A review by ash_ton
Always October by Bruce Coville
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
2023 review:
lowered to 3.5 stars from 5.
19 year old me did not know how to rate stuff for fear of seeming like an asshole. i still like this book, but for me, it isn't 5 stars. the story is good, but i want more of the world. of always october. the classic writers advice: "show, don't tell." i feel as though i didn't get shown always october very much.
also, lily and jake's chapters were hard to differentiate sometimes.
still a cute book!!
2017 review:
2017 seems to be the year where I have lots of favorites, and that's okay with me.
I found this book in the children’s section of my downtown library whilst browsing with my stepsister. The title is what drew me in first, and I just loved the aesthetic of the book. Halloween is my favorite holiday, and I tend to have a penchant for the creepy. I didn't expect the story to be so in depth and amazing, it being a children's book. (But Neil Gaiman proved me wrong with The Graveyard Book, so who am I to judge.)
I'm glad I didn't read the excerpt on the back (which I rarely do), because I realize now it had a spoiler. I guess it technically isn't, but I liked being surprised when LD became a monster that first time. I also like that instead of everything just going their way, they had to go on a quest. I love quests. I'm not sure why, but reading about them is just a lot of fun for me. The more perilous and peculiar, the better.
All in all, an amazing book, no matter how old you are.
lowered to 3.5 stars from 5.
19 year old me did not know how to rate stuff for fear of seeming like an asshole. i still like this book, but for me, it isn't 5 stars. the story is good, but i want more of the world. of always october. the classic writers advice: "show, don't tell." i feel as though i didn't get shown always october very much.
also, lily and jake's chapters were hard to differentiate sometimes.
still a cute book!!
2017 review:
2017 seems to be the year where I have lots of favorites, and that's okay with me.
I found this book in the children’s section of my downtown library whilst browsing with my stepsister. The title is what drew me in first, and I just loved the aesthetic of the book. Halloween is my favorite holiday, and I tend to have a penchant for the creepy. I didn't expect the story to be so in depth and amazing, it being a children's book. (But Neil Gaiman proved me wrong with The Graveyard Book, so who am I to judge.)
I'm glad I didn't read the excerpt on the back (which I rarely do), because I realize now it had a spoiler. I guess it technically isn't, but I liked being surprised when LD became a monster that first time. I also like that instead of everything just going their way, they had to go on a quest. I love quests. I'm not sure why, but reading about them is just a lot of fun for me. The more perilous and peculiar, the better.
All in all, an amazing book, no matter how old you are.