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A review by capnlinnius
The Hollow Gods by A.J. Vrana
2.0
1.5/5 rounded up to 2.
I received an e-ARC from the publisher through Netgalley.
I'd like to start out by saying that I feel this was somewhat wrongly labelled as horror and sci-fi/fantasy. I would like to add that this read like a YA urban fantasy mystery, and would probably find a much better audience if it was marketed as such. Yes, all the main characters are adults (in their 20s, I think?), but the story elements follow a YA formula far more than an adult fantasy mystery.
The things I really enjoyed were the folkloric and fairy tale elements, as well as Mason's very relatable struggles with grief and self-doubt. The cover is gorgeous, as well, and I think most of us appreciate a handsome cover.
But. I wanted to like this book, but it's been a while since I was so irritated with a novel; probably because a lot of the plot was solved with a deus ex machina. The language attempts to be poetic, but often ends up feeling forced. Some of the dialogue didn't really read as actual people talking, which pulled me out of immersion. The relationship that happens felt unnecessary and as though it was added to fill out specific plot-points. The ending worked with the build-up, but I'm not sure what the next book will cover, and I'm fairly certain I won't be picking it up.
Unfortunately, I felt a little misled by the short description. If my store decides to stock this title, I might recommend it to readers looking for a YA mystery story set in a modern setting with some fantasy/fairy tale vibes.
I received an e-ARC from the publisher through Netgalley.
I'd like to start out by saying that I feel this was somewhat wrongly labelled as horror and sci-fi/fantasy. I would like to add that this read like a YA urban fantasy mystery, and would probably find a much better audience if it was marketed as such. Yes, all the main characters are adults (in their 20s, I think?), but the story elements follow a YA formula far more than an adult fantasy mystery.
The things I really enjoyed were the folkloric and fairy tale elements, as well as Mason's very relatable struggles with grief and self-doubt. The cover is gorgeous, as well, and I think most of us appreciate a handsome cover.
But. I wanted to like this book, but it's been a while since I was so irritated with a novel; probably because a lot of the plot was solved with a deus ex machina. The language attempts to be poetic, but often ends up feeling forced. Some of the dialogue didn't really read as actual people talking, which pulled me out of immersion. The relationship that happens felt unnecessary and as though it was added to fill out specific plot-points. The ending worked with the build-up, but I'm not sure what the next book will cover, and I'm fairly certain I won't be picking it up.
Unfortunately, I felt a little misled by the short description. If my store decides to stock this title, I might recommend it to readers looking for a YA mystery story set in a modern setting with some fantasy/fairy tale vibes.