jhstack's review against another edition
4.0
Glad I finally read Charlie Jane's debut novel! An interesting exploration of the near-future with a science vs. magic underpinning and complex characters. Could have used with a little more gap-filling plot-wise (maybe some of it was an unfulfilled expectation), but I'm willing to let it slide.
tea_luke's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.5
buryman's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
3.0
teanahk's review against another edition
2.0
The first quarter of the book was a pretty solid 3.5. The 2 main characters were kind of dumb teenagers and the plot was interesting. The rest of the book was just terrible. I wish I hadn’t finished reading it.
As adults the two main characters acted even more like dumb awful teenagers than they had when they were actually teenagers. At least a time jump spared us from the author’s version of hogwarts.
The plot in the later half was nonsensical with a last minute deus ex machina ending. Severely disappointing.
As adults the two main characters acted even more like dumb awful teenagers than they had when they were actually teenagers. At least a time jump spared us from the author’s version of hogwarts.
The plot in the later half was nonsensical with a last minute deus ex machina ending. Severely disappointing.
genizah's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this a lot, but I don't have as much to say about it as I feel like I should. I assume it is split fairly evenly between the two protagonists, but as I was vastly more interested in Patricia than Laurence, it felt like too much of his inner life and not enough of hers. The last climactic section felt both rushed and tacked on, like someone who has reached their word limit and realized that to really do the whole thing it will need to be five times as long. But it's an entertaining read nevertheless.
mouwuol's review against another edition
1.0
DNF at 60%
I never DNF books but wow.. I just couldn't read this for a second longer.
It felt like a middle grade book but then it would hit you with extreme NSFW moments that reminds you this is a mature book.
this book feels like it was a book once but someone just scrambled the whole story and now chapters and paragraphs are out of order and doesn't make sense.
I never DNF books but wow.. I just couldn't read this for a second longer.
It felt like a middle grade book but then it would hit you with extreme NSFW moments that reminds you this is a mature book.
this book feels like it was a book once but someone just scrambled the whole story and now chapters and paragraphs are out of order and doesn't make sense.
downthebookjar's review against another edition
2.0
The concept of this book had so much promise, but it did not deliver. I kept thinking it was written for middle grades, but then there was a sex scene in there. Nothing seemed to make sense. Yes, it’s fiction and fantastical fiction, but even fantasy has logic.
pinkrabbits's review against another edition
1.0
Great concept, poor execution. I went into this book expecting exploration of the science vs. nature theme and got basiccally none of that. Just realationships and Drama (TM). And a couple of talking birds.
I really didn't enjoy the beginning of the novel, as I found it a bit tedious that apparently all the adults in their lives were completely self-absorbed and useless. Just too much needless bullying from every direction.
I kept hoping the novel would improve once the characters were adults. It didn't. There was just too much wishy washy stuff that lead nowhere and it was literally only in the last two chapters that an actual plot kicked in. And it really wasn't worth the wait.
I really didn't enjoy the beginning of the novel, as I found it a bit tedious that apparently all the adults in their lives were completely self-absorbed and useless. Just too much needless bullying from every direction.
I kept hoping the novel would improve once the characters were adults. It didn't. There was just too much wishy washy stuff that lead nowhere and it was literally only in the last two chapters that an actual plot kicked in. And it really wasn't worth the wait.