Ricci
truly a calm and heartwarming read with a cup of coffee by your side. i love how the story revolves around the bookshop and the saveur. takako's uncle, satoru, is one of my favorite characters since he's so sweet and loving. i love it when he encouraged takako to fall in love and when he stood up against takako's ex. he's also a sweet husband to his wife, momoko, and i love that gentle affection for her. not my usual cup of tea, but this book is great for break times and coffee shops.
I absolutely adore how the book represented bisexuality, as a bisexual myself. And, it is a kind-of introduction to the issues of the Korean media industry, as well as bringing up the clashing beliefs of the South Koreans. If you're a K-Pop or K-Drama stan, this book might just be your taste. Moreover, it's an easy read, and I love Minjee as a character.
However, I want to bring up a few notes about the book. For me, it's a little fast-paced with the progression of how these characters interacted eith each other. I get Minjee and Hana as childhood friends, however Hana and Bryan's fake dating arc seem to be a little bit of.. dragging. I didn't see the point of it since I don't think Hana learned anything from their arc except her feelings. Second, it's a book where it tells you—not show you. Maybe the writing style isn't my taste, but the dialogues sound far-fetched or unnatural (“Let's take down the homophobic patriarchy”) and the non-dialogues fall flat for its straight-forward description. It leaves no room for imagination, at least for me. Last, I think there are parts written solely for fillers or for easy-out solutions, and the conflict ended way too fast. It didn't seem... impactful rather. As if it was glossed over, it's written with sugarcoated solutions for the characters' progression for growth.
Hence, a score of 3.5 / 5. It's a good quick read after I read Poppy War, something light and not too serious however I would still appreciate how the author raised issues and represented the B in LGBT!
If I had to drink a shot every time the book mentions Tristan's blue eyes, I'd be dead.
One of the first reasons I don't like the book is that I don't exactly remember what Tristan looks like anymore. Except that he has scars and [sic] “magnificent blue, blue eyes.” For several scenes, his eyes are always emphasized every time Morana and Tristan look at each other. At first, it was good tension, but—it became too often that I laughed too much. But in the end, it was explained why he had to stare at Morana so intensely; I find it weird regardless of his backstory.
Additionally, Tristan's analogy-like dialogues became funny because I don't think people speak like this consistently. These dialogues work for me in a way, but if it's done repeatedly—it becomes messy and unnecessary. But I find his background satisfying enough to explain his emotionless self. (It doesn't explain why he speaks in analogy dialogues, though.) To conclude, I don't like Tristan at all.
Next is Morana. I liked her at first for her sparky attitude and computer science knowledge. But? Her point of view isn't interesting whenever Tristan enters her perspective. It's like a different character than what I expected. (Girly simped so badly on the bare minimum Tristan did. But again, daddy issues must have been the reason why.) I expected so much development from her, such as not letting Tristan get his way, y'know? I didn't read a scene at all—especially that ending. That wasn't her choice out of free will; it was her guilty conscience trying to take responsibility for his trauma. I also wished I could have read more chapters dedicated to her skills in computers. To illustrate, hack into your “father's” computer that says, “You're an asshole.”
Morana had the potential; it just dropped for me.
Lastly, the chemistry is missing. That bathroom scene? That s*x on the wall scene? Those were just tools to indicate to the reader that they have feelings for each other. Besides the staring contest—the two don't have chemistry. There is no significant scene where I notice their natural tension. Most of their moments are written forcefully for JUST the sexual tension.
Essentially, this book was a trauma-bonding dynamic that falls under tragic and dark romance, the genre this book belongs to. I'm certain Mafia-themed and dark romance enthusiasts would enjoy this more than I do.
Note to self: I might not give the second book a chance. Genres like this satisfy my curiosity but not my tastes.
(I enjoyed Amara and Dante though, so I guess that's what the stars are for.)
“Traps upon traps, I thought, and riddles upon riddles.”
WHERE?
———
The text above is one of my annotations in the book. I genuinely don't feel the mystery vibe on The Inheritance Games. It feels like it concentrated too much on the chemistry between the love-triangle rather than the mystery itself. This assertion is more of a personal take—I didn't like the “riddles” or the way this whole backstory mystery unfolded. The twist at the end didn't give me hype like I thought it would; I just wanted to end the book.
Although in the beginning, I loved the fast-paced chapters, because for a mystery book—it wasn't boring at all. I love Libby, but she needs development just as the other characters do. I didn't know what kind of development Jameson, Grayson, or any Hawthorne characters had. It felt flat, frankly. Even the female main character (I keep forgetting her name) felt flat.
I didn't have high expectations in this book. But, the way it brings familiarity to book lovers—I expected more mystery and less Jameson-creepy. (I'm sorry Jameson fans, he creeps me out.)
PERSONAL NOTE: If you enjoyed this book, I'm glad you did. I hope I had the same sentiment to mutually understand your feelings. But, this book is not for me. For future readers, you can give it a read still and form your own thoughts and critics. That's all!