sillypunk's review against another edition
5.0
This was holy fucking omg good: http://blogendorff.ghost.io/book-review-archivist-wasp/
siria's review against another edition
2.25
The first few pages of this were vivid and textured and promised something nicely off-kilter, but by about a third of the way in, Nicole Kornher-Stace shifts gears to a much more rote YA dystopia. So much of the book is taken up with the main character, Wasp, learning about events from centuries before via a kind of flashback device that sap the plot of much momentum and make her curiously passive—even though I'm sure we're supposed to read this as a quest narrative through which Wasp learns to come into herself, yadda yadda.
Kornher-Stace gestures towards world-building, but there are gaping plot holes and inconsistencies. Characters do that thing of not communicating with one another because, well, the book needs to be another 100 pages longer so why share this helpful information? This is true both on the part of the unnamed ghost (ah, the plot convenient bouts of amnesia!) and of Wasp herself (never once in all their walking through the underworld does someone whom we're told is smart and curious about the world and who's basically a professional ghost-knife-wielding anthropologist take the chance to ask the ghost questions about the past and what happened to the world? no?).
A book with no sense of its own purpose.
Kornher-Stace gestures towards world-building, but there are gaping plot holes and inconsistencies. Characters do that thing of not communicating with one another because, well, the book needs to be another 100 pages longer so why share this helpful information? This is true both on the part of the unnamed ghost (ah, the plot convenient bouts of amnesia!) and of Wasp herself (never once in all their walking through the underworld does someone whom we're told is smart and curious about the world and who's basically a professional ghost-knife-wielding anthropologist take the chance to ask the ghost questions about the past and what happened to the world? no?).
A book with no sense of its own purpose.
nakedsushi's review against another edition
3.0
I'm not sure what to make of this book. On the one hand, the rich descriptions and raw violence really made the book. On the other, I can't help but think there was not much substance to it. The story was pretty basic and didn't really take any unexpected turns. I was hoping for a more satisfying ending than the one it had, but I'm not sure what it could be. I just have a hard time believing in the status quo this book begins with just because I have a hard time that people can be so blind and dumb about bad living conditions.
farfromdaylight's review against another edition
Really gave this a try but I think it's bad timing. May revisit later.
cthompson00297's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
theintrovertsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Toxic relationship, Child death, Death, Violence, Physical abuse, Murder, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Grief, Religious bigotry, Confinement, Self harm, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Minor: Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Excrement, Child abuse, Abandonment, Medical content, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, and Gore
lindylevito's review against another edition
5.0
I wrote an in depth review of this with some small spoilers at my work's page (a public library):
Long story short: I loved this book!
http://www.meredithlibrary.org/blog/book-review-archivist-wasp-some-spoilers
Long story short: I loved this book!
http://www.meredithlibrary.org/blog/book-review-archivist-wasp-some-spoilers
crazycardigan's review against another edition
4.0
I read this book months ago and I am still thinking about it. If you like really weird fiction and/or fantasy and scifi that make you feel completely immersed in the setting, then you might want to give this one a try.
freesien's review against another edition
3.0
Not quite sure... Definitely an original idea and I liked the characters and the overall plot. But I still don't really get this whole world and how it works and what's up with those ghosts?! No clue.
ninetyninecats's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.25