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lillybookland's review against another edition
DNF why I try reading this book I didn't even like the first one :/
sumayyaha's review against another edition
4.0
Rating - 4 Stars
____________________________________
So, I'm gonna be honest - as you are with reviews - I liked Furthermore better.
Laylee might be an interesting character to some, but to me, she was just wildly confusing. I really liked her profession and how it was described. Laylee's actual character is what I thought was confusing. Laylee, being a cold girl, doesn't understand the warmth brought upon her by her new companions. However, she keeps flip-flopping, one moment she is moved by their warmth, and the next she shuts them out. I've read a lot of books with characters like these, and I can't say I enjoy them (mainly when they are the POV).
But I still liked the writing, it was very lyrical and whimsical. I also enjoyed all the other characters, particularly Benyamin, his mother, and Alice. I was a little disappointed in Oliver but I got over that quickly. He turned out to be different than I thought.
____________________________________
So, I'm gonna be honest - as you are with reviews - I liked Furthermore better.
Laylee might be an interesting character to some, but to me, she was just wildly confusing. I really liked her profession and how it was described. Laylee's actual character is what I thought was confusing. Laylee, being a cold girl, doesn't understand the warmth brought upon her by her new companions. However, she keeps flip-flopping, one moment she is moved by their warmth, and the next she shuts them out. I've read a lot of books with characters like these, and I can't say I enjoy them (mainly when they are the POV).
But I still liked the writing, it was very lyrical and whimsical. I also enjoyed all the other characters, particularly Benyamin, his mother, and Alice. I was a little disappointed in Oliver but I got over that quickly. He turned out to be different than I thought.
mariahistryingtoread's review against another edition
2.0
I purchased Furthermore because the cover dazzled me. Unfortunately for me the cover was the best part and I ended up miserable reading it. Despite my disappointment in Furthermore I decided to read this for the Bibliothon Readathon from August 17th to the 23rd (obviously I'm way behind) and this time I would at least know what to expect. The challenge was a book on your TBR because of its cover.
And yeah, all the same issues are present.
A ton of telling and not showing. The narrator attempting to be all mysterious and cheeky when really it's annoying to constantly have this unnecessary intrusion break the immersion. Imagine you're watching a movie with someone who has already seen it. And every two minutes they explain what's happening in a scene to you. That's what this book feels like.
Laylee is a traumatized kid terrified of being hurt again. As an adult I can recognize why without all the particulars because I have the life experience as well as empathy to put it together. Most of the time kids are not capable of this hence the need for explanation. But, there was an unreasonable amount of hand holding even for a book meant for kids. Furthermore drove me mad doing this too. Telling me not just that Alice or Laylee or whoever was hurt, but going out of her way to describe to the smallest detail why. Not only is it annoying because it's repetitive, I felt it was even more detrimental in a book where the premise hinges on helping a person learn to trust again. Like let me learn alongside Laylee instead of lecturing me in a separate room.
On top of it being condescending, knowing all that goes on in Laylee's head removes all suspense. You already know she's starting to thaw out a little, you know exactly why she suddenly backtracks, you know what her big secrets are. This extends to every single character. So when Alice is worried about ruining things with Laylee I couldn't be worried because the narrator often will jump right in to immediately alleviate what, in a better book, is supposed to be normal tension within a story.
Important conversations are glossed over. It's obvious this isn't going to be a dialogue heavy book from the first page. But, jeez I expect that when two characters are having a discussion about how one character expects to die that the significance of the conversation to the plot will win out over stylistic choice.
That's all just the writing style itself which I've already made clear I was not a fan of in the first place with Furthermore. Onto things more specific to Whichwood.
I loved the whole mordeshoor aspect. I thought that it was so cool and spooky. The ritual of washing the dead was fascinating. This book gets dark in a way that I loved. Some reviewers thought it was too much for a kids book, however, I think it's at that perfect level of gruesome that kids will love to be a little uneasy about. To me it was kind of unsettling, but I'm squeamish so your mileage may vary. I moreso respected how willing Mafi was to totally blow everything to smithereens.
The despair present in Laylee's life is an unfortunate reality for many kids. It does them and other kids who could use a bit of perspective no good sugarcoating things. Unfair, horrible things happen. I found it unbelievably infuriating the way that the town of Whichwood mistreats Layleee. At its core it revealed a sad truth; there are adults that will treat you poorly simply because it's easier to do so. If there was one thing I loved about this book (I'm being serious here there is only this one thing I loved) the circumstances under which Laylee was forced to live are it.
Now onto the negatives.
I hated that Laylee was the Surrender for Alice. In Furthermore the Surrender was an actual task. Find Alice's father. In this one, the Town Elders really put a child in charge of essentially restoring the will to live in another person. That is so selfish, and irresponsible to place that kind of pressure on a kid. It'd be one thing if she was told to aid in the mordeshor business with the bonus being that Laylee gets better in the process.
Instead, Alice is implicitly blamed for the death of five people because she couldn't make Laylee better fast enough. You help people when you can especially when you see them struggling, but it is dangerous to encourage this idea that you are a failure if you are unsuccessful. That person, in the end, has to be the one to /want/ to change. And sometimes extenuating circumstances make it outside of your control regardless. Basically, a right person wrong time kind of thing.
Also how is it that the Whichwood Town Elders are considered wrong for ignoring Laylee yet the Ferenwood Council who had to have known about Laylee's predicament because they made it Alice's surrender are totally in the clear? The Ferenwood Council are just as culpable here. A group of adults saw what was going on for an indeterminate amount of time but chose to do nothing because they'd rather have their silly little tradition instead. Like how is that not discussed at all? Especially in a book that really 'goes there' at the end.
If you read my Furthemore review I talked about how Alice and Oliver were barely friends. That's doubly for this book because there are more characters. Oliver spends the entire time obsessed with Laylee despite knowing nothing about her. The author even goes so far as to call it love when it's little more than a teenagers' infatuation. Don't get me wrong a teenager can experience romantic love. I don't want to invalidate those feelings, however, it is literally impossible for it to be love under these parameters. It made me super annoyed with Oliver. He put her on a pedestal and didn't seem to value her as an actual person at all. It was all about her looks which again is a writing problem since Mafi doesn't write many character interactions to develop the relationships.
Alice is bland. She is somehow more underwritten than the first book. This is supposed to be Laylee's story with a side of Alice but neither girl is given much to do. Mafi tells us several times how tragic it is that the two girls can't see how similar they are. Too bad it's all talk since this isn't supported by the text ever. Alice exists only to use her powers.
Benyamin is a plot device.
So this book has a great premise executed poorly, no momentum until the last quarter, boring characters, no character progression, and a message that falls apart under any real scrutiny. I'd have rated it 1 star if the mordeshoor stuff wasn't so cool. At least I can say I'm not a fan of Mafi's writing with the receipts to back it up, so yay? I guess.
That being said I've come too far to quit now so I'm sure I'll read the next one when it inevitably makes it debut.
And yeah, all the same issues are present.
A ton of telling and not showing. The narrator attempting to be all mysterious and cheeky when really it's annoying to constantly have this unnecessary intrusion break the immersion. Imagine you're watching a movie with someone who has already seen it. And every two minutes they explain what's happening in a scene to you. That's what this book feels like.
Laylee is a traumatized kid terrified of being hurt again. As an adult I can recognize why without all the particulars because I have the life experience as well as empathy to put it together. Most of the time kids are not capable of this hence the need for explanation. But, there was an unreasonable amount of hand holding even for a book meant for kids. Furthermore drove me mad doing this too. Telling me not just that Alice or Laylee or whoever was hurt, but going out of her way to describe to the smallest detail why. Not only is it annoying because it's repetitive, I felt it was even more detrimental in a book where the premise hinges on helping a person learn to trust again. Like let me learn alongside Laylee instead of lecturing me in a separate room.
On top of it being condescending, knowing all that goes on in Laylee's head removes all suspense. You already know she's starting to thaw out a little, you know exactly why she suddenly backtracks, you know what her big secrets are. This extends to every single character. So when Alice is worried about ruining things with Laylee I couldn't be worried because the narrator often will jump right in to immediately alleviate what, in a better book, is supposed to be normal tension within a story.
Important conversations are glossed over. It's obvious this isn't going to be a dialogue heavy book from the first page. But, jeez I expect that when two characters are having a discussion about how one character expects to die that the significance of the conversation to the plot will win out over stylistic choice.
That's all just the writing style itself which I've already made clear I was not a fan of in the first place with Furthermore. Onto things more specific to Whichwood.
I loved the whole mordeshoor aspect. I thought that it was so cool and spooky. The ritual of washing the dead was fascinating. This book gets dark in a way that I loved. Some reviewers thought it was too much for a kids book, however, I think it's at that perfect level of gruesome that kids will love to be a little uneasy about. To me it was kind of unsettling, but I'm squeamish so your mileage may vary. I moreso respected how willing Mafi was to totally blow everything to smithereens.
The despair present in Laylee's life is an unfortunate reality for many kids. It does them and other kids who could use a bit of perspective no good sugarcoating things. Unfair, horrible things happen. I found it unbelievably infuriating the way that the town of Whichwood mistreats Layleee. At its core it revealed a sad truth; there are adults that will treat you poorly simply because it's easier to do so. If there was one thing I loved about this book (I'm being serious here there is only this one thing I loved) the circumstances under which Laylee was forced to live are it.
Now onto the negatives.
I hated that Laylee was the Surrender for Alice. In Furthermore the Surrender was an actual task. Find Alice's father. In this one, the Town Elders really put a child in charge of essentially restoring the will to live in another person. That is so selfish, and irresponsible to place that kind of pressure on a kid. It'd be one thing if she was told to aid in the mordeshor business with the bonus being that Laylee gets better in the process.
Instead, Alice is implicitly blamed for the death of five people because she couldn't make Laylee better fast enough. You help people when you can especially when you see them struggling, but it is dangerous to encourage this idea that you are a failure if you are unsuccessful. That person, in the end, has to be the one to /want/ to change. And sometimes extenuating circumstances make it outside of your control regardless. Basically, a right person wrong time kind of thing.
Also how is it that the Whichwood Town Elders are considered wrong for ignoring Laylee yet the Ferenwood Council who had to have known about Laylee's predicament because they made it Alice's surrender are totally in the clear? The Ferenwood Council are just as culpable here. A group of adults saw what was going on for an indeterminate amount of time but chose to do nothing because they'd rather have their silly little tradition instead. Like how is that not discussed at all? Especially in a book that really 'goes there' at the end.
If you read my Furthemore review I talked about how Alice and Oliver were barely friends. That's doubly for this book because there are more characters. Oliver spends the entire time obsessed with Laylee despite knowing nothing about her. The author even goes so far as to call it love when it's little more than a teenagers' infatuation. Don't get me wrong a teenager can experience romantic love. I don't want to invalidate those feelings, however, it is literally impossible for it to be love under these parameters. It made me super annoyed with Oliver. He put her on a pedestal and didn't seem to value her as an actual person at all. It was all about her looks which again is a writing problem since Mafi doesn't write many character interactions to develop the relationships.
Alice is bland. She is somehow more underwritten than the first book. This is supposed to be Laylee's story with a side of Alice but neither girl is given much to do. Mafi tells us several times how tragic it is that the two girls can't see how similar they are. Too bad it's all talk since this isn't supported by the text ever. Alice exists only to use her powers.
Benyamin is a plot device.
So this book has a great premise executed poorly, no momentum until the last quarter, boring characters, no character progression, and a message that falls apart under any real scrutiny. I'd have rated it 1 star if the mordeshoor stuff wasn't so cool. At least I can say I'm not a fan of Mafi's writing with the receipts to back it up, so yay? I guess.
That being said I've come too far to quit now so I'm sure I'll read the next one when it inevitably makes it debut.
ginameix's review against another edition
dark
inspiring
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
4.75
As an adult I enjoyed reading this book and it's interesting worldbuilding. It did at times lean towards body horror and those who don't like bugs will not like the character Benyamin. However, middle grade readers who can stomach some rather unpleasant happenings will enjoy this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror and Blood
pmgerovac's review against another edition
3.0
I've read very little fantasy. I chose this from recommendation. It was good.
violet_primroses's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
maddie_orart's review against another edition
5.0
Full review posted on Of Reading and Random Things
It seems to me that Tahereh Mafi could write about pretty much anything and I would read it no matter what, and Whichwood is no exception. After the wonderful, magical adventure that is Furthermore, I was ready to delve back into the lush, imaginative world that Mafi created.
Right off the bat, I could feel a kinship with the main character, Laylee, and despite being 13 years old, I could see parts of myself in her character. I knew then that I would be in for an emotional roller coaster with this book, and I was right. Laylee is prickly, detached and packaged with a shell made of steel, all in the effort of protecting herself from the harshness of her life. I’ve always thought that Mafi’s writing style is beautifully emotive, but in Whichwood, I feel that it really conveyed everything that Laylee is feeling, from pain and loneliness to happiness and kinship, it was an absolute joy to read.
I think that Whichwood is an amazing book with a captivating story, unforgettable characters and a writing style that just blows me away. I really recommend it and I hope you will love it as much as I do!
It seems to me that Tahereh Mafi could write about pretty much anything and I would read it no matter what, and Whichwood is no exception. After the wonderful, magical adventure that is Furthermore, I was ready to delve back into the lush, imaginative world that Mafi created.
Right off the bat, I could feel a kinship with the main character, Laylee, and despite being 13 years old, I could see parts of myself in her character. I knew then that I would be in for an emotional roller coaster with this book, and I was right. Laylee is prickly, detached and packaged with a shell made of steel, all in the effort of protecting herself from the harshness of her life. I’ve always thought that Mafi’s writing style is beautifully emotive, but in Whichwood, I feel that it really conveyed everything that Laylee is feeling, from pain and loneliness to happiness and kinship, it was an absolute joy to read.
I think that Whichwood is an amazing book with a captivating story, unforgettable characters and a writing style that just blows me away. I really recommend it and I hope you will love it as much as I do!
madiganinwonderland's review against another edition
4.0
This book was... Crazy. It was really cool and I actually felt like I really connected with Laylee. She went through so much and it really made her internalize herself, but she went through so much character development through the book it was great.
I loved that we got Oliver and Alice into story too. I was worried we wouldn't see them at first.
However, I feel I must note the EXTREMELY GRAPHIC content in here. There are descriptions of really gruesome scenes that I can't believe are in a middle grade novel. I haven't read that in YA even. It was so detailed and brutal, I can't imagine kids wouldn't have a nightmare. I'm all about the gore, but this shocked even me.
However, this was a cool adventure and I really actually enjoy the morbidity/darkness overall to the plot.
I loved that we got Oliver and Alice into story too. I was worried we wouldn't see them at first.
However, I feel I must note the EXTREMELY GRAPHIC content in here. There are descriptions of really gruesome scenes that I can't believe are in a middle grade novel. I haven't read that in YA even. It was so detailed and brutal, I can't imagine kids wouldn't have a nightmare. I'm all about the gore, but this shocked even me.
However, this was a cool adventure and I really actually enjoy the morbidity/darkness overall to the plot.
annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review against another edition
5.0
Soms heb je dat ineens. Het is twaalf uur 's middags en de onbedwingbare drang om NOG een boek, nadat je er al een hebt uitgelezen, te lezen vandaag bekruipt je. Als een spinnetje met 7 glibberige pootjes dat langs je nek omhoog kruipt naar een plekje achter je linkeroor. Dat was wat er gebeurde met Welkwoud. Ik wilde het gewoon lezen. Nu. Helemaal. Binnen een paar uur.
En dat laatste is niet heel moeilijk. Net als alle andere boeken van Tahereh Mafi is de schrijfstijl van dit boek ook weer prachtig, maar vlot. Ik vloog gewoon door het verhaal heen en genoot met volle teugen van alle beeldspraak, alle slimme zinsconstructies en metaforen en alle bedreigingen van mijn eigen logica, die ik dit keer maar al vanaf bladzijde één heb losgelaten.
Mafi weet wederom een hele bijzondere en wonderlijke wereld te scheppen, met wederom bijzondere en magische karakters. Door de vertelstijl, waarbij een verteller overduidelijk de verhalen ingefluisterd gekregen heeft van de karakters, wordt de lezer constant bij de les gehouden en het verhaal ingetrokken. Elke keer als je denkt te ontsnappen, grijpt een bepaalde zin je weer bij de keel en sleurt je weer mee de wereld van Welkwoud in.
Wat ik vooral heel sterk vind aan Welkwoud is de sfeer die Mafi weet te scheppen in dit boek. Al vanaf het prille begin ontstaat er een ietwat lugubere, maar wel sprookjesachtige sfeer die de rest van het boek blijft sluimeren en hangen. Waar Verdermeer zich kenmerkte door zijn kleurrijkheid, kenmerkt Welkwoud zich door zijn sluier van duisternis en al dan niet levende wezens.
En in die wereld zien we hoe een prachtig meisje een nog mooiere ontwikkeling doormaakt. Wederom een pareltje om duimen, vingers, tenen en neuzen bij af te likken.
En dat laatste is niet heel moeilijk. Net als alle andere boeken van Tahereh Mafi is de schrijfstijl van dit boek ook weer prachtig, maar vlot. Ik vloog gewoon door het verhaal heen en genoot met volle teugen van alle beeldspraak, alle slimme zinsconstructies en metaforen en alle bedreigingen van mijn eigen logica, die ik dit keer maar al vanaf bladzijde één heb losgelaten.
Mafi weet wederom een hele bijzondere en wonderlijke wereld te scheppen, met wederom bijzondere en magische karakters. Door de vertelstijl, waarbij een verteller overduidelijk de verhalen ingefluisterd gekregen heeft van de karakters, wordt de lezer constant bij de les gehouden en het verhaal ingetrokken. Elke keer als je denkt te ontsnappen, grijpt een bepaalde zin je weer bij de keel en sleurt je weer mee de wereld van Welkwoud in.
Wat ik vooral heel sterk vind aan Welkwoud is de sfeer die Mafi weet te scheppen in dit boek. Al vanaf het prille begin ontstaat er een ietwat lugubere, maar wel sprookjesachtige sfeer die de rest van het boek blijft sluimeren en hangen. Waar Verdermeer zich kenmerkte door zijn kleurrijkheid, kenmerkt Welkwoud zich door zijn sluier van duisternis en al dan niet levende wezens.
En in die wereld zien we hoe een prachtig meisje een nog mooiere ontwikkeling doormaakt. Wederom een pareltje om duimen, vingers, tenen en neuzen bij af te likken.