Gena/ Finn is a book I was looking forward to due to the premise- two women and their shared love of fandom- but I came away with mixed feelings on this one. It's fast paced and told through blog posts, texts and email and examines mental health themes as well as what it means to be an adult in today's world. Their lives are pretty different other than their shared interest in a certain show. Gena writes fan fic and Finn runs a blog and this reminded me of Fangirl a bit due to the two male characters who are the focus of the fandom. Gena and Finn become best friends very quickly and this causes problems in Finn's relationship with her boyfriend.
I liked this book a lot for about the first half or so, I found it funny and true to life. The problem I had was the second half- the story changes dramatically and turns a bit darker and I lost the connection to the characters. I was into both and the sudden switching of gears just changed the tone- it was abrupt and I just wasn't feeling what I think the authors are going for. That may be just me though, I just didn't like the direction it took towards the end.
Again this book is funny at times and the chat/ messaging elements felt authentic, it's a great exploration of what makes fandoms so real. For me personally the later part of the story didn't work but I still think this is a good read.
Yup that is how I felt. I LOVED the first halfish. I liked the quick way it read due to the format. The second half got more depressing and while it was ok I kind of wanted more of the lighter stuff. Great review!
ReplyDeleteI did too. And after I read my reviews I read the ones at Goodreads and it looks like a lot of people felt similar. So yeah I think they took a gamble with the second half of the story and it works for some people and not for others? For me not so much. :)
DeleteThat's a shame, it sucks when a book starts off strong and then goes in a direction you're not feeling. I'm still kind of interested in this, if only for the fact that it's a quick read and unique format! I'm in no big rush now though :) Awesome review^^
ReplyDeleteYeah I was disappointed with how it went- the tone changes so much. It was a different story after that. I still think it's a worthwhile read though for the fandom elements, and I really liked their friendship/ relationship in the first half.
DeleteToo bad the second half took a turn.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I was surprised and disappointed. It does have good qualities though- not a bad read, just different.
DeleteThanois fgor tne revirw. I hadn't see this book around and the summary was intriguing, but eh... I like my books to be good all the way through.
ReplyDeleteBahaha. You don't need to thank me for the entertaining typos. XD
DeleteI hate it when books switch in the middle like that. I just wrote a review the other day about a book that did that, and it was such a hard review to write because I felt like I had read two different books.
ReplyDeleteYeah this one took me by surprise, I thought the event that precipitated the switch was pretty unrealistic so the focus of the whole book changed. The theme they were exploring in the first half was never resolved because events precluded it, which sure can happen but it was too abrupt, I don't know. didn't work for me. :)
DeleteOoh, I hadn't heard of this one before! I mean, I mostly read YA, but I do like fandom-y stuff. Sadness that it kind of lost its goodness halfway through though. And switching tones is my least favourite thing in a book. I doooon't like surprises like that. *wails* I'm not sure I'd rush out after this one, tbh.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by @ Paper Fury!
The fandom elements were great, especially in the first half, they were so into their fandom and it was bright and authentic- and then the whole mood changed. Very disappointing as I wanted that first story to continue!
DeleteThat's always startling -- when a book switches gears in the middle, so to speak. Some authors pull it off, but if it's as much of a tonal switch as you describe, it can really lose me. I think I'll pass on this one. Good review!
ReplyDeleteThank you, I was certainly disappointed with the shift here. I really liked the first half too, it's too bad really.
DeleteI haven't heard of this book but I have heard good things about Hannah's writing. Interesting that the first part was better than the first, is this down to the dual authors I wonder? I love the blogging, texting, emailing theme so it's one I'd like to read.
ReplyDeleteI liked those elements too, and I'm not sure if the dual writers played a role or if that's just the way they wanted to go. there was an event that changed the tone though and I thought that event somewhat contrived...
DeleteSame, same! I loooooved the beginning. I felt like it was so authentic, like these really could be two fans who connected over a shared interest. I mean, I was in LOVE. But then... just like you said, things got weird. Just messy. Even the whole... "thing" in the second half didn't fit, but I could have gotten over that I think. The end is what really threw me. It seemed to basically make so much of the story seem... unnecessary, I guess? And like no one actually had any growth. I don't know, it was super disappointing, because I loved the first half so much. Fabulous review!!
ReplyDeleteSame here. I wanted to see the choice that Finn would make- I'm getting dangerously spoilery here- but that's what I was reading for, where would these two go? And I felt like that was taken away a bit, by a contrived event. So yeah that didn't work for me. :)
DeleteI'm with you - I don't think the second half worked that well. I did kind of like Gena's reaction to everything and how it was portrayed, but overall I just thought it felt too much like they wanted to add some unnecessary drama with the whole set explosion thing, like there was literally no other reason for it?? It's a bit like that one token episode in Grey's Anatomy where everything goes to hell and a plan crashes/shooter runs around in the hospital etc. - soooo unnecessary. And then the note it ended on was kind of weird too. I guess they were going for all kinds of love are good and you don't need to label it?? But I would have honestly prefered it if the book had just ended with Gena and Finn going their separate ways or something as opposed to that weird relationship they all had by the end, with Gena almost being their daughter or something. IDEK, but this was not a happy book, but the drama didn't ring true for me either.
ReplyDeleteYes that felt so contrived to me, like oh there was an explosion?? And it changed everything so much it was like a different story. Like I replied to Shannon above, I wanted resolution to the FIRST story lol- who did they pick? Fin was so conflicted- I wanted to see her make a choice without an explosion changing everything.
DeleteAwe I'm sad to hear that the last half didn't work. That is odd that it had such an abrupt change. Sorry this one didn't end as well as it began for you.
ReplyDeleteSeems to be what most people are saying about this book. I always find it jarring when a book makes a 180 degree turn midway through. Maybe if it would be better if I knew it was coming.
ReplyDeleteNicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction