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alliereadbooks's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
3.0
blurrypetals's review
4.0
This was really cute, but it definitely left a little bit to be desired. I read the graphic novels at the start of September when I found out Sarah Rees Brennan (who is bae) would be writing this.
I think part of the off-kilter feeling is that this is trying to be inoffensive to the comic's world while still trying to make it feel meaningful. I wanted to get more depth from this, but instead it ended up feeling more like an insert episode that wouldn't effect the major storyline of the comics. It's hard to say, but I definitely wanted more than this gave me.
I thought Aiden and Harvard were cute, but I was here for Nicholas and Seiji and all I got was the consolation prize of Aiden and Harvard having a fake relationship subplot. I always have a hard time getting invested in friends to lovers plots and this was no exception. I just don't love it when 50% of a character's inner conflict is just, "But I don't wanna ruin our fRiEnDsHiP." And yeah, sure, Nicholas and Seiji get about half the novel, but their plot, while incredibly cute, felt a little depthless. I wanted more feelings!
This wasn't entirely bad, though, and it was very charming. Nicholas is a wonderful character, my oblivious baby, and it was so sweet that Seiji and Eugene stood up for him the way they did. It was just, in comparison to In Other Lands,, Sarah Rees Brennan's other "gay boarding school" book, this felt like it had so much wasted potential. I would read another one if she wrote it, though!
I think part of the off-kilter feeling is that this is trying to be inoffensive to the comic's world while still trying to make it feel meaningful. I wanted to get more depth from this, but instead it ended up feeling more like an insert episode that wouldn't effect the major storyline of the comics. It's hard to say, but I definitely wanted more than this gave me.
I thought Aiden and Harvard were cute, but I was here for Nicholas and Seiji and all I got was the consolation prize of Aiden and Harvard having a fake relationship subplot. I always have a hard time getting invested in friends to lovers plots and this was no exception. I just don't love it when 50% of a character's inner conflict is just, "But I don't wanna ruin our fRiEnDsHiP." And yeah, sure, Nicholas and Seiji get about half the novel, but their plot, while incredibly cute, felt a little depthless. I wanted more feelings!
This wasn't entirely bad, though, and it was very charming. Nicholas is a wonderful character, my oblivious baby, and it was so sweet that Seiji and Eugene stood up for him the way they did. It was just, in comparison to In Other Lands,, Sarah Rees Brennan's other "gay boarding school" book, this felt like it had so much wasted potential. I would read another one if she wrote it, though!
yellowswagger's review
5.0
Sarah Rees Brennan did a marvelous job at capturing the characters and continuing the story from the original Fence series. I love Nicholas and Seiji’s friendship, but I also really loved that Harvard and Aiden got so much more character development in this book. In the main series, Nichols is the main character, but here, the storylines of Seije and others get explored in a deeper way that I thoroughly enjoyed. If you enjoyed the Fence series you won’t be disappointed.
emkauffman2's review
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
trin's review
2.0
Like an old-school TV tie-in, this graphic novel series tie-in can't actually advance the plot at all, so it's 300-odd pages of wheel-spinning. The wheel-spinning is...mildly entertaining? Rees Brennan lands some jokes, but almost all of them are at the expense of characterization; is it just me, or do these versions of Pacat's characters seem significantly dumber than the "real" thing?
Anyway, this was decent ignoring-my-work-reading weekend froth, but nothing more than that.
Anyway, this was decent ignoring-my-work-reading weekend froth, but nothing more than that.
alexg52's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
martapaviaa's review
4.0
Sos, que ganas ya del segundo!
Aiden y Harvard me van a hacer llorar, lo presiento.
Seiji es lo mejor, ojala ser él.
Me hubiera gustado un poco más de deporte en el libro pero vaya que maravilla!
Aiden y Harvard me van a hacer llorar, lo presiento.
Seiji es lo mejor, ojala ser él.
Me hubiera gustado un poco más de deporte en el libro pero vaya que maravilla!
alexan13's review
3.0
I have mixed feelings about this. I absolutely adore the graphic novel series Fence, and so I was somewhat wary of going into a novel about these characters written by a different author.
I think that wariness was somewhat justified. The writing style, in my opinion, was not great. And when I first started reading, it felt like each character was treated kind of as a caricature of their graphic novel selves. In graphic novel form the more minimal sketch-like information you get about the characters works, but in the form of a novel you want more from them. I actually think that the author did get there with showing more depth to (most) of the characters, but not until maybe the last third of the book. One thing that is great is that, plot-wise, this novel does add to the overall story/narrative. It's not a novelization of the graphic novels but a new addition, one that I ultimately did find believable.
However, I ultimately still had a fun time reading this. I think fans of the graphic novel series will still enjoy this book (if they give it a fair chance beyond the first few chapters), keeping in mind that it doesn't quite hold up to the excellence of the comics.
I think that wariness was somewhat justified. The writing style, in my opinion, was not great. And when I first started reading, it felt like each character was treated kind of as a caricature of their graphic novel selves. In graphic novel form the more minimal sketch-like information you get about the characters works, but in the form of a novel you want more from them. I actually think that the author did get there with showing more depth to (most) of the characters, but not until maybe the last third of the book. One thing that is great is that, plot-wise, this novel does add to the overall story/narrative. It's not a novelization of the graphic novels but a new addition, one that I ultimately did find believable.
However, I ultimately still had a fun time reading this. I think fans of the graphic novel series will still enjoy this book (if they give it a fair chance beyond the first few chapters), keeping in mind that it doesn't quite hold up to the excellence of the comics.
zuz_pas's review against another edition
3.5
It was an enjoyable read but quite simple writing and kinda tropy. But very easy to digest hopefully Aiden and Harvard will get their shit together