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tigger89's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
The execution of this book just didn't do it for me. The true meaning behind the fervor infection was clever, but instead of dropping the bomb and moving on with the story, the author lingered on the point, repeating it over and over again. Maybe this was meant to be artistic, but the vibe I came away with was that she didn't trust the reader to get it. That said, I did feel like, at the core, the message behind the plot was not only timely, but actually pretty solid. Each character stood in for a different population, presenting their perspective and demonstrating the good(and harm) possible. I just wish it had been conducted with a lighter touch and less repetition, you know?
I also felt like, while the yokai and jorogumo demon were teased in the description, they weren't the ultimate focus. This was disappointing to me, because I'd been drawn to the book specifically to explore the folklore in a horror setting. Instead, I was bait-and-switched with a completely different sort of horror. It almost seemed like the characters of Meiko and (especially) Aiko were wasted, given their vast potential in the other book that this one was pretending to be, before the white characters came in and made it all about their own feelings. While poignant, somehow I doubt that was the artistic statement the author was going for.
I also felt like, while the yokai and jorogumo demon were teased in the description, they weren't the ultimate focus. This was disappointing to me, because I'd been drawn to the book specifically to explore the folklore in a horror setting. Instead, I was bait-and-switched with a completely different sort of horror. It almost seemed like the characters of Meiko and (especially) Aiko were wasted, given their vast potential in the other book that this one was pretending to be, before the white characters came in and made it all about their own feelings. While poignant, somehow I doubt that was the artistic statement the author was going for.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Grief
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Alcohol
Spiders.
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