Let’s start with the positives. The writing itself is quite good, and Kathleen McInerney, the audiobook narrator, is talented.
I have a print ARC and the audiobook, and I’d planned to alternate. But plans go awry...
My audiobook started with a LARGE family tree. This is almost always a warning sign. My ARC print copy doesn’t have the family tree, but I don’t think it mattered because I’m not one to consult a relationship map every time another character steps onto the page.
And there are so many characters! The story opens with an info dump of ALL the characters, their relationships, backstories, etc. I needed a spreadsheet to keep it all straight.
The book is written in omniscient POV, so we’re in everybody’s head all the time. The switches are jarring and unnecessary. I desperately needed a narrower focus and less POV characters.
The audiobook kept me engaged for a time because the narrator is fun to listen to. Reading the print copy didn’t work for me at all.
Ultimately, the story was an odd combination of too much and not enough. I wanted this story to belong to someone, anyone, but not everybody. Consequently, I didn’t feel any connection with these people, whose tangential drama and all around grating immaturity wasn’t enough to keep me interested.
I gave up.
DNF at around 30%.
*Thanks to BookishFirst for the ARC and Celadon for the audiobook download.*
I have a print ARC and the audiobook, and I’d planned to alternate. But plans go awry...
My audiobook started with a LARGE family tree. This is almost always a warning sign. My ARC print copy doesn’t have the family tree, but I don’t think it mattered because I’m not one to consult a relationship map every time another character steps onto the page.
And there are so many characters! The story opens with an info dump of ALL the characters, their relationships, backstories, etc. I needed a spreadsheet to keep it all straight.
The book is written in omniscient POV, so we’re in everybody’s head all the time. The switches are jarring and unnecessary. I desperately needed a narrower focus and less POV characters.
The audiobook kept me engaged for a time because the narrator is fun to listen to. Reading the print copy didn’t work for me at all.
Ultimately, the story was an odd combination of too much and not enough. I wanted this story to belong to someone, anyone, but not everybody. Consequently, I didn’t feel any connection with these people, whose tangential drama and all around grating immaturity wasn’t enough to keep me interested.
I gave up.
DNF at around 30%.
*Thanks to BookishFirst for the ARC and Celadon for the audiobook download.*