Once I’d finished the sequel to this book (Seas), I just had to read the rest of the series, and since the third wasn’t released yet, I sought out its prequel (this) instead. Sure, it was a little introductory, but only because I knew most of it in reference from Seas – as a first book, it was everything you wanted. Oakes will make you fall in love with Neverland (and her writing, because it’s just that damn good!)
(Without spoiling anything) the best bit:
Oakes is a magician. Looking back at the beginning, with many authors I would have found the wait for Peter to appear (in a Peter Pan adaptation!) unnecessarily long, but Oakes makes it fly by in a beautiful whirl, and before you know it you’re intimately acquainted with the characters – a fact that will come back to haunt you as the trilogy progresses (but in a good way)!
A warning for the book:
As soon as you’ve finished this, you’re going to want to start Seas immediately (and then Shadow), so save yourself some heartache and get all three in one. Oh, and prepared to yearn for Neverland in every waking moment.
I certainly headed into this book with great trepidation - Reeve's 'Here Lies Arthur' is one of my all-time favourite novels, but his 'Fever Crumb' was the complete opposite, and both were Carnegie shortlisted. Railhead, too, made it to the Carnegie shortlist this year, and I am so glad it did, else I probably wouldn't have picked it up. It was a true joy to read, full of great characters, an enticing, well-paced plot, and a fantastic blurring of moral boundaries.
(Without spoiling anything) the best bit:
As I alluded to with the last point above, you leave Railhead 100% questioning the dualism of good and bad. The protagonist is a thief. He commits crimes. He does things for a guy who, according to him, is doing what is right to bring down the authority, but according to others is threatening society. But at the same time, he is breaking from oppression, he is working to a moral code, and he is doing what he can to save lives and not hurt others. Is he good, or is he bad? It may not be the obvious plotline, but a considerable theme Reeve presents is centered around questioning the right/wrong dualism, and even by the end I can't say clearly who is "good" and who is "bad". We need more books that address issues like this.
A warning for the book:
The beginning is a necessity to set the scene and introduce the characters, as in any book. Before Zen meets Raven, things are considerably less enticing, action-packed and enthralling as they are for the rest of the book. As openings go, it's not at all bad, but if comparing it to the rest of the novel, it's certainly the weakest element.
This missed the mark with me, despite spending several weeks mulling over what the authors intentions were, what I may have missed in the book or how it applied differently when it was originally published. At the end of the day, however, I just struggled to enjoy the book - the plot seemed a little extreme, with large chunks missing, and the writing was not engaging, either. I'll also admit (and I'm glad from other reviews it's not just me) that reading the book you feel more inclined or encourage to take drugs, rather than put off.
(Without spoiling anything) the best bit:
Having done research into the author )or rather, editor) and books, it seems that Sparks is often the solo author of these "based on diary" novels, and so I feel less bad judging them. (I don't know why I felt particularly bad not enjoying them when I thought it could have been a personal thoughts and revelations of a real teenager struggling in life, but it was a relief when it seemed Alice was not as entirely real as the cover led me to believe...) It's probably bad that that's the positive point I can find from the book, though...
A warning for the book:
It wasn't particularly well structured. Yes, it maintained the diary format throughout, but the sentences were dull, incoherent and very brief. Ideas seemed to zip by and the plotlines were not delved into in any detail. Plus, there were significant areas where the diary was "forgotten" by the character whilst they were getting high, and so further chunks of the storyline were overlooked. It just added to the confusion and distanced the reader from the content.
Challenge #6 ~ “A book being released as a movie in 2017.”
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
My opinion in three sentences:
Shelved in 2015, read in 2017, reviewed in 2018 - I put off and put off reading this, even though deep down I really wanted to, for fear that it was going to disappoint like 99.9% of the YA literature I've read featuring mental health. All the Bright Places, however, was an emotional rollercoaster that nailed everything from start to finish. (Sure, I didn't like the end, but only because it was a sad ending, not because it was a bad ending!)
(Without spoiling anything) the best bit:
Niven mastered the YA genre. I haven't read any of her adult literature, but as her debut YA book, this was absolutely amazing. It delicately, yet realistically, handled some difficult themes and plot points, told alternately in two distinct character perspectives and pulled the reader through the highs and the lows. Is there anything she didn't perfect?
A warning for the book:
Tears, crying, sadness? Much like Finch, sometimes the book will make you feel on top of the world, and at other times you will be bawling your eyes out. It is not a light read, but it certainly is an enlightening read.
Recommended for fans of:
- I Was Here by Gayle Forman
- The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley by Shaun David Hutchinson
- Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall
This is probably my least favourite read this year. I really struggled from page one, both in maintaining an interest plot-wise and connecting with the characters (a real issue in a book that is supposed to be a character exploration). I'll admit there were some well-written quotes (though nowhere near enough to redeem the book), but the "comic character exploration" everyone claims it as just missed the mark for me.
(Without spoiling anything) the best bit:
Weldon presented some ideas on what it's like living as a female in a kind-of-cool-I-could-quote-that way. But very occasionally, and that's it.
A warning for the book:
As a reader, despite being a character study, you never really get to grips with the characters as Weldon changes perspectives frequently (and unnecessarily), and there's no pull at all to drive you through. Dry, tedious and not the funny read it's made out to be!
Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra & Dhonielle Clayton
Challenge #8 ~ “A book written by a person of colour.”
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
My opinion in three sentences:
This one has teetered on the four/five star boundary for a good while - it was engaging with great characterisation, but I just can't reconcile the ending. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad ending, but it just finished all too abruptly and without there really being any resolution. If you're looking for a book on the turmoil, deceit and competitive nature of the dance world, though, this is my favourite of them all so far.
(Without spoiling anything) the best bit:
Charaipotra and Clayton managed to achieve and portray the simultaneous passion, deception and strive for perfection that is the world of dance, and do so through multiple perspectives without boring or confusing the reader. I've seen several other books attempt this but none has nailed it so perfectly as these two. That alone is a reason to grab their books.
A warning for the book:
There's another book that follows Tiny Pretty Things, and it allows a greater look into what happened with Cassie (or at least I hope it does, that would explain why she returns at the end of this one...) And in that way, I can 100% see why it ends where it does. However, and this is a big however, there was no resolution to any of the plot points in the book, and so it felt rather odd and unnatural to finish just like that, even though temporally in the story it made sense.
Recommended for fans of:
- The Assassin Game by Kirsty McKay
- Torn by Cat Clarke
- The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma
Essentially a collection of short stories linked together by one character - novel, and kind of cute. However, I didn't really connect with said character until her individual exploration at the end, and I wasn't always convinced at the ways she responded in different scenarios (a characterisation issue that was reflected in some of the other characters as well). It was also problematic when I got stuck on one particular story and just couldn't find the inspiration to keep going, since skipping it would complicate things that happened in the rest of the book...
(Without spoiling anything) the best bit:
When Alsaid got it right, he got it right. I was thrilled with the first and third stories, reading them solely in one night, and loved the final exploration of Leila's character. If only that amazement could have been sustained from cover to cover.
A warning for the book:
It took me more than three months to read this, a book that is pretty much five (well, four and a half) short stories. Why? Because I got SO stuck on the second one. It dragged in literally every way and I couldn't just skip it because then I'd have missed significant other points that came up in subsequent stories. Looking back, I can't see an error in the core plot itself, but it was a real pain to try and break through.
Recommended for fans of:
- Paper Towns by John Green
- There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones
- The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
Challenge #23 ~ “A book from the BBC Big Read list.”
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
My opinion in three sentences:
This is one of those ones that I’d say was 3.5 stars – why did I decide not to do half-star ratings again? The plot was great – it was a good idea that was (on the whole) well-executed, engaging MG-readers with some novel themes and ideas at the initial time of publication. Abrupt changes in character and timeline, as well as predictable plot points and mediocre writing style, however, were the biggest challenges in finishing this book, and as a result there are other more recent books tackling similar themes that I would recommend over this.
(Without spoiling anything) the best bit:
The whole universe in which Noughts and Crosses is based is a really great concept. The parallels between our society and that, especially nowadays, are unmistakable, and through a good middle-grade read, Blackman is bringing the challenges of these ideals to the next generation.
A warning for the book:
The writing itself did nothing particular for me, and I know it has proven off-putting to others who have read the book. There was no real connection to the characters, and even after the characters had aged several years, their style was the same – all exclamation points, dramatic statements and emotional appeals. There were also some very abrupt transitions, both in terms of character and timeline, that didn’t make the easiest progression through the novel.
Recommended for fans of:
- Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley
- Whose Side Are You On? by Alan Gibbons
- Delirium by Lauren Oliver
