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carol16's review
challenging
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Intriguing and somewhat disturbing dystopian novel about what would happen if tech destroyed nature the the extent that it become a killer. Also a good look on how small communities can become cults when separated from the rest of reality whether that be only giving one family "magical" gifts or a following a mad man. Koli can be a bit blockheaded sometimes but I think he will continue to grow as this series does. The book really could have done without the weird dialect but I do understand the artistic choice.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Transphobia
jeedmonds's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This book took forever to finally get to the plot, at least half way through. The first half was a dumb teenager pining over a girl that was never really that interested in him. If you enjoy teenagers being entirely self absorbed in themselves then, you'll enjoy the first half of the book. There wasn't even that much world building beyond the main character Koli, and some conspiracy that happens with the people in power in his tiny town.
FINALLY, a plot happens well into the second half of the book and the book ends right as it actually gets really interesting. The pacing of this book is awful. The whole concept about plants being dangerous and it's actually not really a large part of the book, just a plot device that gets brought up when it's useful again.
FINALLY, a plot happens well into the second half of the book and the book ends right as it actually gets really interesting. The pacing of this book is awful. The whole concept about plants being dangerous and it's actually not really a large part of the book, just a plot device that gets brought up when it's useful again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Self harm
Moderate: Transphobia
geekmom's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book was fresh and original and completely sucked me in.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, Violence, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Confinement, Cursing, and Blood
directorpurry's review
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Medical content and Transphobia
szuum's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Violence, and Confinement
Moderate: Cannibalism, Injury/Injury detail, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Sexual content and Transphobia
wendleness's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
My very favourite thing about this book is characters describing technology and other old-word items that they’ve never come across before, but are well-known things to the reader. It’s like a guessing game. A large piece of tech hammered together out of sheets of metal with wheels inside a great big metal band and a pipe sticking out. A soft slippery cloth puffed up like a pillow. Any guesses? There are loads of them, and I love it!
Language is another great thing. Seeing how it has evolved over time or how old and unknown words are pronounced and interpreted to make sense with the words people already know and understand. Mythen Rood, for example, had a previous and similar sounding name we’d be more familiar with. Koli doesn’t know how you communicate with tech and so when he learns the word he calls it an in-their-face. This shit is freaking catnip to me, I can’t get enough of it.
I don’t think I have ever been so keen to get on and read the next book in a series. There are so many hints and clues and foreshadowing and points to connect. I have theories, and I need to know how everything comes together, when and what details are revealed, and what the hell happened in the past and will happen in the future. Most of my theories involve Ursula. She knows so much. How? Who was she before she became a wandering doctor-of-sorts? How old is she? I have some ideas. I also kind of maybe half suspect (or, at least, I want to believe) that this story is set in the far flung future of The Girl With All the Gifts. It’s a stretch, but noxious trees and enough time… let me have this.
A longer review can be read at my book blog: Marvel at Words.
Language is another great thing. Seeing how it has evolved over time or how old and unknown words are pronounced and interpreted to make sense with the words people already know and understand. Mythen Rood, for example, had a previous and similar sounding name we’d be more familiar with. Koli doesn’t know how you communicate with tech and so when he learns the word he calls it an in-their-face. This shit is freaking catnip to me, I can’t get enough of it.
I don’t think I have ever been so keen to get on and read the next book in a series. There are so many hints and clues and foreshadowing and points to connect. I have theories, and I need to know how everything comes together, when and what details are revealed, and what the hell happened in the past and will happen in the future. Most of my theories involve Ursula. She knows so much. How? Who was she before she became a wandering doctor-of-sorts? How old is she? I have some ideas. I also kind of maybe half suspect (or, at least, I want to believe) that this story is set in the far flung future of The Girl With All the Gifts. It’s a stretch, but noxious trees and enough time… let me have this.
A longer review can be read at my book blog: Marvel at Words.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Transphobia and Fire/Fire injury
vaguely_pink's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: War, Classism, Death of parent, Abandonment, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cursing, Transphobia, Self harm, Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, and Bullying
aralakh's review
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism, Death, Gore, Confinement, Kidnapping, and Violence
Minor: Transphobia
nixusiai's review
adventurous
emotional
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
4.5
LOVED this so much. can't wait to read the others because wowww!!!
impeccable world building, seeing the beginnings of found family and the seamlessness way trans characters were introduced....*chefs kiss* thanks mr. mr carey :)
impeccable world building, seeing the beginnings of found family and the seamlessness way trans characters were introduced....*chefs kiss* thanks mr. mr carey :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Death
Minor: Miscarriage and Transphobia
rebthack's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
100s of years Post-apocalypse. Survivors are eking out life in tiny communities that barely communicate, exchange ideas, or goods. Danger is everywhere - from killer trees that awake on sunny days to leftover weapons that descend on communities with no warning. And the most powerful in town are able to awaken and use the technology from before.
Narrated by Koli, he tells the story of his life - starting at 15 when he is old enough to go into waiting, aka, have his only opportunity to try and awaken technology. Koli is convinced he can make this happen, and his life will be all that he dreams it will be and more.
But things don’t quite work out.
This book is set up as a foundational piece and definitely the first in a trilogy. Initially, the uneven language was challenging to get past, but after a few chapters, I no longer was aware of Koli’s fractured grammar or disjointed vernacular. The story is interesting enough, but, working as the base of a larger story, the book was a little slow to start, albeit rich with details of the daily life of Koli and his village.
I’ll definitely be back at the library to reserve the next book in the series tomorrow!
Narrated by Koli, he tells the story of his life - starting at 15 when he is old enough to go into waiting, aka, have his only opportunity to try and awaken technology. Koli is convinced he can make this happen, and his life will be all that he dreams it will be and more.
But things don’t quite work out.
This book is set up as a foundational piece and definitely the first in a trilogy. Initially, the uneven language was challenging to get past, but after a few chapters, I no longer was aware of Koli’s fractured grammar or disjointed vernacular. The story is interesting enough, but, working as the base of a larger story, the book was a little slow to start, albeit rich with details of the daily life of Koli and his village.
I’ll definitely be back at the library to reserve the next book in the series tomorrow!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, and Violence
Minor: Transphobia