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readerette's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
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
4.5
A light sci fi mystery and some touches of magic wrapped into a romance novel, to delightful effect. I laughed out loud regularly, felt for the characters, and couldn't put the book down. Every character was quirky, even Myla's annoying, "boring" ex, which, while amusing, felt a little forced to me--everyone has quirks, sure, but this level of eccentricity? Maybe it's a New York thing. Whatever the reason, I found it mildly distracting, but certainly not enough for me to warn people off of the novel. August is relatable, as are her friends, and her relationship with her mother. Jane's presence creates an informative contrast to the modern LGBTQIA+ experience.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Cursing, Grief, and Sexual content
Minor: Biphobia, Blood, Body shaming, Confinement, Drug use, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Sexism, and Vomit
linesiunderline's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-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
I wanted to LOVE this. I really did. I’m disappointed that it landed at just a like for me. It could have been a case of wrong timing, or wrong medium (I did audio), but something about it had me feeling like it was effortful to see it through to the end.
I think it had to go with pacing. It felt long. I felt stuck in the story at times (perhaps that’s ironic?) and even though there was real jeopardy, it didn’t feel charged enough somehow to me. Also not sure about the ending being so neat.
But I admire McQuiston’s sharp sense of humour, her ability to create a dynamic, diverse, and utterly charming cast of characters, her talent for romantic tension and her work to create a layered reading experience.
Also, you can’t fault the pancake content in this book.
So perhaps it’s best to listen to the hoards of readers who gushed about this book. Just being honest about my experience over here. But I’ll be anticipating McQuiston’s third book just like everyone else. She’s got talent.
I think it had to go with pacing. It felt long. I felt stuck in the story at times (perhaps that’s ironic?) and even though there was real jeopardy, it didn’t feel charged enough somehow to me. Also not sure about the ending being so neat.
But I admire McQuiston’s sharp sense of humour, her ability to create a dynamic, diverse, and utterly charming cast of characters, her talent for romantic tension and her work to create a layered reading experience.
Also, you can’t fault the pancake content in this book.
So perhaps it’s best to listen to the hoards of readers who gushed about this book. Just being honest about my experience over here. But I’ll be anticipating McQuiston’s third book just like everyone else. She’s got talent.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Homophobia, and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol, Biphobia, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Lesbophobia, Racism, Sexism, and Transphobia
anaaafortinn's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
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? No
5.0
Absolutely charming. It was a hell of a drive and I adored every single second of it. I’m (maybe) gonna update this review later, but now my head is numb for reading this book for the last 5 hours.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Cursing, Drug use, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, Transphobia, Violence, and Vomit
Minor: Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Car accident, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, and Stalking
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