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A review by imaginary_space
The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giesbrecht
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This story had a lot of interesting and great elements, some faults, and in the end I would say I am excited to read future works of Jennifer Giesbrecht.
What I liked
The prose is great.
I love the fact that not everything is explained clearly.
The worldbuilding is super interesting. I love stories in which the ocean is an important element and here it is mixed with a kind of dark fantasy, industrialized and polluted world, plus all kinds of myths and beliefs around the ocean and the town of Elendhaven. It was new and interesting and I wanted to learn more about it.
The relationship between the two main characters. I liked howproblematic it was because that fit the tone of the story and the world very well.
What didn't work for me
The plot was good overall and I liked it as a story, but it didn't surprise me and I didn't feel any suspense. Which is actually why I don't really get why this is listed as 'horror'. It's more creepy or weird (in a good way) and at least for me, it lacks the kind of suspense I usually associate with horror, and it's not scary, although that is a deeply personal opinion and I understand 'horror' is a very broad genre. So maybe that was just a matter of false expectations.
The characterization of the two main characters.
I had more of a problem with Johann. I'll put it in spoiler tags, but the only real spoiler it contains is about chapter 1.
*****
He has such a huge vocabulary, and he speaks very eloquently when he wants to, but we are told he grew up on the streets and anybody rarely talked to him. He learned through observing and imitating people, all right, and he almost always plays a role, I get that. But the kind of people he would have the most chance to observe would be workers, small merchants, people that hang out in dark bars, would they not? He couldn't have learned such a vocabulary from them. Also, he's taken by Florian specially because Florian looks so rich etc., so this makes me think he hasn't had much contact with high society before. And if I'm wrong and he had and did learn a lot from them, then why doesn't he know how to hold a conversation with them and is repeatedly described as being awkward (without wanting to be) or out of his depth?
*****
Maybe I am misinterpreting and there is something crucial I didn't understand, though. It just felt off to me.
I liked Florian as a character a lot more, because he felt more coherent, but there were still some things that felt off with him, too.
What I liked
The prose is great.
I love the fact that not everything is explained clearly.
The worldbuilding is super interesting. I love stories in which the ocean is an important element and here it is mixed with a kind of dark fantasy, industrialized and polluted world, plus all kinds of myths and beliefs around the ocean and the town of Elendhaven. It was new and interesting and I wanted to learn more about it.
The relationship between the two main characters. I liked how
What didn't work for me
The plot was good overall and I liked it as a story, but it didn't surprise me and I didn't feel any suspense. Which is actually why I don't really get why this is listed as 'horror'. It's more creepy or weird (in a good way) and at least for me, it lacks the kind of suspense I usually associate with horror, and it's not scary, although that is a deeply personal opinion and I understand 'horror' is a very broad genre. So maybe that was just a matter of false expectations.
The characterization of the two main characters.
I had more of a problem with Johann. I'll put it in spoiler tags, but the only real spoiler it contains is about chapter 1.
He has such a huge vocabulary, and he speaks very eloquently when he wants to, but we are told he grew up on the streets and anybody rarely talked to him. He learned through observing and imitating people, all right, and he almost always plays a role, I get that. But the kind of people he would have the most chance to observe would be workers, small merchants, people that hang out in dark bars, would they not? He couldn't have learned such a vocabulary from them. Also, he's taken by Florian specially because Florian looks so rich etc., so this makes me think he hasn't had much contact with high society before. And if I'm wrong and he had and did learn a lot from them, then why doesn't he know how to hold a conversation with them and is repeatedly described as being awkward (without wanting to be) or out of his depth?
*****
Maybe I am misinterpreting and there is something crucial I didn't understand, though. It just felt off to me.
I liked Florian as a character a lot more, because he felt more coherent, but there were still some things that felt off with him, too.