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Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Bird Box in Books
May 16, 2018
If you're looking for something that is fast-paced and just might give you an anxiety attack, Josh Malerman's debut novel Bird Box may be exactly what you need. Set in the very near future, Bird Box is a book that simultaneously takes place during and after the apocalypse. Human beings find their minds under assault by an unseen force, one that drives them toward homicidal and suicidal tendencies. The only way to remain safe is to never, ever open your eyes.
Imagine with me what living in a world, robbed suddenly of sight, might be like. We rely heavily on our senses and, as an avid reader, I highly value my ability to be able to see the written word. I can't even begin to fathom what it would be like to find myself forced into an eternally dark void, and never have I thought of a scenario in which I would choose to be blind.
In Bird Box, Malorie and her children aren't given that option. Stranded in a home that is not her own, and faced with dwindling supplies and a lack of social interaction with anyone but her two children, Malorie must embark on a dangerous mission to find a new, safer haven for her small family: only their destination isn't very close to them, and they are not alone. There's a fourth party traveling with them and they are helpless to identify the newcomer.
The entire story does not follow that journey alone, though. In fact, it simultaneously takes place prior to Malorie's endeavor, introducing us to an entire cast of characters ranging from lovable to untrustworthy; from the purely innocent to those whose madness goes beyond all help. Though I'm not a huge fan of the constant back and forth chronology (in fact, I find it to be extremely distracting), the manner in which Malerman reveals bits and pieces of his story is crucial to progression: it gives readers the opportunity to develop their own feelings for Malorie and how she handles her problems. I also found that the odd way in which he split the story kept me reading, if only because more often that not, I found myself wondering how or why something was the way it was presently if, at the beginning of the end, everything seemed to be headed in a totally different direction.
Like most stories that take place after the world as we know it has met its doom, whether by nuclear fallout, bio-warfare, or the collapse of government, Bird Box brings out the best, and more readily, the worst in people. They become desperate or panicked, sometimes to the point that their actions defy all logic: such as the voluntary or involuntary blinding of oneself to avoid madness. Perhaps I so easily love post-apocalyptic books for that reason alone. They have a habit of reminding us exactly how pathetic and disgusting our own race can be; how often we are willing to put ourselves first, despite the suffering of others, should the situation call for it.
Imagine with me what living in a world, robbed suddenly of sight, might be like. We rely heavily on our senses and, as an avid reader, I highly value my ability to be able to see the written word. I can't even begin to fathom what it would be like to find myself forced into an eternally dark void, and never have I thought of a scenario in which I would choose to be blind.
In Bird Box, Malorie and her children aren't given that option. Stranded in a home that is not her own, and faced with dwindling supplies and a lack of social interaction with anyone but her two children, Malorie must embark on a dangerous mission to find a new, safer haven for her small family: only their destination isn't very close to them, and they are not alone. There's a fourth party traveling with them and they are helpless to identify the newcomer.
The entire story does not follow that journey alone, though. In fact, it simultaneously takes place prior to Malorie's endeavor, introducing us to an entire cast of characters ranging from lovable to untrustworthy; from the purely innocent to those whose madness goes beyond all help. Though I'm not a huge fan of the constant back and forth chronology (in fact, I find it to be extremely distracting), the manner in which Malerman reveals bits and pieces of his story is crucial to progression: it gives readers the opportunity to develop their own feelings for Malorie and how she handles her problems. I also found that the odd way in which he split the story kept me reading, if only because more often that not, I found myself wondering how or why something was the way it was presently if, at the beginning of the end, everything seemed to be headed in a totally different direction.
Like most stories that take place after the world as we know it has met its doom, whether by nuclear fallout, bio-warfare, or the collapse of government, Bird Box brings out the best, and more readily, the worst in people. They become desperate or panicked, sometimes to the point that their actions defy all logic: such as the voluntary or involuntary blinding of oneself to avoid madness. Perhaps I so easily love post-apocalyptic books for that reason alone. They have a habit of reminding us exactly how pathetic and disgusting our own race can be; how often we are willing to put ourselves first, despite the suffering of others, should the situation call for it.
Corey Richard Bennett (10 KP) rated Days Gone in Video Games
Jul 18, 2019
A story that captivates from beginning to end (2 more)
Characters worth getting invested in
Addicting Gameplay
Contains spoilers, click to show
Days Gone is a story of Deacon St. John as he deals with a world tortured by a zombie horde known as Freakers. The story happens a few years after the outbreak and after seemingly losing his wife after sending her off on a rescue helicopter. Deacon travels around beautiful Oregon with his best friend Boozer on their trusty bikes. Throughout the game Deacon will intertwine his story with 4 other survivor camps, as he helps them survive the zombie stricken world.
Deacon fights not only the hordes and hordes of undead, but crazy cultist who worship the Freakers, other bikers, and just plain others trying to survive in his quest to save his friend and then to find out the truth of what happened to his wife after letting her go.
The scenery is captivating of the many places you will explore, scour, and loot. From the mountains to the forests to the snowy peaks, to a massive island fortress, you will never stop scanning the horizon as you drive the roads on your motorcycle. I would often crash into a tree or drive off the road, as I was too busy looking through the scenery or just captivated by the beauty of it all.
The one part I hate the most, is not anything that's wrong with the game, but more just my fear of the zombie menace. One big part of the game is destroying "Hordes" or simply big ass groups of these zombies, that move like a pack, and can kill you in an instant. Many parts of the story include you need to clear out a Horde, and the biggest one in the whole game known as the Sawmill Horde still gives me nightmares.
But the taker of the cake for me is the captivating story between Deacon and his search for the truth of what happened to his wife Sarah. If you haven't finished the game, go do that and then come back.
So the story is Deacon can't truly come to terms with the death of Sarah, as he would often visit the site of the helicopter supposedly carrying Sarah crashed. Deacon would eventually happen upon the scientist who allowed her onto the helicopter, which gives hope that she is still alive. After chasing lead after lead, and leaving his buddy Boozer behind, Deacon makes a treacherous journey through a snow-covered mountain top, which he can't return from, to chase the last hope of seeing his wife once more. And the moment that made me unable to put the controller down for a few hours, Deacon joins a militia after noticing the mongrel ring he placed on Sarah's finger before placing on the helicopter, on another man's finger. After initiation, he is lead around the camp until he is introduced to the local scientist who turns out to be the long lost Sarah.
This moment alone made this game a 10 alone. It made me feel as though I had reunited two people who were separated by the chaos of this new world. But the bliss doesn't last all too long as, Deacon must keep his relationship a secret, so they both don't get hurt or caught. But after a long mission together, the two are stranded in a snowstorm in a cold shack, which reignites the flame of their past. After being exposed by a rat name Skizzo, Deacon is exiled and sent for execution, but due to the friends he had made on way, he is saved. Deacon with all those he had helped, storm the island and overthrow the psychotic General and finally saves Sarah for good. And as the credits roll, Deacon and Sarah ride into the sunset, to a life reunited.
Now this game has its detractions and a few bugs, but as a whole, this is probably one of the most underrated games that have been released recently. One crucial part of the game was ruined in playthrough as somehow the audio of a long cutscene was desynched so it just made it hard to focus and enjoy the scene. The only other thing that I can complain about was that there is still much of the side missions to attend to when you connect with Sarah again, but I threw it all out the door after that point as I wanted to get to the story between the two, and everything else didn't really matter to me, and if I was forced to detract from her, I got annoyed and rushed through. But besides that, this game is a must play.
Deacon fights not only the hordes and hordes of undead, but crazy cultist who worship the Freakers, other bikers, and just plain others trying to survive in his quest to save his friend and then to find out the truth of what happened to his wife after letting her go.
The scenery is captivating of the many places you will explore, scour, and loot. From the mountains to the forests to the snowy peaks, to a massive island fortress, you will never stop scanning the horizon as you drive the roads on your motorcycle. I would often crash into a tree or drive off the road, as I was too busy looking through the scenery or just captivated by the beauty of it all.
The one part I hate the most, is not anything that's wrong with the game, but more just my fear of the zombie menace. One big part of the game is destroying "Hordes" or simply big ass groups of these zombies, that move like a pack, and can kill you in an instant. Many parts of the story include you need to clear out a Horde, and the biggest one in the whole game known as the Sawmill Horde still gives me nightmares.
But the taker of the cake for me is the captivating story between Deacon and his search for the truth of what happened to his wife Sarah. If you haven't finished the game, go do that and then come back.
So the story is Deacon can't truly come to terms with the death of Sarah, as he would often visit the site of the helicopter supposedly carrying Sarah crashed. Deacon would eventually happen upon the scientist who allowed her onto the helicopter, which gives hope that she is still alive. After chasing lead after lead, and leaving his buddy Boozer behind, Deacon makes a treacherous journey through a snow-covered mountain top, which he can't return from, to chase the last hope of seeing his wife once more. And the moment that made me unable to put the controller down for a few hours, Deacon joins a militia after noticing the mongrel ring he placed on Sarah's finger before placing on the helicopter, on another man's finger. After initiation, he is lead around the camp until he is introduced to the local scientist who turns out to be the long lost Sarah.
This moment alone made this game a 10 alone. It made me feel as though I had reunited two people who were separated by the chaos of this new world. But the bliss doesn't last all too long as, Deacon must keep his relationship a secret, so they both don't get hurt or caught. But after a long mission together, the two are stranded in a snowstorm in a cold shack, which reignites the flame of their past. After being exposed by a rat name Skizzo, Deacon is exiled and sent for execution, but due to the friends he had made on way, he is saved. Deacon with all those he had helped, storm the island and overthrow the psychotic General and finally saves Sarah for good. And as the credits roll, Deacon and Sarah ride into the sunset, to a life reunited.
Now this game has its detractions and a few bugs, but as a whole, this is probably one of the most underrated games that have been released recently. One crucial part of the game was ruined in playthrough as somehow the audio of a long cutscene was desynched so it just made it hard to focus and enjoy the scene. The only other thing that I can complain about was that there is still much of the side missions to attend to when you connect with Sarah again, but I threw it all out the door after that point as I wanted to get to the story between the two, and everything else didn't really matter to me, and if I was forced to detract from her, I got annoyed and rushed through. But besides that, this game is a must play.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
Sep 2, 2021
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated Emaji Nation Book 1 The Sparrow in Books
Jan 9, 2020
Honest Review for Free Copy of Book
Emaji Nation Book 1: The Sparrow by Denna M. Davis is a book that I will not soon be forgetting about. In fact, I was very pleasantly surprised by just how much I enjoyed this book. The first chapter grabbed my attention instantly. Most books I have read don’t do that, they tend to need some time to build up a reader’s interest. Each chapter seems to leave the reader hanging with just enough anticipation that you might find yourself staying up hours past your intended stopping time to continue the story.
With little explanation as to why young Amanda finds herself walking through a portal at her grandparent’s house and transported to the planet Emaji. This is where she meets Solomon, who helps reunite her with her grandparents. Her grandmother tells her that there is a prophecy naming her the defeater of Zorn and savior of Emaji. With the help of the Emaji leaders, Amanda learns that Emaji was once much like Earth. That is until a nuclear world war forced the survivors into Mount Hanovi where their God (Ema) united them and blessed them with gifts. Peace cannot seem to last and Zorn grew arrogant with his gifts and betrayed the rest of the survivors.
Now, Amanda has to deal with being under attack by an unknown assassin controlled by Zorn. At the same time, she must begin her training. Amanda is only given two days to train and learn about the warrior classes of the Emaji before taking her own Journey of Discovery to receive her personal gift from Ema. At the very end of her Journey she must jump from a cliff to prove her belief in Ema. On top of all this, the prophecy also names the Emaji man she is supposed to marry and she isn’t even seventeen yet.
Denna M. Davis makes Amanda a very relatable character. Amanda shows her fear and her doubts from the moment she steps through the portal at her grandparent’s house and finds herself in Emaji. Unlike many books where a character is the main focus of a prophecy, Amanda does not jump right into her Destiny and instead takes her time deciding if that is what she really wants to do. She internally struggles with the idea of being this destined hero when she could always just go back to the safety of her home. Staying on Emaji means facing danger and possible death for people she just met.
There are so many things I liked about this book that it is hard to pinpoint what I liked best. I loved how relatable and real Amanda is. I also found the story to be gripping and so detailed that the action never slows down for a second. I did not want to stop reading. Being completely honest what I liked least about the book seems almost trivial to me. I did not really enjoy how every citizen of Emaji is described as having their own specific skin color. I understand how this may be a gift from Ema or possibly a result of the radiation from the war but, I just had a hard time picturing it. Frequently, I noticed I would mentally default back to thinking in the skin tones that are naturally found on Earth.
The target readers for this book are fantasy readers starting at mature middle school age and older. There are a few different times that Amanda hints at the fact that she may have been (or came close to being) raped while at a party, so readers would have to be mature enough to handle that concept. Although, nothing of a sexual nature is actually described with detail at any point in the book. I am fully confident in my decision to give this book a complete 4 out of 4 rating. It is extremely well edited to where I only noticed one error in the entire book. Also, I found myself enjoying this book right from the start. Denna M. Davis portrayed a world different from ours wonderfully. I felt like I was actually there at times and was sad when I finished the book. I can not wait to read the second one. I am hooked and I believe anyone who enjoys fantasy will be as well.
With little explanation as to why young Amanda finds herself walking through a portal at her grandparent’s house and transported to the planet Emaji. This is where she meets Solomon, who helps reunite her with her grandparents. Her grandmother tells her that there is a prophecy naming her the defeater of Zorn and savior of Emaji. With the help of the Emaji leaders, Amanda learns that Emaji was once much like Earth. That is until a nuclear world war forced the survivors into Mount Hanovi where their God (Ema) united them and blessed them with gifts. Peace cannot seem to last and Zorn grew arrogant with his gifts and betrayed the rest of the survivors.
Now, Amanda has to deal with being under attack by an unknown assassin controlled by Zorn. At the same time, she must begin her training. Amanda is only given two days to train and learn about the warrior classes of the Emaji before taking her own Journey of Discovery to receive her personal gift from Ema. At the very end of her Journey she must jump from a cliff to prove her belief in Ema. On top of all this, the prophecy also names the Emaji man she is supposed to marry and she isn’t even seventeen yet.
Denna M. Davis makes Amanda a very relatable character. Amanda shows her fear and her doubts from the moment she steps through the portal at her grandparent’s house and finds herself in Emaji. Unlike many books where a character is the main focus of a prophecy, Amanda does not jump right into her Destiny and instead takes her time deciding if that is what she really wants to do. She internally struggles with the idea of being this destined hero when she could always just go back to the safety of her home. Staying on Emaji means facing danger and possible death for people she just met.
There are so many things I liked about this book that it is hard to pinpoint what I liked best. I loved how relatable and real Amanda is. I also found the story to be gripping and so detailed that the action never slows down for a second. I did not want to stop reading. Being completely honest what I liked least about the book seems almost trivial to me. I did not really enjoy how every citizen of Emaji is described as having their own specific skin color. I understand how this may be a gift from Ema or possibly a result of the radiation from the war but, I just had a hard time picturing it. Frequently, I noticed I would mentally default back to thinking in the skin tones that are naturally found on Earth.
The target readers for this book are fantasy readers starting at mature middle school age and older. There are a few different times that Amanda hints at the fact that she may have been (or came close to being) raped while at a party, so readers would have to be mature enough to handle that concept. Although, nothing of a sexual nature is actually described with detail at any point in the book. I am fully confident in my decision to give this book a complete 4 out of 4 rating. It is extremely well edited to where I only noticed one error in the entire book. Also, I found myself enjoying this book right from the start. Denna M. Davis portrayed a world different from ours wonderfully. I felt like I was actually there at times and was sad when I finished the book. I can not wait to read the second one. I am hooked and I believe anyone who enjoys fantasy will be as well.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Machete (2010) in Movies
Aug 8, 2019
This is the film your parents did not want you to see as a child. Violent, vulgar, and more than a little offensive Machete is shocking, not just for the eyes but also to moral sensibilities. Yet, it is also undeniably funny.
This make believe movie trailer highlighted in the movie Grindhouse was, due to its popularity, turned into a full length feature packed with ridiculous fight scenes and some of the most simplistic dialogue of any modern action film. The visuals stay with you. The action is impressive. This is not just another trip to the movies but a wild chaotic journey at the end of a giant blade.
Director and co-author, Robert Rodriguez, has mixed classic Tarantino styling, the wild world of B movies, and his own flair for dramatic character creation to create a film that is violently astonishing. The fight scenes are engaging from weapon selection all the way to last man standing, and do I really need to tell you who that man is? Of, course not.
Machete is not just your typical anti-hero, he is the vision of an anti-hero with ladies and one-liners in tow. While Danny Trejo (Machete) steals the show he is not the only big name appearing on this cast list. The film is packed with stars such as Jessica Alba (Sartana), Michelle Rodriguez (Luz), and Lindsey Lohan (April), who all play critical characters in this bizarre tale. And so far as the men go, there are also quality performances from Robert De Niro (Senator McLaughlin), Don Johnson (Lt. Stillman), Steven Segal (Torrez) and Cheech Marin (Padre).
Moreover, it is not a stretch to say that this film abruptly addresses some significant stereotypes. In fact Machete doesn’t just confront these issues, it wields a large blade of sarcasm in their direction. Giving a new base line for “over the top,” Machete is sure to be a hit with anyone who is not easily offended.
This make believe movie trailer highlighted in the movie Grindhouse was, due to its popularity, turned into a full length feature packed with ridiculous fight scenes and some of the most simplistic dialogue of any modern action film. The visuals stay with you. The action is impressive. This is not just another trip to the movies but a wild chaotic journey at the end of a giant blade.
Director and co-author, Robert Rodriguez, has mixed classic Tarantino styling, the wild world of B movies, and his own flair for dramatic character creation to create a film that is violently astonishing. The fight scenes are engaging from weapon selection all the way to last man standing, and do I really need to tell you who that man is? Of, course not.
Machete is not just your typical anti-hero, he is the vision of an anti-hero with ladies and one-liners in tow. While Danny Trejo (Machete) steals the show he is not the only big name appearing on this cast list. The film is packed with stars such as Jessica Alba (Sartana), Michelle Rodriguez (Luz), and Lindsey Lohan (April), who all play critical characters in this bizarre tale. And so far as the men go, there are also quality performances from Robert De Niro (Senator McLaughlin), Don Johnson (Lt. Stillman), Steven Segal (Torrez) and Cheech Marin (Padre).
Moreover, it is not a stretch to say that this film abruptly addresses some significant stereotypes. In fact Machete doesn’t just confront these issues, it wields a large blade of sarcasm in their direction. Giving a new base line for “over the top,” Machete is sure to be a hit with anyone who is not easily offended.
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Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Light of My Life (2019) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
Not Revolutionary But Decent
A father and daughter try to survive in a post-apocalyptic world where a virus has taken out nearly all of the female population. Light of My Life isn’t going to revolutionize post-apocalyptic movies, but I would say it’s a worthy addition. It makes you care and, more importantly, it makes you think.
Acting: 10
Casey Afleck is sensational in his role as Dad. You can feel the love he has for his daughter Rag (Anna Pniowsky) and see how torn he is between trying to be strong for her while trying not to break down himself. Pniowsky is solid as well playing the daughter. She reads the role with a defiant attitude, as a girl having to quickly grow up in a crazy world. They work perfectly together onscreen.
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 6
Conflict: 6
Casey Afleck, also the director, effectively builds tension throughout the journey. However, there are a number of times where you expect something to happen and it doesn’t. Ultimately, the conflict wasn’t quite so strong as I would have hoped.
Entertainment Value: 5
Because not as much action is happening in a movie that’s almost two hours, my level of being entertained was up and down. I did find myself checking out quite a few times especially when it’s the rinse and repeat of finding a campground, scouting, and laying down for the night. I just wish there were a few more close scrapes to keep me guessing.
Memorability: 3
This type of movie has been done before on the big screen and in video games. Unfortunately there’s not quite enough here to make it stand out. Don’t get me wrong, it’s definitely not a bad movie. It just lacks the necessary oompf to be much more than “just ok”.
Pace: 6
Attempts to move steadily before it slows down to a crawl again and again. There is no sense of urgency in the film and it drove me mad at times. Would have been much happier with the pace had the runtime been shorter.
Plot: 10
Resolution: 6
Decent ending, but…just decent. I question the decision of closure. Like a lot of the other facets of the movie, I was hoping for more.
Overall: 72
Light of My Life made me smile at times, but infuriated me at times when I knew I was watching something that could be better. It’s a decent movie and a few tweaks would have really done the trick for me. Now that I’ve seen it once, it’s not one I need to check out again.
Acting: 10
Casey Afleck is sensational in his role as Dad. You can feel the love he has for his daughter Rag (Anna Pniowsky) and see how torn he is between trying to be strong for her while trying not to break down himself. Pniowsky is solid as well playing the daughter. She reads the role with a defiant attitude, as a girl having to quickly grow up in a crazy world. They work perfectly together onscreen.
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 6
Conflict: 6
Casey Afleck, also the director, effectively builds tension throughout the journey. However, there are a number of times where you expect something to happen and it doesn’t. Ultimately, the conflict wasn’t quite so strong as I would have hoped.
Entertainment Value: 5
Because not as much action is happening in a movie that’s almost two hours, my level of being entertained was up and down. I did find myself checking out quite a few times especially when it’s the rinse and repeat of finding a campground, scouting, and laying down for the night. I just wish there were a few more close scrapes to keep me guessing.
Memorability: 3
This type of movie has been done before on the big screen and in video games. Unfortunately there’s not quite enough here to make it stand out. Don’t get me wrong, it’s definitely not a bad movie. It just lacks the necessary oompf to be much more than “just ok”.
Pace: 6
Attempts to move steadily before it slows down to a crawl again and again. There is no sense of urgency in the film and it drove me mad at times. Would have been much happier with the pace had the runtime been shorter.
Plot: 10
Resolution: 6
Decent ending, but…just decent. I question the decision of closure. Like a lot of the other facets of the movie, I was hoping for more.
Overall: 72
Light of My Life made me smile at times, but infuriated me at times when I knew I was watching something that could be better. It’s a decent movie and a few tweaks would have really done the trick for me. Now that I’ve seen it once, it’s not one I need to check out again.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Passenger (Passenger, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
My very first taste of Alexandra Bracken's works didn't go bad after all (which means I don't have to mope or panic about wasting 99 cents on the first two books in her other series).
<i>Passenger</i> was a little hard for me to get into, at least in terms of characters – everything else is on good terms with me. The traveler world is a delight to read about – Bracken reveals some tidbits from significant events in history I've never actually known about unless I decide to dive into the nit picky details of world/American history or do research for fun on my own. I also love how Bracken integrates music into the traveling world.
Then there are the characters, especially Etta and Nick, who are pretty much the only characters throughout the entire novel. Everyone else appears every so often.
I'm a huge character person – I'm very nit picky about the characters I read about and is unintentionally weighed heavily on whether or not I become fond of the book or my continuation of reading the book. *cough* <i><a title="The Fifth Wave review" href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/2015/05/dnf-review-the-5th-wave-by-rick-yancey-so.html"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Fifth Wave</a></i> didn't bode too well, and that's an understatement.
We have Etta, part one of two main characters/views. She's a violin prodigy, a loner (violin is everything after all), acts superior, and pleases her mother even when she doesn't want to.
Problem? Yep. The girl acts quite bratty and thinks she's everything.
Then there's Nick. He's from another time period, bitter, and blames himself for Julian's death constantly.
What a lovely duo to contend with.
But this is when Bracken just introduces Mademoiselle Superior and Monsieur Bitter into the story. Over the course of being a passenger in this wonderful book – the pun is totally intended – that doesn't sound so wonderful as of right now, saying Nick and Etta are horrible characters is a complete understatement.
Etta is not just a violin prodigy thrown in the world of time travel, a loner, and acts like she's better than every other violinist around her. She is also someone who is fierce, stubborn, and has no problem standing up for her beliefs or speaking her mind. Perhaps she's not bratty after all.
And Nick... well... he's secretly sweet among that internal bitterness.
I'm completely fond of the two characters by the time Bracken takes me through several time periods on Nick and Etta's journey to take back the astrolabe her mother hid from the Ironwoods (who is apparently thirsty for power and creating a familial empire through time). <i>Passenger</i> is a power struggle among families and a revenge rolled into time travel adventure and romance – it's going to be interesting to see where Bracken takes the series in future novels.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-passenger-by-alexandra-bracken/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
My very first taste of Alexandra Bracken's works didn't go bad after all (which means I don't have to mope or panic about wasting 99 cents on the first two books in her other series).
<i>Passenger</i> was a little hard for me to get into, at least in terms of characters – everything else is on good terms with me. The traveler world is a delight to read about – Bracken reveals some tidbits from significant events in history I've never actually known about unless I decide to dive into the nit picky details of world/American history or do research for fun on my own. I also love how Bracken integrates music into the traveling world.
Then there are the characters, especially Etta and Nick, who are pretty much the only characters throughout the entire novel. Everyone else appears every so often.
I'm a huge character person – I'm very nit picky about the characters I read about and is unintentionally weighed heavily on whether or not I become fond of the book or my continuation of reading the book. *cough* <i><a title="The Fifth Wave review" href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/2015/05/dnf-review-the-5th-wave-by-rick-yancey-so.html"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Fifth Wave</a></i> didn't bode too well, and that's an understatement.
We have Etta, part one of two main characters/views. She's a violin prodigy, a loner (violin is everything after all), acts superior, and pleases her mother even when she doesn't want to.
Problem? Yep. The girl acts quite bratty and thinks she's everything.
Then there's Nick. He's from another time period, bitter, and blames himself for Julian's death constantly.
What a lovely duo to contend with.
But this is when Bracken just introduces Mademoiselle Superior and Monsieur Bitter into the story. Over the course of being a passenger in this wonderful book – the pun is totally intended – that doesn't sound so wonderful as of right now, saying Nick and Etta are horrible characters is a complete understatement.
Etta is not just a violin prodigy thrown in the world of time travel, a loner, and acts like she's better than every other violinist around her. She is also someone who is fierce, stubborn, and has no problem standing up for her beliefs or speaking her mind. Perhaps she's not bratty after all.
And Nick... well... he's secretly sweet among that internal bitterness.
I'm completely fond of the two characters by the time Bracken takes me through several time periods on Nick and Etta's journey to take back the astrolabe her mother hid from the Ironwoods (who is apparently thirsty for power and creating a familial empire through time). <i>Passenger</i> is a power struggle among families and a revenge rolled into time travel adventure and romance – it's going to be interesting to see where Bracken takes the series in future novels.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-passenger-by-alexandra-bracken/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>