Frances
PLOT
Beginning with the structure, the novel is split into two halves. The first half is in the format of a letter from one of the teenagers, detailing his thoughts and what happened. The second half, however, is set years later and told from the perspective of a classmate, trying to piece together what happened and why.
With that being said, I didn't really feel like the story was fleshed out as much as I would like it to be. I think there needed to be a bit more exposure and details in order to make it worthwhile, as there were still a lot of questions left unanswered or vague. I also felt like at one point the story deviated too much into a classroom drama.
On the other hand, I can at least give it credit for being surreal and different. It's not a bad book by any means, and it's short enough to use it to fill a reading goal, but I do think it needed some more work. Like mentioned before though, it at least gets props for delving into the phenomenon of k-pop/j-pop super fans and how far they're willing to go for their favorite idols.
CHARACTERS
The characters were okay, but to be honest, none of them particularly stood out to me. There just wasn't really much to go off of, even though the book is primarily told through their internal monologue. I only wish we got to know more about Morishita (the killer) and what his thought process was like. I was curious to know why he did those things and what justified them in his mind. I was also curious about what the j-pop idol was going through and what her thoughts were on this whole crazy ordeal.
AUTHOR'S WRITING STYLE
There were some instances of repetition and at least one minor inconsistency, but otherwise, the writing was alright. I do think the writing could have also used a bit more developing, but for what it is, it was still enjoyable. I did notice a lot of the sentences were short and sometimes abrupt, which I didn't personally have an issue with, but I can see how it might disrupt one's reading flow. Overall, there is potential here.
RATING
I rate this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.
PLOT
Beginning with the structure, the novel is split into two halves. The first half is in the format of a letter from one of the teenagers, detailing his thoughts and what happened. The second half, however, is set years later and told from the perspective of a classmate, trying to piece together what happened and why.
With that being said, I didn't really feel like the story was fleshed out as much as I would like it to be. I think there needed to be a bit more exposure and details in order to make it worthwhile, as there were still a lot of questions left unanswered or vague. I also felt like at one point the story deviated too much into a classroom drama.
On the other hand, I can at least give it credit for being surreal and different. It's not a bad book by any means, and it's short enough to use it to fill a reading goal, but I do think it needed some more work. Like mentioned before though, it at least gets props for delving into the phenomenon of k-pop/j-pop super fans and how far they're willing to go for their favorite idols.
CHARACTERS
The characters were okay, but to be honest, none of them particularly stood out to me. There just wasn't really much to go off of, even though the book is primarily told through their internal monologue. I only wish we got to know more about Morishita (the killer) and what his thought process was like. I was curious to know why he did those things and what justified them in his mind. I was also curious about what the j-pop idol was going through and what her thoughts were on this whole crazy ordeal.
AUTHOR'S WRITING STYLE
There were some instances of repetition and at least one minor inconsistency, but otherwise, the writing was alright. I do think the writing could have also used a bit more developing, but for what it is, it was still enjoyable. I did notice a lot of the sentences were short and sometimes abrupt, which I didn't personally have an issue with, but I can see how it might disrupt one's reading flow. Overall, there is potential here.
RATING
I rate this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.
PLOT
Admittedly, not much goes on in this book. Most of the time, Ivar and John go about their day, exchanging their native tongue and tending to things around the island. Likewise, the story will occasionally switch to Mary's perspective, John's wife, to offer some context from the past leading up to why John took the job in the first place. Much of this novel's charm, on the other hand, comes from the way the author describes this otherwise mundane environment. Things like cooking, knitting, kindling, foraging, and just, in general, simple errands are described in a pleasantly comforting way. Altogether, it's an atmospheric and fairly short read (around 130 pages) that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Unfortunately, however, this book isn't without its flaws. Even though it is a 4-star rating to me, I felt like the ending wasn't executed as well as it could be. I think the romantic implications from Chapter 36 (about 80%) and beyond should not have been included or at the very least incorporated better. It just didn't really feel plausible to me considering John was: 1. married; 2. talking so lovingly about his wife the whole time; and 3. never really showed affection towards Ivar. I felt like I could have believed it a little more if there was a gradual lead-up to it rather than an abrupt appearance.
CHARACTERS
The characters, for the most part, are ordinary people. They didn't particularly stand out, but they also weren't boring. Like mentioned before, much of this book's strong point is in how the environment is described. So in the end, it wasn't really an issue for me. I do wish, on the other hand, we got a little more from their internal monologue. For example, did John feel remorse for his wife when she figured it out? Did John resist these feelings towards Ivar? Was John truly happy in his marriage to have fallen for Ivar? Was John struggling as both a (possibly closeted) bisexual and a minister? These are things I wish went a little more in-depth from his perspective as his isolation with Ivar went on. Like stated before, I felt like this type of information could have helped make the end more believable.
AUTHOR'S WRITING STYLE
Despite this book being released in 2024, it very much feels like a pre-21st-century classic. I also appreciate when an author brings a lesser-known historical event to the spotlight. I have never even heard of the Highland Clearances before and found it interesting to look up and read about.
RATING
I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.
PLOT
Admittedly, not much goes on in this book. Most of the time, Ivar and John go about their day, exchanging their native tongue and tending to things around the island. Likewise, the story will occasionally switch to Mary's perspective, John's wife, to offer some context from the past leading up to why John took the job in the first place. Much of this novel's charm, on the other hand, comes from the way the author describes this otherwise mundane environment. Things like cooking, knitting, kindling, foraging, and just, in general, simple errands are described in a pleasantly comforting way. Altogether, it's an atmospheric and fairly short read (around 130 pages) that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Unfortunately, however, this book isn't without its flaws. Even though it is a 4-star rating to me, I felt like the ending wasn't executed as well as it could be. I think the romantic implications from Chapter 36 (about 80%) and beyond should not have been included or at the very least incorporated better. It just didn't really feel plausible to me considering John was: 1. married; 2. talking so lovingly about his wife the whole time; and 3. never really showed affection towards Ivar. I felt like I could have believed it a little more if there was a gradual lead-up to it rather than an abrupt appearance.
CHARACTERS
The characters, for the most part, are ordinary people. They didn't particularly stand out, but they also weren't boring. Like mentioned before, much of this book's strong point is in how the environment is described. So in the end, it wasn't really an issue for me. I do wish, on the other hand, we got a little more from their internal monologue. For example, did John feel remorse for his wife when she figured it out? Did John resist these feelings towards Ivar? Was John truly happy in his marriage to have fallen for Ivar? Was John struggling as both a (possibly closeted) bisexual and a minister? These are things I wish went a little more in-depth from his perspective as his isolation with Ivar went on. Like stated before, I felt like this type of information could have helped make the end more believable.
AUTHOR'S WRITING STYLE
Despite this book being released in 2024, it very much feels like a pre-21st-century classic. I also appreciate when an author brings a lesser-known historical event to the spotlight. I have never even heard of the Highland Clearances before and found it interesting to look up and read about.
RATING
I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.