A review by ayshayodels
Ashes to Ashes, by Jenny Han
2.0
What a crappy ending to what could've been a really good, but unfortunately very crappy series. What Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian did was they made me so engrossed with this story, the characters, the whatever-the-hell-it-was that made genuinely interested in what was going to happen (maybe possibly, I was drugged, let's go with that excuse). From the start I knew this series wasn't perfect, in fact it was a total bore, an eye sore, and it made me want to gag on several occasions but I liked it. I hated the writing, the catalogue-style way they had of describing every single thing someone was wearing, the lack of detail when it came to their plans and how far they would go. But, I liked it. I almost loved it even. I wanted to know what would eventually happen to these characters, what their lives would be like, what they chose to do if they "lived" on. But, Vivian and Han.... crushed that for me. Literally. Figuratively. Both.
The ending was rushed, disoriented and annoying. It had the potential of ending smoothly, while still maintaining the hatred I had for Mary (will be discussed further on), but also wrapping it up in sense that I didn't feel like this was a forced ending. One second they're getting ready for prom and it's all fine and dandy and they're dancing and whatnot, and then they're lying down on the grass in front of [some person]'s house and wow look it's the epilogue, and wow look it's the ending, and wow look it's the last page and it freaking sucks. Now normally I wouldn't hate so much on a book like this but I was rooting for it to end well, I wanted it so badly to end well , but that was obviously not what happened. I keep thinking that maybe the writers got tired and didn't feel like ending it with a good bang but with more like a chaotic bang. Bad choice.
Let's move on to the characters. I need to talk about the characters. (Let's leave Mary till the end because it's going to take a while).
Kat :
I liked Kat. I mean she wasn't completely impulsive and irritating but I liked her. She had a kick ass, bad attitude that I didn't completely hate. She used her BRAIN (unlike some people) and at times when I thought she was being an idiot, she acknowledged that she was being an idiot. There's nothing much I can say about her, she was smart, amongst a lot of dumb people, she sometimes infuriated the hell out of me, but she wasn't the worst.
Lillia :
I don't hate Lillia. (Okay, I need to stop starting my sentences like that). I was rooting for Lillia, a lot actually. I wanted to her to be happy, especially after Rennie. I wanted the best for this character even though she wasn't exactly the best at USING HER BRAIN. She was naive and way too innocent and she had a way of describing every single detail of her wardrobe that made me want to poke my eyes with sticks. It's not that that even bothered me as much as it should've, I could've brushed it over.
Reeve :
This guy had problems, and I don't mean the characteristic kind of problems. I mean the mental problems that we had to see him go through. He was a jerk throughout 1/4 of the book and the rest, well the rest is the part where I wanted to give him a big bear hug and tell him it wasn't his fault. Now I don't think I should be sympathizing with the bully here but he's not a bully, at least not the way I assumed he was. He was drowning in a sea of confusion or whatever it was that made me really feel sorry for him and he honestly deserved a better ending than what he got. He deserved a better everything..
Alex:
Alex was a cool, sweet guy. He put his nose in things that was really none of his business but he was sweet. I wanted to shake him silly, tell him to just get over Lillia Cho and move the hell on with your life. But apparently that wasn't supposed to happen. Oops. A spoiler. Sorry. I don't completely hate Alex, but he was irritating in all kinds of ways.
Mary :
Here it comes. The worst of the worst. The hatred I have for Mary Zane is one that I don't think I've had with many fictional characters. I loathe her, despise her even. Any word synonymous with "hate" is exactly what I feel towards her. She was bat-shit crazy. Ghost-girl here had a plan and it was revenge and it was the annoying, unnecessary kind of revenge. She spread carnage every which way she could for so many unexplainable reasons that I don't even understand how a girl could be this angry. Also she's crazy. (did I say that already?)
"This is why I'm here on Jar Island. I am an avenger. An avenging angel sent down to right wrongs."
LIKE HELL YOU ARE. Her delusional thoughts about how she was "sent" down to Jar Island to fix everything and "right wrongs" is a lot of crap. The same crap I mentioned in the beginning.
"They deserved to be punished. Now, Reeve-he deserves way worse. He deserves to die."
Back up for a second. He deserves to die????? This girl has issues. Even as a damn ghost. She hated Reeve so much and sure I could sympathize her.......... for about 5 seconds.
"How funny, then, that I'll use it to kill him."
Exhibit B of her craziness. I don't think I need to say anymore or I'll probably twitch with madness.
There were so many unanswered questions, so many things that could've been explained in this last book. It was too short, too fast, too stupid. I liked the beginning of it, because I had hope it would end well. But it didn't, and I'm disappointed. They should rewrite this last book and that doesn't mean they should do it according to the audience, but jeez at least answer some questions. Unless they don't have any answers to give us.
Actual rating: 2.75/5
The ending was rushed, disoriented and annoying. It had the potential of ending smoothly, while still maintaining the hatred I had for Mary (will be discussed further on), but also wrapping it up in sense that I didn't feel like this was a forced ending. One second they're getting ready for prom and it's all fine and dandy and they're dancing and whatnot, and then they're lying down on the grass in front of [some person]'s house and wow look it's the epilogue, and wow look it's the ending, and wow look it's the last page and it freaking sucks. Now normally I wouldn't hate so much on a book like this but I was rooting for it to end well, I wanted it so badly to end well , but that was obviously not what happened. I keep thinking that maybe the writers got tired and didn't feel like ending it with a good bang but with more like a chaotic bang. Bad choice.
Let's move on to the characters. I need to talk about the characters. (Let's leave Mary till the end because it's going to take a while).
Kat :
I liked Kat. I mean she wasn't completely impulsive and irritating but I liked her. She had a kick ass, bad attitude that I didn't completely hate. She used her BRAIN (unlike some people) and at times when I thought she was being an idiot, she acknowledged that she was being an idiot. There's nothing much I can say about her, she was smart, amongst a lot of dumb people, she sometimes infuriated the hell out of me, but she wasn't the worst.
Lillia :
I don't hate Lillia. (Okay, I need to stop starting my sentences like that). I was rooting for Lillia, a lot actually. I wanted to her to be happy, especially after Rennie. I wanted the best for this character even though she wasn't exactly the best at USING HER BRAIN. She was naive and way too innocent and she had a way of describing every single detail of her wardrobe that made me want to poke my eyes with sticks. It's not that that even bothered me as much as it should've, I could've brushed it over.
Spoiler
Nope that's not what I hate about her, not the whole detailed analysis of her clothes. I hate how Han and Vivian gave her that ending. It was just, okay we moved on I'm not with Reeve anymore, I loved him, it happened, Alex happened (how did that happen?) we're in love and what who the hell is Reeve? I don't know who Reeve is?. I loved her with Reeve, I loved Reeve. Sure the guy wasn't the best but I was rooting for them and then they stabbed my heart with a skewer and I'm scarred. (exaggeration). I don't understand this ending, I don't get why she eventually wound up with Alex and why Reeve is just suddenly not in the picture like he disappeared out of thin air. Thanks for ruining the one thing that made me the least bit interested.Reeve :
This guy had problems, and I don't mean the characteristic kind of problems. I mean the mental problems that we had to see him go through. He was a jerk throughout 1/4 of the book and the rest, well the rest is the part where I wanted to give him a big bear hug and tell him it wasn't his fault. Now I don't think I should be sympathizing with the bully here but he's not a bully, at least not the way I assumed he was. He was drowning in a sea of confusion or whatever it was that made me really feel sorry for him and he honestly deserved a better ending than what he got. He deserved a better everything.
Spoiler
He loved Cho so much and I could feel it, even without getting into his mind, I knew it. He was happy with her and it was the most enjoyable part about this entire damn series. His love for her, the pain he had to endure because he was with her. All of it. And then he doesn't get the ending he deserves, in the end he's alone and stuck in Jar Island while Lillia just magically decided Alex was her one true home boy. Big fucking whoop. My heart aches for the guy, I'M SO UPSET IT MAKES ME WANT TO FLING THIS EBOOK OUT THE WINDOW.Alex:
Alex was a cool, sweet guy. He put his nose in things that was really none of his business but he was sweet. I wanted to shake him silly, tell him to just get over Lillia Cho and move the hell on with your life. But apparently that wasn't supposed to happen. Oops. A spoiler. Sorry. I don't completely hate Alex, but he was irritating in all kinds of ways.
Mary :
Here it comes. The worst of the worst. The hatred I have for Mary Zane is one that I don't think I've had with many fictional characters. I loathe her, despise her even. Any word synonymous with "hate" is exactly what I feel towards her. She was bat-shit crazy. Ghost-girl here had a plan and it was revenge and it was the annoying, unnecessary kind of revenge. She spread carnage every which way she could for so many unexplainable reasons that I don't even understand how a girl could be this angry. Also she's crazy. (did I say that already?)
"This is why I'm here on Jar Island. I am an avenger. An avenging angel sent down to right wrongs."
LIKE HELL YOU ARE. Her delusional thoughts about how she was "sent" down to Jar Island to fix everything and "right wrongs" is a lot of crap. The same crap I mentioned in the beginning.
"They deserved to be punished. Now, Reeve-he deserves way worse. He deserves to die."
Back up for a second. He deserves to die????? This girl has issues. Even as a damn ghost. She hated Reeve so much and sure I could sympathize her.......... for about 5 seconds.
"How funny, then, that I'll use it to kill him."
Exhibit B of her craziness. I don't think I need to say anymore or I'll probably twitch with madness.
There were so many unanswered questions, so many things that could've been explained in this last book. It was too short, too fast, too stupid. I liked the beginning of it, because I had hope it would end well. But it didn't, and I'm disappointed. They should rewrite this last book and that doesn't mean they should do it according to the audience, but jeez at least answer some questions. Unless they don't have any answers to give us.
Actual rating: 2.75/5