sashahc's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
What a #book! It is written in the first person omniscient, which will make more sense when you read it. It is sort of an urban fantasy and wanders across different intertwined characters and through memories and places. It is queer and anarchist and ACAB and full of were-animals and witches and gods and other things. It’s a glorious puzzle box of a book, and I highly recommend it.
lakea's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia, Grief, Physical abuse, Racism, Torture, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Hate crime, Bullying, Cursing, Gun violence, Cannibalism, and Confinement
ccneary's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
3.0
superdrea's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
jgstewart87's review against another edition
1.0
This one goes on the "did not finish" list. It's meandering and pointless. 80% of the way in and I have no idea of the plot. There's random conflicts that appear from nowhere then we shift to entirely different characters talking about other random things. It's unsubtly using monsters to discuss marginalized groups and their experiences, but the way it just flips around to different characters and ideas does the message a disservice. No unified story to drive engagement and honestly it was a struggle to even make it as far as I did.
bosco29's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.0
Confusing and hard to follow.
Time jumps constantly. Character points of view jumps constantly. So many scenes have something going on in the present, past, and future and switched character viewpoints and locations. It's really hard to figure out what is going on.
I love that so many characters of LGBTQIA+, it's like every other character, but it was almost overdone and with how terrible it was to follow the story, it's like the author hoped the inclusion factor would carry the story.
It started out promising and I loved the premise of the secret world of monsters leaking to the public but the book wasn't about that very much.
I can't decide if this would have been better as several books in a longer series so you can actually invest in a single character at some point. In this book, it's basically an introduction to a billion characters in a billion different timeframes. Maybe it'll come together more in a future book? I don't see how I'll actually start to connect with a character though with how much it jumps around.
The audiobook had potential but the narrator pauses in weird places and every ime the narrator breathes in, it's loud and sounds like he's been jump scared, I know that sounds odd but it was incredibly irritating to hear this constant quick, loud intake of breath mid sentence and after every sentence. I am wondering if this is a book thats better physically read instead. Maybe it would be easier to follow too.
I was really excited about this book but it was disappointing. I don't have the Tok but it feels like another book built up by that platform for whatever reason only to be a flop. I expected more supernatural and was disappointed by how very little this book actually even mentions the "monsters"/supernatural.
TW: This book has a heavy focus on Dr*g use/addiction, mental health.
Time jumps constantly. Character points of view jumps constantly. So many scenes have something going on in the present, past, and future and switched character viewpoints and locations. It's really hard to figure out what is going on.
I love that so many characters of LGBTQIA+, it's like every other character, but it was almost overdone and with how terrible it was to follow the story, it's like the author hoped the inclusion factor would carry the story.
It started out promising and I loved the premise of the secret world of monsters leaking to the public but the book wasn't about that very much.
I can't decide if this would have been better as several books in a longer series so you can actually invest in a single character at some point. In this book, it's basically an introduction to a billion characters in a billion different timeframes. Maybe it'll come together more in a future book? I don't see how I'll actually start to connect with a character though with how much it jumps around.
The audiobook had potential but the narrator pauses in weird places and every ime the narrator breathes in, it's loud and sounds like he's been jump scared, I know that sounds odd but it was incredibly irritating to hear this constant quick, loud intake of breath mid sentence and after every sentence. I am wondering if this is a book thats better physically read instead. Maybe it would be easier to follow too.
I was really excited about this book but it was disappointing. I don't have the Tok but it feels like another book built up by that platform for whatever reason only to be a flop. I expected more supernatural and was disappointed by how very little this book actually even mentions the "monsters"/supernatural.
TW: This book has a heavy focus on Dr*g use/addiction, mental health.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction and Murder
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Death, Suicide, and Drug use
stellarkestrel's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- 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
3.75
ali_jenna's review against another edition
3.0
This book was a little bit strange but I liked it and I liked the concept.
Also it's low fantasy which I always enjoy
I am excited for book 2, however, idk if it's just me, but book series rather than stand alones are starting to feel a little juvenile. This book despite its mystery and mysticism touches on very real issues and to me the fact that it's part of a series kind of cheapens it and makes it feel like just another fantasy series comparable to percy jackson or the shadowhunter ones when it is nothing like them.
The thing is that this book is already 400 or so pages long and as is feels cramped. I felt like the author cut A LOT out before the book made it to the final copy. So I guess the idea of fitting this story into one book is unreealistic. I guess I'll have to let it slide this time. -- just this time...
anyway this book wasnt bad and the representation was really really good. I was so happy to see an ace character.
This is the longest review for a book ive written in a while so im going to stop now haha
Also it's low fantasy which I always enjoy
I am excited for book 2, however, idk if it's just me, but book series rather than stand alones are starting to feel a little juvenile. This book despite its mystery and mysticism touches on very real issues and to me the fact that it's part of a series kind of cheapens it and makes it feel like just another fantasy series comparable to percy jackson or the shadowhunter ones when it is nothing like them.
The thing is that this book is already 400 or so pages long and as is feels cramped. I felt like the author cut A LOT out before the book made it to the final copy. So I guess the idea of fitting this story into one book is unreealistic. I guess I'll have to let it slide this time. -- just this time...
Spoiler
While I thought the narrator was a super interesting touch and also an interesting character I still don't get why he is part of it and how he knows to find all these people who are all like parts of this puzzle. I am assuming more will be revealed in book 2? Still I think there maybe should have been a little more about him especially since he was introduced from the beginning- like I just found that chapter bizarre and I wish there was a little more to it. Also for some reason I thought he was a gay woman in that chapter idkThis is the longest review for a book ive written in a while so im going to stop now haha