foreverbeautifulbooks's review
3.0
Well, I have to say that I have never really read a book were I was left with more questions than answers and I found myself struggling with how to rate this book as a whole. I finally gathered that it was a perfect down the middle book for me.
I’m going to do this review in two sections. The first will be my likes and the second will be my glaring issues. I will be a brief as possible as I hate writing book reports. Reviews should be FUN!
Ok, what I liked!
Nicole has an amazing voice as a science fiction writer. Really, some people got it, and some people don’t. I wasn’t left doubting the sci-fi world but I was sort of living in it. She gave it a very Blade Runner feel to me and I was ‘this is so cool’ through the first few chapters of the book. The settings and places were described perfectly. I wasn’t dumped on with loads of information she just gave me specific words that left me marveling with how well the world was. The concept was very unique. I’m a lover of the cyborg concept and I love reading about artificial life! I was intrigued and kept reading simply because the storyline demanded it of me and that is greatness for the most part. I like how she used the artificial life to portray real world issues going on in society today. It was like reading a mirrored debate.
Now, here are some of my issues.
The characters took me half a book to warm up to. It felt almost like the characters didn’t really shine or show emotions until the second half of the book when it was all hitting the fan, so to speak. I had trouble with Hemingway the whole way through. He was just a wishy-washy character for me and that’s disappointing seeing as he is the love interest. I cried more for Marta than I did anyone else in the book because she seemed to be the only one with real heart and soul in the whole story. I am not sure if this was a metaphor of the authors or not.
Second, we are constantly told about how horrible Earth is, but never actually explained this. They went to war (Mars and Earth) and I never quite latched onto the why or how. It was brought up frequently because Mars was trying to terraform and mirror earth for the most part.
When Retta and Hemingway go on the run, they are ruthlessly hunted by a group called the IRS. Retta’s image is even flashed all over the planet and they are chased, hunted, threatened. They go back to their home town and it just stops?? Um, what?? She’s home, in the same place as Synlife, where they were the ones that put the reward on her head, yet no one in a hospital, street, or neighbor is like, “Oh, that’s right?” It is mentioned once near the end, “Aren’t you that crazy girl?” You mean like Mars Most Wanted? Yeah she is apparently you’re the only one that remembered dude. This was a glaring plot hole that wasn’t even written away it was just not mentioned again. It was all I could think about the last fourth of the book and that shouldn’t be.
Also, Mars seems to have issues with artificial parts? This I didn’t get at all. Today we have pacemakers, artificial limbs, and are working on an actual artificial heart. This is supposed to be in the distant future yet we suddenly just stopped medical advancements because artificial life was real? I think it either needed to be explained just a touch better with some actual passion behind he because I wasn’t really finding a reason for that particular road block.
I know that it seemed like I disliked more than I liked. However, the setting and unique elements of the story kept the story together like glue. I foundation if you will that helped me finish up the story. By the end I did understand the message and I thought it was very endearing and at the end of the day I think that Nicole does have a talent for writing science fiction stories. I do have to say that I might be a touch harder on science fiction because I am a nerd and I expect a lot from this genre of writing because there are such great stories out there, especially about artificial intelligence.
**I received a copy of this book from Netgalley via Patchwork Press in exchange for an honest review**
I’m going to do this review in two sections. The first will be my likes and the second will be my glaring issues. I will be a brief as possible as I hate writing book reports. Reviews should be FUN!
Ok, what I liked!
Nicole has an amazing voice as a science fiction writer. Really, some people got it, and some people don’t. I wasn’t left doubting the sci-fi world but I was sort of living in it. She gave it a very Blade Runner feel to me and I was ‘this is so cool’ through the first few chapters of the book. The settings and places were described perfectly. I wasn’t dumped on with loads of information she just gave me specific words that left me marveling with how well the world was. The concept was very unique. I’m a lover of the cyborg concept and I love reading about artificial life! I was intrigued and kept reading simply because the storyline demanded it of me and that is greatness for the most part. I like how she used the artificial life to portray real world issues going on in society today. It was like reading a mirrored debate.
Now, here are some of my issues.
The characters took me half a book to warm up to. It felt almost like the characters didn’t really shine or show emotions until the second half of the book when it was all hitting the fan, so to speak. I had trouble with Hemingway the whole way through. He was just a wishy-washy character for me and that’s disappointing seeing as he is the love interest. I cried more for Marta than I did anyone else in the book because she seemed to be the only one with real heart and soul in the whole story. I am not sure if this was a metaphor of the authors or not.
Second, we are constantly told about how horrible Earth is, but never actually explained this. They went to war (Mars and Earth) and I never quite latched onto the why or how. It was brought up frequently because Mars was trying to terraform and mirror earth for the most part.
When Retta and Hemingway go on the run, they are ruthlessly hunted by a group called the IRS. Retta’s image is even flashed all over the planet and they are chased, hunted, threatened. They go back to their home town and it just stops?? Um, what?? She’s home, in the same place as Synlife, where they were the ones that put the reward on her head, yet no one in a hospital, street, or neighbor is like, “Oh, that’s right?” It is mentioned once near the end, “Aren’t you that crazy girl?” You mean like Mars Most Wanted? Yeah she is apparently you’re the only one that remembered dude. This was a glaring plot hole that wasn’t even written away it was just not mentioned again. It was all I could think about the last fourth of the book and that shouldn’t be.
Also, Mars seems to have issues with artificial parts? This I didn’t get at all. Today we have pacemakers, artificial limbs, and are working on an actual artificial heart. This is supposed to be in the distant future yet we suddenly just stopped medical advancements because artificial life was real? I think it either needed to be explained just a touch better with some actual passion behind he because I wasn’t really finding a reason for that particular road block.
I know that it seemed like I disliked more than I liked. However, the setting and unique elements of the story kept the story together like glue. I foundation if you will that helped me finish up the story. By the end I did understand the message and I thought it was very endearing and at the end of the day I think that Nicole does have a talent for writing science fiction stories. I do have to say that I might be a touch harder on science fiction because I am a nerd and I expect a lot from this genre of writing because there are such great stories out there, especially about artificial intelligence.
**I received a copy of this book from Netgalley via Patchwork Press in exchange for an honest review**
phinn's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
My first read on my kindle. I enjoyed the story, however what took it slightly down for me was the pov of a teenage girl. A huge part of the book just felt quite too fan-fic-esque for my liking but the actual underlying story I enjoyed. It reminded me of the TV drama 'Humans'.
emilyanne3000's review against another edition
4.0
Wow, I enjoyed this tremendously! I loved the world building, the plot, and all the creative ideas. While the book wasn't heart pounding or a "favorites shelf" book, I still was completely sucked in. Such a cool book... The characters were pretty awesome, the romance was sweet, and the book constantly gave off the vibe "Read More!"
The Androids theme was pulled off epicly! On Mars, Androids are considered completely below humans. It is terrible, really. This book is mostly about how much unfairness androids have to endure... and how Retta comes to want to change it, especially when she starts learning more about the "blue hearts". This was my favorite aspect of Blue Hearts of Mars.
In no part was this book boring. I whizzed right through all the pages. I especially loved how the author imagines Mars. The technology, school, and societies (such as one with scary weapons/abilities) all add to the setting. You know, Mars kinda reminded me of a dystopian world... but not quite.
The characters were pretty cool. I loved seeing how Retta changed throughout the novel. Also, the supporting cast was cool; Hemingway and his mother; and Retta's dad, sister, and friend, were all memorable and added to the story, especially since their personalities were sharp and different.
There were many plots in this book, some bigger than others. Most had to do with Androids though which made me happy. I loved learning and exploring this space world filled with mostly nice androids.I could say much more, as I think this book has many layers and discussion topics, but I'll stop here. Blue Hearts of Mars is a highly recommended fast and fun read.
4/5 bookcases
If you love creative novels try this one!
The Androids theme was pulled off epicly! On Mars, Androids are considered completely below humans. It is terrible, really. This book is mostly about how much unfairness androids have to endure... and how Retta comes to want to change it, especially when she starts learning more about the "blue hearts". This was my favorite aspect of Blue Hearts of Mars.
In no part was this book boring. I whizzed right through all the pages. I especially loved how the author imagines Mars. The technology, school, and societies (such as one with scary weapons/abilities) all add to the setting. You know, Mars kinda reminded me of a dystopian world... but not quite.
The characters were pretty cool. I loved seeing how Retta changed throughout the novel. Also, the supporting cast was cool; Hemingway and his mother; and Retta's dad, sister, and friend, were all memorable and added to the story, especially since their personalities were sharp and different.
There were many plots in this book, some bigger than others. Most had to do with Androids though which made me happy. I loved learning and exploring this space world filled with mostly nice androids.I could say much more, as I think this book has many layers and discussion topics, but I'll stop here. Blue Hearts of Mars is a highly recommended fast and fun read.
4/5 bookcases
If you love creative novels try this one!
mlboyd20's review against another edition
4.0
I had just come off a read for review that was a DNF. So you can imagine, as a reader, how down I was feeling. I went straight into Blue Hearts of Mars thinking that I had lost my mojo but quickly found myself loving the story and the fabulous writing. This story is unique in so many ways. You may think, androids, been there, done that. Don’t think that! You may think, teenage girl carelessly treating her life like it doesn’t matter. Don’t think that either! What you can think is a new evolution of life. Something other than the normal, something powerful, something driven, something full of never-ending possibilities.
The story takes place in a colonized Mars. Humans and androids living under domes. Androids that look, talk and behave just like humans. But…the rumor is, they have blue hearts. This is enough to drive the prejudices of inequality. But…do they have blue hearts? Are they oh so much different than us? This story starts out as a love story. Teen girl..teen android boy..a love, like Romeo and Juliet’s that is considered intolerable but theirs is also illegal. But this story turns into so much more than a love story. It is a story that has another layer to it, a story within a story. And there is an awesome twist near the end that puts the humans on Mars in a tailspin.
Most of the story I found that I liked. There is romance, but it’s subtle, not strangling you. There is the acknowledgment of sex without having to go into details and it fits perfectly into the story. I think if the author had gone more in depth with it, it wouldn’t have made the story better. Kind of like some of the movies you see where there is nudity and you’re thinking, why, it wasn’t necessary and it didn’t do a thing to make the movie more interesting. I also liked the description of the colonized Mars. The similarities of life between living on Earth and Mars but with the differences also noted in the details.
What I didn’t like? All the constant running of Hemingway and Retta. There’s an agent, run this way. There’s another agent, run that way. Running and running. Okay, we got to learn a bit more of the Mars world this way, but it felt a bit exhausting to me, the reader. Oh, and Hemingway’s super strength and super speed. It was a nice touch, but it felt a bit like a knock off Superman. With the conclusion of the story, you want to wag your finger at them both and say, see, you didn’t have to run around like crazy people, the answers were already available for you if you had just asked and thought it all out.
Do I recommend this book? A resounding YES. For lovers of YA sci-fi, this will satisfy your craving. For lovers of dystopia, this gives you human life on another planet but without Earth being destroyed or war ridden. For lovers of action, this gives you plenty to keep you on your toes. An all-around good read that will have you thinking long after the last word is read.
The story takes place in a colonized Mars. Humans and androids living under domes. Androids that look, talk and behave just like humans. But…the rumor is, they have blue hearts. This is enough to drive the prejudices of inequality. But…do they have blue hearts? Are they oh so much different than us? This story starts out as a love story. Teen girl..teen android boy..a love, like Romeo and Juliet’s that is considered intolerable but theirs is also illegal. But this story turns into so much more than a love story. It is a story that has another layer to it, a story within a story. And there is an awesome twist near the end that puts the humans on Mars in a tailspin.
Most of the story I found that I liked. There is romance, but it’s subtle, not strangling you. There is the acknowledgment of sex without having to go into details and it fits perfectly into the story. I think if the author had gone more in depth with it, it wouldn’t have made the story better. Kind of like some of the movies you see where there is nudity and you’re thinking, why, it wasn’t necessary and it didn’t do a thing to make the movie more interesting. I also liked the description of the colonized Mars. The similarities of life between living on Earth and Mars but with the differences also noted in the details.
What I didn’t like? All the constant running of Hemingway and Retta. There’s an agent, run this way. There’s another agent, run that way. Running and running. Okay, we got to learn a bit more of the Mars world this way, but it felt a bit exhausting to me, the reader. Oh, and Hemingway’s super strength and super speed. It was a nice touch, but it felt a bit like a knock off Superman. With the conclusion of the story, you want to wag your finger at them both and say, see, you didn’t have to run around like crazy people, the answers were already available for you if you had just asked and thought it all out.
Do I recommend this book? A resounding YES. For lovers of YA sci-fi, this will satisfy your craving. For lovers of dystopia, this gives you human life on another planet but without Earth being destroyed or war ridden. For lovers of action, this gives you plenty to keep you on your toes. An all-around good read that will have you thinking long after the last word is read.
jenbsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Giving this three stars, but I'm a feeling a bit more "it was ok" than "I liked it" really. The story and the writing were fine/good, but I just never really got emotionally involved. Other reviewers have mentioned the "insta love" and that did cause a little eye-rolling on my part. Poor Retta, those TENTERHOOKS just kept pulling her heart apart! Now I have heard the word before, but it really seemed overused here (ok, it was only five times, but as it isn't an everyday saying I really noticed it every time). Tenterhooks ...hmmmm.
At times the book seemed a bit preachy, driving home views on equality, or wasting water, or how the news can twist things. I'm wondering if the author is LDS (I do see she was raised in Utah), as there were a couple things that jumped out at me (the burning in the bosom to know it was true, the strange grip as they made certain promises) ...it's just a little strange to recognize religion in a sci-fi novel.
"Machines" apparently has a very negative connotation (similar to the "N" word) ... so it made me wonder what they called ... machines? It's just such a common, everyday word here, it was hard for me to assign such a negative impact to it.
I did highlight a couple thoughts, and there were a couple moments where I enjoyed some unexpected humor.
At times the book seemed a bit preachy, driving home views on equality, or wasting water, or how the news can twist things. I'm wondering if the author is LDS (I do see she was raised in Utah), as there were a couple things that jumped out at me (the burning in the bosom to know it was true, the strange grip as they made certain promises) ...it's just a little strange to recognize religion in a sci-fi novel.
"Machines" apparently has a very negative connotation (similar to the "N" word) ... so it made me wonder what they called ... machines? It's just such a common, everyday word here, it was hard for me to assign such a negative impact to it.
I did highlight a couple thoughts, and there were a couple moments where I enjoyed some unexpected humor.
abwright's review against another edition
2.0
Odd book. The instalove equation was a bit annoying. There was a lot of hype about the governments plans for the androids amd it just took forever to get into the action of it being implemented. Hemingway and Retta's running away seemed poorly thought out and it just appeared to be a little honeymoon rather than an escape plan, particularly when no one was staking them out when they returned. The final two chapters and its revelation could have made a much better plot than the other conspiracy and I wished it was more of a forefront plot.
lpcoolgirl's review
4.5
I enjoyed this book, but there were a few decisions that I found questionable, and sometimes I didn't like her too much. But otherwise it was a decent read!
foreverinastory's review against another edition
4.0
I received this book through the group Shut Up & Read's Read it and Reap program. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an review.
My rating: 4.5/5
First Impression: through my first glimpse at the characters, I knew, Retta was a badass. I knew exactly how she felt, fighting with her father. Parents are just so difficult sometimes, but they usually have your best interest at heart.
More Detailed
At the beginning of the story, it kind of felt like every other teenage love story. I was starting to get disappointed. After Hemingway pretty much breaks Retta’s heart trying to protect her, we start to find the true purpose of the novel: Equality. It’s easy to draw parallels from this book to the 1920’s women’s rights movement, the 1960’s civil rights movement, and even now with the Gay Rights Movement. The core of this book proposes an idea that we have been trying to figure out for hundreds of years and challenges us to change our opinions and ideals. That question is: What makes us human? What defines us as humans? Is it how we look, act, or something else?
This book may start out slightly confusing and semi-clichéd, but the author is able to incorporate suspense, and the weight of the struggle of humanity into the plot quite flawlessly. Oh and did I mention this book takes place on Mars? Anyways, this book’s plot is heavily intriguing, but still easily understood. While at the same time the author just makes you feel for the characters. You just want them to be happy, well unless you’re just a heartless creature, but that is beside the point.
I really did love a majority of the character from this story, but it was hard not to. Marta is so innocent and a little naïve, just how a pre-adolescent should be. Sonja, Hemingway’s mother, is so wacky and super intelligent that she is just awesome. Hemingway is the last character that I have yet to mention. His character is so complex, while still being realistic. He’s sweet, intelligent and chivalrous. Hemingway is portrayed as human even though he is an “android” and was created and not born. In some ways, Hemingway is one of the most human characters of the book. One more thing, I noticed about Retta, that she’s driven by an inner fire and passion that most humans possess; however, some of us lack this quality sadly whereas Retta prominently shows this quality multiple times in the book.
I had a few problems with Mei and Retta’s father, but by the end of the book you see the better side of them. Mei really is a loyal friend, but she is used to be treated like a queen so when she doesn’t get her way she can act like a petulant child. At times, it was hard to accept Retta’s father because he acted like a bigot. He never completely listened to Retta’s argument for the androids until someone’s life was threatened. Her father gives the book just enough tension for it to feel like a real issue we may argue with our parents about. In the end, he really is trying to his best by Retta.
Overall, I did like this book. Not one of my all time favorites, but very close. I would definitely enjoy reading it again sometime. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance, Fantasy, dystopian novels and people who enjoy arguing about right and wrong. This would be a very good philosopher’s read.
My rating: 4.5/5
First Impression: through my first glimpse at the characters, I knew, Retta was a badass. I knew exactly how she felt, fighting with her father. Parents are just so difficult sometimes, but they usually have your best interest at heart.
More Detailed
At the beginning of the story, it kind of felt like every other teenage love story. I was starting to get disappointed. After Hemingway pretty much breaks Retta’s heart trying to protect her, we start to find the true purpose of the novel: Equality. It’s easy to draw parallels from this book to the 1920’s women’s rights movement, the 1960’s civil rights movement, and even now with the Gay Rights Movement. The core of this book proposes an idea that we have been trying to figure out for hundreds of years and challenges us to change our opinions and ideals. That question is: What makes us human? What defines us as humans? Is it how we look, act, or something else?
This book may start out slightly confusing and semi-clichéd, but the author is able to incorporate suspense, and the weight of the struggle of humanity into the plot quite flawlessly. Oh and did I mention this book takes place on Mars? Anyways, this book’s plot is heavily intriguing, but still easily understood. While at the same time the author just makes you feel for the characters. You just want them to be happy, well unless you’re just a heartless creature, but that is beside the point.
I really did love a majority of the character from this story, but it was hard not to. Marta is so innocent and a little naïve, just how a pre-adolescent should be. Sonja, Hemingway’s mother, is so wacky and super intelligent that she is just awesome. Hemingway is the last character that I have yet to mention. His character is so complex, while still being realistic. He’s sweet, intelligent and chivalrous. Hemingway is portrayed as human even though he is an “android” and was created and not born. In some ways, Hemingway is one of the most human characters of the book. One more thing, I noticed about Retta, that she’s driven by an inner fire and passion that most humans possess; however, some of us lack this quality sadly whereas Retta prominently shows this quality multiple times in the book.
I had a few problems with Mei and Retta’s father, but by the end of the book you see the better side of them. Mei really is a loyal friend, but she is used to be treated like a queen so when she doesn’t get her way she can act like a petulant child. At times, it was hard to accept Retta’s father because he acted like a bigot. He never completely listened to Retta’s argument for the androids until someone’s life was threatened. Her father gives the book just enough tension for it to feel like a real issue we may argue with our parents about. In the end, he really is trying to his best by Retta.
Overall, I did like this book. Not one of my all time favorites, but very close. I would definitely enjoy reading it again sometime. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance, Fantasy, dystopian novels and people who enjoy arguing about right and wrong. This would be a very good philosopher’s read.
condygurl's review against another edition
5.0
This book started out a little slow for me. But it quickly picked up the pace as more and more things came to light. I loved the relationship of the Main Characters.
Retta and Hemmingway, the blue heart had such an intense and wonderful way of relating. I loved the moral lesson of this book that everyone is the same. I think this is an important lesson especially in today's day and age of violence and hatred.
Blue Hearts of Mars is a science fiction story and as such does deal with some interesting things in life, such as the Gates and Technology. I enjoyed reading this book, and I am not a normal Sci-Fi lover. I may be a Trekkie but when it comes to my choice of reading material I usually steer clear of Sci-Fi's because they tend to be quite repetitive and boring. This book didn't do that. Once it caught me it kept me until I completely finished the story. Turning pages quicker and quicker until the ending.
I have to say I recommend this book! And as such I give it 4.5 stars. Check it out for yourself. You may be as surprised as I was.
Details/Disclaimer: Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
Retta and Hemmingway, the blue heart had such an intense and wonderful way of relating. I loved the moral lesson of this book that everyone is the same. I think this is an important lesson especially in today's day and age of violence and hatred.
Blue Hearts of Mars is a science fiction story and as such does deal with some interesting things in life, such as the Gates and Technology. I enjoyed reading this book, and I am not a normal Sci-Fi lover. I may be a Trekkie but when it comes to my choice of reading material I usually steer clear of Sci-Fi's because they tend to be quite repetitive and boring. This book didn't do that. Once it caught me it kept me until I completely finished the story. Turning pages quicker and quicker until the ending.
I have to say I recommend this book! And as such I give it 4.5 stars. Check it out for yourself. You may be as surprised as I was.
Details/Disclaimer: Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
inlibrisveritas's review
4.0
Blue Hearts of Mars is a rather unique story that has a unique mesh of revolution, androids, and moral/social issues. We are introduced to the city New Helsinki which is inside a massive dome on the surface of Mars. There is one major difference between the Martian colonies and Earth (other than being on a different planet) and that’s the androids, also known as Blue Hearts. They are an integral part of their society and yet they don’t stand on even ground with humans and their existence is taken for granted.
The overall plot was something new for me and whenever I got a free moment I spent it reading about Retta and Hemingway. I love that it mirrors some social and moral issues that we can see in our own history, and that it kind of nudges you and makes you think. The romance does start off in a bit of an insta-love moment, but the whole relationship stands for something more in the grand scheme of things so I didn’t mind so much. They have an interesting dynamic and I enjoyed most of their interaction with each other. I will admit that the romance is not my favorite part of this book, as I was hooked on the social issues going on with android and human population. I loved that this book brought a rather interesting question to the forefront, ‘What makes a human truly human?’ Is the it the sum of all of our parts or is it something more? It’s a very big question and its not one that comes with an easy answer, so it was really interesting to see this question being asked by one person to begin with and then seeing it spread to others. I thought that the overall sciene fiction aspect of the story was handled really well and everything was explained in a way that its easy to understand.
Retta is a girl who initially is fairly shallow and a bit stuck in her own personal bubble. She’s not particularly likeable in the beginning but as she opens her eyes more to the world around her she becomes a better person. It does take a bit of external force (Hemingway and her attraction to him) to get her to open her eyes but she does and ends up working to show others the same things. Mei, Retta’s best friend, is a beyond cooky. If there were ever a character that I’d label as a tad crazy it would be Mei. I did like the fact that none of the relationships in this novel are perfect, each has its problems and even though some of those problems are a bit more…eccentric I still like that they weren’t cookie cutter.
This tied up nicely at the end so I’m pretty sure that this is a stand alone novel, but I’m definitely going to be looking for more of her novels because I enjoy her style.
I received this in exchange for an honest review.
The overall plot was something new for me and whenever I got a free moment I spent it reading about Retta and Hemingway. I love that it mirrors some social and moral issues that we can see in our own history, and that it kind of nudges you and makes you think. The romance does start off in a bit of an insta-love moment, but the whole relationship stands for something more in the grand scheme of things so I didn’t mind so much. They have an interesting dynamic and I enjoyed most of their interaction with each other. I will admit that the romance is not my favorite part of this book, as I was hooked on the social issues going on with android and human population. I loved that this book brought a rather interesting question to the forefront, ‘What makes a human truly human?’ Is the it the sum of all of our parts or is it something more? It’s a very big question and its not one that comes with an easy answer, so it was really interesting to see this question being asked by one person to begin with and then seeing it spread to others. I thought that the overall sciene fiction aspect of the story was handled really well and everything was explained in a way that its easy to understand.
Retta is a girl who initially is fairly shallow and a bit stuck in her own personal bubble. She’s not particularly likeable in the beginning but as she opens her eyes more to the world around her she becomes a better person. It does take a bit of external force (Hemingway and her attraction to him) to get her to open her eyes but she does and ends up working to show others the same things. Mei, Retta’s best friend, is a beyond cooky. If there were ever a character that I’d label as a tad crazy it would be Mei. I did like the fact that none of the relationships in this novel are perfect, each has its problems and even though some of those problems are a bit more…eccentric I still like that they weren’t cookie cutter.
This tied up nicely at the end so I’m pretty sure that this is a stand alone novel, but I’m definitely going to be looking for more of her novels because I enjoy her style.
I received this in exchange for an honest review.
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