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tiffanapolis_reads's review against another edition
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
mehsi's review against another edition
3.0
3 stars. 2.5 because on the one hand I really liked this book. 0.5 stars for Eris/Mariel.
This was one of my most anticipated books for August, but I have to say I am quite disappointed in it all. For so many reasons.
This review might be a bit chaotic, I will discuss good and bad all mixed-up. I just don't feel like sorting my thoughts at the moment, I will just let them all out as it comes.
Incest, drugs, drugs, more drugs, stupid drama, rich-kid problems (that just don't make sense), alcohol, did I mention incest?
Yep. Incest. Really, you have been brother/sister since the age of 5 (or 7 for Atlas), and I know you are not from the same blood/genes, but still so long together this makes you family. It was just creeping me out, and frankly I didn't feel well reading it. I was definitely not rooting for them. I am not going to continue on about this, some things you just don't want to dwell on.
We have 5 POVs and really? I just hated 4 of them in various degrees. Eris, Eris was my favourite girl out of the 5 and I looked forward the most to her POV. Sure, she had some flaws, but out of all the POVs and all of the side-characters, she was definitely the most real. The most true to everything. I felt oh so sorry for her when all that stuff happened to her family. And even later on. Sure, she made some stupid mistakes, but she did try to fix things. She did try to make things better. What happened between her and Mariel were the best parts and I loved and rooted for them so much.
Then we Avery, the sister. She is obsessed with her brother. So obsessed even that she gets pissy and breaks up with a friendship with a friend when that friend shows interest in her brother. Whut? Really whut? I didn't like Avery that much, at times she showed a very lovely, kind, caring side, but then she would do something that would undo all that. For instance, I hated how she treated Watt, how she acted all interested in him, while actually she still wanted her brother. :| I also got a bit tired of the constant descriptions of her perfect beauty, how wonderful she was, how perfect she was in each and every way. We get it. No need to rehash it all the time. :|
Watt. Definitely my least favourite character. He was just so boring and acting all superior. Like he was so much better than everyone in the world. Until he met Avery he was just pretty much a playboy, flirting with every girl he could flirt with. I also don't get why he has to have something so illegal with him. Does he want to ruin his chances in life?
Rylin. Meh. Meh, and meh. She had some interesting parts, but mostly I didn't like her. From the point that she was cheating on her boyfriend with Cord, to the fact she stole from Cord, to so many other parts. Sure, Cord and her made a cute couple, but I just wished she had been honest from the start. Honest about what she did. I am sure that he would listen, that he would understand her, would help her out. He is a pretty swell guy. I also didn't really like the constant descriptions of how poor she was. We get it, she is poor.
Leda. Ah, our resident yandere girl. She was just terrible. The first few POV chapters about her were pretty decent, but as soon as Atlas returns? She totally turns into yandere mode. Stalking the dude (through Watt), following him around, and when she notices that Atlas might have someone else she completely snaps and goes in highly creepy mode. She is one disturbed girl. She definitely could use a few more months in rehab or maybe someplace else that is more suited for her mental state.
I could go on about her, but sorry, I don't want to waste more time on this terrible person.
The book starts with a death. A girl plunges to her death of the top of the tower. Sadly after that we travel back 2 months, and that is what about 400 pages of the book are about. Then it happens, and then the book is pretty much over. So yeah, the death felt like it was a prelude, something set so the author could write a second book. Meh. :| I was so looking forward to seeing the mystery unfold, but instead it was handled like this.
The who dies, and who done it? Well after a while I could just imagine at least the perpetrator. It was easy to see.
I also was definitely interesting in the setting. A giant tower (and apparently even more throughout the world) that apparently spans a whole part of the city. However, I couldn't imagine it one bit. I tried, and tried, but I just couldn't visualise it all. I just couldn't see how the tower would look. How people lived in it. Every time we would hear another fact about the tower and I would just stack on the big pile of details we already had, yet still not getting the picture. Such a shame.
I definitely was annoyed with all the drugs and alcohol use in this book. I know kids will experiment (not all of them though), but this was just ridiculous, it was as if it was totally normal to be drunk all the time. Or be high on drugs.
The drama was also quite silly at times, and it seemed like no one could have a normal life in that tower, or anywhere for that.
There definitely a few technological things that I would love to have (not having to change clothes while shopping for new ones, or having a personal hairstylist in your head), though also enough that I wouldn't want to have (the fact everything you are doing can be viewed and hacked by anyone, the contacts and what they do).
I really loved the cover (and as for my edition also the spine of the book). It is just so fabulous, glittery, and shiny.
All in all, I am not sure if I would recommend this book. At times it was good, and the times I read (about 4 hours in total) I flew through the book. But at times it was just terrible. I have thought about dropping this book several times while I read.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com
This was one of my most anticipated books for August, but I have to say I am quite disappointed in it all. For so many reasons.
This review might be a bit chaotic, I will discuss good and bad all mixed-up. I just don't feel like sorting my thoughts at the moment, I will just let them all out as it comes.
Incest, drugs, drugs, more drugs, stupid drama, rich-kid problems (that just don't make sense), alcohol, did I mention incest?
Yep. Incest. Really, you have been brother/sister since the age of 5 (or 7 for Atlas), and I know you are not from the same blood/genes, but still so long together this makes you family. It was just creeping me out, and frankly I didn't feel well reading it. I was definitely not rooting for them. I am not going to continue on about this, some things you just don't want to dwell on.
We have 5 POVs and really? I just hated 4 of them in various degrees. Eris, Eris was my favourite girl out of the 5 and I looked forward the most to her POV. Sure, she had some flaws, but out of all the POVs and all of the side-characters, she was definitely the most real. The most true to everything. I felt oh so sorry for her when all that stuff happened to her family. And even later on. Sure, she made some stupid mistakes, but she did try to fix things. She did try to make things better. What happened between her and Mariel were the best parts and I loved and rooted for them so much.
Then we Avery, the sister. She is obsessed with her brother. So obsessed even that she gets pissy and breaks up with a friendship with a friend when that friend shows interest in her brother. Whut? Really whut? I didn't like Avery that much, at times she showed a very lovely, kind, caring side, but then she would do something that would undo all that. For instance, I hated how she treated Watt, how she acted all interested in him, while actually she still wanted her brother. :| I also got a bit tired of the constant descriptions of her perfect beauty, how wonderful she was, how perfect she was in each and every way. We get it. No need to rehash it all the time. :|
Watt. Definitely my least favourite character. He was just so boring and acting all superior. Like he was so much better than everyone in the world. Until he met Avery he was just pretty much a playboy, flirting with every girl he could flirt with. I also don't get why he has to have something so illegal with him. Does he want to ruin his chances in life?
Rylin. Meh. Meh, and meh. She had some interesting parts, but mostly I didn't like her. From the point that she was cheating on her boyfriend with Cord, to the fact she stole from Cord, to so many other parts. Sure, Cord and her made a cute couple, but I just wished she had been honest from the start. Honest about what she did. I am sure that he would listen, that he would understand her, would help her out. He is a pretty swell guy. I also didn't really like the constant descriptions of how poor she was. We get it, she is poor.
Leda. Ah, our resident yandere girl. She was just terrible. The first few POV chapters about her were pretty decent, but as soon as Atlas returns? She totally turns into yandere mode. Stalking the dude (through Watt), following him around, and when she notices that Atlas might have someone else she completely snaps and goes in highly creepy mode. She is one disturbed girl. She definitely could use a few more months in rehab or maybe someplace else that is more suited for her mental state.
I could go on about her, but sorry, I don't want to waste more time on this terrible person.
The book starts with a death. A girl plunges to her death of the top of the tower. Sadly after that we travel back 2 months, and that is what about 400 pages of the book are about. Then it happens, and then the book is pretty much over. So yeah, the death felt like it was a prelude, something set so the author could write a second book. Meh. :| I was so looking forward to seeing the mystery unfold, but instead it was handled like this.
The who dies, and who done it? Well after a while I could just imagine at least the perpetrator. It was easy to see.
I also was definitely interesting in the setting. A giant tower (and apparently even more throughout the world) that apparently spans a whole part of the city. However, I couldn't imagine it one bit. I tried, and tried, but I just couldn't visualise it all. I just couldn't see how the tower would look. How people lived in it. Every time we would hear another fact about the tower and I would just stack on the big pile of details we already had, yet still not getting the picture. Such a shame.
I definitely was annoyed with all the drugs and alcohol use in this book. I know kids will experiment (not all of them though), but this was just ridiculous, it was as if it was totally normal to be drunk all the time. Or be high on drugs.
The drama was also quite silly at times, and it seemed like no one could have a normal life in that tower, or anywhere for that.
There definitely a few technological things that I would love to have (not having to change clothes while shopping for new ones, or having a personal hairstylist in your head), though also enough that I wouldn't want to have (the fact everything you are doing can be viewed and hacked by anyone, the contacts and what they do).
I really loved the cover (and as for my edition also the spine of the book). It is just so fabulous, glittery, and shiny.
All in all, I am not sure if I would recommend this book. At times it was good, and the times I read (about 4 hours in total) I flew through the book. But at times it was just terrible. I have thought about dropping this book several times while I read.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com
inge_oortwijn's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
kat7890erina's review against another edition
4.0
A futuristic Gossip Girl with lots of dramatic secrets and wistful romances. The setting of 'The Tower' is a well-chosen depiction of capitalistic society and works well to set the scene of a speculative future New York City. I'm ready to dive straight into The Dazzling Heights.
abbyl819's review against another edition
4.0
4.5
I flew through this book so fast! I have been wanting to read this for awhile now, and I’m so glad that I finally got around to it. In my opinion, this book’s rating should definitely be higher than it is. I was really impressed with the fact that despite having multiple main character perspectives, they were all very well developed and none felt unnecessary or boring. While I really disliked a few of the choices made by certain characters, I still did like all of their perspectives. I honestly am having trouble picking a favorite, but I think it might be Rylin or Avery. The premise of this book is so cool, but I wish that it had more sci-fi elements to it other than the Tower and technology. I wish that more of an explanation of life in the rest of the world and country outside of the Tower is like, as well as how and why it was built. The ending was very dramatic, and I liked it a lot.
I flew through this book so fast! I have been wanting to read this for awhile now, and I’m so glad that I finally got around to it. In my opinion, this book’s rating should definitely be higher than it is. I was really impressed with the fact that despite having multiple main character perspectives, they were all very well developed and none felt unnecessary or boring. While I really disliked a few of the choices made by certain characters, I still did like all of their perspectives. I honestly am having trouble picking a favorite, but I think it might be Rylin or Avery. The premise of this book is so cool, but I wish that it had more sci-fi elements to it other than the Tower and technology. I wish that more of an explanation of life in the rest of the world and country outside of the Tower is like, as well as how and why it was built. The ending was very dramatic, and I liked it a lot.
akookieforyou's review against another edition
3.0
*3.5*
I absolutely loved the concept of this book. Having a Gossip Girl style story, with a bunch of extremely rich people and all of their drama, and scandalous behavior, but make it slightly futuristic? Sign me up!
And while there definitely some fun moments, I found that certain things didn't work for me, and I wish there could've been some better execution on others.
Since this story is following five different character perspectives, you're inevitably going to have some shine brighter than others (hence why I usually don't love multiple povs). And man, some of them really were slogs at times. At least it made the entertaining ones that much more entertaining.
Personally Avery, Leda, and Watt's perspectives were the most engaging. Not neccesarily my favorite characters, but they had the most amount of drama and intrigue going on. While Rylin and Eris's were less engaging overall, probably because they lived in the lower parts of the tower, and weren't always as involved in the wealthy people problems.
Interestingly, Leda and Watt have different trajectories in my mind. I started off liking, feeling curious and sympathetic towards Leda, and then growing to really hate her. Meanwhile Watt started off seeming quite scummy with the way he'd use his supercomputer and hacking skills to trick women, but he eventually became someone I liked and cared for a lot by the end.
Rylin and Eris were all over the place in terms of enjoyment and likability. They both had entertaining parts, but overall felt kind of boring. Eris was annoying with her whining about being poor, I felt for her, but it got old fast. At least she found a nice girl to be with though. And Rylin felt the most disjointed from the book, rarely ever interacting with the main cast, and most of her problems were separate as well. She just felt tacked on in some ways.
And lastly, we have Avery. She's probably my favorite character honestly. And that's because she genuinely cares about her friends and family, shows sympathy and compassion for people that are having a rough time (without being judgmental), and she has an interesting internal struggle. Honestly I almost wish the book would've just solely focused on her, it might've gotten a higher rating then.
My only other major complaint besides the different levels of intrigue for the characters, is the poor establishment of romance and romantic tension. We have three major romantic relationships that blossom throughout this book, but I feel like the author kind of just glossed over a lot of the elements that makes them interesting and worthwhile, while also being believable. Suddenly someone is just in love with someone else, and we don't even get to see any of it, everything is just briefly mentioned in passing. I just think it would've been better and made us more attached to the characters and their heartbreaks if we got to see their love portrayed better.
Overall an interesting read. I might actually pick up the next one, because that cliffhanger was very spicy!
I absolutely loved the concept of this book. Having a Gossip Girl style story, with a bunch of extremely rich people and all of their drama, and scandalous behavior, but make it slightly futuristic? Sign me up!
And while there definitely some fun moments, I found that certain things didn't work for me, and I wish there could've been some better execution on others.
Since this story is following five different character perspectives, you're inevitably going to have some shine brighter than others (hence why I usually don't love multiple povs). And man, some of them really were slogs at times. At least it made the entertaining ones that much more entertaining.
Personally Avery, Leda, and Watt's perspectives were the most engaging. Not neccesarily my favorite characters, but they had the most amount of drama and intrigue going on. While Rylin and Eris's were less engaging overall, probably because they lived in the lower parts of the tower, and weren't always as involved in the wealthy people problems.
Interestingly, Leda and Watt have different trajectories in my mind. I started off liking, feeling curious and sympathetic towards Leda, and then growing to really hate her. Meanwhile Watt started off seeming quite scummy with the way he'd use his supercomputer and hacking skills to trick women, but he eventually became someone I liked and cared for a lot by the end.
Rylin and Eris were all over the place in terms of enjoyment and likability. They both had entertaining parts, but overall felt kind of boring. Eris was annoying with her whining about being poor, I felt for her, but it got old fast. At least she found a nice girl to be with though. And Rylin felt the most disjointed from the book, rarely ever interacting with the main cast, and most of her problems were separate as well. She just felt tacked on in some ways.
And lastly, we have Avery. She's probably my favorite character honestly. And that's because she genuinely cares about her friends and family, shows sympathy and compassion for people that are having a rough time (without being judgmental), and she has an interesting internal struggle. Honestly I almost wish the book would've just solely focused on her, it might've gotten a higher rating then.
My only other major complaint besides the different levels of intrigue for the characters, is the poor establishment of romance and romantic tension. We have three major romantic relationships that blossom throughout this book, but I feel like the author kind of just glossed over a lot of the elements that makes them interesting and worthwhile, while also being believable. Suddenly someone is just in love with someone else, and we don't even get to see any of it, everything is just briefly mentioned in passing. I just think it would've been better and made us more attached to the characters and their heartbreaks if we got to see their love portrayed better.
Overall an interesting read. I might actually pick up the next one, because that cliffhanger was very spicy!
sanjubee's review against another edition
1.0
Honestly, this would have been a DNF from me if I hadn't taken it on a trip as my plane read. I truly disliked this book. Every character was dislikable, the POVs for half the characters were extremely repetitive, and I'm baffled by the choice to use a scifi futuristic setting as the backdrop for average, predictable teenage drama.
The fact that these characters all live in a super-skyscraper really means nothing, since it just translates to same "uptown-downtown" classism with very little nuance. I would even say the way Rylin and Watt's storylines were written was downright racist: Watt is described a Middle Eastern and uses his genius with computers to commit crimes on the dark web, while Rylin is a mixed-race maid who turns to stealing. Don't even get me started on the Yikes that was her romance with Cord, aka her boss who basically tries to buy her affection (and it works??) And this isn't even touching Avery, who is described as genetically perfect in every way: so of course that means she has white features, blonde hair, etc.
The fact that these characters all live in a super-skyscraper really means nothing, since it just translates to same "uptown-downtown" classism with very little nuance. I would even say the way Rylin and Watt's storylines were written was downright racist: Watt is described a Middle Eastern and uses his genius with computers to commit crimes on the dark web, while Rylin is a mixed-race maid who turns to stealing. Don't even get me started on the Yikes that was her romance with Cord, aka her boss who basically tries to buy her affection (and it works??) And this isn't even touching Avery, who is described as genetically perfect in every way: so of course that means she has white features, blonde hair, etc.
lindsayaunderwood's review against another edition
4.0
Total guilty pleasure. The story follows five teens 100 years in the future. Thing future Laguna Beach, with the added element of the story beginning with someone falling off the tower. Couldn't put it down. Be warned that there is a sequel. Didn't know that when I started.
blairfrank's review against another edition
4.0
It's understandable why my students would enjoy this novel. Each character has their own secrets, desires, and messed up lives. Each chapter rotates perspectives and gives the reader just enough info to keep the suspense while simultaneously allowing the reader to completely immerse themselves. I'm not a huge fan of YA lit, but I read it for my students. Normally, I wouldn't read the other two novels, but my students will want me to so we can discuss the goings on.