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alexxsbookshelf's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
nanu_nanu_narnett's review against another edition
5.0
This book was in the fantasy section of the bookshop when I found it, and although it had no fantasy I was not disappointed in any way. This book was beautiful, down-to-earth and the ending was both satisfying and sad.
I would recommend this to anyone. It was beautifully written and well paced and overall a fantastic read.
I would recommend this to anyone. It was beautifully written and well paced and overall a fantastic read.
itsamess's review
3.0
Fooled by the shiny, convoluted cover design and the hippie title, I picked up this The Amethyst child expecting a spooky read for Halloween week, but this book completely surprised me!
First of all (and I know this remark is boring and nobody cares about syntax and figures of speech) the writing style was wonderfully evocative, which is quite unusual for a book that by its very cover seems to appeal emo teens. I found myself captured by the beauty of metaphors and I found the dialogues very realistic.
Also, I loved the psychological complexity of the characters. Amber may be an unreliable narrator, but she's quite good at observation when it comes to her friends and family. The relationship between her and Dowdie reminded me of the one described in Marlena (and I low-key shipped them til Johnny arrived).
Why three stars then?
Because the plot of the last 50 pages was really rushed, and I would have preferred a more solid logic behind James's motivation and choices.
Also, Johnny suicidal behavior was completely out of the blue. Not inexplicable, but rushed as well.
In the end, an impressive debut for an author that was so new to me. I would try another of her books but Sarah Singleton seems to write paranormal books and it's not really my jam.
First of all (and I know this remark is boring and nobody cares about syntax and figures of speech) the writing style was wonderfully evocative, which is quite unusual for a book that by its very cover seems to appeal emo teens. I found myself captured by the beauty of metaphors and I found the dialogues very realistic.
Also, I loved the psychological complexity of the characters. Amber may be an unreliable narrator, but she's quite good at observation when it comes to her friends and family. The relationship between her and Dowdie reminded me of the one described in Marlena (and I low-key shipped them til Johnny arrived).
Why three stars then?
Because the plot of the last 50 pages was really rushed, and I would have preferred a more solid logic behind James's motivation and choices.
Also, Johnny suicidal behavior was completely out of the blue. Not inexplicable, but rushed as well.
In the end, an impressive debut for an author that was so new to me. I would try another of her books but Sarah Singleton seems to write paranormal books and it's not really my jam.
lililia's review
4.0
What a nice venture out of my comfort zone! I'm usually a dystopian-ish bookie (some realistic contemporaries)
I originally was attracted to this book due to the cover (shiny purple? yes please!), but when I took a glance at the blurb, I discovered it was CULTish. I don't do cult books. Honestly. I'm creeped out by them. They have this scary aura. This one kinda did as well. Dark colour scheme? (Black & Purple cover)
My class library had this book and it seemed so mysterious, I almost felt guilty borrowing this beauty.
"Cult & Contemporary?" I read, my face blank, my mind blank, I was completely blank, dumbfounded.
Disclaimer: It isn't a realistic contemporary.
The first chapter was enough to absorb me into it. It was executed almost-perfectly (except, nothing is perfect). Then came the double-time-period thing and WOAHHH. Even more did I invest myself in this wondrous book. 'cept I had lots of homework which interfered which the reading experience. Unpredictable throughout, brimming with its excellent suspense.
Then came the blooming friendship between Dowdie & Amber, learning about the Community, learning to love it. All went well until... the romance.
Oh, the horrible romance. At first, Amber seemed totally uninterested in her love interest. Moment she reaches home, she swoons. Wow. Even their meeting was awkward. What type of teen girl just follows a sixteen-year-old boy who she barely even knows, back to his home?
It was too obvious that the author was not a teen. It was anything but an adoloscent's voice. It could have been a ten-year old or a 30-year old person. The voice was yet too immature yet mature.
Also, emo's are cool?? Emos are often considered "the outcasts within the cliques" so why does it seem like they're revered dark-clothed kids?
I originally was attracted to this book due to the cover (shiny purple? yes please!), but when I took a glance at the blurb, I discovered it was CULTish. I don't do cult books. Honestly. I'm creeped out by them. They have this scary aura. This one kinda did as well. Dark colour scheme? (Black & Purple cover)
My class library had this book and it seemed so mysterious, I almost felt guilty borrowing this beauty.
"Cult & Contemporary?" I read, my face blank, my mind blank, I was completely blank, dumbfounded.
Disclaimer: It isn't a realistic contemporary.
The first chapter was enough to absorb me into it. It was executed almost-perfectly (except, nothing is perfect). Then came the double-time-period thing and WOAHHH. Even more did I invest myself in this wondrous book. 'cept I had lots of homework which interfered which the reading experience. Unpredictable throughout, brimming with its excellent suspense.
Then came the blooming friendship between Dowdie & Amber, learning about the Community, learning to love it. All went well until... the romance.
Oh, the horrible romance. At first, Amber seemed totally uninterested in her love interest. Moment she reaches home, she swoons. Wow. Even their meeting was awkward. What type of teen girl just follows a sixteen-year-old boy who she barely even knows, back to his home?
It was too obvious that the author was not a teen. It was anything but an adoloscent's voice. It could have been a ten-year old or a 30-year old person. The voice was yet too immature yet mature.
Also, emo's are cool?? Emos are often considered "the outcasts within the cliques" so why does it seem like they're revered dark-clothed kids?
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