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bookcaptivated's review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Medical content and Grief
Minor: Death of parent
shoshin's review against another edition
slow-paced
1.5
I enjoy a lot of children's and YA books. Not this one. The language was stilted (I see what she was going for but I wasn't impressed), the characters were flat, and I just didn't care what happened. I only finished it because I had it in audiobook format and I used it to fall asleep to.
And a thing I forgot until I read the other reviews: I bought this book because of the Pride and Prejudice reference in the blurb. Julie Eshbaugh is no Jane Austen. Austen's books work because of the cutting social commentary (they are HILARIOUS) despite the fact that nothing much really happens in them and they are, at heart, about terrible, self-absorbed, boring people. This was just... a teenage boy stressing out a lot and getting hurt a lot. No real observation of social dynamics, no sense of humor, no cutting observations about human nature. Using the structure and plot of an Austen novel simply does not work if you don't also have the humor and observational powers to back it up.
And a thing I forgot until I read the other reviews: I bought this book because of the Pride and Prejudice reference in the blurb. Julie Eshbaugh is no Jane Austen. Austen's books work because of the cutting social commentary (they are HILARIOUS) despite the fact that nothing much really happens in them and they are, at heart, about terrible, self-absorbed, boring people. This was just... a teenage boy stressing out a lot and getting hurt a lot. No real observation of social dynamics, no sense of humor, no cutting observations about human nature. Using the structure and plot of an Austen novel simply does not work if you don't also have the humor and observational powers to back it up.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, and Blood