bluejayreads's review
adventurous
funny
- Strong character development? Yes
3.0
This book is quite silly in concept but also very fun. The idea is that Haley, the protagonist obsessed with Gothic romances, ends up in the pocket dimension that protects our universe from a universe of evil - and this pocket dimension is inexplicably Gothic romance-themed. It makes fun of Gothic romance tropes a lot, and thought I got the major ideas, I'm not huge into Gothic romances so I'm sure I missed a lot of the trope-based jokes. The art was fun (although the extreme lack of detail on the faces compared to everything else felt a bit off to me), and I even laughed out loud a few times. Despite the purported seriousness of the plot (pocket dimension being attacked by an evil force that will consume our universe if it succeeds), none of it feels all that dangerous or impactful. Perhaps it's because Haley's obsession with Gothic literature makes this story feel fictional even within itself. But everything feels very fake and relentlessly silly. Not necessarily in a bad way - it was fun and I enjoyed it. But it was really hard to get actually emotionally invested because I just couldn't manage to forget it's just a silly little story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Bullying and Body horror
Mind controlzombiezami's review
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
3.0
It was cute
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Blood, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Death, Body horror, and Confinement
theakilahbrown's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This is a sci-fi book that somehow is ALSO a spoof of gothic romantic literature.
I liked all of the bits that spoofed gothic lit (of course). There's the brooding hero, the younger brother who is a dandy who loves POETRY and FEELS THINGS, and then the other brother who just wants to be freed from the shackles of familial responsibility. There's a moor and a heath and crashing waves and a hermitage and secret passageways. Oh, and a damsel (main character Haley), of course.
I liked the meta commentary that the world has rules that must be followed, and the way that played out in the story. I also liked the framing device for the book.
Oh, and I loved that the illustrator gave Haley a bonnet while she was sleeping. (Can we get more acknowledgement in media that black girls/women cover their hair when they sleep? Thanks.)
Some quotes I liked:
I liked all of the bits that spoofed gothic lit (of course). There's the brooding hero, the younger brother who is a dandy who loves POETRY and FEELS THINGS, and then the other brother who just wants to be freed from the shackles of familial responsibility. There's a moor and a heath and crashing waves and a hermitage and secret passageways. Oh, and a damsel (main character Haley), of course.
I liked the meta commentary that the world has rules that must be followed, and the way that played out in the story. I also liked the framing device for the book.
Oh, and I loved that the illustrator gave Haley a bonnet while she was sleeping. (Can we get more acknowledgement in media that black girls/women cover their hair when they sleep? Thanks.)
Some quotes I liked:
COMPLAINTS? Call your mom. Maybe she'll make you some nice soup.
Well, excuse us for existing on our own level of reality and not in your personal fantasy world.
"What do people in your universe do when reality starts springing leaks?"
"I'm not sure. Look at cat pictures until we feel better?"
As for what I didn't like: Listen, I am not a sci-fi person, and this book highlights what I don't like about sci-fi. Namely, that it's weird, and it has its own rules that I don't really care about that much. However, I think I didn't care that much for it because I didn't understand the *point.* I mean, I get it in the story, but it also felt like this could have also just worked as a fantasy where Haley just needed to get home.
I'm including that as a last bit because I enjoyed and finished the story in spite of it, so it didn't bug me THAT much, but just enough that I have to note it.
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying
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