I'm gonna start with the things I didn't like because they are more numerous and that way I can end on a happy note:
- Instalove. I guess this makes sense because fate is a thing in this universe and they are fated to be with each other, but I still wish there was a buildup to emotions and declarations. Instead there was 0 tension. Love interest tells our girl "They don't know you!" when she's upset by something someone said about her destiny. And bro you do? You’ve known her for like 3 days. Fated or whatever blah blah you still don’t *know* her.
- The romance in this book is cheating adjacent. At least so far it hasn't gone into actual cheating territory but I still don’t like when the MC is lusting after another girl's bf, sue me. It just gives me the ick and I don’t find it romantic or cute.
- The inclusion of today's politics was clunky and felt forced. It was like a PC bingo with all the issues brought up (anti-abortion legislature, climate change, police corruption, racism). A lot of these issues were not given space to explore or really say anything meaningful so it came off as incredibly performative. IMO the book came off as kind of "white savior" with the other worlders being so clearly POC coded (and sometimes literally POC as well) and yet it's our white main girlie who will save everyone. There's literally a line in which she says “I must stand up to injustice!”. Like OK. It just rubbed me the wrong way and also came off as middle grade/ veryyyy young YA (11-13 yo) level of race-exploration. But I am interested to see how POC reviewers react and feel about this one, and will be keeping my out for their thoughts.
- Finally, miscommunication. It was so incredibly frustrating when both we (the reader) and the mc know something that could help them in a conversation. Something they should be telling the other person. But instead they don’t communicate! And it's not written as a conscious decision to not say what we want her to. She just doesn't think about it at all even though it's so obvious and would help her case. Like why didn't she tell the mob queen that the political guy's next target was going to be her? We know our MC overheard him saying that. She's trying to convince the mob queen to go after this guy. Mob queen said no I’d rather leave it alone. Don’t you think telling her that he is going to come after you would make her want to fight?!? And that’s what our MC wants too! But instead she keeps that to herself for WHY? And she does this in the convo with her sister too. Her sis thinks Mr. politics is a good guy that wouldn’t hurt anyone. But his head of security tried to kill the MC multiple times only the day before, and he put a hit out on her. Why wouldn’t she tell her sis that first thing?!?) It's just so irritating and dumb.
Now I promised some positives so here they are:
- I thought it had a strong start, and I was pulled in right away
- The sister relationships/ dynamics felt real.
- The different kinds of magic and rules associated with them were cool. (Not always consistent and sensical, but fun anyways).
That's the best I got right now lol
- Instalove. I guess this makes sense because fate is a thing in this universe and they are fated to be with each other, but I still wish there was a buildup to emotions and declarations. Instead there was 0 tension. Love interest tells our girl "They don't know you!" when she's upset by something someone said about her destiny. And bro you do? You’ve known her for like 3 days. Fated or whatever blah blah you still don’t *know* her.
- The romance in this book is cheating adjacent. At least so far it hasn't gone into actual cheating territory but I still don’t like when the MC is lusting after another girl's bf, sue me. It just gives me the ick and I don’t find it romantic or cute.
- The inclusion of today's politics was clunky and felt forced. It was like a PC bingo with all the issues brought up (anti-abortion legislature, climate change, police corruption, racism). A lot of these issues were not given space to explore or really say anything meaningful so it came off as incredibly performative. IMO the book came off as kind of "white savior" with the other worlders being so clearly POC coded (and sometimes literally POC as well) and yet it's our white main girlie who will save everyone. There's literally a line in which she says “I must stand up to injustice!”. Like OK. It just rubbed me the wrong way and also came off as middle grade/ veryyyy young YA (11-13 yo) level of race-exploration. But I am interested to see how POC reviewers react and feel about this one, and will be keeping my out for their thoughts.
- Finally, miscommunication. It was so incredibly frustrating when both we (the reader) and the mc know something that could help them in a conversation. Something they should be telling the other person. But instead they don’t communicate! And it's not written as a conscious decision to not say what we want her to. She just doesn't think about it at all even though it's so obvious and would help her case. Like why didn't she tell the mob queen that the political guy's next target was going to be her? We know our MC overheard him saying that. She's trying to convince the mob queen to go after this guy. Mob queen said no I’d rather leave it alone. Don’t you think telling her that he is going to come after you would make her want to fight?!? And that’s what our MC wants too! But instead she keeps that to herself for WHY? And she does this in the convo with her sister too. Her sis thinks Mr. politics is a good guy that wouldn’t hurt anyone. But his head of security tried to kill the MC multiple times only the day before, and he put a hit out on her. Why wouldn’t she tell her sis that first thing?!?) It's just so irritating and dumb.
Now I promised some positives so here they are:
- I thought it had a strong start, and I was pulled in right away
- The sister relationships/ dynamics felt real.
- The different kinds of magic and rules associated with them were cool. (Not always consistent and sensical, but fun anyways).
That's the best I got right now lol