august_reader's review against another edition
2.0
This book felt insufferable. The writing seems to be all over the place.
It felt like the author had a brief plot line in his mind and just put the same on paper. The characters didn't seem fleshed out. I don't know the difference between celestials, specters, blood casters completely.
I was completely lost out on the world and after some point I even stopped caring.
Also, Brighton is an ass right from the start and he doesn't disappoint till the end.
I also don't like the trope of 'Oh my god, such huge responsibility on me.. I didn't want this power, what should I do?'.. and this is repeated so often..
irrespective of all my irritations, there were moments when I liked the book. But it feels like there is just so much happening without a proper explanation.
It felt like the author had a brief plot line in his mind and just put the same on paper. The characters didn't seem fleshed out. I don't know the difference between celestials, specters, blood casters completely.
I was completely lost out on the world and after some point I even stopped caring.
Also, Brighton is an ass right from the start and he doesn't disappoint till the end.
I also don't like the trope of 'Oh my god, such huge responsibility on me.. I didn't want this power, what should I do?'.. and this is repeated so often..
irrespective of all my irritations, there were moments when I liked the book. But it feels like there is just so much happening without a proper explanation.
andrewsnotthere's review against another edition
2.0
A good premise though I found one character incredibly annoying, which was unfortunate as they're a main character and thus unavoidable.
Otherwise, characters and themes were a bit flat, lacking depth or in cases circling back to really hammer something home; Emil's stance of really not wanting to fight, followed by a 'neccesary' fight scene, followed by Emil really not wanting to fight (and repeat) and Brighton's inferiority complex just two examples.
Thematically it attempts to discuss real-world concerns via magical alteration - wands replace gun violence, political campaigns akin to American presidential runnings - however these are quite one dimensional.
Enjoyable for the wider world it creates, but not for me.
Otherwise, characters and themes were a bit flat, lacking depth or in cases circling back to really hammer something home; Emil's stance of really not wanting to fight, followed by a 'neccesary' fight scene, followed by Emil really not wanting to fight (and repeat) and Brighton's inferiority complex just two examples.
Thematically it attempts to discuss real-world concerns via magical alteration - wands replace gun violence, political campaigns akin to American presidential runnings - however these are quite one dimensional.
Enjoyable for the wider world it creates, but not for me.
bookswithzaya's review against another edition
1.0
Yikes! I need to stop choosing to read books based off of the covers because this was a rough one. Emil and Brighton, twin brothers living in New York, a randomly for no reason gay main character and a brother obsessed with power.
reysoflight's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Animal cruelty
nottodaysatan's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
emmsdot's review against another edition
2.0
okay so I've cried at every single Adam Silvera book I've read. but nope not this one. I'm not even sure what to rate it? two stars? two and a half? I just didn't enjoy it that much. the concept was quite cool it just could've been so much better.
GOD I HATE BRIGHTON, SOMEONE PLEASE SHUT HIM UP. HES SOOO ANNOYING.
i did like some parts of this but others really annoyed me (looking at you again Brighton). i did like Ness though.
regardless I'll probably read the sequel to see what happens (and for Ness obviously).
GOD I HATE BRIGHTON, SOMEONE PLEASE SHUT HIM UP. HES SOOO ANNOYING.
i did like some parts of this but others really annoyed me (looking at you again Brighton). i did like Ness though.
regardless I'll probably read the sequel to see what happens (and for Ness obviously).
magpie4's review against another edition
4.0
Oh. My. God. I just finished Infinity Son, and I'm freaking out! I loved this book so much! This urban fantasy about two brothers whose lives change forever once they find out one has powers, but it's not the brother who desperately wants it. This novel's premise has always intrigued me, so I finally decided to pick it up, and then I couldn't put it down. The first words hooked me from the very beginning. Adam Silvera expertly weaves the world-building into forming the backstory of our two protagonists, Emil and Brighton. Nothing felt too info-dumpy because he wrote it to reveal details of the fantastic world as it relates to Emil and Brighton's life so far. It makes it seem very organic.
Emil is a precious bean who needs to be protected at all costs. I absolutely adore him. He is so sweet and kind. He genuinely cares about everybody, unlike his brother. Brighton is his narcissistic asshole of a brother who I wish would go die in a ditch. Brighton values success, fame and power over his family and friends. He is convinced that he will become the next big YouTube influencer and does anything to get the inside scoop for a story if it means getting more followers. He is envious of his brother's newfound powers and craves the chance to show the world he is just as powerful as Emil. The plot had me hooked from the very beginning. It was so fast-paced and definitely subverts some common tropes and falls in line with common tropes, and I'm not mad about it. I am here for an amazing enemies to lovers, slow-burn romance. If you've read the book, you know what I'm talking about. I also like the cast of side characters, and I hope we get to know them better in the sequel.
Something that I thought was interesting was how Emil and Brighton's mom was present throughout the novel. That never happens in a YA fantasy novel!
One thing really frustrated me, but it's super spoilery, so I will not mention it here but keep reading if you want to know.
When I looked on Goodreads, I was surprised that the ratings weren't higher. It was giving Renegades vibes while reading the book, which is another YA fantasy series I read this year. There were some minor issues or inconsistencies I found. Still, overall, it was a stellar novel and a great start to a hopefully remarkable trilogy! I would highly recommend this book if you are into YA (urban) fantasy with a diverse cast and a touch of romance. I can't wait for Infinity Reaper to be released in March.
****SPOILERS****
The "it turns out I'm adopted" plot twist got old after a while. Emil and Brighton's mom reveals Emil is adopted, a secret their father took to his grave, and up until then, both brothers believed they were twins. It made sense plot-wise because that explains why only Emil has powers. Their mom was lying to both of them their whole life because she didn't want him to feel out of place. I can get with that, I guess. The way the twist was written made it seem like being adopted was worse than death. That, lying to their face every day of their lives would be better for Emil than knowing the truth. Sure, being adopted comes with a lot of internal and external struggles, but it's not a death sentence. If Emil had grown up knowing he was adopted, he would make peace with it. He would always have unanswered questions, but that's just how it is. Then we learn that Maribelle is adopted, and she freaks out too. Granted, her sister knew and kept it a secret, but I was more annoyed than awed by that reveal. If someone in this world suddenly has mysterious powers, the answer can't be because they're adopted!
Why would spell Walkers willing let Brighton film them and upload the videos to YouTube where anyone has access to them? I thought they were trying to stay hidden! The authorities definitely should have been able to track their location through the videos or through all the phones everyone is carrying around.
Emil is a precious bean who needs to be protected at all costs. I absolutely adore him. He is so sweet and kind. He genuinely cares about everybody, unlike his brother. Brighton is his narcissistic asshole of a brother who I wish would go die in a ditch. Brighton values success, fame and power over his family and friends. He is convinced that he will become the next big YouTube influencer and does anything to get the inside scoop for a story if it means getting more followers. He is envious of his brother's newfound powers and craves the chance to show the world he is just as powerful as Emil. The plot had me hooked from the very beginning. It was so fast-paced and definitely subverts some common tropes and falls in line with common tropes, and I'm not mad about it. I am here for an amazing enemies to lovers, slow-burn romance. If you've read the book, you know what I'm talking about. I also like the cast of side characters, and I hope we get to know them better in the sequel.
Something that I thought was interesting was how Emil and Brighton's mom was present throughout the novel. That never happens in a YA fantasy novel!
One thing really frustrated me, but it's super spoilery, so I will not mention it here but keep reading if you want to know.
When I looked on Goodreads, I was surprised that the ratings weren't higher. It was giving Renegades vibes while reading the book, which is another YA fantasy series I read this year. There were some minor issues or inconsistencies I found. Still, overall, it was a stellar novel and a great start to a hopefully remarkable trilogy! I would highly recommend this book if you are into YA (urban) fantasy with a diverse cast and a touch of romance. I can't wait for Infinity Reaper to be released in March.
****SPOILERS****
The "it turns out I'm adopted" plot twist got old after a while. Emil and Brighton's mom reveals Emil is adopted, a secret their father took to his grave, and up until then, both brothers believed they were twins. It made sense plot-wise because that explains why only Emil has powers. Their mom was lying to both of them their whole life because she didn't want him to feel out of place. I can get with that, I guess. The way the twist was written made it seem like being adopted was worse than death. That, lying to their face every day of their lives would be better for Emil than knowing the truth. Sure, being adopted comes with a lot of internal and external struggles, but it's not a death sentence. If Emil had grown up knowing he was adopted, he would make peace with it. He would always have unanswered questions, but that's just how it is. Then we learn that Maribelle is adopted, and she freaks out too. Granted, her sister knew and kept it a secret, but I was more annoyed than awed by that reveal. If someone in this world suddenly has mysterious powers, the answer can't be because they're adopted!
Why would spell Walkers willing let Brighton film them and upload the videos to YouTube where anyone has access to them? I thought they were trying to stay hidden! The authorities definitely should have been able to track their location through the videos or through all the phones everyone is carrying around.
timelordash92's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
sonaea's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Spannendes Buch, interessante Handlung, sehr gute Ideen! Alles in allem eine gute Lesezeit. Was mich gestört hat, war, dass die Charaktere manchmal sehr eindimensional gewirkt haben, bzw. ihre Veränderung mir zu plötzlich und grundlos (nicht für den Plot, aber aus ihrer Sicht - es klingt als wäre es für den Plot nötig und darum passiert es, nicht weil es für den Charakter koheränt wäre. Da hätte eine etwas genauere Ausformulierung einiger Gedankengänge und Geschehnisse sehr viel beitragen können) vorgekommen ist. Trotzdem, interessante Wendungen, spannende Idee, interessante Charaktere. Für ein just-for-fun Lesen empfehlenswert. Werde mir definitiv den 2. Teil besorgen.