This book is fun and engaging, and reads more as a romance than a thriller or social commentary. It was easy to read and had some really enjoyable momThis book is fun and engaging, and reads more as a romance than a thriller or social commentary. It was easy to read and had some really enjoyable moments, and the main character was certainly very relatable at parts. But the pacing felt a bit off, with the pre-trial and trial dragging on and the ending sequence flying by. In addition, I found the plot (view spoiler)[quite predictable, to the point where even saying it's predictable feels like a spoiler itself (hide spoiler)], and it didn't have a satisfying or meaningful conclusion.
If you're expecting criticism of the true crime genre (I kind of was, even though the synopsis doesn't explicitly say it), this isn't exactly it. It felt more like tacit recognition of the exploitative elements - a nod to the idea that true crime has a dark side without actually diving that deep beneath the surface. The main character's harmful ideas are never called out in any way by the plot or narrative, and it felt more like a depiction of a parasocial relationship with a deeply unhealthy vein of self-hatred and perhaps passive suicidality. But even that isn't truly thoroughly explored in a satisfying way.
Still, it was enjoyable for what it was - a good read for a more light-hearted Halloween vibe!...more
A decently entertaining book with a mystery that's really intriguing for the first half, but unfortunately I thought the romance elements were very chA decently entertaining book with a mystery that's really intriguing for the first half, but unfortunately I thought the romance elements were very cheesy and they really took away from what could have been a great thriller....more
This book is a fun, simple jaunt. It doesn't bring anything radically new to the genre, but it also avoids a lot of stuff that sometimes brings fantasThis book is a fun, simple jaunt. It doesn't bring anything radically new to the genre, but it also avoids a lot of stuff that sometimes brings fantasy books down, and it has a few cool premises (like the Faceless). It's a little too long, the female characters suffer from having largely the same exact personality split a dozen ways, and the main character is a bit of a damsel in distress who rarely saves himself, but I still liked it a lot, and I'll definitely read the next one (if only for Flea, who is without a doubt my favorite character). ...more
I really wanted to like this book but I think it suffered from a few major problems.
For starters, it's very predictable. If you've read the first 20 pI really wanted to like this book but I think it suffered from a few major problems.
For starters, it's very predictable. If you've read the first 20 pages and you think you've worked out the big twist, you're almost certainly right. Predictability isn't always a bad thing, but the rest of the plot has to make up for it, and I don't think it did in this case. The main character is stiff and unlikable, but not in an engaging way. The story meanders with too much repetitive internalizing from the protagonist and not enough actual plot. The horror moments are too few and far between and only a couple are actually spooky, and the way the main character reacted was not really good for a story (that is, she didn't fully commit to belief or skepticism in a way that would work in the horror genre, if that makes sense).
I think the author is an excellent writer, but this story didn't quite work for me....more
I thought this book was very interesting. There's a lot of telling in the narrative - almost as much if not more than there is showing - which is usuaI thought this book was very interesting. There's a lot of telling in the narrative - almost as much if not more than there is showing - which is usually a no-no in writing, but I think the author managed to make it engaging enough that it worked (perhaps because it's semi-biographical and therefore reads like someone actually telling you a story from their life).
Sometimes the telling was way too much - like when the narrator tells the reader that her mother couldn't take something she'd hidden in her underwear out "because it wouldn't have been appropriate" in front of an official. Like, yes. Your audience is smart enough to put together why a character doesn't want to reach into her crotch region without you explaining why. Still, most of the book was very well-written, with dynamic and realistic characters, a reflection on the way women and girls were treated in China, and a protagonist who's very strong in her own right. I would definitely recommend it....more
I dunno. I guess I just didn't get it. This book started off really cute, but for me, its charm wore off pr1.5 stars
Can a book be . . . too wholesome?
I dunno. I guess I just didn't get it. This book started off really cute, but for me, its charm wore off pretty quick, and there wasn't much else holding it up. The writing was pretty basic, and the characters all felt very similar without much personality or backstory to make them stand out. There was conflict, but it never felt like there was any actual risk or urgency. It also just felt a little too self-aware, which is expected, but it got old fast. I knew there was going to be a lesbian romance, but it felt like it came out of nowhere and it had so little chemistry - although, to be fair, chemistry between characters is nearly impossible when they're all as surface-level and samey as they are in this book.
I'm obviously the odd one out on this book and I feel like kind of a jerk when it's such a cute and lighthearted read, but it didn't work for me. ...more
This book has some problems, but I really liked it. The writing is beautiful, the depiction of grief is remarkable, and while they could have4.5 stars
This book has some problems, but I really liked it. The writing is beautiful, the depiction of grief is remarkable, and while they could have used a little more fleshing out, I do think all the POV characters were complex and well-written. Cecily in particular - ultimately, to me, she is a sympathetic character, but there were times when she behaves in an abominable (but human) manner.
My only real criticism is how the British were portrayed. For a book that focuses on how awful and cruel the Japanese occupiers were, there were a couple of sympathetic and three-dimensional Japanese characters and zero even slightly complex British characters, to the point where it was blatant and odd. Every British character to appear on-page has borderline "irredeemable villain" dialogue. Just a weird choice.
Still, I loved this book and would recommend it for fans of family portraits and historical fiction (with a warning that there are lots of graphic rape and child sexual abuse references). ...more
Without a doubt, one of the best novellas I've ever read. Usually, I think that novellas just don't have enough time to develop their plots p4.5 stars
Without a doubt, one of the best novellas I've ever read. Usually, I think that novellas just don't have enough time to develop their plots properly, but this one felt perfectly paced and managed to tell a complete story in its ~100 pages. A really, really good story. The plot is so unique and fascinating, and it has meaning that will keep you thinking. Some scenes were gory and disturbing, but not in a gratuitous or meaningless way.
I think I'll be thinking about this book for a while. ...more
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