cytokine_storm's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
One of the best books I've ever read.
booksmoving's review against another edition
4.0
4.5
A perfect book to have ended the year 2020 with! Full of hope, optimism and love. I particularly loved Chauncey and his little bellhop hats :')
A perfect book to have ended the year 2020 with! Full of hope, optimism and love. I particularly loved Chauncey and his little bellhop hats :')
morganvermillion's review against another edition
5.0
This book was a great way to start 2021. It was such a sweet story with a beautiful cast of characters. I loved the children so much, and the way Klune wrote their descriptions, even though they were all very unique, made it so easy to picture what they looked like. Everything about this book was perfect.
shade_seigo's review against another edition
5.0
In the middle of everything that has seriously gone wrong in the world over the last few years, rays of sunshine into your heart like this story are needed more than ever.
Light on the fantasy & giggles abound in probably the sweetest most wonderful story about acceptance & family that I have ever read.
I joked to my friends that this book brought joy into my cold dark soul.
Who knew buttons could bring you to the verge of tears.
Everyone should it read it :-)
Light on the fantasy & giggles abound in probably the sweetest most wonderful story about acceptance & family that I have ever read.
I joked to my friends that this book brought joy into my cold dark soul.
Who knew buttons could bring you to the verge of tears.
Everyone should it read it :-)
kaytphan's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
missjuniperbell's review against another edition
3.0
I think this is a 4 for children, and a 2.5 for adults. So that evens out to about a 3.5 for me as it's currently marketed (confusingly) as an adult book. It's much more streamlined than Wolfsong, which I also read by Klune, but I think it was just a bit saccharine and sort of basic in its lessons about prejudice for me--but for children who need that basic level of introduction, I'm sure it would suit wonderfully. Aside from the Queer angle, it owes some debts to the general premises of X-Men and Miss Peregrine's House, I think.
I fully admit that my reaction to this book, if the other glowing reviews are to be judged, may be just my own pickiness about child characters that sound like they're written by adults (to be fair, I think most writers really struggle to write children), and there are a half-dozen of them here. Klune's style can also get a little meme-y in its humour (which sometimes is quite fun and sometimes can feel a little artificial--there are *two* "maybe the real [...] are the friends we made along the way" gags). In the end, what one readers finds affirming and touching may strike another as cheesy and overly twee, and I found I oscillated between which of those readers I was throughout the book.
So that's where I land: I'm sure children would love this; but for adults, I don't think it has the wit or imagination of someone like Diana Wynne-Jones or Eva Ibbotson (authors this book feels indebted to); rather, its strengths are in being nice and cozy and happily Queer, for which your mileage may vary.
I fully admit that my reaction to this book, if the other glowing reviews are to be judged, may be just my own pickiness about child characters that sound like they're written by adults (to be fair, I think most writers really struggle to write children), and there are a half-dozen of them here. Klune's style can also get a little meme-y in its humour (which sometimes is quite fun and sometimes can feel a little artificial--there are *two* "maybe the real [...] are the friends we made along the way" gags). In the end, what one readers finds affirming and touching may strike another as cheesy and overly twee, and I found I oscillated between which of those readers I was throughout the book.
So that's where I land: I'm sure children would love this; but for adults, I don't think it has the wit or imagination of someone like Diana Wynne-Jones or Eva Ibbotson (authors this book feels indebted to); rather, its strengths are in being nice and cozy and happily Queer, for which your mileage may vary.
lexithill's review against another edition
4.0
I’m not the largest fan of word building or fantasy, so this was fighting a losing battle, but I was surprised by how much I still loved it. 10 out of 10 would adopt Chauncey
treadingloudly's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
febber's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
kaylalepage's review against another edition
5.0
i am obsessed. UGH! the found family trope! the dark hair/light hair duo! finding yourself and standing for what you believe in! ugh, such a good book.
It's witty, it's full of love and character development, we see growth and change and wholesomeness that I can't even put into words. I love this book and I would read it over and over again if I could.
It's witty, it's full of love and character development, we see growth and change and wholesomeness that I can't even put into words. I love this book and I would read it over and over again if I could.