ashwednesday

11/12/13: Buddy Re-read with YA-MA friends in preparation for World After's release.

"Sometimes, as we're stumbling along in the dark, we hit something good."

THINGS I DISCOVERED/RE-DISCOVERED FROM THIS RE-READ 

✽ There are people in my friends' list who haven't read this book. I was flummoxed by this. I really thought I was the last person in GR to read this... last year.

✽ Penryn is named after an exit of Interstate 80. And she has ONE humble bone in her body.

✽ Raffe is a douche-ass. The kind you can't help but fall in love with. 

>"A leader bereft of followers. An angel with severed wings. A warrior without a sword."

✽ Dee and Dum are GINGERS! They kinda remind me of Fred and George now. Let's hope neither gets Fred-ed.

✽ That wet t-shirt fight... I expect to see that silliness in the final cut of the film. With snarky commentary on the DVD.

✽ And this

He stands in the bathroom doorway, steam drifting languidly around him, wearing nothing but a towel draped loosely around his hips. Beads of water cling to him like diamonds in a dream. The combined effect of the soft light behind him from the bathroom and the steam curling around his muscles gives the impression of a mythological water god visiting our world. 

"You can have it all, you know," he says.

My friend Robin says this book has something for everyone. I couldn't have put the charm of Angelfall better into so succinct words. There's mild sappiness, there's snark, there's clever dialogue, there's kissing, there's scorpions, there's a crazy woman and a crazier last 25%.

Unfortunately for us, this is the World After.

One week never felt so long.

~~~~~~~~~~
I just saw in Susan Ee's blog that this book was picked up by Sam Raimi's production team. I love Sam Raimi, but honestly, this book felt like more in the realm of Quentin Tarantino: hyper-violence? Check. Quirky characters? Check. Sharp dialogue? Check. Open possibility for some gruesome flashbacks? Yes please.

Its pretty hard to be disappointed with Angelfall, the blurb somewhat downplays the plot. I don't know if that's intentional in order to blow your mind (if it was, slow clap for you Ms. Ee). I doubt reading it with certain expectations will change the experience, I think the writing really stands on its own. I had it pegged as a certain kind of book midway through but the climax gave me a whiplash (it still hurts for me to stare at the screen right now). 

It was awesome. 

By the end of the book, you may have laughed, smiled, been horrified or even cried, but you probably will still not understand what the hell is going on. But that doesn't take anything away from the story AT ALL (see? A Quentin Tarantino movie, I swear!). The second book will be out Fall next year and I'm not even sure I WANT TO KNOW what the hell is going on.There would be moments that open questions upon questions that NOBODY in the book will echo. Not one of the characters will ask it for you to reassure you that these questions are valid and will be answered. It almost leaves you to navigate on your own. And I don't resent it at all. If that's not testament to great writing, I don't know what is.

One thing's for certain though, I'm still slow clapping for Susan Ee when the next book comes out no matter how long that will take.