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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
3.5 stars. Great idea, but this needs so much editing done to it, hence why it's been taking me so long to read it. There are so many grammar and punctuation and just general things that could be fixed with a good round of editing.
Merged review:
3.5 stars. Great idea, but this needs so much editing done to it, hence why it's been taking me so long to read it. There are so many grammar and punctuation and just general things that could be fixed with a good round of editing.
Merged review:
3.5 stars. Great idea, but this needs so much editing done to it, hence why it's been taking me so long to read it. There are so many grammar and punctuation and just general things that could be fixed with a good round of editing.
I read this novel upon recommendation from someone who is well aware of my obsession with superheroes and strong female protagonists (for lack of a better term). Overall, it's a welcome addition to the realm of sci-fi/fantasy, and the main characters (Bonnie and Lola) are well-developed, gripping individuals who will capture the attention of any reader. The novel does have some shortcomings, but I think the brave forays into non-formulaic YA and female-led fiction outweighs the missteps in things like narrative structure, prose, and pace.
Things I Liked
1. Genre: TGWWBK does not fit neatly into categories. If you’ve watched Kelly Thompson’s kickstarter video for this book (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/532638631/the-girl-who-would-be-king), you’ll know the book is not quite “YA,” not quite “sci fi,” and not quite “literary.” There was no love triangle and the female characters were not defined by their relationship to male love interests (more on this below). The book doesn’t quite fit into “sci fi” or even “fantasy,” since it's part superhero/supervillain story and part folklore. As a result, it's a bit more difficult to predict where the plot is going to go and what characters will do.
2. Feminism: TGWWBK is an excellent exercise in feminism in contemporary fiction, with female characters who desire more than just a boyfriend, who hurt and feel in a way that doesn’t make them “weak” but “human,” and who like comics and draw inspiration from them while resisting their stereotypical female images. There are bits of romance, and there are moments where these ladies do a lot of fighting and punching - but Thompson brilliantly handles these moments by ensuring that readers see each characters as simultaneously strong and weak. These women can break, but they also don't need to be dependent on their male counterparts.
3. Mythology: Despite its sloppy incorporation, I absolutely loved the mythology that Thompson drew on to explain the girls' superpowers. Towards the end of the book, we learn that Bonnie's and Lola's powers derive from, and that delighted me to no end. It was a welcome change from the common origin stories we see such as toxic waste, alien DNA, scientific experimentation, and the like.
Things I Didn't Like
1. Prose: The writing style is very much conversational, like reading a transcript of how a teenager might talk. In my opinion, this is both good and bad: it reinforces the idea that the characters are teenagers, but at the same time, I felt held back by the limits that are inherent in speech. I also often longed for something a bit more poetic, not just a simple statement of what was. Since TGWWBK is Thompson's first book, I can understand the awkwardness, but I think hiring or consulting more experienced writers or an editor would have gone a long way.
2. Plot: There are a lot of exciting fights in this novel, as well as moments when the characters are figuring out how to manage their powers, how to defeat one another, etc. - and they're all fun to read. However, in a larger context, these moments don't really construct a bigger narrative, and there are moments when the narrative is compressed into something like a summary (when moments with no plot bearing could have been cut out altogether). There isn't much of a driving force behind the story other than "superpowers," which is fine, but nothing we haven't seen before in comics, etc. If you come to this novel expecting a character study, you will be pleasantly surprised at how good it is - but if you want a driving plot, this novel might not be for you.
Recommendations: Definitely pick up this book if you're interested in superheroines and superpowers, and also check it out if you're passionate about supporting new and undiscovered authors, especially self-published ones. You might also like this book if you liked Red Queen or even The Wicked+The Divine.
Things I Liked
1. Genre: TGWWBK does not fit neatly into categories. If you’ve watched Kelly Thompson’s kickstarter video for this book (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/532638631/the-girl-who-would-be-king), you’ll know the book is not quite “YA,” not quite “sci fi,” and not quite “literary.” There was no love triangle and the female characters were not defined by their relationship to male love interests (more on this below). The book doesn’t quite fit into “sci fi” or even “fantasy,” since it's part superhero/supervillain story and part folklore. As a result, it's a bit more difficult to predict where the plot is going to go and what characters will do.
2. Feminism: TGWWBK is an excellent exercise in feminism in contemporary fiction, with female characters who desire more than just a boyfriend, who hurt and feel in a way that doesn’t make them “weak” but “human,” and who like comics and draw inspiration from them while resisting their stereotypical female images. There are bits of romance, and there are moments where these ladies do a lot of fighting and punching - but Thompson brilliantly handles these moments by ensuring that readers see each characters as simultaneously strong and weak. These women can break, but they also don't need to be dependent on their male counterparts.
3. Mythology: Despite its sloppy incorporation, I absolutely loved the mythology that Thompson drew on to explain the girls' superpowers. Towards the end of the book, we learn that Bonnie's and Lola's powers derive from
Spoiler
the Morrigan, the goddess of war in Celtic folkloreThings I Didn't Like
1. Prose: The writing style is very much conversational, like reading a transcript of how a teenager might talk. In my opinion, this is both good and bad: it reinforces the idea that the characters are teenagers, but at the same time, I felt held back by the limits that are inherent in speech. I also often longed for something a bit more poetic, not just a simple statement of what was. Since TGWWBK is Thompson's first book, I can understand the awkwardness, but I think hiring or consulting more experienced writers or an editor would have gone a long way.
2. Plot: There are a lot of exciting fights in this novel, as well as moments when the characters are figuring out how to manage their powers, how to defeat one another, etc. - and they're all fun to read. However, in a larger context, these moments don't really construct a bigger narrative, and there are moments when the narrative is compressed into something like a summary (when moments with no plot bearing could have been cut out altogether). There isn't much of a driving force behind the story other than "superpowers," which is fine, but nothing we haven't seen before in comics, etc. If you come to this novel expecting a character study, you will be pleasantly surprised at how good it is - but if you want a driving plot, this novel might not be for you.
Recommendations: Definitely pick up this book if you're interested in superheroines and superpowers, and also check it out if you're passionate about supporting new and undiscovered authors, especially self-published ones. You might also like this book if you liked Red Queen or even The Wicked+The Divine.
The characters are great, the story flows well, and the use of superheroics to tell the tale is a welcomed plus. The fact that the characters' moral motivations are revealed to be rather shallow might, at first, appear to be a detriment, but the strength of the writing helps us see past this, and suggests (possible) hidden complexity.
I must confess that I was a little apprehensive that being a young adult novel, this book wouldn't hold my attention since I usually read adult fiction/fantasy. But after reading only a few chapters, my fears were quickly put to rest.
This book might say its young adult but it is brutally graphic and violent, and I LOVED it. The Girl Who Would Be King definitely does not lack in the action department. Narrative wise it switches between the two main characters Lola and Bonnie throughout the story. The writing enables you to get inside both of the girls heads and understand what they are feeling and what spurs their actions. I like to read books that have strong female lead characters, and this book has two! I’m not going to lie, I really liked the character of Lola more than Bonnie. Even though Lola is technically the villain, to me she felt more like a victim of circumstance. The thing is that Lola is such a cunning, yet funny, evil character that you almost want her to win and rule the world as a crazy kick-ass tyrant.
I would recommend reading the Girl Who Would Be King, especially if you’re a fan of superhero novels or modern young adult fantasy.
This book might say its young adult but it is brutally graphic and violent, and I LOVED it. The Girl Who Would Be King definitely does not lack in the action department. Narrative wise it switches between the two main characters Lola and Bonnie throughout the story. The writing enables you to get inside both of the girls heads and understand what they are feeling and what spurs their actions. I like to read books that have strong female lead characters, and this book has two! I’m not going to lie, I really liked the character of Lola more than Bonnie. Even though Lola is technically the villain, to me she felt more like a victim of circumstance. The thing is that Lola is such a cunning, yet funny, evil character that you almost want her to win and rule the world as a crazy kick-ass tyrant.
I would recommend reading the Girl Who Would Be King, especially if you’re a fan of superhero novels or modern young adult fantasy.
This book was so disappointing. There were some good ideas and the writing was relatively clean, but it fails on execution. I would have given this 2 stars, if not for the 8 months later epilogue that pretty much negated the struggles and triumphs of the entire story arc.
I could go into great spoilery detail summarizing the flaws, but let's just not go there. I will suggest that hordes who rave about the awesomeness of the antagonist may need to seek help. She's a psychopath; this is neither new nor interesting.
I could go into great spoilery detail summarizing the flaws, but let's just not go there. I will suggest that hordes who rave about the awesomeness of the antagonist may need to seek help. She's a psychopath; this is neither new nor interesting.
Entertaining and perfect for my current clouded/painkiller/recovery mindset. But it definitely could have benefitted from more honing and/or a different editor.
This book made me appreciate editors. There is a really interesting story in here. But the writing gets in the way. It creates an interesting universe, but the plot holes are so frequent it gets in the way of appreciating what's good about the story. This author probably has a lot of potential and deserves a good publisher.
I'd really probably give this 4.5 stars if we could do half stars on here.
I read a review for this book on io9 and decided to give it a shot since the Kindle edition was so cheap. I am so pleasantly surprised by how gripping I found the story and just by how wonderful I found this book overall. Both Lola and Bonnie are fleshed-out, compelling characters, and although I was certainly rooting for Bonnie (as the true "hero" of the story), I loved reading Lola's sections and seeing her spiraling further and further into darkness.
Highly recommend this one for anyone who likes superhero stories, but really, even just for anyone who likes fascinating characters. Certainly worth the $2.99 I spent on it and I hope to see more books from Kelly Thompson in the future.
I read a review for this book on io9 and decided to give it a shot since the Kindle edition was so cheap. I am so pleasantly surprised by how gripping I found the story and just by how wonderful I found this book overall. Both Lola and Bonnie are fleshed-out, compelling characters, and although I was certainly rooting for Bonnie (as the true "hero" of the story), I loved reading Lola's sections and seeing her spiraling further and further into darkness.
Highly recommend this one for anyone who likes superhero stories, but really, even just for anyone who likes fascinating characters. Certainly worth the $2.99 I spent on it and I hope to see more books from Kelly Thompson in the future.