Phillip Abraham
2/5.
For a book that I planned to read five years ago and never got around to until now, it's so disappointing to realize it just doesn't mesh with me. I'm sorry, but it was a chore to even read through, and I honestly tuned out around halfway through.
I felt little to no connection to any of the characters. Putting the extremely stilted dialogue aside, I could not be brought to care about any of these characters. I definitely couldn't care for any of the ten-or-so side characters, or even remember their names, for that matter. Even the two leads, Rufus and Mateo, who are involved in the supposed “sad love story”. In reality, it felt more annoying to read than sad. Seeing Rufus... almost babysitting Mateo?? It annoyed me to no end, and I feel more sorry for Rufus that he sacrificed a majority of his time that could've been spent with his friends to Mateo. I thought their relationship was cute during some of the final few scenes, but it didn't feel anywhere near fulfilling because of how abrupt the buildup was.
The ending was somehow even more anti-climatic than I expected. Mateo turns on the stove, and dies, and Rufus is sad, and then is left to wait for his death. I was honestly shocked by how abrupt it all was - From one scene of Mateo dying, and the page flips to acknowledgements. It left no feelings - Not even of annoyance. Just a “What was the point?...“
What I will give this book is that the writing was decent. I would've liked some of the background world to be built upon. Learning more about the nature of deaths in this world, or the possible involvement of Death-Cast in these deaths at least would've helped to make this book slightly more interesting. Instead, it feels more of the skeleton of a good story that just wasn't fully realized.
if i hate myself enough i'll read this book only for seryu
not to be dramatic but this sounds amazing??? please let this be good so i can be annoying about it
if this sequel actually improves on the original i'll eat my hat and buy a copy of this book too
Oh boy, did I get mad after reading this. COME ON LEMONY SNICKET! Why would you just leave the series on THIS? All the build up, all the suspense that the previous books had is just.. gone. This series ends on a cliffhanger (which is one of my biggest pet peeves) and NOTHING was even solved! It was basically “Here's a mystery. There's no answer because I was too lazy to finish it!”. All I can say is, don't read this book. It's isn't worth your time if you read the previous 11.
i'm SEATED!!!!!!!!!! did not expect a sequel with the same characters but we're so back