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aarnireads's review against another edition
4.0
Fricking cried. Goddamn.
I know how it is to yearn for the stars.
I know how it is to yearn for the stars.
blurrypetals's review against another edition
3.0
I'm honestly not entirely sure how I feel about this book. After throwing myself head, heart, body, and soul into loving The Wicker King last Easter weekend, I was fully prepared to fall in love with another K. Ancrum book all over again this Easter weekend.
Instead, I was met with something far more middling than I was expecting from her and that, that's unfortunate.
Let's list off the positives, because I really do not want to spend my time picking apart the work of someone as clearly talented, kind, and wonderful as K. Ancrum is. I have one large complaint about this book and it'll be at the end of this review.
The prose is lilting, soft, and enrapturing. There is something magical about the way Ancrum writes that positively commands all of your attention and it is absolutely arresting. As far as actual sitting down and reading time, I think I read this faster than I read The Wicker King. This may have been because The Wicker King was much denser material and left me with much more to chew on as I went, but I still appreciated how quickly I flew through this.
The supporting cast was positively luminous. The love story between Ryann and Alexandria was sweet, but I would have killed to get more of James, Tomas, Blake, Shannon, and Ahmed. Their stories were so brilliant and lovely, and it all reminded me of the reasons why I love K. Ancrum's writing.
So here's my issue. It's actually completely related to The Wicker King and I'm gonna stick alllll my thoughts in regards to that in a big ol' spoiler tag, just in case you are reading this review and have, for some reason, not read the absolute exquisite perfection that is The Wicker King. Here goes:
Another thing that doesn't fit for me and the future I envisioned for Jack and August, I hate to say, is Rina. I am a huge fan of the idea of thruples in general. It's the only thing I care about in the ABC Freeform show Siren. I love Mark, Cristina, and Kieran in The Dark Artifices by Cassandra Clare. Thruples are great. I am not against the progressive, awesome idea of having three people in an equal, loving relationship. I just want to make that clear before I say anything more on the subject.
This is purely my opinion, obviously, because this is canon, the three of them are in a relationship and have a kid. I just genuinely do not agree with the decision to, post-The Wicker King, decide that Rina is a part of Jack and August's relationship in a romantic sense. I saw her as a kind, steady, and, ultimately, platonic presence in these boys' lives and I just don't feel like this future we're presented with in The Weight of the Stars is a genuine continuation of these characters' lives. I wish none of it had been included in the story at all. Ahmed could still have had three parents, they could have even still set up Alexandria's radio equipment in the burned out warehouse, but I wish August and Jack and especially Rina had been left out of this story.
Anyway, that's all I've got! Catch you on the flip.
Instead, I was met with something far more middling than I was expecting from her and that, that's unfortunate.
Let's list off the positives, because I really do not want to spend my time picking apart the work of someone as clearly talented, kind, and wonderful as K. Ancrum is. I have one large complaint about this book and it'll be at the end of this review.
The prose is lilting, soft, and enrapturing. There is something magical about the way Ancrum writes that positively commands all of your attention and it is absolutely arresting. As far as actual sitting down and reading time, I think I read this faster than I read The Wicker King. This may have been because The Wicker King was much denser material and left me with much more to chew on as I went, but I still appreciated how quickly I flew through this.
The supporting cast was positively luminous. The love story between Ryann and Alexandria was sweet, but I would have killed to get more of James, Tomas, Blake, Shannon, and Ahmed. Their stories were so brilliant and lovely, and it all reminded me of the reasons why I love K. Ancrum's writing.
So here's my issue. It's actually completely related to The Wicker King and I'm gonna stick alllll my thoughts in regards to that in a big ol' spoiler tag, just in case you are reading this review and have, for some reason, not read the absolute exquisite perfection that is The Wicker King. Here goes:
Spoiler
I think it was a mistake to put this book and The Wicker Kingin the same universe. I did not enjoy seeing Jack and August's future one single bit. The problem with this whole thing, with them having a defined ending instead of the beautiful, perfect ellipsis that The Wicker King left us with is that it shuts down the world of possibility that stretched out before August and Jack at the end of that book.Another thing that doesn't fit for me and the future I envisioned for Jack and August, I hate to say, is Rina. I am a huge fan of the idea of thruples in general. It's the only thing I care about in the ABC Freeform show Siren. I love Mark, Cristina, and Kieran in The Dark Artifices by Cassandra Clare. Thruples are great. I am not against the progressive, awesome idea of having three people in an equal, loving relationship. I just want to make that clear before I say anything more on the subject.
This is purely my opinion, obviously, because this is canon, the three of them are in a relationship and have a kid. I just genuinely do not agree with the decision to, post-The Wicker King, decide that Rina is a part of Jack and August's relationship in a romantic sense. I saw her as a kind, steady, and, ultimately, platonic presence in these boys' lives and I just don't feel like this future we're presented with in The Weight of the Stars is a genuine continuation of these characters' lives. I wish none of it had been included in the story at all. Ahmed could still have had three parents, they could have even still set up Alexandria's radio equipment in the burned out warehouse, but I wish August and Jack and especially Rina had been left out of this story.
Anyway, that's all I've got! Catch you on the flip.
brisingr's review against another edition
5.0
I'm in tears at the beauty of this book. I have been in tears, several times throughout reading it.
It's been a very, very long time since I read anything with characters this real and incredible. And it's been a while since I cared so much about their fate. This book got me so incredibly invested in everything that was going on, that I am not sure I know how to go back to not reading about this story every single day. Wounded teenagers brought together in beautiful friendships and blinding love si the most magnificent narrative ever, and I am so emotional thinking of these brilliant characters, and their relationships with each other.
How could I not care about them, when they care so much about each other?
"If you took everything about me that's remotely bearable and increased it a hundred times, that's James. My Birdie. Best thing I ever got..."
I even bought a NASA sweatshirt just because suddenly I cared so much about space and humanity and going out there in the largeness of the universe just because of this novel.
Thank you so much K. Ancrum for this gorgeous book. I just know that this story is needed, was needed (at least to my heart, but I'm sure there is so much to see in it and learn from it in general).
Sitting in the ruins of the best that they could build. And it would always have to be enough.
You couldn't nice some people open, Ryann knew that well. Sometimes the only weay to pry your arms away from tightly holding yourself together is when you're given a reason to hold up your fists. Fighting for yourself is another way of loving yourself.
If something that comes hard for others comes easy to you, you should do it for them.
Every story has many sides depending on where you're standing when it happens.
Don't take time for granted. You have all this freedom and opportunity and people around who love you. Make sure you use the time you have to love them back.
It's been a very, very long time since I read anything with characters this real and incredible. And it's been a while since I cared so much about their fate. This book got me so incredibly invested in everything that was going on, that I am not sure I know how to go back to not reading about this story every single day. Wounded teenagers brought together in beautiful friendships and blinding love si the most magnificent narrative ever, and I am so emotional thinking of these brilliant characters, and their relationships with each other.
How could I not care about them, when they care so much about each other?
"If you took everything about me that's remotely bearable and increased it a hundred times, that's James. My Birdie. Best thing I ever got..."
I even bought a NASA sweatshirt just because suddenly I cared so much about space and humanity and going out there in the largeness of the universe just because of this novel.
Thank you so much K. Ancrum for this gorgeous book. I just know that this story is needed, was needed (at least to my heart, but I'm sure there is so much to see in it and learn from it in general).
Sitting in the ruins of the best that they could build. And it would always have to be enough.
You couldn't nice some people open, Ryann knew that well. Sometimes the only weay to pry your arms away from tightly holding yourself together is when you're given a reason to hold up your fists. Fighting for yourself is another way of loving yourself.
If something that comes hard for others comes easy to you, you should do it for them.
Every story has many sides depending on where you're standing when it happens.
Don't take time for granted. You have all this freedom and opportunity and people around who love you. Make sure you use the time you have to love them back.
whatisoatmilk's review against another edition
4.0
that was really beautiful. some of the writing made me cringe but it was reallt beautiful. i almost cried at certain parts but its okay!
otakatoe3's review
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Sexual assault, Drug use, Bullying, Death of parent, and Grief
greenleafbooks's review against another edition
5.0
I can’t right now. This book was so utterly amazing. How has Kayla ancrum only written two books?!! I loved the characters and their close knit bond, I loved that each of them had such different personalities and backgrounds but were able to find each other and grow. Also I’m such a sucker for found family and all that jazz so I obviously loved this. I think all the space and nasa/Scout parts were very well thought out and interesting. The last thing was that there was lgbt rep in this book which I love and it was done very well in my opinion. Overall, how dare you only have two books Kayla ancrum. I loved this and I’m so exited to see what this author writes next!
francisfrancis's review
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
oumaima_mekni's review against another edition
3.0
This was nicely written. There were numerous beautifully written lines that felt almost too literary for this book lol.
I don’t have a problem with the plot or the storyline, it was the characters that I had hard time coping with. One time they were these reckless, quirky and troublesome teenagers and other time, they were adults trapped inside the bodies of adolescents. You may say, ‘maybe the characters have developed?”, no I don’t think it was a development because they keep going back and forth between these two extremes.
Also, some things were kind of unrealistic ? A heist of uncoordinated teenagers breaking into a prestigious and highly-secured institution? And they really believed they would get away with it ? Their rich friend would just bail them out like it’s no big deal ?
okay.
I don’t have a problem with the plot or the storyline, it was the characters that I had hard time coping with. One time they were these reckless, quirky and troublesome teenagers and other time, they were adults trapped inside the bodies of adolescents. You may say, ‘maybe the characters have developed?”, no I don’t think it was a development because they keep going back and forth between these two extremes.
Also, some things were kind of unrealistic ? A heist of uncoordinated teenagers breaking into a prestigious and highly-secured institution? And they really believed they would get away with it ? Their rich friend would just bail them out like it’s no big deal ?
okay.