I started reading this book with an open mind. At first, the structure and the writing style intrigued me. It felt like a puzzle I was meant to solve.I started reading this book with an open mind. At first, the structure and the writing style intrigued me. It felt like a puzzle I was meant to solve. This kept me interested in the plot for a while. But, eventually my interest and attention waned. The introduction of the main character and artificial intelligence wasn’t even enough to keep my interest.
I half want to blame myself for not liking this book. I am a huge fan of sci-fi movies and shows. Books though? Not so much. I do like science fiction concepts, but there is just something about the portrayal of sci-fi plots in books that make them appear dry. That’s what this book suffered from, a dry plot progression. It is more of a science-fiction character study than anything else. And, I think that’s where the larger part of the plot problem stems from. If it were less character driven with a slight bit of action, the plot would have flowed better.
I am a large fan of Star Trek, so I am a huge fan of sci-fi. Star Trek can come off boring to a lot of people because it involves a lot of thinking and a lot of questioning of your beliefs. However, what people fail to see is that Star Trek also has action, tense moments, and smoothly paced plot progression. This book could learn from Star Trek.
I hate Gem Echols. I literally hate this main character so much that I DNF’d this book at 65% because I was abPrepare yourself. There’s a rant coming.
I hate Gem Echols. I literally hate this main character so much that I DNF’d this book at 65% because I was about to throw my Kindle out the goddamn window. This character is the most selfish, rude, and disrespectful little brat I think I have ever had the bad luck of ever coming across. They are disrespectful to their mother, rude to their new friend and supposed soulmate, and they think of no one else but themselves. I know this book is YA, and the character is a transgender teen with a lot going on psychologically. But, there are many trans teens with a lot going on psychologically that are not selfish little twats. This character is insufferable, and reading from their point of view through their self-involved tunnel vision made me want to reach through my Kindle and give them the smackdown. The number of times they cursed their mother out and said whatever they wanted to her without suffering any consequences was infuriating. I don’t think it’s so much of what was said as much as it is this idea that a teenager knows more than a grown ass adult who has been through things. The freaking know-it-all stupidity rakes my fucking nerves.
The only character I actually liked in this book so far is Willa Mae, but they get turned into some kind of simp who’s lusting over Gem for whatever qualities Willa Mae sees in them. Whatever it is, it is either infinitesimal or it used to exist in a past life and Willa Mae can’t distinguish between the two. Willa Mae is a gentle giant. They are strong, understanding, and loyal, which are all great qualities they choose to waste on Gem for a reason I cannot fathom. It is almost like an unrequited love except for the fact the Gem seems to have feelings for Willa Mae but doesn’t want to.
I thought this book was going to be a fantasy about reincarnated gods on a mission to save the world, themselves, or something. But, it turns out this book is only about Gem and the games they play with the two characters they like. I hate romance, but I hate stories of chosen ones who are absolutely trash human beings more. For some reason, there is both a love triangle and a why-choose romance in this book that centers around this trash person who is undeserving of anyone’s love, including their own, because they can’t seem to see anyone else but themselves. I can’t even talk about what the actual book is about because there is just so much self-centered internal blubbering that I can't find one single F to give about anything else that’s going on in this book. This character is preposterous, and we should just throw the whole character in the trash and light the trashcan on fire.
I don’t know what it is about how teenagers are written in novels lately, but they get to talk to their parents any kind of way they want and suffer no consequences. If I spoke that way to my mother, I would never speak that way to my mother no matter how angry she made me. You can’t live in a house that you don’t pay for, eat food you don’t pay for, wear clothes you don’t pay for, and then get to disrespect the people who are taking care of your physiological and safety needs whenever you want and not pay for it. There are teenagers in the world today living on the streets because their parents care more about drugs or themselves to make their kids a priority. But, these characters think they have it so bad because their parents don’t understand them when they could be a child prostitute living on the goddamn street. That ...more
I am sorry and very disappointed to say that I wasn’t able to finish this book. I’ve been anticipating reading it for months. I love the cover, and I I am sorry and very disappointed to say that I wasn’t able to finish this book. I’ve been anticipating reading it for months. I love the cover, and I wholeheartedly love the premise. But, it was just moving so incredibly slow.
I can’t really say how I feel about the characters or the story because I could never really get into the book. I mean I think I like Laure, but I’m not really sure. Her motivations and her circumstances mirror most of my experiences as a Black female in America, and I wanted to root for her. However, I couldn’t connect with her because the pacing of the book kept throwing me off. I couldn’t focus on the story like I wanted to.
I would also like to point out that this story feels more gothic than horror. Yes, it has graphic, gory scenes, but they are done in a romantic way. The prose is lyrical and creates a Black Swan gothic vibe instead of a haunted eerie horror vibe.
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