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clairamell's review against another edition
3.0
would have given more stars if remy and willa had kissed
lpcoolgirl's review against another edition
5.0
Oh, man, this book was so great and enjoyable! I loved the beginning narrated to us by the use of "you", and then it switched to I/she. Really great book and story!
seneschals's review against another edition
3.0
If I could describe the way I felt after reading this novel, I would use orange juice. All I could think about was the urge to drink something cold, something to quench this thirst and here is the glass of orange juice in all of its pulpy glory, not at all leaving refreshment at its wake. A sip of bitterness. A taste of fruit. It does well enough to quench one's thirst, but it could have been better.
One of its faults lies in its narration. To an extent, it reminds me of the musings that belong to the Percy Jackson Series—an attempt to be funny and relatable, which Percy certainly manages to do— but The Fall of Butterflies forgets about how the characters also need a blend of world building, too.
Now I swerve to one of my pet peeves. The author tends to use short sentences. A lot. Instead of merging those little islets of words into one sentence, she uses seven SHORT sentences—varying from one word to three words a piece—just to showcase a small situation. A situation that need not. To be. Written. Like this. At all.
Yet, it does get better. Surprisingly, it happens after Willa and Remy become acquaintances. Is that supposed to represent how Remy has given Willa a reason to live—that instead of wishing her life and sentences shorter, she could do more than three words before a period? An end? (Maybe I'm overthinking things here.)
But I do like how it’s easy to read. How you instantly get all of Willa's thoughts and meanings without wandering through the woods and creaks, wondering what they meant. And sometimes, Willa can be poetic. Not in the sense of beautiful metaphors about the sun and all, but how both relatable and simple her feelings are expressed.
Willa and Milo seemed forced. Maybe they were forced. I honestly thought that Zeb and Willa had more chemistry than the first pair (a bit of rooting for the other, and the prickle of inevitable disappointment along with that thought) and somehow I wished there could have been a chance for Zeb to be more than the 'character who points out and moves the plot'.
But the star of the novel goes out to Remy. Never once did I lose the interest to figure out who she is and what secrets lie between her three day disappearances. What and who are you beyond your mismatching outfits that would look entirely disgusting if not worn by you?
Remy is an enigma. Remy is just... Remy. And chapter sixty-six had me going through wracks of emotions, basically revolving around the idea of 'reach out to her. your fingertips can reach out to her' but all those reveries are simply just you watching a car crash slowly unfold before you.
Yeah. So... a sequel based on Remy Taft? I would love to read that. But another one of Willa? I think the author should just leave it at that.
One of its faults lies in its narration. To an extent, it reminds me of the musings that belong to the Percy Jackson Series—an attempt to be funny and relatable, which Percy certainly manages to do— but The Fall of Butterflies forgets about how the characters also need a blend of world building, too.
Now I swerve to one of my pet peeves. The author tends to use short sentences. A lot. Instead of merging those little islets of words into one sentence, she uses seven SHORT sentences—varying from one word to three words a piece—just to showcase a small situation. A situation that need not. To be. Written. Like this. At all.
Well, that’s what I thought. So, I sat there. And I sat there. And I listened. And I sat there. But then it wasn’t stopping. Like for an hour. An hour-long bath.
Yet, it does get better. Surprisingly, it happens after Willa and Remy become acquaintances. Is that supposed to represent how Remy has given Willa a reason to live—that instead of wishing her life and sentences shorter, she could do more than three words before a period? An end? (Maybe I'm overthinking things here.)
But I do like how it’s easy to read. How you instantly get all of Willa's thoughts and meanings without wandering through the woods and creaks, wondering what they meant. And sometimes, Willa can be poetic. Not in the sense of beautiful metaphors about the sun and all, but how both relatable and simple her feelings are expressed.
I know what it’s like to see someone and practically melt the minute you see them because everybody told you there would be someone like that. It’s in every book. In every movie. It’s in every poem since the beginning of time and maybe even written on walls somewhere in caves. Everyone tells you for so long and in so many ways that finally you don’t believe them.
Willa and Milo seemed forced. Maybe they were forced. I honestly thought that Zeb and Willa had more chemistry than the first pair (a bit of rooting for the other, and the prickle of inevitable disappointment along with that thought) and somehow I wished there could have been a chance for Zeb to be more than the 'character who points out and moves the plot'.
But the star of the novel goes out to Remy. Never once did I lose the interest to figure out who she is and what secrets lie between her three day disappearances. What and who are you beyond your mismatching outfits that would look entirely disgusting if not worn by you?
Remy is an enigma. Remy is just... Remy. And chapter sixty-six had me going through wracks of emotions, basically revolving around the idea of 'reach out to her. your fingertips can reach out to her' but all those reveries are simply just you watching a car crash slowly unfold before you.
Yeah. So... a sequel based on Remy Taft? I would love to read that. But another one of Willa? I think the author should just leave it at that.
selinarose's review against another edition
2.0
I loved the storyline and concept of this book, however I felt like it didn’t go anywhere. There were times where I was in love with the characters and other times when I despised all of them. Due to the writing style and the language used, if I was a few years younger I believe I would’ve absolutely loved this book and given it a much higher rating.
bluekaren's review against another edition
3.0
This was such a fun book about a girl going to an ivy league high school across the country from her actual home. Willa’s mother is famous for her brain and her father is just a regular guy. Of course she grew up with her dad and hasn’t seen her mother in years, but that doesn’t stop her mother from trying to dictate her academically. Willa agrees to attend Pembroke Prep, there she meets a girl who will change her life. Remy is the sort of girl everyone wants to be friends with. Remy chooses to befriend Willa and lets Willa into her world. Remy might be the only thing that keeps Willa from killing herself, but Remy has carved her own path to destruction.
Right away I have to tell you that the writing style of this book is not normal. It took me some getting used to. It made me thing of the way some bloggers write. I enjoyed the style that speaks directly to the reader and includes backround info and snark. The writing allows us right into Willa’s head in a very first person way. I think this is something you will love or hate right away, there is no getting around it. I liked being in Willa’s head, so I pretty much enjoyed this story.
That’s not to say I didn’t have issues. For example: right off the bat Willa is describing her classmates to us before she leaves for this elite prep school. She calls them horrible names like OCD, Peanut Allergy Boy, and Headhear girl. These people that she claims to miss aren’t even important enough to have real names. There is fun play with names for everyone in this book, but I really disliked this intro. It gave me opinions about Willa that weren’t necessarily true. Also, Willa admits to having suicidal plans, but we never really find out why.
Willa and Remy have a magnetic attraction to each other. They are not lovers, but I almost though for a minute that they were going to be. Willa goes out of her way for Remy, and Remy opens up to Willa as much as she possibly can. Remy invited Willa into her world, but it is not all that pretty when you get a good look at it. Remy is very very much alone and recklessly not in check with anyone. This lifestyle means that no one will ever call her on her bullshit or tell her to stop. No one, not even Willa.
There is a bit of a love interest, but… I thought right away, this is going to end badly. I admit that I disliked the ending. I can’t really say where people ended up, but it makes me kinda sad to think about some aspects of this story. I think this book will appeal to a certain reader who like the way Willa sees the world.
ryo's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
kateann1115's review against another edition
4.0
Fun to read. Willa was funny and sarcastic. She knows the do's and don'ts in life but manage to still do the don'ts probably because of peer influence. A girl who wants to kill herself but scared that the ghost in the bathroom will kill her instead. This is a story about finding friendship, losing it and finding yourself. It talks about how we will always love people but sometimes, not all of them are good for us. And about how leaving them is the greatest heartbreak and the rightest thing we could do for ourselves.