Rainbow Rowell remembers high school ... and mix tapes! It was mid 90s when I was in HS but we still made mix tapes. I still have some of them lol. I think that was what made me finally read it and when I did I couldn't stop. I couldn't put it down. It made me feel so much sadness and gushiness and a lot of other stuff I don't want to name anymore. Most of the time I was just like omg-poor-eleanor.
I loved the romance part, of course, but it's not because of the gushing and kissing and Park being romantic, it was how they didn't even like each other at first. It was how things just fell into place without them even noticing. Okay maybe they noticed lol. But it's not always love-at-first-sight in high school. Or any other era of your life. So that was so relatable. Erm ... moving on.
Park had a regular teenage life with supportive parents and a close extended family and regular teenage problems he learned to deal with. Having a parent you think you can't please is pretty normal for a teenager. That may be a teenager over analyzing things. That may be a parent not knowing how to deal with a teenager. Or a parent having favoritism ... that's not far from reality either. Eleanor's life is full of things so wrong in so many levels. I think the sweetest thing about their relationship was how they were both (okay mostly Park) trying to understand each other because things are different in their own home.
There may be a ton of issues in here that may be overwhelming and incomprehensible but isn't that how teenagers are like sometimes? They try to carry the the whole world on their own. Or they tend to make a big deal out of everything. Every insecurity and every other thing they can't comprehend. every pimple and freckle. They tend to over analyze. Sometimes they don't and adults can't even tell what's worse. It gets better kids. Take it from your loving aunt.
P.S. I was a mess in that part when Park's mom finally understood ...
Five stars.
As much as this book's characters are filled with emotional turmoil, the only thing it stirred is my rationale (I do have that sometimes). I'm still loving the political and scheming bits of the second book but I can't give it a five because both main characters seem to have ran out of common sense.
Let me break it down. Kestrel was written to be a strategist. She's supposed to be good at making decisions, cutting losses, picking the perfect solution out of varied options. Her flaws are: 1) her father and 2) Arin. When a strategist decides on a solution that is the lesser of evils, the strategist will then move on. This is not to say that the strategist lacks emotional and moral judgment but putting the idea out there knowing that it will be carried out because it will benefit the empire the most (but still save a lot of lives!) and then whining about how it's all her fault and self destructing because of it doesn't follow. So I guess my issue is her character is inconsistent?
I kept waiting for the how-much-their-crimes-will-cost-them twist and when it came it was a bit of a disappointment. Not because it's a hanger. It just is. Where do you think all this spying and treason will lead? Especially because, from the very beginning, the emperor and all of the empire knows about their supposed relationship.
Also, what is up with Arin's suicidal attitude? I'll leave it at that because I can't even --
Err ... I still can't wait for the last installment. Heh.
PS: They used the word "foodstuffs" in this book. It doesn't have anything to do with my rating. I swear to God. It just really bothers me ... I'm just saying.
3 stars.
I think, first and foremost, one must remember that this is a romance story. I forgot, therefore, I am disappointed. It wasn't bad. Neither was I expecting it to be life-changing. But I wasn't expecting ... this. Basically, here is the story of the third book: Penryn was gushing over Raphael. The end. If you were expecting something else then let this serve as a warning.
The awkward word exchange between characters is back, the idea to draw the crowd to the bridge for what was supposed to be an epic battle was A COMPLETE JOKE, some parts and characters reminded me so much of another book (a highly successful one) and ... it ended just like that!
The only part that I liked about it was Beliel's. That was the only person whose bitterness and personality was explained. I felt really bad for him but at least for Beliel I had closure. But what of Penryn? There was supposed to be an explanation for why she was wielding the angel sword. An explanation that is more than what was given. More than the fact that it deemed Raffe not deserving anymore because then anyone can wield it. More than people being a grand grand grand grand grand grand (and more grand) daughter of one of the Watchers. They didn't say that outright but what's a person without closure do except invent a that-would-do explanation?
2 stars.
I haven't read a book I wanted to stay up late for in a long time. Here's one. I was devastated to find out the last of the trilogy won't come out until next year so now my problem is do I read the second book or do I wait a few months and suffer. Tough decisions.
See, it's books like this that got me into YA. The last YA trilogy I read wasn't so much of a much so I stopped reading YA for a bit. I mean, it was good but I didn't as excited about it as this one. I think this book just killed my YA reading slump. I like the story telling and its prose best. As far as the made-up world, clan wars and forbidden love, it's all been done before. It's the story telling and writing that makes a difference.
Okay I think my EQ is low today so I'm gonna go read the 2nd book and then suffer longer until the last installment comes out.
Five stars.
Any book that makes me look like a lunatic in a corner of a tea shop deserves five stars from me. I wanted to finish the book in the shop but I kept getting annoyed/curious/scared/worried stares from people when I got to the twist and started whispering "what? ... what?!! ... what the f--?!!". I wasn't embarrassed, instead I wanted to look back at them and say "can you believe this?!!" while pointing at a book looking incredulous with one eyebrow raised. But I didn't want to be banned in there. I like their tea. It was then I knew I had to finish the book within the confines of my bedroom. There I can be free.
Seriously, though. This one came as a surprise from the very second I found it on my office table (thanks, Bart!). Heh. I always say I like a good mystery so this falls under that category. Another thing I like is culture. I know people always say we should be free from culture that constricts the society (and this book is filled with it since it's about some Romany gypsies living and thriving to keep their traditions in the retro era) but I always believed the only way we can free ourselves of anything is to understand it. Not hating it and running away from it. But let's not get off topic. When I read this I realized I don't know much about gypsies except ... well, Esmeralda's of the Hunchback of Notre Dame and her people ...erm ... sorry yeah, ignorant, I know. It's an interesting setting with sympathetic characters. Too bad about Tene, though.
So anyhoo, the twist. It was kinda ridiculous, I know, but it worked for me. I've read stuff with more ridiculous plots they should be classified as fantasy. This one is realistic enough for me. Now please excuse me while I hunt her other book down.
Five stars.
