This series never really disappoints, even though I liked this installment less than the previous one.
We get a different narrative this time and follThis series never really disappoints, even though I liked this installment less than the previous one.
We get a different narrative this time and follow Chih on an adventure instead of having them listen to a long story, and the adventure part worked very well, because we finally got to know them a bit more as a character! But the bits of stories scattered through were a little too disjointed and that made the novella not feel entirely contained as a whole?
I really love the wordbuilding though and the Riverlands has got to be the most fascinating and rich in lore place we've seen in The Singing Hills cycle yet....more
I'm not entirely opposed to the "gross" concept but this really does go from 0 to fucked up in a span of ONE email. Because the characters just jum2.5
I'm not entirely opposed to the "gross" concept but this really does go from 0 to fucked up in a span of ONE email. Because the characters just jumped into this toxic relationship and started proclaiming some weird feelings for each other out of nowhere, it didn't allow me to suspend my disbelief at all.
What's missing from this novella is a deeper examination of their pre-existing mental state or, idk, any look within their psyche. Without it, shock value is all that's left.
Can't deny that it's an interesting idea, but so much more could have been done with it....more
It's not you, book. It's me. I struggle with most novellas, because their short form prevents me from feeling completely engaged in a story and its chIt's not you, book. It's me. I struggle with most novellas, because their short form prevents me from feeling completely engaged in a story and its characters. This one still did a better job than most!...more
cis authors please learn how to write about trans people because this ain't itcis authors please learn how to write about trans people because this ain't it...more
It's a book about two teenagers discovering a house at the bottom of a hidden lake and becoming obsessed with it, and here's whaUhhh, what the fuck???
It's a book about two teenagers discovering a house at the bottom of a hidden lake and becoming obsessed with it, and here's what I think was wrong with it:
1. It wasn't horror. Why was it marketed as such 2. The main characters spent like, 5 chapters discussing the idea of fucking underwater in the house which was creepy af 3. AND THEN THEY DID IT, like what??? That's yeast infection waiting to happen. Why would you fuck in a lake that you described as muddy and smelly!! 4. I get that it's "magic realism", but it's not a fun excuse to just not explain anything. The main characters were like "the rules are... We cannot ask how and why". How very convinient. No one would act like that while exploring something weird. That's just lazy writing. 5. Constant miscommunication. Very tiring. Just talk to each other. 6. The ending was ridiculous but I won't spoil it...more
The more books I read and the more time passes, I'm also becoming more critical of books and I can see that I previously rated this too high solely onThe more books I read and the more time passes, I'm also becoming more critical of books and I can see that I previously rated this too high solely on the basis of vibes and the good concept. But ultimately I think that's this book's big problem - is an exciting CONCEPT, but it's not fleshed out at all... I think if the author didn't want to go deeper into world building and provide more substance, it would have worked better as a short story. Therefore I have to bump it down
It's so, so refreshing to read a book by a nonbinary author bc of the way they write about genderIt's so, so refreshing to read a book by a nonbinary author bc of the way they write about gender...more