Scan barcode
isabella1018's review
4.0
I didn't think this book was going to be so unique. I've never read a book like it.
I love how every chapter it switches: from in real life writer Darcy to in a book Lizzie. So
Smart.
Lizzie is such a relatable character and Yama is awesome.
SUCH a great book so read it.
I love how every chapter it switches: from in real life writer Darcy to in a book Lizzie. So
Smart.
Lizzie is such a relatable character and Yama is awesome.
SUCH a great book so read it.
kambmoore's review
4.0
This was a really great book, and I am glad that I got the chance to read it. I loved Darcy's story, and how she grew so much; from an eighteen-year-old girl scared shitless about her book and daring herself to become more adult, to a courageous woman, writing freely. Her story inspired me so much, that now I am FINALLY going to start editing my book that I wrote last November!
I struggled more with Lizzie's story, and, honestly, could have done without it altogether. Her storyline, while gripping at times, lagged in some parts and felt kind of choppy. The characters were great and all, but they weren't as fleshed out as they could have been, in my eyes. Honestly, the book could have used another 100 pages or so to really flesh the story out and give it a new meaning. And towards the end, Lizzie's story felt really rushed, like the ending was the most important part and the book HAD to get there in a certain amount of time--that is, three chapters.
About that ending....I had a little trouble with it: there was this whole build-up to the epic ending in Darcy's chapters, and how she has spent so much time trying to figure out how the book would end...and for it to end like THAT? I'll talk about it more under the spoilers bar.
All in all, I loved this book and found it both an educational journey and a literary journey. I got to find out the inner workings of publishing--something I've been meaning to do--and I felt connected to Darcy's storyline more than anything else, because I am in the same boat...just without the whole $300,000 publishing contract for two books and moving out to New York and being eighteen...anyway, you get the picture! Solid 4/5 stars from me!
SPOILERS: PROCEED ONLY IF YOU WANT TO BE SPOILED ON THE ENDING OF DARCY'S AFTERWORLDS
Okay, the ending of Darcy's Afterworlds kind of felt redundant to me. Lizzie gets summoned by Yama to see Travis, the guy at the terrorist attack, to give him peace, and then Yama basically said that he would see her soon and that was that. I didn't very much like their romance anyway, but I was very frustrated by the fact that Yama was being so self-righteous and toying with Lizzie's emotions. And then, in the end, Lizzie goes to her friend Jamie and spills all the little beans about the afterworld. I did kind of like that, it is only that I predicted that from the beginning anyway...Unfortunately, I may have liked it more if Yama had died in the end, and there had been more build up to the ending than there actually was. At least if Yama had died, then there would have been something super exciting that happened in Lizzie's story!
I struggled more with Lizzie's story, and, honestly, could have done without it altogether. Her storyline, while gripping at times, lagged in some parts and felt kind of choppy. The characters were great and all, but they weren't as fleshed out as they could have been, in my eyes. Honestly, the book could have used another 100 pages or so to really flesh the story out and give it a new meaning. And towards the end, Lizzie's story felt really rushed, like the ending was the most important part and the book HAD to get there in a certain amount of time--that is, three chapters.
About that ending....I had a little trouble with it: there was this whole build-up to the epic ending in Darcy's chapters, and how she has spent so much time trying to figure out how the book would end...and for it to end like THAT? I'll talk about it more under the spoilers bar.
All in all, I loved this book and found it both an educational journey and a literary journey. I got to find out the inner workings of publishing--something I've been meaning to do--and I felt connected to Darcy's storyline more than anything else, because I am in the same boat...just without the whole $300,000 publishing contract for two books and moving out to New York and being eighteen...anyway, you get the picture! Solid 4/5 stars from me!
SPOILERS: PROCEED ONLY IF YOU WANT TO BE SPOILED ON THE ENDING OF DARCY'S AFTERWORLDS
Okay, the ending of Darcy's Afterworlds kind of felt redundant to me. Lizzie gets summoned by Yama to see Travis, the guy at the terrorist attack, to give him peace, and then Yama basically said that he would see her soon and that was that. I didn't very much like their romance anyway, but I was very frustrated by the fact that Yama was being so self-righteous and toying with Lizzie's emotions. And then, in the end, Lizzie goes to her friend Jamie and spills all the little beans about the afterworld. I did kind of like that, it is only that I predicted that from the beginning anyway...Unfortunately, I may have liked it more if Yama had died in the end, and there had been more build up to the ending than there actually was. At least if Yama had died, then there would have been something super exciting that happened in Lizzie's story!
xknight95's review
2.0
2/5 Stars. I finished it, but almost did not want to. Afterworlds had a fairly strong start. The beginning of Darcy's book was very intriguing with the whole terrorist attack in an airport. Unfortunately after that I found it went all down hill. I just lost interest in Lizzie and Yama's story. It was way to instalovey. I honestly don't think Darcy's story would have done well on the market in the real world. The "real world" half of the book was not much better. Did not like Darcy at all. She made too many dumb decisions that really irritated me. You are handed $300000 and you just blow it on a overpriced apartment and food and unnecessary plane tickets... so irritatingly stupid! Smart thing would have been to get a part time job, stay at home, and invest the majority of that money. Sure you can say, "well, she's only 18". I can honestly say that 18 year old me would have invested that money.
sls0369's review against another edition
I'm just not into it. I don't really care what happens in either story, so I'm bidding this farewell.
msanders92's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
raediance04's review
5.0
I loved the concept for this book. It's actually like two books in one: one about a teenage girl who is in the process of publishing a book and the other is the book she is writing. Alone, I'm not sure the books would be too interesting but together it is an amazing reading experience. The first chapter of Darcy's book, also titled Afterworlds, was terrifying and suspenseful and the love story in the contemporary part with Darcy was beautiful and refreshing. I definitely recommend this to anyone who likes fantasy books, especially those based in mythology. I also recommend this to anyone who has participated in NaNoWriMo. Maybe this is the motivation you need to publish a book like Darcy.
karinlib's review
3.0
I don't really know what I think of this book. It was a quick read, a page turner. I liked the premise of a debut author under contract, rewriting her first novel. We not only get her story, but her novel as well. My problem is that I didn't love either story.
lanica's review
3.0
Two stories told at the same time, every other chapter.
One - a young girl writes an amazing novel and has to learn how to deal with the expectations of greatness, even though the book is a first draft.
The other - A young girl gains paranormal powers after surviving a terrorist attack.
PERSONAL REVIEW:
I LOVE Scott Westerfeld's books. I do. But this one was...soft. It had a malleable plot, a bunch of fuzzy characters, a wishy-washy setting. It was good, but not great. Unfortunately for this book I have come to expect greatness from Mr. Westerfeld. I enjoyed the book, but as I finished it I was left with a feeling of sadness that it was not as good as it could have been. He has a few amazing ideas, but they don't grow into anything...they fizzle. Sigh.
LIBRARIAN REVIEW:
A book I think would be great for many young adult readers. It is an interesting way of explaining the realities of the publishing world. I would love to book-club it with some of my more mature kids. There are some amazing discussions that could come from reading this. I love his writing style, and a few of his characters are great. I like the setting of the underworld in the paranormal sections, and I think that a young reader would enjoy the book more than I, an older and more jaded reader, did.
Notes to those who are thinking of adding it to their library collection without reading it. You need to know...
Also, there are a lot of the word 'Fuck' in this book, a few in the early chapters, and more often as the book goes on.
One - a young girl writes an amazing novel and has to learn how to deal with the expectations of greatness, even though the book is a first draft.
The other - A young girl gains paranormal powers after surviving a terrorist attack.
PERSONAL REVIEW:
I LOVE Scott Westerfeld's books. I do. But this one was...soft. It had a malleable plot, a bunch of fuzzy characters, a wishy-washy setting. It was good, but not great. Unfortunately for this book I have come to expect greatness from Mr. Westerfeld. I enjoyed the book, but as I finished it I was left with a feeling of sadness that it was not as good as it could have been. He has a few amazing ideas, but they don't grow into anything...they fizzle. Sigh.
LIBRARIAN REVIEW:
A book I think would be great for many young adult readers. It is an interesting way of explaining the realities of the publishing world. I would love to book-club it with some of my more mature kids. There are some amazing discussions that could come from reading this. I love his writing style, and a few of his characters are great. I like the setting of the underworld in the paranormal sections, and I think that a young reader would enjoy the book more than I, an older and more jaded reader, did.
Notes to those who are thinking of adding it to their library collection without reading it. You need to know...
Spoiler
The main female character is gay and has a wonderful (although not graphic) relationship with another woman. (I'm not hiding this because she is gay, I'm hiding it because finding out she is gay is a wonderful little scene in the book.)Also, there are a lot of the word 'Fuck' in this book, a few in the early chapters, and more often as the book goes on.
morganrondo's review
5.0
I really enjoyed this. The storyline was a little weird but interesting and creative. Parts of it reminded me of Midnighters.
I love the structure of alternating chapters that are related. It probably didn't need to be 600 pages to cover everything but it still went by pretty fast.
I love the structure of alternating chapters that are related. It probably didn't need to be 600 pages to cover everything but it still went by pretty fast.