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Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Quietus in Books
Oct 2, 2020
Sometimes, we don’t search for a particular book to read. It just finds us. That happened to me with “Quietus”. One of the best books I’ve read this year. I connected to Nick immediately, and the story was appealing, so it was a struggle to close the book. This is one of the books that you read in one breath. I could connect with all the characters, with Nick, with Carrie, even with Sophie.
The description about them made me like them in a different way, all of them, yes, even Sophie. The author describes not only the physical part, but also their thoughts and how their mind works, and before you even realize it, you have this strong bond with every single one of them.
The personality of Sophie is so well described, that’s it’s almost unbelievable. All the sociopathic characteristics, the whole building of this character is so appealing to read, it makes you want to know what’s wrong and how it can be fixed, and it is told by Nick, by someone who has affection towards this person and it tells both sides of the story, how a person can make you like them and make you hate them at the same time.
The scenes are so realistic, that I felt like I was there. Each chapter is left unfinished, and it only makes you want to read more and more. The whole death-life thing made this book special to me. It made me think way deeper than just how the scene are put, or how was the description of the characters. Maybe I didn’t get the point of the story… I just wonder now. It will bother me for days, that’s for sure. It will haunt me and make me think again and again, deeper and deeper about what was the character’s purpose in this book. Why they were exactly where they were, and why did Nick went to Jersey right after his death in the first place.
All in all, this indeed was a story that has a deep meaning behind her, that reaches into people’s minds and hearts and certainly stays there for a while, like I’m certain it will stay in mine too. It is a story that makes us realize things about life, and then ask ourselves if what we believed in up until now is really true. It made me think how sometimes dead people can influence us, like Carrie influenced Nick, and Nick influenced Sophie. It makes me think how, in fact, it isn’t the dead people that influence us, but just us ourselves.
When you think about it deeper, you’ll realize we don’t change because someone is influencing, but we change because someone woke up some thoughts in us, and it’s us that realize it all and then change. Did Sophie kill herself, or they were actually there, because the whole trip was their imagination. Did they influence her, or it was only Sophie herself? I guess I’ll never answer some of those questions, but I still do think sometimes it’s us ourselves that realize some things, even though Nick and Carrie’s deaths had a purpose too. If there wasn’t a Carrie, there wouldn’t be an imaginary trip to Sophie’s hospital. And if there wasn’t a Nick, we’d never realize that she’s a sociopath.
The description about them made me like them in a different way, all of them, yes, even Sophie. The author describes not only the physical part, but also their thoughts and how their mind works, and before you even realize it, you have this strong bond with every single one of them.
The personality of Sophie is so well described, that’s it’s almost unbelievable. All the sociopathic characteristics, the whole building of this character is so appealing to read, it makes you want to know what’s wrong and how it can be fixed, and it is told by Nick, by someone who has affection towards this person and it tells both sides of the story, how a person can make you like them and make you hate them at the same time.
The scenes are so realistic, that I felt like I was there. Each chapter is left unfinished, and it only makes you want to read more and more. The whole death-life thing made this book special to me. It made me think way deeper than just how the scene are put, or how was the description of the characters. Maybe I didn’t get the point of the story… I just wonder now. It will bother me for days, that’s for sure. It will haunt me and make me think again and again, deeper and deeper about what was the character’s purpose in this book. Why they were exactly where they were, and why did Nick went to Jersey right after his death in the first place.
All in all, this indeed was a story that has a deep meaning behind her, that reaches into people’s minds and hearts and certainly stays there for a while, like I’m certain it will stay in mine too. It is a story that makes us realize things about life, and then ask ourselves if what we believed in up until now is really true. It made me think how sometimes dead people can influence us, like Carrie influenced Nick, and Nick influenced Sophie. It makes me think how, in fact, it isn’t the dead people that influence us, but just us ourselves.
When you think about it deeper, you’ll realize we don’t change because someone is influencing, but we change because someone woke up some thoughts in us, and it’s us that realize it all and then change. Did Sophie kill herself, or they were actually there, because the whole trip was their imagination. Did they influence her, or it was only Sophie herself? I guess I’ll never answer some of those questions, but I still do think sometimes it’s us ourselves that realize some things, even though Nick and Carrie’s deaths had a purpose too. If there wasn’t a Carrie, there wouldn’t be an imaginary trip to Sophie’s hospital. And if there wasn’t a Nick, we’d never realize that she’s a sociopath.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Postmistress in Books
Apr 27, 2018
The Postmistress by Sarah Blake
Genre: Fiction
Rating: DNF
(No Summary.)
The thing about reading is that you need to pick up the book, and be wrapped up in it. It needs to flow well. It must be readable. It must be understandable. Words create sentences and sentences create paragraphs, etc.
When I started reading The Postmistress, I felt like I’d jumped into the middle of a book, in the middle of a series, with no idea who was who or what was happening or even who the narrator was. The sentences didn’t make any sense. It was like reading sentences backwards. Have you ever tried that? Do it. Ok now that you’ve tried it, you know how I felt. It felt like a bunch of jumbled words.
The style was strange, there was weird punctuation that made what little clear sentences there were choppy and difficult to read. I kept reading the same phrase over and over and eventually giving up.
The point of view isn’t first person, nor is it third. And whatever person it was, it kept switching mid-chapter so I couldn't keep up. The dialogue felt out of place, like people from that time period shouldn’t be speaking like that (Or maybe I’m just not educated on WWII culture, which is more likely than not. I’ll give the author the benefit of the doubt).
And by page 15 I still had no clue who was who or what was going on. I felt no desire to continue reading, and trying to decipher the paragraphs felt like a chore.
And honestly, reading should not be a chore. I won’t finish a book if I could be reading better things.
I’m sorry to be so negative, I hate writing negative reviews. But I could not read this book. I couldn’t tell you what the plot was or what the characters were like if I tried.
As always, please remember that this is my personal opinion. Never decide to read or not to read a book based on one person’s views.
This was the second stop for Katrina’s Borrow My ARC Tour at Bloody Bad. Check the other tour stops here for other reviews, or see Amazon.com reviews.
Genre: Fiction
Rating: DNF
(No Summary.)
The thing about reading is that you need to pick up the book, and be wrapped up in it. It needs to flow well. It must be readable. It must be understandable. Words create sentences and sentences create paragraphs, etc.
When I started reading The Postmistress, I felt like I’d jumped into the middle of a book, in the middle of a series, with no idea who was who or what was happening or even who the narrator was. The sentences didn’t make any sense. It was like reading sentences backwards. Have you ever tried that? Do it. Ok now that you’ve tried it, you know how I felt. It felt like a bunch of jumbled words.
The style was strange, there was weird punctuation that made what little clear sentences there were choppy and difficult to read. I kept reading the same phrase over and over and eventually giving up.
The point of view isn’t first person, nor is it third. And whatever person it was, it kept switching mid-chapter so I couldn't keep up. The dialogue felt out of place, like people from that time period shouldn’t be speaking like that (Or maybe I’m just not educated on WWII culture, which is more likely than not. I’ll give the author the benefit of the doubt).
And by page 15 I still had no clue who was who or what was going on. I felt no desire to continue reading, and trying to decipher the paragraphs felt like a chore.
And honestly, reading should not be a chore. I won’t finish a book if I could be reading better things.
I’m sorry to be so negative, I hate writing negative reviews. But I could not read this book. I couldn’t tell you what the plot was or what the characters were like if I tried.
As always, please remember that this is my personal opinion. Never decide to read or not to read a book based on one person’s views.
This was the second stop for Katrina’s Borrow My ARC Tour at Bloody Bad. Check the other tour stops here for other reviews, or see Amazon.com reviews.
BTPBookclub (18 KP) rated Gone Girl in Books
May 14, 2019
Outstanding.
Now I guess you have heard about this book as there was and still is a big debate about Gone Girl, you either love it or hate it and I loved it! Gone Girl definitely gained a lot of media coverage especially as it has been adapted to a film since. I have seen both the film and read the book and both were brilliant! It is no wonder Gone Girl is a global bestseller book with many twists and turns that are bound to keep you reading until the end. For my personal review Gone Girl deserves the five stars I have awarded as it kept me glued to the story and is full of suspense and mystery, alongside it being an excellent thriller that will keep you up reading all night. This is the first book I have read by Gillian Flynn and I have already put a selection of her others onto my wishlist already. Let me know what your views are on this book below, everyone is entitled to their own opinions.
Gone Girl reveals the secrets at the heart of Nick’s and Amy’s modern marriage. When Amy’s and Nick’s fifth wedding anniversary arrives Nick reports that his wife Amy is missing! Under pressure from friends, family, the police and media will Nick be able to contain all his hidden lies, secrets and deceits? Did Nick kill his wife or is there more hidden beneath the depths of the story? Will Amy ever be found? With an intelligent and cleverly written plot I would highly recommend that you read this book and choose a side of the discussion to join, will you love it or hate it?
Gone Girl reveals the secrets at the heart of Nick’s and Amy’s modern marriage. When Amy’s and Nick’s fifth wedding anniversary arrives Nick reports that his wife Amy is missing! Under pressure from friends, family, the police and media will Nick be able to contain all his hidden lies, secrets and deceits? Did Nick kill his wife or is there more hidden beneath the depths of the story? Will Amy ever be found? With an intelligent and cleverly written plot I would highly recommend that you read this book and choose a side of the discussion to join, will you love it or hate it?
Lilyn G - Sci-Fi & Scary (91 KP) rated Gregory and the Grimbockle in Books
Feb 11, 2018
Such a fun, imaginative read!
Gregory and the Grimbockle was one of the funniest and cute books that I’ve read with my child in a long time. It was so imaginative and fantastical. We loved the adorable illustrations, but were very glad that the Grimbockle was never illustrated going into or out of his temporary home. The sheer grossness of how that happened was so at odds with the cuteness of everything else, but it worked really well together strangely.
Melanie Schubert has enormous talent that Abigail Kraft complemented perfectly. This story of a boy who doesn’t quite fit in, who is teased and sometimes bullied, and is from a home that is neither loving nor abusive will resonate with a lot of younger readers, I believe. His situation isn’t one of extremes and as a result he’s more easy to relate to. The adventures that he goes on with the Grimbockle are pure fiction, but the truth he learns along the way about the large impact that small gestures can have means is not. As a parent, that truth – that our actions have much more an impact that we might think – is one that I enjoyed having a chance to talk about with my child through the lens of Gregory and the Grimbockle.
The only thing we didn’t like about Gregory and the Grimbockle was the way it ended. It just felt like it ended too abruptly. The transition from childhood to “okay, he’s growing up now” happened so quickly that we had to re-read to make sure we hadn’t accidentally missed a few pages. While I can see why the author did it the way she did, by the time closed the book, we were both already mourning the exiting of the Bockles from our world.
Gregory and the Grimbockle is a book that any parent should delight in picking up to read with their children. It’s an easy read, a short one, and it helps reinforce an important lesson. You’ll be missing out if you don’t give it a try.
This review appeared first at Sci-Fi & Scary.
Melanie Schubert has enormous talent that Abigail Kraft complemented perfectly. This story of a boy who doesn’t quite fit in, who is teased and sometimes bullied, and is from a home that is neither loving nor abusive will resonate with a lot of younger readers, I believe. His situation isn’t one of extremes and as a result he’s more easy to relate to. The adventures that he goes on with the Grimbockle are pure fiction, but the truth he learns along the way about the large impact that small gestures can have means is not. As a parent, that truth – that our actions have much more an impact that we might think – is one that I enjoyed having a chance to talk about with my child through the lens of Gregory and the Grimbockle.
The only thing we didn’t like about Gregory and the Grimbockle was the way it ended. It just felt like it ended too abruptly. The transition from childhood to “okay, he’s growing up now” happened so quickly that we had to re-read to make sure we hadn’t accidentally missed a few pages. While I can see why the author did it the way she did, by the time closed the book, we were both already mourning the exiting of the Bockles from our world.
Gregory and the Grimbockle is a book that any parent should delight in picking up to read with their children. It’s an easy read, a short one, and it helps reinforce an important lesson. You’ll be missing out if you don’t give it a try.
This review appeared first at Sci-Fi & Scary.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Fake It Till You Break It in Books
Jan 23, 2020
From the moment I read the synopsis, I wanted to read Fake It Till You Break It by Jenn P. Nguyen. Fake dating that might backfire on the characters in the end? That sounded like pure fun (for the reader, probably not the characters), and Nguyen delivered. Some people may think the book is predictable and full of clichés, which can definitely be the case depending on reading preferences (and mood).
But if anyone is looking for a light and funny young adult contemporary romance to read, Fake It Till You Break It is the perfect new release from Swoon Reads. Knowing each other since childhood, Mia and Jake have constantly been in each others presence thanks to their mothers being friends. From dentist visits to brunch and even vacation, theyve done practically everything together growing up.
But now that theyre old enough to be in romantic relationships, their moms think the two of them will be perfect (and bonus: they can continue hanging out together if everything goes well). Tiring? Mia and Jake seem to think so. To get their moms off their backs about being the perfect couple, the two devise a plan: pretend to date, then break it off bad enough that theyll be out of each others lives forever. So much for their moms trying to get them together, right?
Spoiler: Jokes on Mia and Jake.
Mia and Jake were cute together and I loved their individual viewpoints throughout the book as they evolved from we hate each other to maybe we dont hate each other. Their voices were easily distinguishable and not confusing between chapters while adding to the story overall. Both of their moms were so much fun to read despite the irritation Mia and Jake felt with the constant pushing for them to be together.
Fake It Till You Break is such a cute and pure romance, and I highly encourage giving Nguyens book a chance if you enjoy the fake dating trope and good banter, and you want a light read for the summer.
<a href="http://theartsstl.com/jenn-p-nguyen-fake-it-till-you-break-it-swoon-reads/">This review is originally posted on The Arts STL</a>
But if anyone is looking for a light and funny young adult contemporary romance to read, Fake It Till You Break It is the perfect new release from Swoon Reads. Knowing each other since childhood, Mia and Jake have constantly been in each others presence thanks to their mothers being friends. From dentist visits to brunch and even vacation, theyve done practically everything together growing up.
But now that theyre old enough to be in romantic relationships, their moms think the two of them will be perfect (and bonus: they can continue hanging out together if everything goes well). Tiring? Mia and Jake seem to think so. To get their moms off their backs about being the perfect couple, the two devise a plan: pretend to date, then break it off bad enough that theyll be out of each others lives forever. So much for their moms trying to get them together, right?
Spoiler: Jokes on Mia and Jake.
Mia and Jake were cute together and I loved their individual viewpoints throughout the book as they evolved from we hate each other to maybe we dont hate each other. Their voices were easily distinguishable and not confusing between chapters while adding to the story overall. Both of their moms were so much fun to read despite the irritation Mia and Jake felt with the constant pushing for them to be together.
Fake It Till You Break is such a cute and pure romance, and I highly encourage giving Nguyens book a chance if you enjoy the fake dating trope and good banter, and you want a light read for the summer.
<a href="http://theartsstl.com/jenn-p-nguyen-fake-it-till-you-break-it-swoon-reads/">This review is originally posted on The Arts STL</a>
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Lullaby in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Ive never read a Palahniuk books before but I actually really enjoyed this one. I can understand why some people find his writing annoying, but personally I like its wit, brutality and shockingness.
Palahniuk is always trying to make a point in his writing I know this from reading other peoples reviews but if its not right there in front of me, and instead hidden behind cryptic messages, I usually miss the whole point. Which is what I feel happened with this book. I mean I got it thanks to self explanatory lines like Power, money, food, sex, love. Can we ever get enough, or will getting some make us crave even more? but I also feel like a lot of it went over my head, so excuse my bland review!
This book is definitely difficult reading at some points, with its grotesque descriptions and imagery, but for the most part its quite a quick read. I found the story easy enough to follow, although at moments there are whole chapters that appear out of nowhere and make no sense until the end, which threw me off a little! I wasnt expecting this novel to have a kind of twisty-turny outcome, but it does and I loved that about it! How the story joins up and concludes is very clever. It exceeded my expectations in that aspect.
I really enjoyed getting to know the characters in this story. There are 4 main characters, and its been a long time since Ive read a book where we get to know each one of them really well. Palahniuk has done well to make them all their own individual beings with completely different personalities that are both fun and annoying. Carl is our main, main character and hes a strange individual to follow around. We learn so much about him, including a shocking secret that makes us look at him in a different light. Helen Hoover Boyle is a fun character to accompany Carl and its interesting to see how their relationship grows as each chapter passes.
Overall, I really liked this book. Its been a while since Ive read a book thats been both disturbing and funny at the same time. I have always been hesitant to read Palahniuk because everyone says his stuff is so like Marmite, but just like I am with the controversial spread, Im on the love it side at least for now!
Palahniuk is always trying to make a point in his writing I know this from reading other peoples reviews but if its not right there in front of me, and instead hidden behind cryptic messages, I usually miss the whole point. Which is what I feel happened with this book. I mean I got it thanks to self explanatory lines like Power, money, food, sex, love. Can we ever get enough, or will getting some make us crave even more? but I also feel like a lot of it went over my head, so excuse my bland review!
This book is definitely difficult reading at some points, with its grotesque descriptions and imagery, but for the most part its quite a quick read. I found the story easy enough to follow, although at moments there are whole chapters that appear out of nowhere and make no sense until the end, which threw me off a little! I wasnt expecting this novel to have a kind of twisty-turny outcome, but it does and I loved that about it! How the story joins up and concludes is very clever. It exceeded my expectations in that aspect.
I really enjoyed getting to know the characters in this story. There are 4 main characters, and its been a long time since Ive read a book where we get to know each one of them really well. Palahniuk has done well to make them all their own individual beings with completely different personalities that are both fun and annoying. Carl is our main, main character and hes a strange individual to follow around. We learn so much about him, including a shocking secret that makes us look at him in a different light. Helen Hoover Boyle is a fun character to accompany Carl and its interesting to see how their relationship grows as each chapter passes.
Overall, I really liked this book. Its been a while since Ive read a book thats been both disturbing and funny at the same time. I have always been hesitant to read Palahniuk because everyone says his stuff is so like Marmite, but just like I am with the controversial spread, Im on the love it side at least for now!
KatieLouCreate (162 KP) rated The Lovely Bones in Books
Jan 22, 2018
It was a while ago when I read this book, but I remember enough to write a review, I think.
Firstly, the book is not for the faint-hearted. The beginning is difficult to read for those who are a little sensitive to subjects such as child abuse, rape, and murder. That all happens near the beginning of the book.
The middle of the book it so much better. The reader and the protagonist, Susie Salmon, watch as her family grieve for the loss of their daughter. They do not know what happened to her. To them, she is just missing, most likely murdered. It is only us and Susie who knows what happened. We see Susie as she tries to interact with her family and help them to move on from what has happened to them. It is such a lovely section of the story it makes me want to rate it higher.
However, the ending ruined what the author had spent so much time building. The ending does the rest of the book no justice what so ever. Although to some, the story would feel unrealistic anyway, considering we are watching from the focalisation of a dead person. But it is still believable because of the purpose of the book. The ending completely pulls you from this beautifully written piece. When I was reading it I was like what? Really? This is happening? It was so unrealistic that it ruined the ending. It was like lazy writing. The author could not think of a better ending so she just threw one together and hoped no one would notice. I noticed. And if that isn't what she did, then she ruined a great piece of work.
The family also seemed a little too perfect for me. But I will leave that as it stands.
I'm going to stop ranting now. I have given this book a 6 because I loved the rest of the book up until the ending. If the ending was better, it would have gotten a higher rating. But alas, the book was an alright read. Something I would not really read again unless I had to. And I don't.
Firstly, the book is not for the faint-hearted. The beginning is difficult to read for those who are a little sensitive to subjects such as child abuse, rape, and murder. That all happens near the beginning of the book.
The middle of the book it so much better. The reader and the protagonist, Susie Salmon, watch as her family grieve for the loss of their daughter. They do not know what happened to her. To them, she is just missing, most likely murdered. It is only us and Susie who knows what happened. We see Susie as she tries to interact with her family and help them to move on from what has happened to them. It is such a lovely section of the story it makes me want to rate it higher.
However, the ending ruined what the author had spent so much time building. The ending does the rest of the book no justice what so ever. Although to some, the story would feel unrealistic anyway, considering we are watching from the focalisation of a dead person. But it is still believable because of the purpose of the book. The ending completely pulls you from this beautifully written piece. When I was reading it I was like what? Really? This is happening? It was so unrealistic that it ruined the ending. It was like lazy writing. The author could not think of a better ending so she just threw one together and hoped no one would notice. I noticed. And if that isn't what she did, then she ruined a great piece of work.
The family also seemed a little too perfect for me. But I will leave that as it stands.
I'm going to stop ranting now. I have given this book a 6 because I loved the rest of the book up until the ending. If the ending was better, it would have gotten a higher rating. But alas, the book was an alright read. Something I would not really read again unless I had to. And I don't.
Sam (74 KP) rated The Things We Learn When We're Dead in Books
Mar 27, 2019
Lorna Love is dead. After an evening out at a dinner party, she stumbles into the road in front of an oncoming car and is killed.
She finds herself on a spaceship called HVN, where she can do what she wants, be anyone she wants, and have anything she wants. The novel follows Lorna looking back on her life while she is in ‘heaven’, going through every decision and mistake she’s made.
I’m a bit unsure of what genre I would place this in as it’s both science fiction and general fiction. Only a small fraction of the novel takes place on the spaceship, the majority of it is Lorna looking back on her life. However, I feel like the science fiction element overcomes everything, but I don’t want to spoil the plot by going into too much detail about that.
Charlie Laidlaw sent me a copy of his novel in return for an honest review. If it wasn’t for him offering to send me the novel, I don’t think I would have been tempted to read it. Since I’m not usually a fan of sci-fi, the cover was definitely offputting because of the spaceship. But having read it now and knowing that the majority of the book wasn’t even set in space, I’m really glad I did read it.
The Things We Learn When We’re Dead is heartwarming and is completely different from everything I’ve read before. It’s such an original idea for a book and although, to begin with, I did struggle to get into the book, I’m glad I held on because it really was an enjoyable book.
Lorna is a brilliant protagonist as she’s believable. She has her own faults and problems and definitely isn’t a perfect character. I loved that she was so realistic and not a fake persona.
She finds herself on a spaceship called HVN, where she can do what she wants, be anyone she wants, and have anything she wants. The novel follows Lorna looking back on her life while she is in ‘heaven’, going through every decision and mistake she’s made.
I’m a bit unsure of what genre I would place this in as it’s both science fiction and general fiction. Only a small fraction of the novel takes place on the spaceship, the majority of it is Lorna looking back on her life. However, I feel like the science fiction element overcomes everything, but I don’t want to spoil the plot by going into too much detail about that.
Charlie Laidlaw sent me a copy of his novel in return for an honest review. If it wasn’t for him offering to send me the novel, I don’t think I would have been tempted to read it. Since I’m not usually a fan of sci-fi, the cover was definitely offputting because of the spaceship. But having read it now and knowing that the majority of the book wasn’t even set in space, I’m really glad I did read it.
The Things We Learn When We’re Dead is heartwarming and is completely different from everything I’ve read before. It’s such an original idea for a book and although, to begin with, I did struggle to get into the book, I’m glad I held on because it really was an enjoyable book.
Lorna is a brilliant protagonist as she’s believable. She has her own faults and problems and definitely isn’t a perfect character. I loved that she was so realistic and not a fake persona.
ClareR (5779 KP) rated The Quiet at the End of the World in Books
May 29, 2019
A gentle end to humankind.
Another YA book, where I don’t honestly know why it has been labelled YA. Perhaps unless there’s rampant sex and violence in a book, only children will want to read it. Except I’m 45 (for now!). I love a bit of sex and violence as much as the next Science Fiction/ Fantasy reader, but I also acknowledge that a book can be a damn good read without those things - and this IS a damn good read.
It’s a ‘soft apocalypse’. A drift into the end of human kind. An exploration into what it is to be human, and ultimately: would the earth be better off without us on it? We all know the answer to that really, don’t we?
Lowrie and Shen are the two youngest and last born humans on Earth. A seemingly harmless virus rendered the entire human race infertile, although some already fertilised embryos remained. Lowrie and Shen are the last two babies born from those embryos. And there has been no cure discovered for the virus.
I really enjoyed this book. It was a refreshingly gentle take on apocalypse - no one is killed, no cannibalism, there are no murderous dictators. In fact everyone gets along and works together as a community.
There are some great characters other than the main ones: Mitch, the lifeguard robot who communicates using flashing colours is one in particular. I loved the records of Lowrie and Shen’s found objects at the start of each chapter as well. A real mix of the ancient (to the reader as well) and the modern (to the reader alone!).
A very thought provoking read in these times of climate crisis, and told in a way that makes it accessible to both young and old.
It’s a ‘soft apocalypse’. A drift into the end of human kind. An exploration into what it is to be human, and ultimately: would the earth be better off without us on it? We all know the answer to that really, don’t we?
Lowrie and Shen are the two youngest and last born humans on Earth. A seemingly harmless virus rendered the entire human race infertile, although some already fertilised embryos remained. Lowrie and Shen are the last two babies born from those embryos. And there has been no cure discovered for the virus.
I really enjoyed this book. It was a refreshingly gentle take on apocalypse - no one is killed, no cannibalism, there are no murderous dictators. In fact everyone gets along and works together as a community.
There are some great characters other than the main ones: Mitch, the lifeguard robot who communicates using flashing colours is one in particular. I loved the records of Lowrie and Shen’s found objects at the start of each chapter as well. A real mix of the ancient (to the reader as well) and the modern (to the reader alone!).
A very thought provoking read in these times of climate crisis, and told in a way that makes it accessible to both young and old.
Lilyn G - Sci-Fi & Scary (91 KP) rated Jurassic Florida in Books
Jun 20, 2018
Chomp'n'stomp!
Did you know you needed to read about man-eating gigantic iguanas? I have to admit, I hadn’t really thought of them when I thought of creature features. However, when a fellow reviewer turned me on to Jurassic, Florida, and I saw the cover, I knew I had to read it. The fact that it was just under 125 pages? Pure bonus.
As I’ve come to expect, Hunter Shea delivers the chomp’n’stomp in epic fashion. Almost all of the residents of this tiny little town are going to die. You know that just from the cover. The only question is are they going to die via chomp…or stomp? Or people being idiots. Because people being idiots always kills a few people in these types of books and movies. This is a book to read only if you want to turn your brain off and indulge in ridiculousness. A low-budget creature feature on silent, as it were.
Now, there was some stuff that seemed to be added in here either for convenience or to up the silliness factor. I’m really not sure which one. Primarily the 18 year old mayor. That one was a bit of a head-scratcher.
My biggest gripe (only real one) about Jurassic, Florida is the ending. The ending felt rushed and anti-climactic. I kind of wonder if he was just tired of writing it and decided to end it as quickly as possible.
Overall, while it isn’t my favorite Hunter Shea book, I think Jurassic, Florida is just the type of silly read we all need to indulge in on occasion.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review consideration.
As I’ve come to expect, Hunter Shea delivers the chomp’n’stomp in epic fashion. Almost all of the residents of this tiny little town are going to die. You know that just from the cover. The only question is are they going to die via chomp…or stomp? Or people being idiots. Because people being idiots always kills a few people in these types of books and movies. This is a book to read only if you want to turn your brain off and indulge in ridiculousness. A low-budget creature feature on silent, as it were.
Now, there was some stuff that seemed to be added in here either for convenience or to up the silliness factor. I’m really not sure which one. Primarily the 18 year old mayor. That one was a bit of a head-scratcher.
My biggest gripe (only real one) about Jurassic, Florida is the ending. The ending felt rushed and anti-climactic. I kind of wonder if he was just tired of writing it and decided to end it as quickly as possible.
Overall, while it isn’t my favorite Hunter Shea book, I think Jurassic, Florida is just the type of silly read we all need to indulge in on occasion.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review consideration.