Cassandra Rose Clarke

Oh, you wanted a review on this? Too bad, I'm too busy feeling horribly depressed, lost, and sad.

Why depressed? Because holy hell, talk about two individuals who are star-crossed. Cat is one wayward(?), disoriented(?), and absent(?) character. There seems to be a disconnect between her inner world and the outer. Finn, at first, doesn't have the ability to connect. Cat tries to force this connection, or maybe it was forced on her. Which is where my lost feelings come from.

Why lost? Like I show more said, I can't figure out if Cat is complacent or at fault for this relationship with Finn. I kept thinking back to a line from The Time-traveler's Wife where Clare says to Henry "I never had a choice." She says this because she met Henry as a very young girl and had him in her life from then on. The same is true of Finn and Cat. It is so hard to write about Finn, I want to say not only was Cat growing up and learning adult emotions but also Finn. But is this true? The author inserts things here and there, like his eyes vibrating, when it seems he starts to feel or "question", but it's stated it is impossible for him until Cat's father overrides some programing and implements a "feelings" program. Which leads me to why I feel sad.

Why sad? Because Cat and Finn's relationship is so contrived, forced, and created. However, the emotions feel and read REAL. Is Finn the choice for Cat because she has grown to love him, he is all she has ever known, or she is comfortable around him because she has problems with her own emotions and human interaction because she grew up with a robot? I'm circling myself. Ugh, I just don't know. There is also a non-ending that adds to the sadness as you wonder what the culmination can be for these two. (If there is ever an epilogue or mini-sequel about Cat's death and Finn living through it, I will SAD-read the ever loving hell out of it)

I guess this was the point of the book, to make you question the human experience and can it be "created". So yeah, read if you feel like a dystopian, what does it mean to be human, how do we connect with each other, is this healthy, and want to feel sad when you're done reading and questioning everything. show less

The Pirate's Wish has a TON more teenage romantic angst than the first installment in the duology, but - miraculously - I still enjoyed it. In The Assassin's Curse, the only fully fleshed out characters are Ananna and Naji, but in this novel, the supporting cast is intrinsic to the storyline. I loved Marjani's character arc, and the interactions with the manticore are hilarious and fascinating.

The breaking of the final task is pretty silly, bordering on ridiculous, but I liked the ending. show more Although the Otherworld is never fully explored, the plot thread involving the mysterious Otherworld attackers comes to an exciting conclusion. Ananna and Naji also get a happy ending of sorts. It's bittersweet, but I feel that it's more realistic than many depictions of love in young adult fiction. As someone who values independence on a deeply personal level, I thought that the kind of relationship Ananna and Naji ultimately choose to have rang true. I kind of wanted there to be another confrontation with Leila so that Naji could finally stand up to her, but unfortunately she never reappears.

Overall, The Pirate's Wish is a satisfying wrap-up to a fun, romantic young adult fantasy series that I would recommend for its diversity, worldbuilding, and kickass heroine (even if she is super angsty in the second book). show less

I'm not sure what I think of this one. It's an interesting setting: an abandoned amusement park and failing heated dome in Antarctica, with vaguely steampunk androids and political tensions. I liked most of the POV characters. (Not Diego though, he's a terrible person and I was glad when he died. Eliana can do better.) Sofia's situation is compelling and well described; Marianella's situation is intriguing and I would have liked to understand it better. I think ultimately the tone of the show more whole story is much bleaker than I was expecting, and the ending is ultimately tragic in a sad quiet way. show less

A slow and melancholy romance set in a post-apocalyptic America a few decades from now. The destructive event that has reduced the world's population remains a background item and there is no action-packed hero-quest/fight against ultimate evil. Instead, what we are treated to is a rather myopic slice-of-life tale that, despite the lack of blistering action, reads quite compellingly. Talking about the central theme of the story would constitute a spoiler. Suffice it to say that this is a show more vivid character study that plays against a rather bleak, but well-rendered future. Probably not a re-read type of book for me but I do plan to try other titles from Clarke after this first experience. show less