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jadehusdanhicks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
This book follows Simon without his magic after the last book with Penelope and Baz as they decide to do a road trip across America.
Initially intending to be tourists their plans end up transitioning into a rescue mission for their friend from school Agatha (who happens to be Simon’s ex).
Americas magical world order is very different to the UK in the fact it has little order and a small cult of vampires known as next bloods are trying to take magic from magicians for themselves to “level up”. It’s like a weird fucked up cult MLM and feels kinda silly but overall I did enjoy the trip they all went on and their success in saving their friend so I cannot wait to see where the final book takes me.
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
the_chocolate_bookshelf's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
'You were the sun, and I was crashing into you.' I love how we were able to explore Baz and Simon's relationship more deeply in this book and this quote sums it up for me.
Overall, a masterpiece and I cannot wait to read the last book.
Moderate: Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cursing
daffodilcherry's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wheelhouses: so you saved the world, now what; roadtrip, roadtrip to rediscover yourselves, extension of the magical world, silicone valley vampires.
Favourite quotes:
He touches me like he can't decide whether to push or pull me, and he's settled on both. I go where he wants. I take what I can get.
"Can I?" he asks.
Can you what, Simon? Kiss me? Kill me? Break my heart? I touch him like he's made of butterfly wings. ]]
[[And I resist demanding an explanation.
Why now, what's the key? How do I get back here tomorrow? Promise to let me back in.
Sometimes Simon kisses me like it's the end of the world, and I worry he might believe that it is.]]
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, and Murder
leonormsousa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Moderate: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racism, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
emilyg0663's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Wayward Son shows Simon, Baz and Penelope in a new light, and a completely different world! If the first book, Simon and Penelope have magic and can hold their own in a fight, Baz too. But here, they are completely unmatched but extremely lucky!! Every situation, every fight, they are either completely defeated or won but beaten up to exhaustion. They are broken and depressed and dragging their feet as they travel through this book, which made me feel helpless.
This makes me extremely nervous for the characters, as they are not good heroes anymore. They can’t do anything right, and even Penelope has no plan which is completely a left field! I actually don’t feel as strongly attached to the characters anymore compared with the first book. <Spoilers> Penelope is an arrogant ‘know it all’ who actually is just a child who knows nothing, Simon is a broken human who has lost his reason for life but is brash and jumps into trouble every second he can. I was absolutely furious with Simon for this, wanted to smack him and tell him ‘sit down!’ And Baz did the most growth as to finding about more about himself, but he’d tided down to my most hated troupe; strained relationships over miscommunication……..
Other thing that stressed me out was the fact that every group hates eachother for biases that they created. Everyone is doing wrong things and blaming the other groups for their misfortunes. It made me realised that there is no good guy in these books, that I don’t root for the vampires, the mages orange creatures. I don’t even root for Simon!
I can’t wait for book 3
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Grief, and Classism
Minor: Kidnapping
francestea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Kidnapping and Murder
Minor: Gun violence and Forced institutionalization
claudiamacpherson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Violence, Blood, and Kidnapping
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
dillybar20's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Excellent book! I only have 3 thoughts.
#1 I know America is a dangerous place but the hits never really stopped coming there was no down time and I would have like to see Baz and Simon with some time to spare mostly to talk. The only time they really had to do that was in the back of the truck and it was too windy.
#2 Penelope never learned her lesson to value other people's opinions. It was a whole book with no character development which is fine for Baz and Simon as there is a much bigger reason behind it that might take another book to sort out but Penny really should have grown up here. Will she ever develop as a person? Or is she going to be stuck in high school forever, wardrobe colours and all?
#3 Penny is a very organized person I do not believe that she never plotted out their itinerary on a map first. I know she's from England and it's very small but she plans too much to make a mistake like she did. It's unbelievable.
Graphic: Gun violence, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Homophobia
a_islandcriptid's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, and Grief
Moderate: Murder and Gaslighting
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Violence, and Alcohol
nexus's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Blood, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Animal death, Death, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol