A review by jasperdotpdf
Lily by E.G. Creel
adventurous
fast-paced
2.0
Thank you to NetGalley and E. G. Creel for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This novella definitely had potential, but unfortunately wasn't nearly fleshed out enough to warrant a higher rating.
I really liked the premise of a girl being born alone in a society that usually only has twin-births, and exploring the consequences of that in a grim, atmospheric setting. The book is also an incredibly easy read, and could definitely be enjoyed by someone looking for a bedtime-esque story. Other than that, I really struggled to enjoy my time reading Lily.
A lot of the scenes could have used a little bit more care. I oftentimes felt like the novella was falling woefully short of the atmosphere it was trying to convey.
There were also a few things that had no real anchor in the novella as it stands. The description of the book says Creel imagined it to be narrated by David Attenborough, but the few lines of narration were sprinkled in with otherwise very sterile/barebones writing. There wasn't enough consistency with these 4th wall breaks to make them humorous or endearing rather than immersion breaking.
Halfway through the book, we're also introduced to some themes of Norse mythology that came seemingly out of nowhere, and 90% of the characters and creatures we meet could have used a lot more fleshing out.
The book sits at less than 40 pages, so there was definitely room for more exposition and scene-setting, and I wish Lily had been allowed to take up the space it could have filled with its very interesting premise.
This novella definitely had potential, but unfortunately wasn't nearly fleshed out enough to warrant a higher rating.
I really liked the premise of a girl being born alone in a society that usually only has twin-births, and exploring the consequences of that in a grim, atmospheric setting. The book is also an incredibly easy read, and could definitely be enjoyed by someone looking for a bedtime-esque story. Other than that, I really struggled to enjoy my time reading Lily.
A lot of the scenes could have used a little bit more care. I oftentimes felt like the novella was falling woefully short of the atmosphere it was trying to convey.
There were also a few things that had no real anchor in the novella as it stands. The description of the book says Creel imagined it to be narrated by David Attenborough, but the few lines of narration were sprinkled in with otherwise very sterile/barebones writing. There wasn't enough consistency with these 4th wall breaks to make them humorous or endearing rather than immersion breaking.
Halfway through the book, we're also introduced to some themes of Norse mythology that came seemingly out of nowhere, and 90% of the characters and creatures we meet could have used a lot more fleshing out.
The book sits at less than 40 pages, so there was definitely room for more exposition and scene-setting, and I wish Lily had been allowed to take up the space it could have filled with its very interesting premise.