The Devouring Gray
Ratings21
Average rating3.3
Not a perfect book, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It filled my need for a mildly creepy read this spooky season.
This was fine but I didn't care much about the plot, the characters (except for Isaac) and what was going on in their town. I also think that the conflict in this isn't profound for me to care. But I do appreciate the bi representation in this book since it's realistic and is done pretty well. I'm not sure if I'll continue on with this series though but I might pick up the second book in the future just for my boy Isaac.
2.5 stars
The first thing about this book that grabbed my attention was the cover. I mean look at it, it is stunning. After that I started hearing everyone talking about it which made me want to read it even more. I was able to get the audiobook on Scribd so I joined the Bookish Bash readalong for this book in June.
This is Christine's debut novel and I didn't even realize that until after I read it. For it being debut I thought it was a pretty good start for a series. I did have a couple issues with it though. Like I mentioned I was listening to the audiobook and at first I thought that was why I was having trouble but someone who was actually reading the book said she was struggling as well.
I immediately struggled to keep up with who was who. After a while I got used to it and it wasn't such a struggle but there for a while I couldn't keep up. Also the writing style was making it difficult as well. I couldn't keep up with the perspective changes. She literally jumped from multiple perspectives in the same chapter and it was abrupt. Also I could have used a little more explanation on the “monster” I don't feel like I understand it after finishing the book.
Other than that I enjoyed the plot and I can't wait to read the next book especially after that ending. Y'all know I am not a fan of cliffhangers but I loved how this one ended. I found myself chuckling while listening to it and saying you go girl.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
3.5 stars
This is a weird review for me. I did enjoy the book and wanted to know what was going on, yet at the same time if I had put the book down I wouldn't have been impatient to pick it back up. It has a lot of great stuff going for it, but it is missing the tiniest spark of oomph.
Let me start with the characters. My faves? Harper and Isaac. Harper is missing an arm, but is holding a major grudge against the Hawthornes (for good reason). She is so strong and brave and determined. Isaac is dark, loyal, and seems to be barely holding on. He has the most dangerous power of the four and doesn't have many people he can rely on anymore.
The thing is, while I have favorite characters, it difficult since I never felt like we were getting close to them. Violet, I thought, would get more page time, but she almost seems like an after thought, pushed to the background. I just wanted more of them– maybe dialogue of them hanging out more, discussing things, etc. I'm thinking now that things have happened, they will work together more and their characters will shine through.
The mysterious atmosphere and plot are on point. It's dark, the branches are always leaning towards people, there is blood, death, and rarely a happy moment. This is an interesting and entertaining story to read.
There are a few things I didn't understand though– for example the patrolling: why are they doing it? What are they thinking they will find out there? Why are some non-founder descendants on patrol and what happens if there aren't enough members around?
Also, how can you save people from the Gray? I don't truly get how Isaac knew to open a portal at the one time...
So, the side stuff I felt didn't make too much sense, which pulled me out of the story. Really the more I think about the story, the more questions I come up with.
The ending though.... that ending. The next book promises to be an interesting one, for sure. And yes, this does mean I'm planning on reading it. I want to know what will happen in this small town, I want to know if my ships will get together, and I want to get to know these characters more.
I would definitely recommend this to people who like Riverdale and want some fantasy thrown in. People looking for a darker YA fantasy with an ominous atmosphere, should enjoy this one.
I don't know, I think that Young Adult books and I are in kind of a rut right now. There's not anything inherently wrong with The Devouring Gray. It's dark, and brooding. In fact, the first few chapters actually had me firmly in their clutches with the build up of the founders and the dark secrets that they kept. It's really not difficult for me to fall for a story that has monsters in it, whether supernatural or of the people persuasion, so this should have been a book that I genuinely loved. Alas, it was not.
To be fair, the truth is that for the most part I did really enjoy this story. Herman can write, that's for darn sure. Reading this story was like getting lost in a lyrical version of some foggy, haunted woods. A tiny town, filled with secrets, and constantly covered in overcast weather is my kind of setting. Every sentence felt expertly placed and, impressively, even the large cast of characters felt like they fit in perfectly. I'm normally not a fan of large casts of characters, but this was right on the money. There's a great diversity here, down to a realistic bi-sexual representation. There's even some great notes on friendship, relationships, and that weird space in between, which I appreciated.
So what was lacking for me? I think this book moved more slowly than I would have liked. Violet did a lot of brooding, and a lot of learning, that probably could have been condensed down to far less pages. My other issue was that after a while Isaac felt like the only real character in the whole book. Everyone else was so caught up in trying to prove something, or trying to change someone, that they started to become caricatures of themselves. Events started to feel trite, and I essentially figured out the big reveal before it happened. It was a gradual thing, but I started to feel like this was turning into every other story out there like this that I had read. I didn't have enough investment in anyone (except maybe Isaac) and that hurt my love of this story.
Perhaps I just need a small break away from YA. Perhaps this story was too like ones that I had read before. What I do know is that The Devouring Gray is definitely going to be a story that the majority of you out there are actually going to enjoy, despite my qualms. So if you're looking for a dark and atmospheric story that has Stranger Things vibes? This should be your next read.