marielaiko99's review against another edition
4.0
First book of the year!! Yay. I enjoyed it, and I really appreciated some of the references to the publishing business, particularly the YA division. It was pretty funny to read about BEA and ARCs from the other side of the literature industry.
thegeekyblogger's review against another edition
1.0
Listened for Review (Simon & Schuster)
Overall Rating: DNF
Audio Rating: 4.00 (not part of the overall rating)
Quick DNF Thoughts: Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld will work for others but I just couldn't stay engaged. I found myself tuning out for parts and coming back to find I didn't think I missed much. I gave it 40% (which for this book is about the time to listen to a whole other book) so I think I gave it enough to decide if it was for me. It had a little too much angst (in both stories) to appeal to me. Also, I hope YA authors don't act like the authors in this book because if so I hope to never hang out with them. I am guessing though it was an exaggerated version of authors in NY. There are plenty of great reviews for this book please go read them. The things I did like: the pacing was fantastic and the writing was tight. I have never read Scott before but will try him in the future.
Audio Thoughts:
I thought both narrators were outstanding. They had great pacing, emotion, and deliverance. They managed to keep me going with the audiobook long after I would have normally given up. I love when narrators can do that for me. So if you get a chance listen to this on audio!
Overall Rating: DNF
Audio Rating: 4.00 (not part of the overall rating)
Quick DNF Thoughts: Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld will work for others but I just couldn't stay engaged. I found myself tuning out for parts and coming back to find I didn't think I missed much. I gave it 40% (which for this book is about the time to listen to a whole other book) so I think I gave it enough to decide if it was for me. It had a little too much angst (in both stories) to appeal to me. Also, I hope YA authors don't act like the authors in this book because if so I hope to never hang out with them. I am guessing though it was an exaggerated version of authors in NY. There are plenty of great reviews for this book please go read them. The things I did like: the pacing was fantastic and the writing was tight. I have never read Scott before but will try him in the future.
Audio Thoughts:
Narrated By Sheetal Sheth, Heather Lind / Length: 15 hrs and 13 mins
I thought both narrators were outstanding. They had great pacing, emotion, and deliverance. They managed to keep me going with the audiobook long after I would have normally given up. I love when narrators can do that for me. So if you get a chance listen to this on audio!
earthtoterra's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
sam_riccio's review against another edition
5.0
This one was a great audiobook, that I got through in one huge binge session and I can't understand why no one is talking about this?
These are two separate stories in one book! One is the story of a teen fresh out of high school and just signed her first book publishing deal. The other story is the book that the girl wrote.
The story goes on for the two of them each chapter and we see how our author grows and her character molds into what she needs to be for the story to be elevated to it's highest potential.
These are two separate stories in one book! One is the story of a teen fresh out of high school and just signed her first book publishing deal. The other story is the book that the girl wrote.
The story goes on for the two of them each chapter and we see how our author grows and her character molds into what she needs to be for the story to be elevated to it's highest potential.
catbewks's review against another edition
1.0
Overall, this book was painfully boring and I had to force myself through. The characters annoyed me and I wish I hadn't bothered reading this. Both Lizzie's and Darcy's narrative were forgettable, indistinct and incredibly dull. Just thinking about this book makes me enraged - that's how much I hated it.
DARCY'S STORY - 1.5 stars:
It took me sometime to actually gain interest for the story but, eventually, I started to mildly enjoy some parts of it - the main character adapting to a new city and maturing were good parts (although I did not like Darcy).
I didn't like that every author Darcy met talked about their own books or praised Darcy's - really, how could it have received so much praise?
LIZZIE'S STORY - 1 star:
These parts of the book were so BORING. The only chapters that I thought were not worth skipping (I didn't skip any, though; I should have, it would have spared me the boredom, and I wouldn't have wasted time) were the first and last chapters and maybe some action scenes (although I would gladly skip them if I were to ever read this book again). But, overall, Lizzie's story was incredibly boring and flat.
The characters were bland, the world poorly developed, the romance began with insta-love (they kiss in the first chapter!!!) and the MC's love interest's lines were ridiculously bad. Lizzie gained the ability to teleport into a new world and see ghosts, and she just accepted it, no questions asked. She was an awful protagonist, with no personality whatsoever.
DARCY'S STORY - 1.5 stars:
It took me sometime to actually gain interest for the story but, eventually, I started to mildly enjoy some parts of it - the main character adapting to a new city and maturing were good parts (although I did not like Darcy).
I didn't like that every author Darcy met talked about their own books or praised Darcy's - really, how could it have received so much praise?
LIZZIE'S STORY - 1 star:
These parts of the book were so BORING. The only chapters that I thought were not worth skipping (I didn't skip any, though; I should have, it would have spared me the boredom, and I wouldn't have wasted time) were the first and last chapters and maybe some action scenes (although I would gladly skip them if I were to ever read this book again). But, overall, Lizzie's story was incredibly boring and flat.
The characters were bland, the world poorly developed, the romance began with insta-love (they kiss in the first chapter!!!) and the MC's love interest's lines were ridiculously bad. Lizzie gained the ability to teleport into a new world and see ghosts, and she just accepted it, no questions asked. She was an awful protagonist, with no personality whatsoever.
katranga's review against another edition
3.0
Okay, so I'm gonna preface this by saying that I usually love Scott Westerfeld's books. And I was so excited for this one... and so disappointed. It took me like five months to read it, which is ridiculous because I'm a very fast reader. If I hadn't been rolling my eyes every five pages I could have finished it in a few days easily. Most of my complaints are about the book within a book chapters (ie Afterworlds by Darcy Patel) The writing style was /not/ my cup of tea. The amount of times Yama's lips got mentioned really annoyed me (at least once every chapter). There was a lot of unnecessary repetition - 'the bad man' 'the cold place inside her' - it just felt really clumsy. And all the characters seemed kind of flat, which was weird because all the characters in Darcy's real life were completely fine.
I understand that all the 'book' chapters were supposed to be written by a rookie novelist, but... I still want it to be /good/. Also I did not find the ending 'suitably brutal' as one character, Kiralee, described. I mean, I've read the Midnighters trilogy by Westerfeld - THAT ending was '''suitably brutal'''. This ending kinda just... petered out. Like yeah, a minor character died, but in a book where the protagonist can speak to the dead it didn't really mean anything? If something she saw everyday (her mom, her best friend) had died that would have made a bigger impact.
Overall, I'm not certain that the entirety of Afterworlds by Darcy Patel really needed to be included in the book. Of course without it, the book would kind of just be Darcy whining, worrying and eating a lot of ramen (I don't want to be mean, but that's what I took away from every chapter of hers!) Also, I liked her sister, Nisha, but the amount of times she called Darcy 'Patel' really threw me off. Like... it's also Nisha's last name so it just seemed weird to me (and so OFTEN, especially near the end of the book).
To be fair, I did like the insight into the publishing industry (even though I'm not confident in how accurate any of it was) and I liked Darcy and Imogen's relationship- YA is so saturated with boy/girl romances that it was refreshing to see something different. Saying that though, I wasn't too invested in them as characters. With Westerfeld's other books I've been desperately in love with the characters- that didn't happen here.
I dunno, maybe I'm just comparing this too much with all his other books? But I've compared all his previous books to his books I'd already read and was never this let down. (If the wording of that made any sense...)
*shrugs* 3/5 and that's generous because I still love Scott Westerfeld - just not Afterworlds, unfortunately.
I understand that all the 'book' chapters were supposed to be written by a rookie novelist, but... I still want it to be /good/. Also I did not find the ending 'suitably brutal' as one character, Kiralee, described. I mean, I've read the Midnighters trilogy by Westerfeld - THAT ending was '''suitably brutal'''. This ending kinda just... petered out. Like yeah, a minor character died, but in a book where the protagonist can speak to the dead it didn't really mean anything? If something she saw everyday (her mom, her best friend) had died that would have made a bigger impact.
Overall, I'm not certain that the entirety of Afterworlds by Darcy Patel really needed to be included in the book. Of course without it, the book would kind of just be Darcy whining, worrying and eating a lot of ramen (I don't want to be mean, but that's what I took away from every chapter of hers!) Also, I liked her sister, Nisha, but the amount of times she called Darcy 'Patel' really threw me off. Like... it's also Nisha's last name so it just seemed weird to me (and so OFTEN, especially near the end of the book).
To be fair, I did like the insight into the publishing industry (even though I'm not confident in how accurate any of it was) and I liked Darcy and Imogen's relationship- YA is so saturated with boy/girl romances that it was refreshing to see something different. Saying that though, I wasn't too invested in them as characters. With Westerfeld's other books I've been desperately in love with the characters- that didn't happen here.
I dunno, maybe I'm just comparing this too much with all his other books? But I've compared all his previous books to his books I'd already read and was never this let down. (If the wording of that made any sense...)
*shrugs* 3/5 and that's generous because I still love Scott Westerfeld - just not Afterworlds, unfortunately.
charmageddon's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
slow-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? Yes
4.75
opcarder's review against another edition
5.0
This book was a beast. I started it this morning and I literally spent all day today reading it. I was just to invested both stories. I really enjoyed the secrets of the life of a writer. I also enjoyed Darcy's growth throughout the whole novel. It was really interesting to see her grow and change in such a free environment.
My favorite part of the book had to be when Imogen asked Darcy and her protagonist's name. Lizzie and Darcy for the two protagonists had been on my mind since I picked up the book in the store and saw the catch-phrase thingy on the front of the book, "Darcy writes the words. Lizzie lives them." I was just waiting for someone to point in out as soon as I started the novel. This just made me love the scene where Imogen did even more.
As my first Scott Westerfeld book (gasp, I know its crazy), I really enjoyed Afterworlds. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in writing or even the behind the scenes lives of authors. I really enjoyed this aspect of the book.
My favorite part of the book had to be when Imogen asked Darcy and her protagonist's name. Lizzie and Darcy for the two protagonists had been on my mind since I picked up the book in the store and saw the catch-phrase thingy on the front of the book, "Darcy writes the words. Lizzie lives them." I was just waiting for someone to point in out as soon as I started the novel. This just made me love the scene where Imogen did even more.
As my first Scott Westerfeld book (gasp, I know its crazy), I really enjoyed Afterworlds. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in writing or even the behind the scenes lives of authors. I really enjoyed this aspect of the book.
fictionalkate's review against another edition
4.0
A paranormal tale and a contemporary narrative beautifully intertwined - Afterworlds is a novel with two stories. Darcy Patel has written a novel, secured a publishing deal and is now taking the next step. After graduating high school, Darcy decides to take a year off to fully embrace life as an almost-published author in New York City. She's embracing adulthood and rewrites as she rubs shoulders with the YA elite. Afterworlds tells not only Darcy's story but gives us the novel she wrote. In alternating chapters we get to see how Darcy's protagonist, Lizzie, handles becoming a spirit guide to the dead and the troubles she faces as ghosts and other supernatural spookiness.
At six hundred pages, Afterworlds may seem a little intimidating at first. But it didn't take long for me to become fully engrossed in Darcy and Lizzie's stories. Conceptually it's such a great idea. A contemporary coming of age story wrapped around a paranormal ghost story. Darcy is a great character to follow as she navigates a new city and the new life she is creating for herself. She's on the cusp of adulthood and has to deal with the problems, drama and wonderfulness which that entails. Getting to watch Darcy as she meets her writing heroes and all which publishing a novel involves. I loved the romantic relationship in this book and thought it was beautifully messy in the way first loves often tend to be. She grows so much and as a coming of age story - it was fantastic to read.
Lizzie's story was interesting. I like ghost stories and I haven't read any before using this particular type of belief/religion/mythology (I had to look up what the word psychopump meant). The drama and suspense from Lizzie's story were great at causing tension and angst within Darcy's. Whilst Afterworlds contains two different stories, the stories aren't complete on their own. Lizzie's tale of ghosts and the deceased would not have worked by itself. However the Lizzie part of the novel enriched Darcy's side of things - showing her growth as a storyteller as well as how her life in NYC impacted on her novel. And like many of the characters in the novel had said - Lizzie's story had an AMAZING first chapter!
Afterworlds is a unique book which I'm delighted to have read. I'd not read a Scott Westerfeld novel before and but after reading Afterworlds I'll be checking out his older work.
Thanks to Penguin for the review copy
At six hundred pages, Afterworlds may seem a little intimidating at first. But it didn't take long for me to become fully engrossed in Darcy and Lizzie's stories. Conceptually it's such a great idea. A contemporary coming of age story wrapped around a paranormal ghost story. Darcy is a great character to follow as she navigates a new city and the new life she is creating for herself. She's on the cusp of adulthood and has to deal with the problems, drama and wonderfulness which that entails. Getting to watch Darcy as she meets her writing heroes and all which publishing a novel involves. I loved the romantic relationship in this book and thought it was beautifully messy in the way first loves often tend to be. She grows so much and as a coming of age story - it was fantastic to read.
Lizzie's story was interesting. I like ghost stories and I haven't read any before using this particular type of belief/religion/mythology (I had to look up what the word psychopump meant). The drama and suspense from Lizzie's story were great at causing tension and angst within Darcy's. Whilst Afterworlds contains two different stories, the stories aren't complete on their own. Lizzie's tale of ghosts and the deceased would not have worked by itself. However the Lizzie part of the novel enriched Darcy's side of things - showing her growth as a storyteller as well as how her life in NYC impacted on her novel. And like many of the characters in the novel had said - Lizzie's story had an AMAZING first chapter!
Afterworlds is a unique book which I'm delighted to have read. I'd not read a Scott Westerfeld novel before and but after reading Afterworlds I'll be checking out his older work.
Thanks to Penguin for the review copy
minhoca's review against another edition
1.0
This book was such disappointment, that take me 8 months to finish it, and I only did so because the first time I put it down I already was half through the book, hoping it to get better, but it never happened.
I've had read the Leviathan trilogy and simple lived it, I fall for the characters, for the story, for the world building, for... well, everything! So I was, of course, expecting all those things from Afterworlds as well, but what I got was completely the opposite. Both storylines fall flat to me, full of clichê. And the writing! The person who has written those books are really the one and the same?
I've had read the Leviathan trilogy and simple lived it, I fall for the characters, for the story, for the world building, for... well, everything! So I was, of course, expecting all those things from Afterworlds as well, but what I got was completely the opposite. Both storylines fall flat to me, full of clichê. And the writing! The person who has written those books are really the one and the same?