This novel is silly and a bit convoluted, but the author does not try to make the narrative seem anything other than silly and a bit convoluted. I'm nThis novel is silly and a bit convoluted, but the author does not try to make the narrative seem anything other than silly and a bit convoluted. I'm not mad about it, but I wouldn't say that this is a favorite....more
1.5 stars. Only because I don't give one star to books I complete.
Is this a sci-fi applying string theory to an adolescent's life? Eh, not really. Is t1.5 stars. Only because I don't give one star to books I complete.
Is this a sci-fi applying string theory to an adolescent's life? Eh, not really. Is this a hard-hitting literary fiction about the way in which our society demonizes Muslim people? Eh, not really. Is this a thriller about a boy who knows he has a sister, but his family is hiding it from him? Eh, not really. Is this a dystopian novel/alternate history about 9/11? Eh, not really. Is it a coming of age story about a boy growing up in a country that recently experienced a terrorist attack? Eh, not really.
It's not really... anything.
I'm being sassier than I normally would because Hrbek tried (I think) to make a novel about not being racist/Islamophobic but in the process created a book that was racist and Islamophobic. Any of the topics I listed above would be far more compelling and have a better moral on its own. In this book (supposedly about Islamophobia), he demonized Muslim people so that his white main character could have a white savior moment. He also manages to be anti-Black in the process and sexist and ableist towards the mother. At some points, it almost felt like he wanted to make a pro-life PSA but got extremely distracted.
Also, the writing. It almost worked for the first chapter where Skylar faces the confusion following the explosion/attack/whatever happened. As the story continued, however, this did not work whatsoever. The characters and their motivations were not clear, especially because the narrative (and voice) continued to switch rapidly throughout the novel. The lack of in-depth world-building would be fine if the book was mostly a deep dive into its characters, but it was not solid in world-building, characters, themes, or plot. Character motivations did not really make sense - for example, as a child, Dorian's family would be his greatest social influence, and they aren't Islamophobic. So, why is he Islamophobic? My guess is that because he knows that he lost a sister to the attacks in another universe (not explained how he knows and no one else does), he would be the only one in the family to harbor those feelings. But that progression is not explored at all. The main problem with the writing was that the book was too short for all the ideas he tried to cram into one narrative.
This was overall a miss, and I am not even sure what the point was. Someone may be tempted to tell me that I "just didn't understand it," but I have learned about string theory before. I understand the parallel universes. I understand that he was trying to make some point about Islamophobia and white supremacy, but you can't make a compelling point about those things when you rely on stereotyping your POC characters.
Merged review:
1.5 stars. Only because I don't give one star to books I complete.
Is this a sci-fi applying string theory to an adolescent's life? Eh, not really. Is this a hard-hitting literary fiction about the way in which our society demonizes Muslim people? Eh, not really. Is this a thriller about a boy who knows he has a sister, but his family is hiding it from him? Eh, not really. Is this a dystopian novel/alternate history about 9/11? Eh, not really. Is it a coming of age story about a boy growing up in a country that recently experienced a terrorist attack? Eh, not really.
It's not really... anything.
I'm being sassier than I normally would because Hrbek tried (I think) to make a novel about not being racist/Islamophobic but in the process created a book that was racist and Islamophobic. Any of the topics I listed above would be far more compelling and have a better moral on its own. In this book (supposedly about Islamophobia), he demonized Muslim people so that his white main character could have a white savior moment. He also manages to be anti-Black in the process and sexist and ableist towards the mother. At some points, it almost felt like he wanted to make a pro-life PSA but got extremely distracted.
Also, the writing. It almost worked for the first chapter where Skylar faces the confusion following the explosion/attack/whatever happened. As the story continued, however, this did not work whatsoever. The characters and their motivations were not clear, especially because the narrative (and voice) continued to switch rapidly throughout the novel. The lack of in-depth world-building would be fine if the book was mostly a deep dive into its characters, but it was not solid in world-building, characters, themes, or plot. Character motivations did not really make sense - for example, as a child, Dorian's family would be his greatest social influence, and they aren't Islamophobic. So, why is he Islamophobic? My guess is that because he knows that he lost a sister to the attacks in another universe (not explained how he knows and no one else does), he would be the only one in the family to harbor those feelings. But that progression is not explored at all. The main problem with the writing was that the book was too short for all the ideas he tried to cram into one narrative.
This was overall a miss, and I am not even sure what the point was. Someone may be tempted to tell me that I "just didn't understand it," but I have learned about string theory before. I understand the parallel universes. I understand that he was trying to make some point about Islamophobia and white supremacy, but you can't make a compelling point about those things when you rely on stereotyping your POC characters....more
Very solid analysis of the consequences of narcissism and emotional abuse on the lives of those around them. You're so frustrated at and sympathetic tVery solid analysis of the consequences of narcissism and emotional abuse on the lives of those around them. You're so frustrated at and sympathetic towards all of these characters as they deal with the abuse of the patriarch of the family. I also appreciated the discussion of sexism, patriarchy, and the ways in which queer yearning can be freeing and terrifying in the face of heteronormativity....more
I honestly might just make a bingo board of tropes/common occurrences within Sapphic romances because this is getting ridiculous. LCloser to 3.5 stars
I honestly might just make a bingo board of tropes/common occurrences within Sapphic romances because this is getting ridiculous. Late Bloomer was fine, but it is one in a series of Sapphic romances that feel almost like MadLibs (insert setting, character names, and lecture the author will give you).
The page count already made me a bit suspicious because most romances, in my opinion, cannot sustain that page count without something unnecessary going on with the plot or writing. Here it was a bad case of telling and not showing of character traits. For example, Opal explains at the beginning of the book in excruciating detail about how much of a people pleaser she is, but the dialogue and her actions show that well. As the reader (and fellow people pleaser), it was frustrating to sit there and just think "okay we get it; move on please."
Besides that, we have a couple of other classic and irritating tropes that I find in Sapphic romances, such as *the author lectures the reader on a social issue*, *this fight is ridiculous*, and my absolute favorite *I don't think an editor read this* (e.g., hot chocolate and chestnut are two different hair colors).
Overall, this was fine. I can't comment on the authenticity of the neurodivergence representation of the novel, so I would read some own voices reviews for any feedback on that end....more
Malice feels almost nostalgic, not because it is a fairytale retelling, but because it feels very reminiscent of a 2010's YA noveCloser to 2.5 stars.
Malice feels almost nostalgic, not because it is a fairytale retelling, but because it feels very reminiscent of a 2010's YA novel in its prose. In fact, it feels strange to me that this is not a YA novel. I have a suspicion that the book was originally slated to be a YA novel, but the author wanted it to be an adult novel, so she included one vaguely described sex scene so that it would be forced to be marketed as an adult novel.
Otherwise, the characters fit pretty neatly into traditional YA archetypes - the girl who is "too plain," "too pale," "too thin." She's unique and chosen within her society. Her primary antagonists are insipid and vain and mean for no discernible reason. The love interest is the most desirable person in the school kingdom and is inexplicably into the main character. The main character's negative choices are justified by the narrative even if they do not really make sense. Additionally, (view spoiler)[her closest friend and confidant ends up betraying her in the end (hide spoiler)]. The first person narration lends itself to information dumps through the main character conveniently reminiscing on the history of her land and people at random times. Of course the narrative does not exactly adhere to these 2010's YA tropes, the similarities are there. In that way, it is nostalgic - I have a feeling that Walter and I grew up on the same novels.
Now there were some positive ways in which the novel deviates from 2010's tropes. The novel does not necessarily decenter men but speaks negatively about men in power while much of 2000-2010's YA centers on male validation. Alyce's character motivations were believable, especially towards the beginning of the narrative. Aurora and Alyce do not actually have that much chemistry in my opinion, which makes the romantic aspects of the novel weak, but it makes sense that Alyce is obsessed with Aurora, who was one of the few people who seemed to accept her. Alyce is willing to do anything to keep that relationship, even if it ends in her ruin.
However, the interesting characterization of Alyce does not overcome the significant problem with pacing. The last 50 pages are a whirlwind, which in a more character-driven novel could have been an excellent exploration of mania and panic but were instead confusing and desperate.
Overall, a nostalgic but not necessarily compelling read. I probably won't finish the duology....more
I promise the atrocious cover is misleading - this was a solid, enjoyable read. The characters' negative character traits created realistic3.5-4 stars
I promise the atrocious cover is misleading - this was a solid, enjoyable read. The characters' negative character traits created realistic tension in the relationship that was compounded by the other plot elements. The prose is very readable and free of major copyediting errors or glaring plot holes (an accomplishment for modern romance books). The spice scenes were well-written if they do trigger minor concerns regarding health code violations.
However, the forced third-act breakup was very rushed, which forced the other B-plots to be wrapped up quickly and in an unsatisfying way. I was particularly bothered by how Amy handles her relationship with her father.
Overall a good entry in the Sapphic romance genre though the insistence on a third-act breakup soured the ending for me....more
Maybe closer to 2.75-3. Throughout most of the novel, I was pretty neutral. None of the characters really stood out to me except in their immaturity. Maybe closer to 2.75-3. Throughout most of the novel, I was pretty neutral. None of the characters really stood out to me except in their immaturity. I noticed the anachronisms and inaccuracies but decided to not let it bother me as I’m not a Victorian era girlie. I wasn’t enthusiastic about Beth and Gwen, but I wasn’t actively rooting against them.
Yes, I did read the back of the book. What I thought would happen is that they would originally be engaged in this Parent Trap plot, realize they have feelings for each other, then have to reverse course and make sure their parents wouldn’t get together. But no, instead we get “we can only be together if we are step-siblings.” Absolutely no concern that they would have a shared half-brother between them. We also end with a sneak peak of a convoluted plot to marry men, one of whom is one of their cousins, so that they could keep up this strange enmeshment.
Also very strange undertones of victim blaming for staying in abusive relationships and lack of boundaries for any familial or servant-employer relationships.
Overall, kind of a miss but truly not something I’ll think about after my book club...more
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