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tigerproofrock's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
I can’t emphasize enough the fatphobia of this book. It’s so intense and out of place. The “evil Queen” is dumb and lazy and a slob and is endlessly described with fat shaming language.
At a technical level, I sincerely believe this is the worst book I’ve ever read (read aloud to my daughter, her pick). The prose is agonizing. The plot is mindless. The world is so vague as to be meaningless. There’s no meaningful character growth.
But the protagonist is somewhat kind and somewhat humble.
It’s main strength is that , especially for a book written in 2002, the white boy protagonist (who finds out he’s part of a special order of time lords or something) isn’t very good at anything, especially strength or violence. But gets paired with a female peer who’s an amazing warrior. And he’s deeply respectful to her. It’s a dynamic I haven’t seen anywhere else. It feels really subversive. And while romantic relationships are part of the plot, their relationship is entirely platonic.
But yeah. The worst prose I’ve ever had to read.
At a technical level, I sincerely believe this is the worst book I’ve ever read (read aloud to my daughter, her pick). The prose is agonizing. The plot is mindless. The world is so vague as to be meaningless. There’s no meaningful character growth.
But the protagonist is somewhat kind and somewhat humble.
It’s main strength is that , especially for a book written in 2002, the white boy protagonist (who finds out he’s part of a special order of time lords or something) isn’t very good at anything, especially strength or violence. But gets paired with a female peer who’s an amazing warrior. And he’s deeply respectful to her. It’s a dynamic I haven’t seen anywhere else. It feels really subversive. And while romantic relationships are part of the plot, their relationship is entirely platonic.
But yeah. The worst prose I’ve ever had to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming and Fatphobia
Moderate: Gore, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, and War
Sooo fatphobicmypatronusisajedi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Suicide, and Violence
leyl's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This was a favorite series when I was a teen and I'm finally giving it the re-read treatment.
Several things in this book feel out of touch. And not just released in 2002 out of touch. But like 40+ year old writer using phrases like "football on the nintendo" or "hentai posters" or using the word "macking" to mean "kissing."
Then there's the sensitivity issues. This has:
-fat people as a shorthand for immoral
-the only people of color are beautiful, but in an exotic way
-a super surface level critique of imperialism allegory while at the same time "travellers" from other lands are the only ones who can be the savior
-1/2 of the poc rep is killed to advance the emotional journey of the white protag
It was a fun adventure then and still is tbh a fun adventure, it's just soooo plot-driven and overwritten. Nothing is important except the outcome of the final climax.
A lot of people have oopinions about the 2nd person Journal perspective. It's honestly fine though. And then a lot of people hate the Mark/Courtney chapters. But I loved them then and love them now. They do a great job of groubding the story of the fantasy main plot without Bobby having to nonstop reference pop culture himself.
I don't think I'd reccomend it to anyone past its target demo. but I would reccomend it to young readers who love sci-fi/fantasy and have already blown through the long long long list of MG/YA (and even adult) sci-fi/fantasy in the years since 2002.
(Anyhow, I'm gonna continue the series because i do remember it getting better)
Several things in this book feel out of touch. And not just released in 2002 out of touch. But like 40+ year old writer using phrases like "football on the nintendo" or "hentai posters" or using the word "macking" to mean "kissing."
Then there's the sensitivity issues. This has:
-fat people as a shorthand for immoral
-the only people of color are beautiful, but in an exotic way
-a super surface level critique of imperialism allegory while at the same time "travellers" from other lands are the only ones who can be the savior
It was a fun adventure then and still is tbh a fun adventure, it's just soooo plot-driven and overwritten. Nothing is important except the outcome of the final climax.
A lot of people have oopinions about the 2nd person Journal perspective. It's honestly fine though. And then a lot of people hate the Mark/Courtney chapters. But I loved them then and love them now. They do a great job of groubding the story of the fantasy main plot without Bobby having to nonstop reference pop culture himself.
I don't think I'd reccomend it to anyone past its target demo. but I would reccomend it to young readers who love sci-fi/fantasy and have already blown through the long long long list of MG/YA (and even adult) sci-fi/fantasy in the years since 2002.
(Anyhow, I'm gonna continue the series because i do remember it getting better)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Slavery, Suicide, Trafficking, and War
jmcordero's review against another edition
adventurous
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? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Death of parent
Moderate: Animal death, Slavery, Violence, and War
Minor: Torture, Xenophobia, and Blood
_fallinglight_'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body shaming, Death, Fatphobia, Gore, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and War
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Xenophobia and Classism