lakeofstars's reviews
56 reviews

i enjoyed the writing style but was iffy with the storytelling at times. i was fascinated with the way everything was described and how strong the characterization was. also a very good use of the unreliable narrator. however, there were a lot of details that could definitely have been cut, and most of the humor fell flat for me (though i usually don't find books funny so it is def more of a me problem).

as an unlikeable character enjoyer, it's always refreshing to see a book with characters that are realistically flawed without being cartoonish or shallow. almost every character is depicted in a negative light at some point, and this is only partly due to the MC's jaded nature. but they are not unlikeable for edginess's sake, rather in a very human way. for example: big swiss herself had an insensitive and problematic view about trauma and those who have it (one that greta shared), and this is clearly due to her own mental issues and how she compartmentalized the horrific things that happened to her. these characters were unhinged and insufferable, but you Will be invested in their stories.

a cw i dont see used often for this book that should be considered is that the mc makes multiple comments that are racist against asians, as well as a biphobic one. none of these are important to the story or really addressed at all, just kinda there to remind us that the narrator is unlikeable and problematic. 

bonus points because it made such an impact in its time and still holds up in modern days.

the explanations of physics are thorough and made palatable for all audiences no matter their backgrounds, however the discussion of eastern mysticism is very repetitive and a bit shallow + overly literal, if i'm being honest. but it's still an essential read for anyone interested in either.

this book has discussion questions!! at the end!! !!!!!!! i was sooo happy when i flipped to the back and saw them. made me feel like i was young and doing the library's summer reading challenge for kids again >_<

about the book, this was my most anticipated read on my tbr, and i really liked it! so much of what i love in a story is in this book, and the science (though not too heavy, def a lighter sci-fi than i expected) was well researched and interesting. i did feel that the ending was a bit rushed/unsatisfying, that there were too many POVs, and could've done with more development on the main romance, but none of that detracted from my overall enjoyment. 

will be buying this for my shelf.

felt like baby's first absurdist noir pulp fiction, but definitely not baby's first wish fulfillment self insert

everyone loves a feel-good villainess manhwa

i think i would've liked this more as a short story

i loved loved loved the concept, but felt as if the execution left room to be desired. the huge amount of perspectives we read and the rapid switching between them and their own stories left most characters undeveloped. very ambitious but not quite long enough to fulfill it to its potential.

HOWEVER. the story of katrina alone is enough to recommend this book. her journey and her bond with shizuku make this book worth reading, i think. on top of that, i really enjoyed the descriptive and musical diction. reading this book made me sooo hungry and made me go to the library to print out even more sheet music to learn.

if only all business majors were so cute >_<!!

> i really liked this! all of the main characters were very fun and the premise is super cute. it was hindered a bit by the random expository dumps and how quickly it would flit between traumatic backstory and lighthearted shopkeeping, but i enjoyed it a lot. the antagonists are not very fleshed out yet as of this first season, so i hope to learn a bit more about them in season 2- especially sheria. 

mel is the new loml <3

is it rife with the social prejudices of its time? yes. is it also one of the most poetically written and romantic books i've ever read? yes. straight english majors who say carmilla didn't really love laura can suck it (lol) IDCCC 

this edition specifically includes an introduction and annotations throughout that provide readers with necessary nuance and metaficticious context that enhance the reading experience greatly, though i would avoid them until a re-read if you are a first time reader as some of them do directly discuss future events in the story. the ending is rushed and anticlimactic and i feel that this would have benefitted from an extra ~40 pages or so, but it's still one of my favorite books #ever

jujubee cameo?? 

i loved the tie ins to ancient chinese legends, folklore, and history and found the plot to be engaging. like the concept for this book is crazy good and it nails it in those final chapters.

i felt that the author was so excited to fill the chapters with symbolism and motifs that the overtness could be off-putting to some (the blue butterfly scene especially really felt like a "look here!! look at me this is symbolism!!"), but i loved that this book felt like a passion project. with such an innovative and deeply personal concept as well, this book just feels like someone's precious creation rather than a copy-paste romantasy manufactured for mass consumption. that alone makes me want to give it a higher rating. i want to praise books like this so bad because we need more of them, especially those created by and featuring marginalized people who so rarely get such fond representation. like, lgbt characters of color that are written true to form and not as either perfect model minorities or fridged immediately?? in 2024?? lol.


as for the flaws, the writing itself was eyebrow-raising in both diction and general put-togetherness, the dialogue stilted, and i felt that most of the characters and their relationships were not very fleshed out. the main pairing conceptually requires insta-love, i get it, but i didn't believe the love. the truth of it all. and the other relationships were somehow even less believable, with calvin and river getting the biggest red mark for this.  and my final "gripe" was that the lore-infodump ending would absolutely not have worked for a standalone. BUT! i swear i saw the author say there will be another book in a tiktok's comment section. i swear i did.

3 stars!!! tentatively!!!