3.5*
This is such a wonderfully bizarre book. Dark at times, and absolutely strange, it will leave you stunned in the best of ways. So let's chat about what was great and what was less so!
The Good:
- • This is absolutely unlike anything else I have read. The unique genre mashup just works, somehow, even though I'll fully admit that I was skeptical.
- • The ending is perfect. You know how I talked about when endings ruin books? Well, what about when endings make books? For me, the ending made me adore this book! I obviously cannot talk about it other than to say I thought it was phenomenally done, and it made me appreciate the book a lot more.
- • It's incredibly dark. But please note, that some of the stuff is absolutely triggering, in the form of some really messed up torture/abuse. But if you are down with dark, it's really quite messed up, especially the way that some of the characters justify their actions. (And frankly, it says a lot about current societal issues and people overlooking and/or justifying monstrous acts, just my two cents.)
- • There's no doubt it will provoke all the thoughts. Oh yes, this one is going to make you think, and wonder how you'd react to a lot of various scenarios. Many are spoilery, but one that is in the synopsis sparks questions: What would you do if your beloved family member claimed to be kidnapped by aliens? Is there any way you'd believe them? And that's just the beginning!
The Not-As-Good:
- • I felt almost no connection to the main character. And the connection I did feel, I didn't really like her? I mean, I understand that she's flawed and trying to get through a lot of junk so I was able to cut her some slack, but I think that had I felt a little better connection, I would have been able to overlook some of her more unpleasant qualities.
- • The pacing is a little messy. When it picks up, it's quite good, but in the slower moments, it's definitely a bit of a slog. I still think it is worth reading, and dealing with the slower bits though.
Bottom Line: Unique and full of surprises, it's definitely worth the ride.