clarkco's review against another edition
4.0
Consuela Chavez has seemingly just died and has been reborn as a Guardian Angel in the Flow, a place between life and death. As Tessa meets her fellow guardians and begins saving people she finds out some interesting things about her new world. Like, the fact she's not supposed to be there and that someone is trying to end the Flow permanently.
This reminded me more of magical realism, than straight up fantasy. I think the ending suffered a little from being rushed.
This reminded me more of magical realism, than straight up fantasy. I think the ending suffered a little from being rushed.
sonshinelibrarian's review against another edition
2.75
For some reason, I'm really struggling with rating and reviewing this. Because I did like it but I also feel almost aggressively apathetic towards it in a way that I can't quite understand.
kristid's review
2.0
Luminous is unlike any other book I've read.
This is a hard review for me to write, there are things about this story that I was enamored with but at the same time there were other aspects of the story that just fell flat for me.
The creativity of the story was amazing... the concept of the Flow, it's inhabitants, those aspects of the story where intriguing. Metcalf had a very distinguished writing style, one that I haven't encountered in any previous young adult novels, it was as creative as the story it was telling.... very different.
I didn't exactly understand what the Flow was... and as a result I found myself confused durning most of the story... confused and not really caring what happened as a result. The characters, were interesting, but they lacked the development that I needed to feel connected to them. Instead of feeling engrossed in the story, I felt cut off. I didn't have that drive to find out what was going to transpire.
Although Luminous didn't completely work for me, I think that it will definitely appeal to other readers.
This is a hard review for me to write, there are things about this story that I was enamored with but at the same time there were other aspects of the story that just fell flat for me.
The creativity of the story was amazing... the concept of the Flow, it's inhabitants, those aspects of the story where intriguing. Metcalf had a very distinguished writing style, one that I haven't encountered in any previous young adult novels, it was as creative as the story it was telling.... very different.
I didn't exactly understand what the Flow was... and as a result I found myself confused durning most of the story... confused and not really caring what happened as a result. The characters, were interesting, but they lacked the development that I needed to feel connected to them. Instead of feeling engrossed in the story, I felt cut off. I didn't have that drive to find out what was going to transpire.
Although Luminous didn't completely work for me, I think that it will definitely appeal to other readers.
lpcoolgirl's review
5.0
Great, great book, really enjoyed it! And it was really unique, but sad, and I can't wait to read the next book!
ashesmann's review
1.0
What did I just read? The synopsis sounded cool, but I seriously don't understand the book at all. The plot is a tangle and I'm not quite sure if it was resolved. Plus the whole become a walking skeleton thing isn't cool. Reading this book is like reading someones really weird dream. I have enough of my own thank you.
xoxoannareads's review
3.0
Review:
Luminous was definitely a... different read. There were a few things that I found were well done with the novel... however, there were also many things that made this novel just okay.
Dawn Metcalf has beautiful writing. It is very rhythmic and poetic like. It reminded me of poetry, just in prose form. It really was one of a kind, and I did enjoy that part of the novel.
On the other hand, I found many of the characters to be distant. I couldn't really connect with them. While Metcalf's writing had me knowing what they were feeling or thinking, I couldn't connect with them and feel like I was in their place, going along with what they were thinking, which is something that I look for in a novel, no matter what it is.
I also felt as if the story could have been described better. With Metcalf creating her own world for this story, it really needs to be described and be described well so readers can understand it. I felt as if it was not, and the idea of the Flow sometimes left me confused. There were also some scenes that I felt were not described very well that also left me confused and having to go back and re-read over and over to understand.
I also felt as if the pacing was a little slow. I didn't feel as if the story got moving until the last hundred pages, which I did find that I enjoyed.
Even though this review makes it sound like I am bashing the novel, I did enjoy the idea of it. If I could have connected with the characters more, this novel would have been astounding. There is a lot of promise for Dawn Metcalf as an author. She is very creative and comes up with interesting ideas.
Short Review:
Promising premise and idea, just not described well and hard to connect with characters.
Grade: C.
Luminous was definitely a... different read. There were a few things that I found were well done with the novel... however, there were also many things that made this novel just okay.
Dawn Metcalf has beautiful writing. It is very rhythmic and poetic like. It reminded me of poetry, just in prose form. It really was one of a kind, and I did enjoy that part of the novel.
On the other hand, I found many of the characters to be distant. I couldn't really connect with them. While Metcalf's writing had me knowing what they were feeling or thinking, I couldn't connect with them and feel like I was in their place, going along with what they were thinking, which is something that I look for in a novel, no matter what it is.
I also felt as if the story could have been described better. With Metcalf creating her own world for this story, it really needs to be described and be described well so readers can understand it. I felt as if it was not, and the idea of the Flow sometimes left me confused. There were also some scenes that I felt were not described very well that also left me confused and having to go back and re-read over and over to understand.
I also felt as if the pacing was a little slow. I didn't feel as if the story got moving until the last hundred pages, which I did find that I enjoyed.
Even though this review makes it sound like I am bashing the novel, I did enjoy the idea of it. If I could have connected with the characters more, this novel would have been astounding. There is a lot of promise for Dawn Metcalf as an author. She is very creative and comes up with interesting ideas.
Short Review:
Promising premise and idea, just not described well and hard to connect with characters.
Grade: C.
arisbookcorner's review
3.0
I thought there was an over saturation of similes in the writing. I had mixed feelings about the writing, at times I was in awe of the elegant prose and other times I almost rolled my eyes because it seemed like a stretch. Lines such as "the three-way mirror in the corner bent out of shape like clocks in a Dali print" (pg. 4, perhaps that line wouldn't have bothered me if I knew what a Dali print was?) and "He had black hair and olive skin like an Italian oil painting" (pg. 53) were peppered throughout the book. I didn't like how characters like Consuela's best friend, Allison were briefly mentioned in the beginning and then completely forgotten. The romance between V and Consuela was random, it seemed like they were attracted to each other in the book because they were the only two semi 'normal' available people in the Flow. They weren't even friends first, they just seemed to quickly become infatuated with each other. The book definitely lags in the middle, the beginning and ending however are well-paced with action. Finally, I think that the author should have explained why each chapter started with an Octavio Paz quote. The name was familiar to me and his quotes were fascinating (my favorite was "Everything in the modern world functions as if death does not exist. Nobody takes it in account, it is suppressed everywhere..." (pg. 31) but I was curious as to why this particular man's (who I later Googled to learn that he was a Mexican poet) quotes were chosen.
The Flow is confusing for both Consuela and the reader (or at least this particular reader) which I actually liked because I learned about the Flow alongside Consuela. I think this book has to be read slowly because a lot will be missed, certain parts REQUIRE being re-read. It's difficult to discuss this book without being too spoiler-y but I was very intrigued by the attitude the characters (The Watcher, V, Wish, Tender, Joseph Crow, they are all 'members' of the Flow) held towards death. Most of them did not fear death, which is a mentality that I think the author wants more readers to understand (I say this based on quotes used and dialogue) and the concept behind the Flow and how people ended up in the Flow is quite impressive.
Luminous covers the immense, terrifying concept of death in an exceptional way that adds something very special to not just the paranormal genre, but books in general. don't completely understand the Flow but there's plenty of material for this to be a series and I would definitely want to learn more about the Flow. The author has subtle bits of diversity ranging from ethnicity to religious beliefs (I especially loved the idea behind the character The Yad) but I do wish all the secondary characters had been more than just their purpose in the Flow. Consuela only hangs out with V and The Watcher (aka Sissy) but even those two characters remain somewhat of a mystery aside from their powers. At times the writing seemed to be less concerned with keeping the story moving and more concerned with sounding poetic. Consuela is a fairly normal main character which I liked, she's confused about the Flow (although I do wish she didn't mysteriously have unique powers and be a sort-of 'special child') and she's confused about V. She doesn't continuously make heroic gestures nor does she cower in fear, a realistic main character with an odd love interest.
The Flow is confusing for both Consuela and the reader (or at least this particular reader) which I actually liked because I learned about the Flow alongside Consuela. I think this book has to be read slowly because a lot will be missed, certain parts REQUIRE being re-read. It's difficult to discuss this book without being too spoiler-y but I was very intrigued by the attitude the characters (The Watcher, V, Wish, Tender, Joseph Crow, they are all 'members' of the Flow) held towards death. Most of them did not fear death, which is a mentality that I think the author wants more readers to understand (I say this based on quotes used and dialogue) and the concept behind the Flow and how people ended up in the Flow is quite impressive.
Luminous covers the immense, terrifying concept of death in an exceptional way that adds something very special to not just the paranormal genre, but books in general. don't completely understand the Flow but there's plenty of material for this to be a series and I would definitely want to learn more about the Flow. The author has subtle bits of diversity ranging from ethnicity to religious beliefs (I especially loved the idea behind the character The Yad) but I do wish all the secondary characters had been more than just their purpose in the Flow. Consuela only hangs out with V and The Watcher (aka Sissy) but even those two characters remain somewhat of a mystery aside from their powers. At times the writing seemed to be less concerned with keeping the story moving and more concerned with sounding poetic. Consuela is a fairly normal main character which I liked, she's confused about the Flow (although I do wish she didn't mysteriously have unique powers and be a sort-of 'special child') and she's confused about V. She doesn't continuously make heroic gestures nor does she cower in fear, a realistic main character with an odd love interest.
lorny's review
5.0
Summary: One regular day, Consuela Chavez notices a lump at the base of her neck, right where her spine starts. Whilst fiddling with the oddity (as we all do), she accidentally unzips her skin, and finds herself a skeleton in an entirely new world called the Flow. Soon Consuela discovers that she can craft different skins for herself, may they be of fire, butterflies, or water. She uses these skins to save the lives of people whose time to die has not yet come. But something is afoot in the Flow, and Consuela must figure out what it is before she is wiped from existence.
My thoughts: Wow. Just—wow. Luminous is weird and beautiful and amazing, all at the same time. Dawn Metcalf’s writing blew me away. The world in which Luminous is set is scary and luscious, and the way Metcalf describes it is just fantastic. I could easily see Luminous as a movie or video game—its world is just that stunning.
The story, too, was breathtaking. From the first moment Consuela unzipped her skin, I was hooked. The complexity of the Flow and its residents were fascinating—everything was detailed and well thought out. For example, there is a certain character that often very (VERY!) subtly references pieces of literature. Later in the book, this tendency is (again, very) subtly revealed. That kind of detail is extremely impressive, and makes the book stand out all the more.
I love how Dawn Metcalf took the old adage about being uncomfortable in your own skin and twisted it into something completely different, too. Consuela was an excellent character, and she demonstrated the themes of the novel fabulously.
I figure I can only say so many vague fangirly things before people get tired of reading this, so I will leave you with one final thought: if you’re looking for something unique that will truly fascinate you, read Luminous. I can’t get this book out of my mind, and I whole-heartedly recommend it.
My thoughts: Wow. Just—wow. Luminous is weird and beautiful and amazing, all at the same time. Dawn Metcalf’s writing blew me away. The world in which Luminous is set is scary and luscious, and the way Metcalf describes it is just fantastic. I could easily see Luminous as a movie or video game—its world is just that stunning.
The story, too, was breathtaking. From the first moment Consuela unzipped her skin, I was hooked. The complexity of the Flow and its residents were fascinating—everything was detailed and well thought out. For example, there is a certain character that often very (VERY!) subtly references pieces of literature. Later in the book, this tendency is (again, very) subtly revealed. That kind of detail is extremely impressive, and makes the book stand out all the more.
I love how Dawn Metcalf took the old adage about being uncomfortable in your own skin and twisted it into something completely different, too. Consuela was an excellent character, and she demonstrated the themes of the novel fabulously.
I figure I can only say so many vague fangirly things before people get tired of reading this, so I will leave you with one final thought: if you’re looking for something unique that will truly fascinate you, read Luminous. I can’t get this book out of my mind, and I whole-heartedly recommend it.
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