SPOILERS
Of all the books I have read recently this is the most difficult one to write anything about.
I knew nothing about the book or author going into this. It was a random pick.
I have no hesitation to DNF a book, but I completed this one, but only barely. It was the protagonist; I cannot think of a worse character to put myself in their shoes. He is a complete absolute bore. I cannot live vicariously through him. I cannot empathize with him. His personality puts me at odds with him, I would not want to meet or know him in the real world.
But that said, Linus Baker is exactly the person that the children in the book needed in their lives. I don't think the author picked poorly for this reason. And over the course of the book he was able to grow into a normal and average human being rather than whatever husk he was at the start.
It felt rather unnecessary having magical creatures. I'm not sure what their purpose was — to make it less difficult to read about child trauma by divorcing it from reality? — Or to avoid touching on difficult topics that actually result in children facing discrimination? The magical aspects of the story really added nothing to it for me, it kind of just made the entire story feel irrelevant.
Despite everything, I somewhat enjoyed this book, and it does rest in my mind after finishing it, and not knowing fully why I actually finished it and have this book in my mind is part of what makes it worthwhile, and what makes writing about it worthwhile.
Super keen to hear the thoughts of others.
PS. I think following the conclusion of the story, the Mayoral election would come up, and Helen would lose to someone campaigning on getting rid of the island's inhabitants. As grim as that is. Maybe this feeling is a symptom of the modern political landscape.
by -Zoppo