Reviews

This is the novella that introduced me to Neon Hemlock and I finally read it! It's well-contained and paced, telling the story that it wanted to tell in the right amount of space. I wish I knew more about where the characters went - while the story resolves well, I find myself wanting to know more about what happens after and would readily read a follow up.

blackmetalblackheart's review

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4.0

Hybrid Heart explores themes of fame, autonomy, and abuse through the lens of the Japanese idol industry in the near future. Despite the small page count, Kusano does an excellent job of fleshing out the world for the reader. It is just the right amount of detail to picture exactly what is going on (not only on the page, but in the industry being described) without wasting space. That type of pacing makes for a clean story that flows well. I found Rei to be an interesting character. It was easy to understand her motivations, as well as see how she continued to slip further and further into this life. She had a distinct personality on the page. The whole idea of someone who sings and entertains for a living not really having a voice in their own life is a strong central narrative that is intriguing and surprisingly relatable. All in all, this novella is well written and enjoyable. It won't take up a lot of time either.

greenseaglass's review against another edition

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emotional reflective

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes

4.0

astrawitch's review

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emotional sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

podanotherjessi's review

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reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

emilyparagraph's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

i think i read this at just the right time to really connect with it. im leaving a job ive had for 5 1/2 years to find something better for myself. despite being a load-bearing employee, as it were, it often felt like i was never fully appreciated for all the effort i was putting in, even as it got my boss closer to their goal. its not as severe a situation to Rei, but i understand that great calm that overcame her

when she decided to walk away.

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