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Hai kind of freaks me out. Also, when are things going to start happening?

Light's dad is the most underrated character of the series. It took me a bit to get my bearings - everything is so complex at this point - but that was one of the best mini-arcs in the series.

This is getting more subtle, although it could still be better. I'd criticize it more, but every time I want to get mad at this book, it hits another personal note and I remember that I can't ever be mad.

Things are slowly moving along. There were a few good moments, I'll admit it.

These flashbacks, man. Hai is certainly one of the more unusual narrators Atwater-Rhodes has written about.

Easily the worst thing about this book is the writing. There are too many run-on sentences, and stylistically, it feels more suited to third person than first. Which is a shame, because the story itself is fantastic. I normally don't like stories that take place over several years consisting of the narrator 'discovering themselves', but this one is surprisingly subtle.

It took me a minute to remember that 'faggot' used to mean firewood, and that it wouldn't have been a slur when Achebe was writing. It still jumped out at me.

This is the last of what's generally considered Atwater-Rhodes' golden era. I'm excited to see how this series (which I started around five years ago) ends.

Maybe I'm being soft on this book because it hits so many personal notes for me. But this is really, really good. I almost feel like describing how good it is would ruin it.

So, is it wrong of me to expect this book to have a linear plot with a main conflict, and such? That's a serious question - am I holding this book to too much of a western standard? Or is Achebe just a terrible writer?

I kind of guessed the twist, although admittedly, I only guessed it about ten pages before it was revealed. Still, I did see it coming.

I can't tell if this is boring because the writing is so bad, or because there isn't much of a story. Probably both.

Maybe I'm only saying this because the book hits emotional notes specific to me, but this is really evocative. I don't know how else to describe it.

That was pretty intense. So I guess this isn't too far from what Grant typically writes.

I think I'd like this a lot better if not for the dialogue, which is at times physically painful.

Do you guys think Okonkwo is angry? Or is it just a vibe that I'm getting? It's kind of a subtle thing, but I think that's what Achebe meant for us to get from this.

(Seriously, though, this book has no subtlety whatsoever.)

On one hand, the writing feels more suited to third-person than first, and it's a bit tell-y. On the other hand, this is already very evocative, and kind of adorable. (Well, adorable apart from the dead parents.)

Maybe if the book just focused on the mayoral election, it would be more interesting. But then, maybe not - even if it's the most engaging thing here, it's still not that interesting. Still, at least the book would have one central plot.

This is so vastly different than everything else Grant has written that I'm honestly not quite sure what to think of it. I'm not sure if it's good or not - I just have no idea where it's going.

This isn't as bad as it was in the beginning, I guess. I mean, it's still basically a bunch of barely-related plots, but at least they're approaching some kind of common climax.

I'm not sure what I think of this writing. I get that Grant is going for something a little more literary, but it's clear he's not accustomed to writing in this descriptive manner, and it's a little weird coming from the first person POV of a teenager.

Also, was it really necessary to say that compulsion is, "Very like insanity"? I mean, I get what he was going for, but... c'mon, Grant. You're better than that.

Why are their so many Australian jokes about Oz (who is literally an Australian character named Oz)? They're not funny, and they're completely tasteless.

That action sequence was slightly confusing, but for the most part, it was pretty good. I wish the plot had been more focused from the beginning, though - this wasn't the climax that I saw as natural.

I suppose I should've seen that twist coming, probably. But I didn't, so I can still credit the authors for its lack of predictability, even if it's not the most inventive twist ever.

There is no coherent plot here. And maybe this wouldn't seem preachy if I wasn't an avid reader of Cracked, but I can see a lot of Cracked's messages (pro-weed legalization, police brutality) seeping through, maybe where Gladstone doesn't intend.

None of the characters are very well-developed. I'm having trouble differentiating Cecily and Gwendolen.

I hate these flashbacks. The transition is always sudden and awkward - more than once, I've missed the point where the action goes from present to past tense. And it just feels like an incredibly calculated way to add emotion to the story - there's no other purpose.

Required reading for two different classes, library books, books borrowed from friends, and a review request mean that I've somehow ended up reading seven books at once. Wonderful. This is far from the best of them - Achebe writes with absolutely no subtly at all, telling rather than showing every single thing we know so far about Okonkwo's tribe.

Farces always lose me the first time I read/see them. This is no exception.

I'm not sure about this, so far. It's not particularly well-written - it kind of strikes me as a Cracked article in novel form.