to skim details. It spends a lot of time on boxing, and the lads who box, and Hans boxing his way into the club's inner circle. Everyone gets drunk a lot but we still don't get any extreme behaviour from that, so it just ends up being a mediocre sort of story.
I was expecting a really strong emotional reaction to this story but I just never connected to it deeply enough. The characters weren't really fleshed out enough for me to care about them either way, and the story was soft and seemed afraid to explore the darker world it created. Honestly, the blurb is more tense than the entire novel.
I did find it to be an easy, addictive sort of read because I wanted to know what was going on, but it ultimately left me disappointed and scratching my head a little. I understand a lot of the subtext is about truth and I thought that was clever, but it was delivered poorly so in the end it all fell a little too flat for my tastes.
A thought-provoking novel but a little too thin for me to get properly invested....more
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