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A review by jrlittlejohn97
City of Nightmares by Rebecca Schaeffer
Did not finish book. Stopped at 45%.
I read the first 33% then skipped around, and skimmed the last chunk.
I was really, really ezcited about the premise, but what the author did with was really not to my taste. On paper it seems right up my alley, even digging a little bit into character traits and dynamocs, but I spent most of my time with this book extremely frustrated. I do have a number of actual critiques on the execution. The book is clunky. For example, I think a lot of the social issues were brought up unnaturally, I didnt like the pacing of the central friendship, and i didnt think the way vampirism was used as a metaphor was effective. But my biggest issue is I wanted it to be something other than it was. My issues with execution wouldnt have killed the book for me if it spoke to me. It was a real bummer, because I really liked the premise and the world that was set up.
I will say, the Gotham comparison is completely apt. I have seen reviews that dont seem to get the spirit of that comparison. Gotham is a a cartoonishly corrupt, absolutely off the wall, batshit crazy place to live. Im pretty sure some comics have offered the explanation that the reason its SO bad is supernatural.
I was really, really ezcited about the premise, but what the author did with was really not to my taste. On paper it seems right up my alley, even digging a little bit into character traits and dynamocs, but I spent most of my time with this book extremely frustrated. I do have a number of actual critiques on the execution. The book is clunky. For example, I think a lot of the social issues were brought up unnaturally, I didnt like the pacing of the central friendship, and i didnt think the way vampirism was used as a metaphor was effective. But my biggest issue is I wanted it to be something other than it was. My issues with execution wouldnt have killed the book for me if it spoke to me. It was a real bummer, because I really liked the premise and the world that was set up.
I will say, the Gotham comparison is completely apt. I have seen reviews that dont seem to get the spirit of that comparison. Gotham is a a cartoonishly corrupt, absolutely off the wall, batshit crazy place to live. Im pretty sure some comics have offered the explanation that the reason its SO bad is supernatural.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Body horror
Minor: Rape