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nikkitaylor19's review against another edition
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
threeseagrass's review
3.0
3 stars.
But I also want that nagging desire, that compulsion, to stop. Just stop. Just fucking stop. Stop tugging me, telling me I have to be more, I have to do something or I’m worthless, or I’m nothing or I’m nobody.
Have you ever seen that movie Thirteen? Well this book is basically that, except with sixteen year olds and a convenient boarding school situation. Willa and Remy are two kind of bad ass girls who find one another at boarding school. And they get mixed up in a whole lot of shit.
Here’s the thing. I did like this book even though I think it’s kind of been done before. Both Remy and Willa were interesting characters with interesting backgrounds. I honestly think it was the writing style that ruined it for me. Someone please explain why authors are now using HASHTAGS!? Is this what writing has come to? Even though I liked Willa as a character, there were so many times where I just couldn’t stand being inside her head. That made the difference between a 3- and 4-star read.
This is a depressing book in the way that it is written. But it also shows that there is always a light in dark places. Unfortunately, that light in this story completely blotted out the dark space that I wanted to know more about. Remy’s appearance in Willa’s life resulted in a complete 180, with was out of character for Willa in my opinion since she had just gone on and on about how she wanted to kill herself. And suddenly someone walks into her life and that urge is just gone? I kind of wish the author had played with this a bit more, and Willa could have made up her mind after cultivating this important friendship with Remy.
I have to say though, I really liked the ending. If you’re looking for a happily ever after, look elsewhere. I am SO glad the author didn’t decide that all was merry and well in the end. No, this ending is more reminiscent of real life – something I really appreciated.
Overall, a solid 3 star read.
I received an advanced review copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
But I also want that nagging desire, that compulsion, to stop. Just stop. Just fucking stop. Stop tugging me, telling me I have to be more, I have to do something or I’m worthless, or I’m nothing or I’m nobody.
Have you ever seen that movie Thirteen? Well this book is basically that, except with sixteen year olds and a convenient boarding school situation. Willa and Remy are two kind of bad ass girls who find one another at boarding school. And they get mixed up in a whole lot of shit.
Here’s the thing. I did like this book even though I think it’s kind of been done before. Both Remy and Willa were interesting characters with interesting backgrounds. I honestly think it was the writing style that ruined it for me. Someone please explain why authors are now using HASHTAGS!? Is this what writing has come to? Even though I liked Willa as a character, there were so many times where I just couldn’t stand being inside her head. That made the difference between a 3- and 4-star read.
This is a depressing book in the way that it is written. But it also shows that there is always a light in dark places. Unfortunately, that light in this story completely blotted out the dark space that I wanted to know more about. Remy’s appearance in Willa’s life resulted in a complete 180, with was out of character for Willa in my opinion since she had just gone on and on about how she wanted to kill herself. And suddenly someone walks into her life and that urge is just gone? I kind of wish the author had played with this a bit more, and Willa could have made up her mind after cultivating this important friendship with Remy.
I have to say though, I really liked the ending. If you’re looking for a happily ever after, look elsewhere. I am SO glad the author didn’t decide that all was merry and well in the end. No, this ending is more reminiscent of real life – something I really appreciated.
Overall, a solid 3 star read.
I received an advanced review copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
charmaineac's review against another edition
4.0
This takes the classic Great Gatsby-style tragedy and flips it on its head. I loved how Willa adapted and responded to the world of blue bloods. I loved her snark and cynical outlook on life. At times, she was definitely a bit jaded, but I also found myself nodding along in agreement.
She handles peer pressure, relationships, and friendships in a completely relatable way. Her fear of ghosts is cute. I loved her father and Ms. Ingall. For all intents and purposes, Willa came from a pretty great place with strong adult figures. They taught her values and helped prevent her from selling herself short.
I never expected to feel sorry for Remy, but that's how things ended up. And I thought the Milo plotline would get tied up neatly, but it ended up being a loose thread (severed short).
What's odd is that I started this book with an impending sense of doom. Willa was in such a dark place, and I truly thought this was going to be one of those "suicide-and-the-aftermath" books. I didn't really understand why she was in that frame of mind, or how it magically evaporated. I didn't appreciate the way she described her old classmates, but I came to like her by the end of it. And maybe Remy really did save her, even though she wasn't able to return the favour.
She handles peer pressure, relationships, and friendships in a completely relatable way. Her fear of ghosts is cute. I loved her father and Ms. Ingall. For all intents and purposes, Willa came from a pretty great place with strong adult figures. They taught her values and helped prevent her from selling herself short.
I never expected to feel sorry for Remy, but that's how things ended up. And I thought the Milo plotline would get tied up neatly, but it ended up being a loose thread (severed short).
What's odd is that I started this book with an impending sense of doom. Willa was in such a dark place, and I truly thought this was going to be one of those "suicide-and-the-aftermath" books. I didn't really understand why she was in that frame of mind, or how it magically evaporated. I didn't appreciate the way she described her old classmates, but I came to like her by the end of it. And maybe Remy really did save her, even though she wasn't able to return the favour.
hauntedspider's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
sophie_hboff's review
2.0
2 stars.
There were a lot of things I disliked about this book. Not gonna lie. It was a riveting enough novel to get me to read it, and it was interesting... but... well...
I found the writing style of this book to be kind of... I don't know. I mean, it was told as if Willa (the main character) was telling the reader the story. But it wasn't that that bothered me, at least not specifically that... It was mostly the character of Willa Parker, because as she wrote she seemed extremely judgmental, condescending and superior. Just read the first few pages... she described her classmates and gives them nicknames like "OCD", "Peanut Allergy Boy" and "Headgear Girl". It was a tragic attempt at being funny or hilarious, picking at people's flaws and the things they can't control, and it fell flat. Dangerously flat. I was definitely considering dropping the book when I read that, but some part of me decided to continue reading, because I believed at the time it could get better.
Willa talks about wanting to kill herself a bunch of times, but we never found out why, and it was kind of thrown around in a way that seemed like it wasn't important-- not to the reader, but it seemed as if the author was using it as a way to propel the plot, or make you feel interested in what was going to happen. But the plot wasn't impacted in any way because of this, and Willa never explains to us why she's feeling this way, and it's only brought up a few times and many times throughout the book it's forgotten.
And the whole thing between Willa and Remy... I thought there was going to be a romance between them, there most definitely was not (major disappointment in my opinion). Instead, a dull, snobby rich character named Milo comes in as the love-interest.
Simply put: there wasn't any point to this book. It was about a miserable pretentious, patronizing girl and a rampant, manipulating brat, and although it was an easy read, fun to read at times, there was no point to the story, no resolve to tie the book together, no great plot twist, no moral to the story. Nothing.
There were a lot of things I disliked about this book. Not gonna lie. It was a riveting enough novel to get me to read it, and it was interesting... but... well...
I found the writing style of this book to be kind of... I don't know. I mean, it was told as if Willa (the main character) was telling the reader the story. But it wasn't that that bothered me, at least not specifically that... It was mostly the character of Willa Parker, because as she wrote she seemed extremely judgmental, condescending and superior. Just read the first few pages... she described her classmates and gives them nicknames like "OCD", "Peanut Allergy Boy" and "Headgear Girl". It was a tragic attempt at being funny or hilarious, picking at people's flaws and the things they can't control, and it fell flat. Dangerously flat. I was definitely considering dropping the book when I read that, but some part of me decided to continue reading, because I believed at the time it could get better.
Willa talks about wanting to kill herself a bunch of times, but we never found out why, and it was kind of thrown around in a way that seemed like it wasn't important-- not to the reader, but it seemed as if the author was using it as a way to propel the plot, or make you feel interested in what was going to happen. But the plot wasn't impacted in any way because of this, and Willa never explains to us why she's feeling this way, and it's only brought up a few times and many times throughout the book it's forgotten.
And the whole thing between Willa and Remy... I thought there was going to be a romance between them, there most definitely was not (major disappointment in my opinion). Instead, a dull, snobby rich character named Milo comes in as the love-interest.
Spoiler
and for mere seconds you believe that there might be a spark between them... but then he goes around and treats her like absolute crap. I hated that. He was pointless. He was stupid. He was pathetic.Simply put: there wasn't any point to this book. It was about a miserable pretentious, patronizing girl and a rampant, manipulating brat, and although it was an easy read, fun to read at times, there was no point to the story, no resolve to tie the book together, no great plot twist, no moral to the story. Nothing.
ellen's review against another edition
3.0
this was .....kinda yikes
i liked the writing and the story was interesting but ......
it had its problematic moments
so yeah good but also not good
i liked the writing and the story was interesting but ......
it had its problematic moments
Spoiler
i was really hoping willa and remy would date but then she made that comment about wishing she could date willa but shes not a "lesbo" and i was like YIKESso yeah good but also not good
julia_rhys's review against another edition
4.0
Four stars for the ending
I read some off the reviews before this book and I was worried, but you guys, it's a young adult novel, of course the main character had to think she's ugly when she's ready probably not and she had to feel out of place and, duh, she had to be suicidal. It's like the recipe. Anyway, the book is ok. It's predictable and weird and Willa's perspective is different, but I liked the ending and how she stayed true to herself. That was nice.
I read some off the reviews before this book and I was worried, but you guys, it's a young adult novel, of course the main character had to think she's ugly when she's ready probably not and she had to feel out of place and, duh, she had to be suicidal. It's like the recipe. Anyway, the book is ok. It's predictable and weird and Willa's perspective is different, but I liked the ending and how she stayed true to herself. That was nice.
bibliophilogy's review against another edition
5.0
soooooooooo underrated guys! pick it up right now! It may be hard to get through the first thirty pages for some people but I swear to you it gets sooooo much better!
brittmariasbooks's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? No
3.5
CW: Suicidal thoughts
The Fall of Butterflies was not the book I thought it was. The main character Willa moves to a private girl school on the East Coast in the US. She plans to kill herself there. But she also meets Remy Taft there. The girls strike up a friendship. Remy is popular, rich and peculiar. She opens up a new world to Willa. But as Remy spirals out of control, Willa can feel Remy spinning right out of her grasp.
I really enjoyed the narrative voice of Willa. It is a very sarcastic, teenage angsty narration and it worked great as an audiobook. The narration is not for everyone but I enjoyed it.
The Fall of Butterflies was not the book I thought it was. The main character Willa moves to a private girl school on the East Coast in the US. She plans to kill herself there. But she also meets Remy Taft there. The girls strike up a friendship. Remy is popular, rich and peculiar. She opens up a new world to Willa. But as Remy spirals out of control, Willa can feel Remy spinning right out of her grasp.
I really enjoyed the narrative voice of Willa. It is a very sarcastic, teenage angsty narration and it worked great as an audiobook. The narration is not for everyone but I enjoyed it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse, Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, and Drug use
nargleinafez's review against another edition
4.0
I didn't quite like the first part of the book especially the narrative but towards the end and the whole friendship of Willa and Remy made it interesting. The whole time I was rooting for Remy to be better but I think Willa made the right choice in the end. This was a pleasant read from Andrea Portes. I'm curious and what she'd be writing next.