annieturnsthepage's reviews
464 reviews

I wanted to wait until I had finished all 3 books for this review. I love graphic novels as a means to tell a story, especially one as important as this. When she is old enough, I am going to have my daughter read this series as I feel it really is a great way to show the courage, strength, determination, and passion that everyone involved in the Civil Rights movement had. What was accomplished is nothing short of amazing, and while there is still work to be done, it is a beacon of hope.

Thank you John Lewis for sharing the story of you and your fellow fighters. You're good trouble.

Ever since I read the first book, I have loved this series. Ashley has created such a rich environment with Starfield and it lends a nice backdrop to the stories.

Each book has been enjoyable, and this one just adds to it. I do love the little universe here and would gladly read them again.

The premise was interesting.
The writing was a bit rough.

But it kept my attention enough to want to read at least one more to see how it progresses.

I am not sure what this book was trying for honestly.
Part 1 I really enjoyed. The idea of Binding was interesting. Being able to take memories from the person and bind them into books so they don't have to live with the pain seemed cool. I also liked how it was seen as the only way that stories were told. Because who could have that kind of imagination?
It did drag a little, but because I liked the binding idea it didn't bother me too much.

Then...

the rest of the book abandoned the cool premise.
Part 2 turned into a petty ass love triangle that at some point was downright uncomfortable to read at some points. And they kill a dog, which did nothing for the story.

Then Part 3 shifts narrator (which is normally fine) but the character who is now narrator...isn't really likeable. There is more of the same weird uncomfortableness, another awkward love triangle. And lots of rape, death and murder.

Some of the language spoken in the book was harsh and jarring, for no reason at all. It seems she just wanted to use the word "fucking" a few times, but it quite literally had no place in the book with the language and speaking manner that she had already established.

It's like she mashed together a cool premise with some love triangle and tried to make it work.

Spoiler, it didn't. I'm only giving this 2 stars because I liked the first part.

Hands down, this might be my favorite book of the year (to date). I loved the style this was written in, as a straight up interview with different points of view from all around the world to tell a whole story.
Some of my favorite stories were:

*The Battle for Yonkers
*The Wilderness Park in Canada
*Learning about Quislings (people who acted as zombies) and bonus shout out to my place of employment "I’ve heard stories about Walla Walla, you know, the prison where hundreds of them were fed and clothed and even medically cared for."
*Kyoto, Japan and the otaku.
*The Chinese submarine story
*The Astronauts on the ISS
*Paris catacombs

I did enjoy the film based on this book, but now after reading it I feel that it could have been so much more.
That submarine story alone would have been amazing to watch on the big screen. It might be my favorite one in the whole book honestly.

Max Brooks told an amazing story through the eyes of other people.

I had never heard of Dorthea before, and starting the book man, she had a sad and hard life growing up. I felt bad for her.

Until her utter lack of actual care and feeling for others entered the story, which was fairly young. Would she have been different if she had a different upbringing? Possibly.

But even some of the things she did before the boarding houses she ran, still was next level wtf. And then the boarding houses...that was interesting. She did help some people, and seemed to legit put effort into it, but a lot she just robbed blind and murdered.

She was a menace to those who are forgotten.