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Twilight Struggle

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The #1 rated strategy board game gets its first expansion! Twilight Struggle: Turn Zero is a new...

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Rachel (48 KP) rated Sarah in Books

May 27, 2017

Sarah

Teri Polen | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry

6.5

(2 Ratings)

Book Rating

It Could Have Been Fantastic

I feel very conflicted about this YA novel so please bear with me as I try to explain why!

The positives first. The plot is very interesting and well thought out. Although not entirely original it isn't your run of the mill haunted house story either.

The main characters are well rounded and sympathetic. They each have a strong voice and are relatable. The author is very good at creating tension and does not shy away from scary/unsettling images.

The narration and pace of the story feels perfect for a young adult book - no slow enough to be condescending but with simple sentence structures and short chapters that will help to encourage reluctant or not so confident readers to stick with it. I would certainly use this book in my teaching role for my higher level students - adults that struggle with literacy and/or have slight learning difficulties.

The messages that this story carries are important ones. The main message is especially vital for both male and female readers.

Now for the negative's. There is rather a lot of repetition in the story. Not just parts of the back story but actual sentences in a couple of instances. This did grow to be tiresome and, had I read this aged fourteen I would have felt the same way. Unfortunately this did tend to slow the story down at times. Reading the exact same joke from four chapters ago isn't great.

The book centres on one character and what happened to her. I felt that the sudden shift in her personality was rushed. More time should have been taken to really understand her and what happened to her.
The fact that she is automatically disbelieved is not great. It's a VERY sensitive subject and to have the rest of the characters do that could easily lodge the idea, in some young people's heads, that they would also be treated with scepticism.

A few times throughout the story there were errors. Mostly continuation errors but a couple of glaring mistakes. For example, two of the characters are playing a video game. Fallout 4. In the story one of the characters 'gets the guy' of the other. Fallout 4 is not a multiplayer game, a friend cannot 'get' you in any way.
Yes, a small thing but hugely annoying when you know that it is wrong. As Fallout 4 is such a popular game this will not go unnoticed by many young adults!

The ending did feel rather rushed. An extra chapter or two to explain what happened and to explore the feelings of the characters properly would have been nice.

So yes, this is an extremely mixed review. Most of the negative's are small and I would have given another star if not for the slightly mixed message surrounding the title character - I was disappointed with that.
The author is obviously very talented and writes perfectly for the YA market. Just a little more time and care would have made it awesome.

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Sarah (7799 KP) rated Nintendo Switch in Tech

Aug 13, 2018

Nintendo Switch

Games Consoles > Games Consoles

8.5

(19 Ratings)

Tech Rating

One massive selling point (just about) outweighs the negatives

If I’m being frankly honest, I never would’ve bought a Switch had Legend of Zelda and Mario Kart been available on the PS4. Those games are the reason why I invested in this console and although the games themselves are fantastic, the console itself is a little hit and miss.

I’ll start with the positives: it looks good and especially in grey, it looks quite sleek and smart and fits in well with the rest of my tech. It’s easy to set up and very simple to use. The joy cons are small but functional and work well when used as a full controller. The main selling point for this console though is the ability to use as a portable as well as docked on a tv screen. This is by far the best feature - gone are the days of arguing over who gets to play their favourite game. Now me & my other half can both play on separate consoles in peace without having arguments over the tv. The switching between docked and handheld is pretty seamless too and very impressive.

However, now for the negatives: the console interface is almost a little too basic. No apps, just a very simplified menu and store. Considering all other consoles nowadays come with lots of downloadable apps, the Switch appears to be a little bare. The joy cons whilst handy, aren’t ideal for long term gameplay when separated. Trying to play multiplayer using the tiny controllers for longer than half an hour or so gives you a serious case of rsi (and I work on a laptop for a living). Charging the joy cons is also a bit of a pain as unless you invest in extra accessories (more on that in a sec), your basic way of charging is clipping them onto the console either when in use portably or docked. The way the console fits into the dock itself also feels a little wobbly and can easily be subjected to scratches - definitely invest in a screen protector!

My main issue with the Switch though is how ridiculously overpriced it and all of its games and accessories are, especially considering some of the negatives I’ve stated above. Despite the fact that the console has been out now for nearly 18 months, it doesn’t seem like you can get many bargains. I appreciate you get a 2 in 1 console, but it still doesn’t feel like you get much in the box. What with all of the added extras you probably need to buy, like charging docks, additional joy cons and controllers, screen protectors etc plus games, this can run to quite a high price. Maybe it’s just because it’s still a fairly new console, but it still seems more expensive than the other mainstream consoles and their accessories.

Don’t get me wrong, the Switch is a fun console and the portable aspects are really fantastic. I can’t wait to take it on my next long haul flight. I just can’t shake the feeling that I’ve overpaid and other than the portability and the Nintendo specific games, I’m not sure if it has any other selling points.

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Show all 4 comments.

Sarah (7799 KP) Aug 14, 2018

It frustrated me that they don't even give you that 1-2 Switch game as standard with every console for free, like they used to do with the Wii and Wii Sports. Or even if you could buy the games cheap second-hand like you can with other consoles.

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Andy K (10823 KP) Aug 16, 2018

Still haven’t picked up a Nintendo Switch? Walmart has a great exclusive deal starting on Sept. 5. For only $359, you'll receive a Nintendo Switch and digital download codes for two great multiplayer games – Mario Tennis Aces and 1-2-Switch – perfect for your family game night!