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A review by marshalls_library
Maeve Fly by CJ Leede
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
SPOILER FREE
Maeve Fly is one of those books from a new author that pops up several times a year that seems unavoidable. You've seen this cover a million times probably, and you reach a certain point where you wonder if you can even attempt to read it without the hype irreparably affecting you.
For those who know my tastes and have a sense of what I tend to read, I can tell you that the totality of what I read impacted my feelings about Maeve Fly to a larger degree than just about any other book of recent memory.
I think if you read mostly mainstream horror (and there's nothing wrong with that), this book will seem WILD to you, and all of the blurbs seem totally justified and spot on.
If you're a casual, or avid reader of extreme horror (and go into Maeve Fly looking through extreme horror tinted glasses), the hype surrounding this book as starring a violent and unhinged female lead is going to have you walking away disappointed.
I tried to internalize all of that while reading this book. My final thoughts? It's fine. It's not a bad book, but it's not great either. There's a lot of build-up that arguably meanders around while building up to the guts of the book, and I was left thinking "ok, when's this going to start getting to the point?" That was 200 pages into a 271 page book.
I will say that I'm intrigued by where this author will go in the future. I think there are hints of some great things, but if book number two (whenever that happens) leaves me feeling the same way, I might just call it quits. If violence and dread is what you want, there are plenty of places to get it.
Maeve Fly just kind of flirts with the darkness but never really commits to it. For some folks, that's plenty. For me, it wasn't enough.
Maeve Fly is one of those books from a new author that pops up several times a year that seems unavoidable. You've seen this cover a million times probably, and you reach a certain point where you wonder if you can even attempt to read it without the hype irreparably affecting you.
For those who know my tastes and have a sense of what I tend to read, I can tell you that the totality of what I read impacted my feelings about Maeve Fly to a larger degree than just about any other book of recent memory.
I think if you read mostly mainstream horror (and there's nothing wrong with that), this book will seem WILD to you, and all of the blurbs seem totally justified and spot on.
If you're a casual, or avid reader of extreme horror (and go into Maeve Fly looking through extreme horror tinted glasses), the hype surrounding this book as starring a violent and unhinged female lead is going to have you walking away disappointed.
I tried to internalize all of that while reading this book. My final thoughts? It's fine. It's not a bad book, but it's not great either. There's a lot of build-up that arguably meanders around while building up to the guts of the book, and I was left thinking "ok, when's this going to start getting to the point?" That was 200 pages into a 271 page book.
I will say that I'm intrigued by where this author will go in the future. I think there are hints of some great things, but if book number two (whenever that happens) leaves me feeling the same way, I might just call it quits. If violence and dread is what you want, there are plenty of places to get it.
Maeve Fly just kind of flirts with the darkness but never really commits to it. For some folks, that's plenty. For me, it wasn't enough.