Reviews

Elsewhere by Alexis Schaitkin

mztaraln76's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

gbrylinski's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

megcamer's review against another edition

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4.0

I found the first half of the book rather slow. The writing was great and kept me going, but it lacked action. Things picked up after that, but the end happened too quickly. The final 20 pages or so were stunning and I would’ve liked to see them more drawn out.

birdykinsreads's review against another edition

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mysterious reflective

4.0

Quite a solemn atmospheric story that leaves a lot of uncertainty and ambiguity around what actually happens in this isolated mountain town where mothers mysteriously go missing.

The story feels as though it’s written under this dense mist and I really enjoyed the unique way Alexis Schaitkin built this weird little society and the way it works—it felt so natural to me how everything happened, and the clever twist, too felt both obvious and somehow surprising yet at the close things were in a way over-explained but also not explained enough. If that’s even possible…

I feel like I’ll be thinking about this story for a long time, even if I wasn’t totally sure what was going on and I quite like that.

annemigos's review against another edition

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3.0

*3,5

emilycoppella's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

taurustorus's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious reflective relaxing sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

yessica_chw's review against another edition

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mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

Insane story with incredible writing, I’m at a loss for words 

mo_whales's review against another edition

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1.0

I would like to congratulate this book on being so weird I had to keep reading but so bad I literally cringed and said “What am I reading?” like a dozen times.

I’m still not sure what the heck I just read. Someone told this author that this story idea could be the next Margret Atwood, Handmaids Tale, and she believed them and ran too far into the WTF realm for me.

“Vera grows up in a small town, removed and isolated, pressed up against the mountains, cloud-covered and damp year-round. This town, fiercely protective, brutal and unforgiving in its adherence to tradition, faces a singular affliction: some mothers vanish, disappearing into the clouds. It is the exquisite pain and intrinsic beauty of their lives; it sets them apart from people elsewhere and gives them meaning.”

I dunno dude that makes it sound like it could be interesting but what it is, is a lot of build up to absolutely no reward. A ton of moments that make you go eww, and light vampiric tendencies that make no sense? It’s definitely distopian but it’s also just weird. I hated it. Please give me those hours of my life back

xandy's review against another edition

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4.0

This is an achingly beautiful story that will stay with me for a long time. Maybe because I'm a new mom myself but this book and its examination of motherhood and identity really affected me.