emilysunflowers's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
garbutch's review against another edition
This was eons better than the first one, but it's still abundantly noticeable to me that it was written by a straight person. Queer relationships have more communication in them out of survival and necessity, as a general rule. Ones that don't are outliers.
The characters became a little more multi-dimensional in this one and I liked the eventual plotline they found themselves in.
IDK I just wish Rainbow Rowell would have hired a sensitivity reader. I get the whole Simon not knowing whether he's gay or "also attracted to women" is a thing but... you seriously can't even use the word bisexual? Not even once???
But I really do love Baz as a character and I love how Agatha sort of grew here too. I liked Shepard. I liked how we got to know more about the world of magic beings beyond just the mages.
But jeez.
Spoiler
The ending is a cliffhanger and I hate cliffhangers so much that I almost wish I had just put off reading this. Because I know I'm just going to be pushed into trying to remember where this book left off once the other one comes out. And it's not like we get a "and this is where we left off" thing like you do at the beginning of TV shows. I think that's a fault of the medium though, really.The characters became a little more multi-dimensional in this one and I liked the eventual plotline they found themselves in.
IDK I just wish Rainbow Rowell would have hired a sensitivity reader. I get the whole Simon not knowing whether he's gay or "also attracted to women" is a thing but... you seriously can't even use the word bisexual? Not even once???
But I really do love Baz as a character and I love how Agatha sort of grew here too. I liked Shepard. I liked how we got to know more about the world of magic beings beyond just the mages.
But jeez.
Spoiler
There was a bunch of relationship shit that just never got resolved. Why is it that LGBT+ characters never get to have happy endings? I am a gay reader and I am Suffering. I just wanted some goddamn fluff. There was some, briefly, every now and again but Not Enough.rkdesko's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
lizzykinz52's review against another edition
4.0
This books was SIGNIFICANTLY better than the first one. Now that the book has its own plot set up it didn’t need to rely on the Harry Potter-ness like the first one did and therefore it was able to tell a interesting story from start to finish.
My only real complaint is that I think the climax happened too fast. I feel like there’s still so many unanswered questions. But, I can’t wait for the next book!
My only real complaint is that I think the climax happened too fast. I feel like there’s still so many unanswered questions. But, I can’t wait for the next book!
mcfrenret's review against another edition
2.0
Sólo dos cosas me han importado de este libro:
1. La depresión de Simon tras los eventos de Carry On. Que espero que se desarrolle mejor en el tercer libro, la verdad.
2. Todas esos animalillos que han terminado secos a manos de Baz de una manera tan innecesaria. Es pensar en todas esas personas que han perdido a sus perros y a sus gatos y mi cariño por Baz desaparece de un plumazo. Porque ¿cuál es la excusa para la aparente inexistencia de mataderos y carnicerías de los que aprovechar la sangre de las matanzas? Además, tiene la oportunidad de aprender a alimentarse adecuadamente y sin matar, ¿y ni le interesa lo suficiente como para preguntar y seguir investigando?
Que tampoco es que la ética de Baz tenga mucho sentido, porque no quiere alimentarse de humanos, que me parece genial, pero tampoco está dispuesto a encontrar otras alternativas, y luego tiene el santo papo de decir que no quiere alimentarse de animales depredadores porque patatas pero bien que no se lo piensa dos veces a la hora de matar a los gatos y a los perros del vecindario. Pues ok.
Podrá parecer una chorrada, pero entre que es un libro que no parece muy seguro de su propia trama (es un roadtrip... ¿pero no?, con un rescate que se resuelve en apenas un puñado de páginas porque había que meter algo de chicha en la historia, ¿supongo?), que la parte de los niñatos que juegan a ser vampiros que quieren ser dioses me pareció cogida con pinzas y que la relación entre Baz y Simon me dejó incluso más fría que en el libro anterior, pues al menos lo de los perretes y los gatetes me hizo sentir algo.
Y sigo sin saber qué pasó con Nicodemus.
1. La depresión de Simon tras los eventos de Carry On. Que espero que se desarrolle mejor en el tercer libro, la verdad.
2. Todas esos animalillos que han terminado secos a manos de Baz de una manera tan innecesaria. Es pensar en todas esas personas que han perdido a sus perros y a sus gatos y mi cariño por Baz desaparece de un plumazo. Porque ¿cuál es la excusa para la aparente inexistencia de mataderos y carnicerías de los que aprovechar la sangre de las matanzas? Además, tiene la oportunidad de aprender a alimentarse adecuadamente y sin matar, ¿y ni le interesa lo suficiente como para preguntar y seguir investigando?
Que tampoco es que la ética de Baz tenga mucho sentido, porque no quiere alimentarse de humanos, que me parece genial, pero tampoco está dispuesto a encontrar otras alternativas, y luego tiene el santo papo de decir que no quiere alimentarse de animales depredadores porque patatas pero bien que no se lo piensa dos veces a la hora de matar a los gatos y a los perros del vecindario. Pues ok.
Podrá parecer una chorrada, pero entre que es un libro que no parece muy seguro de su propia trama (es un roadtrip... ¿pero no?, con un rescate que se resuelve en apenas un puñado de páginas porque había que meter algo de chicha en la historia, ¿supongo?), que la parte de los niñatos que juegan a ser vampiros que quieren ser dioses me pareció cogida con pinzas y que la relación entre Baz y Simon me dejó incluso más fría que en el libro anterior, pues al menos lo de los perretes y los gatetes me hizo sentir algo.
Y sigo sin saber qué pasó con Nicodemus.
gelsthedreamer's review against another edition
3.0
"There's no safe time for me to see you, nothing about you that doesn't tear my heart from my chest and leave it breakable outside my body"
- Baz
* * * * * * * * * * * *
I was almost afraid of reading this book (that's why I put it off the longest I could) because I really liked Carry On, and I'm scared that the sequel would not live up to the first.
Well, I was right.
Simon and Baz feels a bit off. I feel like they're far from the characters I came to love in Carry On.
I'm also slightly upset that there are so much filler scenes in this, and the interesting parts happened when it's almost over. The ending was kind of a let down.
Despite my not-so-positive opinion about this book, I still have high hopes for the third one. I think Shepard is an interesting character (and possibly Penelope's future love interest) and I'm looking forward to his story.
- Baz
* * * * * * * * * * * *
I was almost afraid of reading this book (that's why I put it off the longest I could) because I really liked Carry On, and I'm scared that the sequel would not live up to the first.
Well, I was right.
Simon and Baz feels a bit off. I feel like they're far from the characters I came to love in Carry On.
I'm also slightly upset that there are so much filler scenes in this, and the interesting parts happened when it's almost over. The ending was kind of a let down.
Despite my not-so-positive opinion about this book, I still have high hopes for the third one. I think Shepard is an interesting character (and possibly Penelope's future love interest) and I'm looking forward to his story.
beau_mdb's review against another edition
1.0
This was by far the worst read of the year and I don't think I even have the words to describe how disappointed I am. For a book that was supposed to be centered around Baz and Simon's relationship they didn't really talk at all. They kissed twice and that was it. There was no character development. Each and every character was annoying, miserable and just absolutely OOC to the point where I didn't even root for them to get better. And the two characters I was rooting for turned into side characters more or less. No issue has been addressed, nothing has been resolved but Rowell has the audacity to have Simon say he found himself in America. I just don't have any words. The most romantic part was a recycled line from the last book and sHE'S GOING TO WRITE ANOTHER ONE?????? I am absolutely baffled about how anyone would spend money on the third book after this absolute train wreck. I was so, so, so excited to see how Simon is doing after "Carry On" and how the couple is facing these issues but what I got instead was a bullshit rescue mission full of throw away characters und bullshit. Penny was the absolute worst and she didn't even learn from her mistakes. Her breakup that is supposed to give her character development is absolutely forgotten once it's over and instead of her reflecting we get a love interest that loves all the things that make her a terrible person (I actually wanted to cry at the Storm/ Storm hunter thing). And of COURSE after 350 pages of her not liking love interest™️ on the last 10 pages she suddenly fucking cares about him. Also the line about vampires driving Prius's made me roll my eyes so hard I could see the aneurism this book gave me. This book made me want to abandon it every step of the way and honestly? I would give it minus 5 stars if I could.
So basically this was an absolute waste of my money. Do not recommend.
So basically this was an absolute waste of my money. Do not recommend.
jessicapc's review against another edition
5.0
The improved, follow up story to Harry Potter we all deserved.
doowoo's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
kuromijen's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5