"Vita Nostra" First Impressions *No Spoilers*

[SFFBC, Ancillary Mod]

Come talk about your initial, general impressions!

Please save all discussion of particulars, details from the story, character choices, plot questions, etc. for the full spoiler thread.

Content warnings for those who want them: (view spoiler)[ coercion of will, sexual coercion, mental torture, loss of a loved one, attempted suicide (hide spoiler)] (More about CWs here.)

[Pixelina]

oh this will be my time to finally listen to the audiobook i had for over a year.

[Alexandra]

I have read and loved Vita Nostra! I am not in the mood for a reread right now, but it will be fun to follow the discussion :)

[Banshee]

I just started yesterday and somehow I'm already 20% into the audiobook. It's dark and weird, but really atmospheric and the story completely pulled me in.

The atmosphere reminds me a bit of a Polish book about a child wizard I read as a kid, Kajtuś Czarodziej.

[CC]

Excited to start my first group read here! (I've tried once before and failed to finish the book... but having heard great and weird things about Vita Nostra, I have very high hopes this time!)

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

can't wait to see what you think CC!!

[Ann]

I'm about half way through and it's still weird! but in a good way.

[Ellen]

I agree with Ann. First impression was this is weird but in a good way.

[Веста]

Read this one 10 years ago and it was fantastic. And also reread it after few years. One of my favorites.

[cass ♡]

I've not yet started this one yet, but I just got it and will be listening to it on the way home from work. The atmosphere surrounding this description sounds dark and intriguing, and I'm genuinely curious to listen to it! I really hope it is as fantastic as it sounds!

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

so excited for this enthusiasm! we've worked so long to get this as a botm, can't wait to hear your thoughts :)

[Sarah]

Only about 10% in - no idea where it's going but somehow loving how it's all slowly weaving into a story, like hypnosis almost.

[Rebecca (Adventurer)]

Just finished part 2. I really don’t care for it. Not sure if it’s the translation or it’s obscure, obscene events. It feels similar to Harry Potter- instead of magic, it’s uh… you might figure it out. I’m still trying to understand. Will finish tomorrow.

Looking forward to hearing others impressions.

[Gabi]

I've read this some time ago and it totally blew my mind. Loved it a lot.

[Chris]

Strange, Intriging, and a little disturbing. I'm maybe about 20% in.
I'm having trouble separating my feeling toward this book and all of my feelings about Russian/Ukrainian conflict.
I'm trying to be objective but it is getting a little dificult to separate them sometimes.

[E.D.]

10% read so far. Getting more and more intrigued as it progresses. I hope that this level of interest can be maintained.

[Alan]

I have a borrowed copy but haven't really started it yet. Reading the other BOTM currently.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

we'll be here when you're ready!

[Ines, Resident Vampire]

I'm 20% in and liking the creepiness as well as the pacing. Also like the fact that those teenagers are not super dumb.

[Oleksandr]

Chris wrote: " I'm having trouble separating my feeling toward this book and all of my feelings about Russian/Ukrainian conflict.
"

It gets even more complex if you add the fact that the authors were living in Kyiv when this book was written (it was published in 2007, written roughly a year before). There are just two 'real' locations mentioned in the book - Crimea, where the story starts (we never find out the name of Sasha's hometown) and Moscow from where one of the minor characters came.

Even more, if you read carefully the plaque on the institute, it says:
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION. INSTITUTE OF SPECIAL TECHNOLOGIES

there is nothing about the ministry of which country.

[Chris]

I am almost finished. This one probably just isn't for me. I peeked in the Full Discussion thread and saw only positive comments, so I will probably post there to represent the other side.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

go for it!

[Melanie, the neutral party]

Via Discord discussion, I've decided I just don't like the dark academia sub-genre. I will probably agree with many of your counterpoints.

[Sarah]

I was actually surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did. Guess that shows how much the writing outweighs plot for me.

[Ed]

I enjoyed it a lot. Perhaps in part because I went to an academically challenging boarding school in my teens, so can relate.

[Olga]

About 25% in and having so many mixed feelings...

The creepy parts don't feel nice for me at all ((( more like on the verge of triggering, but I'm not even sure what.

Definitely not something I'd ever picked up on my own.

[Bobby]

Hopefully this is not a spoiler. I am about 70 something pages in and the main character is at a school. I just finished griping to my adult daughters about another fantasy book having a school and of course Harry Potter does. They say schools are common in sci-fy/fantasy but when I saw where Vita Nostra was going I was thinking "Oh no! Not another school!" :)

[cass ♡]

I'm 21% in and I feel like this book is so strange. But I'm so intrigued. I don't even know what to predict with this book, but I am enjoying it so far!

[Bonnie]

I am halfway through now. My initial impression though was ~weird in a good way~ too. And wondering when it took place.

I thought this was a recent book; didn't realize til reading this thread that it's the English translation that is 2018, and actual book came out in 2007. Thanks for the info.

[Beth]

Barely started, and it feels more like horror than fantasy, so far. A feeling of fear and isolation vs. finding your tribe and your power.

I like the style (or what I can perceive of it through the translation). Evocative without getting super purple: "Red maple leaves stuck to the wet asphalt like flat starfish."