alidathealien's review against another edition
3.0
I don't know. It was fine. The investigate-a-cult plot was interesting enough, but I never felt like I HAD to keep reading. I would've liked to see more of Lo and Bea's relationship as sisters, because what we get is a lot of telling and not a lot of showing.
If I was the author, I would have cut basically everything regarding Lo's career at SVO. It wasn't interesting and every time she was in the office I was thinking "can we get back to the mysterious cult, please??"
(SPOILERS) I liked that Lo found herself pulled into the unity project herself, though I thought her transition could've been more graceful/subtle. It felt like one page she was completely against the project and was dead set on exposing them, and the next page she was hooking up with the cult leader.
If I was the author, I would have cut basically everything regarding Lo's career at SVO. It wasn't interesting and every time she was in the office I was thinking "can we get back to the mysterious cult, please??"
(SPOILERS) I liked that Lo found herself pulled into the unity project herself, though I thought her transition could've been more graceful/subtle. It felt like one page she was completely against the project and was dead set on exposing them, and the next page she was hooking up with the cult leader.
shawnbakergibson's review against another edition
4.0
OK, I was hyped for this book the moment I saw the cover and description. Dark and mysterious, cults and exposés, and with Courtney Summers' writing? I was totally in.
This was one heck of a ride, keeping me interested throughout. I found myself empathetic of Lo's hurt, loneliness, longing for the truth, and the spiral that comes from being in those vulnerable places. The writing of this felt so authentic and understandable, even when I've never found myself in a relatable situation.
The structure of this story kept me engaged throughout, with small bits of information fed to the reader to keep them wanting more, turning the page to hope the truth may be revealed. However, I was a bit disappointed in the twists and turns of the book. In the end, I felt like I'd seen the majority of the book coming, however enthralled I was along the way. I kept waiting for a big OH SNAP moment but didn't find it.
Overall, I enjoyed this quite a bit and will be back for more from Courtney Summers. Giving this a solid 3.5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy for review.
This was one heck of a ride, keeping me interested throughout. I found myself empathetic of Lo's hurt, loneliness, longing for the truth, and the spiral that comes from being in those vulnerable places. The writing of this felt so authentic and understandable, even when I've never found myself in a relatable situation.
The structure of this story kept me engaged throughout, with small bits of information fed to the reader to keep them wanting more, turning the page to hope the truth may be revealed. However, I was a bit disappointed in the twists and turns of the book. In the end, I felt like I'd seen the majority of the book coming, however enthralled I was along the way. I kept waiting for a big OH SNAP moment but didn't find it.
Overall, I enjoyed this quite a bit and will be back for more from Courtney Summers. Giving this a solid 3.5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy for review.
daltan's review against another edition
4.0
Couldn't stop reading this one. Everything is there for a reason, for character or plot, and there's not even an ounce of extra fat on this book. The author clearly knows what she is doing.
What was great:
-I thought everything was explained really clearly and the writing is crystal clear -seriously, not a hint of confusion with this book
-the way The Project is depicted was well done! I loved the concept that the Project gives each individual what THEY need to feel whole, and that will mean different things for different people
-the scene with the snowy pines was very atmospheric and I still think about it
-the main character's struggle to feel as if she has a voice was poignant and, I thought, tied into the way she interacted with the Project and its people really well
Nitpicks:
-I had trouble reconciling the main character's journey at times.
What was great:
-I thought everything was explained really clearly and the writing is crystal clear -seriously, not a hint of confusion with this book
-the way The Project is depicted was well done! I loved the concept that the Project gives each individual what THEY need to feel whole, and that will mean different things for different people
-the scene with the snowy pines was very atmospheric and I still think about it
-the main character's struggle to feel as if she has a voice was poignant and, I thought, tied into the way she interacted with the Project and its people really well
Nitpicks:
-I had trouble reconciling the main character's journey at times.
Spoiler
What happened around the 50-60% mark just felt too sudden, and I didn't love her motivations for suddenly changing perspective, especially since it felt derivative of something else we had already read.bergerem0723's review against another edition
3.0
I regret listening to this on audiobook. It jumped around a lot to different time periods and I couldn’t really follow along really well. I didn’t really get a cult vibe, other than the blind following of a charismatic douche.
unwound_reader's review against another edition
5.0
Don’t cry dontcrydobtcrydontcrydontcrydontcrydontcry
mxgancxtherine's review against another edition
3.0
she really said 'i will disappoint you in the last 50 pages'
reclusivereader's review against another edition
3.0
It's probably my fault for expecting THE PROJECT to be another SADIE but.. I expected another SADIE.
That said, the way that Summers actually utilized this concept, and your preconceived notions about how exactly that looks like, might end up being different from the reality. Or so was the case for me. And that was definitely to its benefit, I think.
Having a sister is a promise no one ubt the two of you can make -- and no one but the two of you can break.
This was definitely on the tamer end of a story featuring a cult, or an organization that looks like one (but is it?), so I would encourage those who are interested but afraid of the potential darkness to not despair. I think you could handle this. That doesn't mean it's pure easy going, of course, but it's far less brutal than I thought it would be. Though not without an edge.
There's no forgiveness in me, I don't think. Just a brutal acceptance of all that has been lost and a resigned march forward in the face of no other options.
The plot is what kept me reading for this one. Not the characters. Unfortunately I just couldn't quite connect to anyone. There was loss and heartbreak and abandonment that I could definitely sympathize with at times but I eventually did hit a wall where I couldn't go further or parts I was just reading, not really living, if that makes sense. I'm kind of bummed because I definitely wanted an experience like SADIE (which wrecked me) and I didn't get anywhere near that. But it's okay.
While I wanted something from this that I didn't get, though the plot hooked me and kept me going, it didn't quite follow that expected path, which is definitely in its favour. It'll be memorable for that.. but not much else.
A good read, and not one that felt very long, with a lot of meat for you to chew but unfortunately, at least for me, not one that left me feeling totally satisfied.
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
----
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
That said, the way that Summers actually utilized this concept, and your preconceived notions about how exactly that looks like, might end up being different from the reality. Or so was the case for me. And that was definitely to its benefit, I think.
Having a sister is a promise no one ubt the two of you can make -- and no one but the two of you can break.
This was definitely on the tamer end of a story featuring a cult, or an organization that looks like one (but is it?), so I would encourage those who are interested but afraid of the potential darkness to not despair. I think you could handle this. That doesn't mean it's pure easy going, of course, but it's far less brutal than I thought it would be. Though not without an edge.
There's no forgiveness in me, I don't think. Just a brutal acceptance of all that has been lost and a resigned march forward in the face of no other options.
The plot is what kept me reading for this one. Not the characters. Unfortunately I just couldn't quite connect to anyone. There was loss and heartbreak and abandonment that I could definitely sympathize with at times but I eventually did hit a wall where I couldn't go further or parts I was just reading, not really living, if that makes sense. I'm kind of bummed because I definitely wanted an experience like SADIE (which wrecked me) and I didn't get anywhere near that. But it's okay.
While I wanted something from this that I didn't get, though the plot hooked me and kept me going, it didn't quite follow that expected path, which is definitely in its favour. It'll be memorable for that.. but not much else.
A good read, and not one that felt very long, with a lot of meat for you to chew but unfortunately, at least for me, not one that left me feeling totally satisfied.
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
----
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
jayypolski's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
book_grams's review against another edition
2.0
After reading and loving Sadie by Courtney Summers, I couldn’t wait to read The Project. This book starts off slow and due to the dual timelines, it was difficult for me to get invested in the story. While the premise of this novel is intriguing (investigating a mysterious cult and its charismatic leader), I found the execution lacking. I wanted to like Lo as a character but I continued to question her actions throughout the novel. Sadly, this one missed the mark for me.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
book_oasis_'s review against another edition
4.0
4.5 Stars! Thank you NetGalley for my advanced e-book copy! A little slow in the beginning and the ending gave me more questions than answers, but I think that was the point. If you love a slow burn story about cults, this one is for you!