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aleinacb's review
3.0
3.75 // It was a bit hard to follow along with the flow for the first two parts because of the changing narratives, but I was still drawn to the mystery of the family’s tragedy so I pushed through. It was not hard to grow fond of the characters, especially Walt and Emily. I didn’t expect this book to be so... depressing?? Walt and his inner monologues were so funny, especially in the first part, that I didn’t expect myself to be so sad by the end of it. And perhaps this book was set in Las Vegas for a reason? The glittering lights and the invitation of fun, but it’s really just depressing underneath all the grandeur.
kingsamong's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
4.0
donnakayhall's review
4.0
Not generally my kind of book, but very well written and engaging. I used to live in Las Vegas, so it was also fun to read about the places I knew, etc....
pitterpatterbooks's review
5.0
What do you do when the power is out? Write a review, of course. I’m sitting here, writing up this review with only the light from my laptop screen, and a candle that smells like lemon Pez, to guide me.
It’s oddly fitting for a review of Still Life Las Vegas by James Sie.
You see, Walt, out main character, has been in the dark about the whereabouts of his mother his entire life. With a father that is suffering from major mental illness over several tragedies in his life, you Walt is left to take care of him — and their run down apartment in a not-so-glitzy part of Las Vegas.
Walt is trapped. He feels an obligation to take care of his father that pulls at him so strongly, he’s even resigned the idea of going to college. He has no plans for his future, nothing that doesn’t involve the daily care of his ailing father.
That is until he meets Chrysto, one of the living statues at Venice Venice.
I’m going to come right out and say this: This book is a bit of a downer. There are hardly moments of happiness, and there’s a lot of pain being experienced by every character in the book in their own way. It may not be the same pain, but it’s there. But I have to say that this just felt perfectly right. The further I foraged into this book the clearer it became that wrapping it all up in a pretty bow and sending it off on its way was not a possibility. I probably would’ve felt cheated if that had happened. This book was meant to be gritty, raw, and in your face, but it never veers too far into melodrama territory, and I appreciated that.
With the way the story is told, it’s very easy to latch on to all of these characters for their own reasons. Owen (Walt’s father), for his demons and regrets, Emily (Walt’s mother) for her insurmountable grief, Walt, for everything he has lost before he even really knew he had it, Chrysto and Acacia, the brother and sister living statues, and even in ways frigid ol’ Vee. Each of them has a pain and a story that keeps you reading.
It also makes you question a lot of the events of the book the further you go along. I won’t post spoilers, but there is a certain point in the book where I had to stop reading, think over what I had already read, and try and decide what was true. There are so many layers to this book that it’s impossible to feel bored.
Finally, the friendship turned relationship between Walt and Chrysto. It’s really what got me to read this book in the first place, and I was not disappointed. There was chemistry between these two from the word go, and it was built up perfectly with each scene between them. It made the scene where things finally do culminate and the boys begin engaging in a sexual relationship that much better.
The bottom line here is that I came for the romance and stayed for the amazing plot progression, storytelling, and graphic novel visual that were brilliantly done and woven in by Sungyoon Choi. Still Life Las Vegas is a true gem.
*Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a ARC of Still Life Las Vegas in exchange for an honest review*
It’s oddly fitting for a review of Still Life Las Vegas by James Sie.
You see, Walt, out main character, has been in the dark about the whereabouts of his mother his entire life. With a father that is suffering from major mental illness over several tragedies in his life, you Walt is left to take care of him — and their run down apartment in a not-so-glitzy part of Las Vegas.
Walt is trapped. He feels an obligation to take care of his father that pulls at him so strongly, he’s even resigned the idea of going to college. He has no plans for his future, nothing that doesn’t involve the daily care of his ailing father.
That is until he meets Chrysto, one of the living statues at Venice Venice.
I’m going to come right out and say this: This book is a bit of a downer. There are hardly moments of happiness, and there’s a lot of pain being experienced by every character in the book in their own way. It may not be the same pain, but it’s there. But I have to say that this just felt perfectly right. The further I foraged into this book the clearer it became that wrapping it all up in a pretty bow and sending it off on its way was not a possibility. I probably would’ve felt cheated if that had happened. This book was meant to be gritty, raw, and in your face, but it never veers too far into melodrama territory, and I appreciated that.
With the way the story is told, it’s very easy to latch on to all of these characters for their own reasons. Owen (Walt’s father), for his demons and regrets, Emily (Walt’s mother) for her insurmountable grief, Walt, for everything he has lost before he even really knew he had it, Chrysto and Acacia, the brother and sister living statues, and even in ways frigid ol’ Vee. Each of them has a pain and a story that keeps you reading.
It also makes you question a lot of the events of the book the further you go along. I won’t post spoilers, but there is a certain point in the book where I had to stop reading, think over what I had already read, and try and decide what was true. There are so many layers to this book that it’s impossible to feel bored.
Finally, the friendship turned relationship between Walt and Chrysto. It’s really what got me to read this book in the first place, and I was not disappointed. There was chemistry between these two from the word go, and it was built up perfectly with each scene between them. It made the scene where things finally do culminate and the boys begin engaging in a sexual relationship that much better.
The bottom line here is that I came for the romance and stayed for the amazing plot progression, storytelling, and graphic novel visual that were brilliantly done and woven in by Sungyoon Choi. Still Life Las Vegas is a true gem.
*Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a ARC of Still Life Las Vegas in exchange for an honest review*
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