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stifledlaughter's review
3.0
(Spoilers!!!)
So... I was really torn about this book.
I really REALLY liked the polyamory content. The frustrations and joys of poly, working in a triad, figuring out feelings, etc, I felt they were all done pretty well. I liked reading about the complicated politics of moving in with someone before you're really ready, and dealing with people not understanding your life or life and having to face the consequences of their ignorance.
But man did I not quite get where "vengeful succubus who murders anyone who vaguely annoys or is mildly problematic" fits into this story? She wasn't a part of the triad, but a roommate. I feel like the author wanted to write two different stories - "triad figuring out their lives" and "succubus turned vengeance demon". I felt like I was reading odd parallel stories, like in sitcoms where an A plot and B plot are happening but they have little or nothing to do with each other.
I would honestly sometimes forget about the succubus part of the story, until someone got brutally tortured and murdered for being a unreasonable-but-not-the-worst dick. It felt really jarring set next to "what kind of bed should we buy for our new apartment?" drama.
In the end, I almost wish the author would separate the two stories- fans of horror could read the succubus-vengeance demon story, and fans of romance could read the triad-figuring-it-out story.
So... I was really torn about this book.
I really REALLY liked the polyamory content. The frustrations and joys of poly, working in a triad, figuring out feelings, etc, I felt they were all done pretty well. I liked reading about the complicated politics of moving in with someone before you're really ready, and dealing with people not understanding your life or life and having to face the consequences of their ignorance.
But man did I not quite get where "vengeful succubus who murders anyone who vaguely annoys or is mildly problematic" fits into this story? She wasn't a part of the triad, but a roommate. I feel like the author wanted to write two different stories - "triad figuring out their lives" and "succubus turned vengeance demon". I felt like I was reading odd parallel stories, like in sitcoms where an A plot and B plot are happening but they have little or nothing to do with each other.
I would honestly sometimes forget about the succubus part of the story, until someone got brutally tortured and murdered for being a unreasonable-but-not-the-worst dick. It felt really jarring set next to "what kind of bed should we buy for our new apartment?" drama.
In the end, I almost wish the author would separate the two stories- fans of horror could read the succubus-vengeance demon story, and fans of romance could read the triad-figuring-it-out story.
kavita's review
4.0
This novel is...surprisingly good, if perhaps frustratingly slow. I ended up enjoying the sort of casual, off-the-cuff narration and the nonlinear telling ended up being more enjoyable than expected. That said, I wish the pace of the thing were like, fifty percent quicker, because watching Jamie slowly realize she's a trans girl maybe is agonizingly slow and we don't get to see much of her with that understanding of herself. Still, I was remarkably compelled!
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