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A review by beforeviolets
The Genesis of Misery by Neon Yang
Did not finish book. Stopped at 0%.
DNF p. 35
Someone else might really love this book, but I could already tell I was going to have to drag myself through this, and I have too much going on to have the time or energy for that.
If you know anything about my taste, you’ll know I love a strong narrative voice. And this book not only has that, but it has really creative world building, a riveting premise, and a gorgeous cover to boot. Unfortunately, regardless of all of those elements working in its favor, this book did not work for me. Maybe I would feel different at another time, but in this reading attempt, I struggled to find any narrative footing. I don’t mind a book that thinks faster than its readers, or that leaps right into world building and doesn’t wait for the readers to catch up. In fact, I consider that a hallmark of adult epic sci-fi & fantasy. But in this case, even the descriptors and the camera lens of audience focus was so vague and flimsy that I was never really quite sure what information I was supposed to be able to glean onto or not. I couldn’t picture anything, which was really tough for me as somebody who visualizes everything that I read. I don’t think I’ve ever struggled for a firm 30 pages without being able to picture almost anything.
I did really enjoy Yang’s writing style and the casual humor built into both the rhythm of the prose and of the world-building language, and will probably try something else by them, but yeah, I just don’t have time to keep trying with this one. Really sad that the queer Joan of Arc meets Neon Genesis Evangelion didn’t work for me :(
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a finished copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Someone else might really love this book, but I could already tell I was going to have to drag myself through this, and I have too much going on to have the time or energy for that.
If you know anything about my taste, you’ll know I love a strong narrative voice. And this book not only has that, but it has really creative world building, a riveting premise, and a gorgeous cover to boot. Unfortunately, regardless of all of those elements working in its favor, this book did not work for me. Maybe I would feel different at another time, but in this reading attempt, I struggled to find any narrative footing. I don’t mind a book that thinks faster than its readers, or that leaps right into world building and doesn’t wait for the readers to catch up. In fact, I consider that a hallmark of adult epic sci-fi & fantasy. But in this case, even the descriptors and the camera lens of audience focus was so vague and flimsy that I was never really quite sure what information I was supposed to be able to glean onto or not. I couldn’t picture anything, which was really tough for me as somebody who visualizes everything that I read. I don’t think I’ve ever struggled for a firm 30 pages without being able to picture almost anything.
I did really enjoy Yang’s writing style and the casual humor built into both the rhythm of the prose and of the world-building language, and will probably try something else by them, but yeah, I just don’t have time to keep trying with this one. Really sad that the queer Joan of Arc meets Neon Genesis Evangelion didn’t work for me :(
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a finished copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!