@@dubbingsync but it's not really a prolog if it is released as a standalone book of 450 pages. The author can't use the "it's just a prolog" to justify his bad writing.
@@doryy9360 the book looks nice, but it seemed made of cheap materials, since the golden details were already falling apart just by putting it in a bag.
This is how gimmicky books almost always are. It often feels like the author fell in love with the gimmick and then realized too late that they don't really have a compelling story. 13 Reason Why is a perfect example of that, as well as the Kayhy's Book series which I absolutely adored in theory, yet despised the actual story and characters.
The way this book is marketed/packaged in the “there’s no information available outside of what we’re controlling and we’re going to rely heavily on the hype being built up by the readers who are able to flex their ownership of it on social media to make sales” seems so elitist for something that doesn’t seem to have a good balance of plot/character-driven story or good world building 😭 I’m lowkey so glad it isn’t a must read because I definitely would’ve felt like I was selling out just to read it haha. Thanks for this Cari!
@@sadnessofwildgoats It's not the part part it's the fact that these are so hard to get and also so elusive, and they're hyped up so much but nothing happens in the first one. Spoilers, nothing happens in any of them.
400+ pages and nothing actually happens, "but it's okay because it's just the prolog" is such strong fanfiction energy. Wild to see that in a published book, instead of like, wattpad.
This feels like one of those “wizardology” books you’d always get in the elementary school library. The story was not the cool part, yes it was a glorified pop-up book but it felt special
Mildly unrelated but I got wizardology and dragonology at a goodwill a few months ago. I always wanted them as a kid but they were so much more expensive than my book fair budget allowed lmaoo
Sounds like someone read Lemony Snicket as a kid and figured out the coolest marketing gimmick in the world without ever actually putting much effort into reverse engineering how Lemony Snicket approached tone, setting, action, or character development.
Am reading the unfortunate events series for the first time as a 25 year old rn and am enjoying it so much haha, not dependent on the marketing at all it's still so good
I guess the saying "dont judge a book by its cover" is applicable here? Its a gorgeous book, one of the prettiest I have seen from modern times, but its just hiding nothing of actual value. Such a shame!
I’m not even past the point in the video where you show the “pronouncery” but I just had to comment that those names are giving “we let an AI generate fantasy character names and the results will make you LOL”
This sounds like A Series of Unfortunate Events but instead of being inscrutable without being pretentious it is inscrutable and extremely pretentious.
Well, as an object this book is pretty incredible, including the whole buying and packaging experience. I studied book publishing in university, and this really reminds me of our projects for our Experimental Book Publishing class, you know, high concept, every detail thought out, but not necessarily great content/reading material 😂
Maybe it would've been better if it was a shorter story, even if it wasn't very deep or complex, but just something entertaining to go with the whole experience
the way you describe this book reminds me to the fanfics I used to read/write as a teen on this Naruto forum back in the early 2000s lol. secret worlds, kidnappings, a million characters, everyone's so witty all the time, it's a 12-parter... us forum kids would eat this up.
LOL this is such a perfect example. we were probably on the same forum boards at that same time too lol i used to rp Naruto on this massive forum board site and it was the same sort of thing - everything was just so convoluted all of the time lol
This sounds exactly like a really long dream where you feel like everything around you is really vague and random things just happen suddenly with no explanation….but fun to watch u uncover it in video format!!
The only time I accepted a character in a book directly communicating with the narrator was Maddie from Ever After High 😐 This book is just a BEAUTIFUL cake with no flavor on the inside. It’s just frosting.
I remember I've listened to They Both Died at the End which was a booktok book before it was a booktok book and it was so disappointing afterwards like around last year I've read Hard Boiled Wonderland and that book was epic and a masterpiece and the ending just reminded me of that book just imagine ripping off a really good book only to post the ending as your entire novel. This book judging by how far I am in this video gives me Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy vibe, A Doctor Who episode or just one of those in another world theme that Japanese light novels and manga frequently use. Edit: I also remember reading A Good Girl's guide to murder and I didn't finish it because I felt like reading a true crime novel rather than a fictional story. Second Edit: I also don't understand why a prologue is a whole novel generally a prologue is like one chapter building up the world and characters, this is already a book one. Third edit: This novel is better up as a comic especially if it's dialogue heavy but even comics have problems to solve than this
@@rike1775 oh the amount of “ romanticised low key abuse” I’ve seen in some of the more “spicy” centred booktoks is a bit disturbing. Just proves that’s not my sort of thing.
Yeah. In general I've noticed a ton of booktok tends to go nuts over generally "eh" books? People were raving over The Inheritance Games, but when I read it it was just... it wasn't bad but it wasn't really good in my opinion. I think the best book i've read thanks to booktok, and the only one that's really stuck with me so far as being AMAZING, is the Six of Crows duology, and by association the Shadow and Bone trilogy and the King of Scars duology.
The cover actually reminds me of children's book. They really go all out for the kids usually, I wish we got exciting-looking books like that more often!
I'm surprised that physical paperback classic novels éditions still cut out the original illustrations and they're usually reserved for the editions for kids I just want printing with the original illustrations
The review/endorsement things being "by" the characters, praising the author...I almost spat out my tea, I was laughing so hard, and not for the reasons I think the author wants people to 😅😅😅
Going into this video I legitimately thought this was gonna be some weird scam where booktokers were giving positive reviews to a book that actually did not exist and people were buying like empty books or AI written books because of it 😂
Sounds like the author was trying to drop ideas in the book so the readers will continue this book. Bruh, if I wanted to read a bunch of ideas with no story, I will read my Scrivener doc.
have you ever taken one of those ''what would the characters of *insert book/movie/anime* think of you'' quotev quizzes? and the quiz would start off like ''hi, i'm the author of this quiz and i'm here today with draco malfoy who wants to ask you some questions'' and they would pretend to talk to and interact with the characters throughout the quiz and have them ask you questions. it's usually really cringe and this book is giving me the exact same vibe. except it was written by an adult and not a 14 year old lol
This comment slapped me in the fucking face I had completely repressed my experience on quiz websites as a 12 year old and this brought it all back 💀💀💀
I am down bad for your long plot break down videos. Idea: do them for the Sarah J Maas books or other fantasy series with a lot of hype around them. I love your videos. You’re cool. You’re awesome. Can’t wait for that plot video.
The packaging is so cool, but I wonder if it’s a little overkill for the first edition of a book?? Unless this isn’t the first edition, idk. I just think that usually those fancy special emotions are reserved for books that do well so they make more beautiful versions of it.
the part where the characters reminds me of those poorly written fanfics back in the day on ffn or ao3 where the author has full conversations with the characters, or hyping up the author for the next chapter as an outro
@@kasairan8492 people taking that as a negative right out of the gate sound really stuck up. Her criticism over the narrative is great and then you look at the comments and everyone is hyperfixating on the one thing that actually sounds interesting.
THOSE PLOT VIDEOS ARE MY FAVORITE EVER. I can't even understand how I listened to 5+ hours of the plot when I'm not at all interested in Crescent City, but your ability to explain things is too good. I'm so excited, now I can't wait!
After buying it I noticed that the only people talking about it on social media were all just showing off the cool packaging and not actually talking about the contents of the book. Turns out that is a very bad sign :( Also those letters are such a huge scam? You basically pay for even more fancy advertising for the book itself
My best friend got me this book as a birthday present and I tried for a whole month to finish it before I DNFed it cause it was just mind-numbingly boring. Like almost 200 pages and nothing happens! There is no explanation and no intrigue to get me to keep reading the only silver lining is that the narrator is funny occasionally
Okay, I actually gave in and tried to buy this a year ago and it never got shipped to me. It got shipped to my town but then was sent right back to the UK because apparently there was a mistake on my address on the shipping label. And since it was coming from the UK shipping cost more than the actual book which was WAY too expensive (but that’s what happens when you’re depressed and scrolling through tiktok at 3AM) When I contacted customer service they basically were like “sorry no refunds. You should have triple checked your address.” So I got scammed.
It's so unfortunate this book wasn't executed so well...initially it sounded like it had so much potential! 😫 Oh well...also I feel you with the reading slump Cari, I have many books I've put on hold since last year haha and many on my TBR...one of these days I'll get to them tho! Wishing you all the best, until next time ;)
I'd ordered it about a year ago or so as soon as I saw it on booktok, but found out that it's been delivered to the wrong place. Tried to get it back with no such luck, reached out, explained the situation and got a refund. And I'm so glad it happened and didn't waste my money on this book
The intrigue and witty vagueness at the beginning and especially the fourth wall breaking by talking directly to the narrator/audience really reminded me of the Lemony Snicket books, particularly the “who could that be at this hour” series. I loved those as a kid but definitely not something I would be interested in now and doesn’t seem like it would appeal very much to a more mature audience :/ kinda seems like a very big swing and a miss. But can’t wait for another big deep dive video!! 💕
That was my exact thought when she read the first page! I was excited because I love that vibe, but it’s a shame there was nothing of substance to back it up.
@@carolineblueskies you might enjoy "Galapagos" by Kurt Vonnegut. It has that similar writing style where the narrator breaks the 4th wall, but it also has a compelling and engaging story. I really liked it.
I’ve had this book sitting on my shelf for ages, I saw it on tiktok last year and bought it cause it was so beautiful (I’m very easily influenced lol) but i never read it, don’t know if i ever will but it looks cool on the shelf 😭
The story concept and marketing decisions are honestly really interesting and fascinating. The fact that it's all dialogue and there's a literal booklet to help you pronounce things is really daunting to me tho. And I have trouble with fantasy books that leave their world buidling super vague and have messy plots or literally nothing happening. I might still give it a shot. BTW great review, would've never come across this if it weren't for your video.
lol I have a note book that's the same material as the cover of this book and when cari is describing it in the beginning I immediately was like "OH ITS THE KIND THAT GETS GREASY. GREAT..."
It was a pleasure to watch! In the beginning when you were unboxing the book and reading the first page I felt as a child when adults read for us to sleep or at school. So sweet and warm!! Loved your review.
From an artist's standpoint, I absolutely hate this book's design. The font on the front is overkill to the point of being cartoonish rather than giving off the sophistication they probably intended. The design on the pages is distracting and once again, over the top- it reminds me of those YA novels that came out in the late 2000s early 10s where one of the main characters is usually goth, edgy or "dead". I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but in an age where graphic design software is so prolific you'd think that they could provide something that gives off actual intrigue and not the juvenile equivalent.
I was surprised people were praising the design, it looks SO bad. The whole black page edges with the cartoonish gears? What? Is this a book for 12 year olds?
@@spaceapricot4855 a lot of here wish books like designed for children should be made for adults as well... 🥴 i know ppl will come at me "let ppl enjoy things" bla bla bla but i hate the infantilisation of society as a whole, and i dont need fucking cartoon edges, I am an adult, i just want good content..... but i suppose those people only (!) read ya as well....
The black designs around the pages instantly gave me flashbacks to those monster high and ever after high books that everybody was crazy about at the scholastic book fairs
YES for the plot break down video! I'm hoping it will be for a Sarah J Maas book. Your videos explaining the plot of the Crescent City books was so entertaining to watch.
We love an honest book review! 🌸 PS: Watching this while hanging my finished laundry. Love watching your vids while I’m doing household chores. In a way, your content make the chore a little less boring and tiring. Thanks Cari!
I can appreciate the “mystery” aspect of this whole gimmick, like how it can’t be found in regular book stores and how it’s wrapped up, you get a letter and the book is all black and so on and so forth, like… had I known about this book when I was 15, I would’ve been salivating all over this. But it’s a shame that the ‘presentation’ seems to be the coolest part. I’d read a truly well-written and interesting book with a dull cover any day of the week. But hey, perhaps the other 12(!) books make up for this? If the author pulls that off, this could be something truly epic. ☺️ I mean. I still think the overall gimmick is pretty neat. And we’ve seen authors improve their writing styles over the course of a series before. I dunno, I’m kind of rooting for them? 😅
A prologue shouldn’t be thick book, maybe a chapter or two in the beginning of the book. I can’t imagine this 12 part series finishing, despite author’s “desire” for it.
I am so happy to see someone actually review this book. I bought into the hype but got halfway (around where you did your first vlog) and didn't finish it... It was such a task to get through, there were more questions and uncertainties than resolutions or epiphanies, and honestly it bored me. I wonder if the story is actually gonna take of in the next instalments and if there are actually going to be enough people to purchase it, in order to maintain their marketing strategy.
It would be amazing if prize winners got a special edition like this the holiday season after the winner was announced. High concept publishing for books you already know a chunk of people like
That’s not how audiobooks work. Companies contract with professional actors or the book’s author. My cousin has been doing this for years and has a professional studio to record.
The whole thing feels so pretentious. At first it caught my attention because "ooh, pretty book", but when they kept saying none of it, not one of it, it got tiring. Like, we get, Trevor. And then the characters talk to the narrator? That's a risky move that didn't pay off.
This reminds me abit of Zatanna (she's a character from DC where the likes of superman and wonder woman exist) and she met her creator, the writers of DC and literally broke a panel (a canvas of the comic per se)
Maybe take every recommendation with a grain of salt. That's how I was able to appreciate The Cartographers. Yes it didn't live up to the premise but I did like the map making and the descriptions in the beginning.
I bought this book and it hasn’t shipped yet but now I’m rethinking my choices 😭😭 the packaging n advertisement for the book really doesn’t seem to match what it was actually about n that’s rly disappointing smh super glad I got to see u talk about it though!!
I found you through your plot breakdowns, and I’ve since subscribed to book channel and main. Best decision of my life, obviously. I’m so excited for whenever it comes out!!
Audrian, Isaak, Isadir and Lorin seem like the only names semi-decent. Lorin is an actual name and I think Isaak is as well. There are a lot of variations of names with Aud in them and Isadir... just seems like normal fantasy... I may have a slight hobby of researching names. The rest however look as if one took names that you would find in Welsh and Irish mythology (maybe others too.) and rearranged the spelling. Also I think I've seen all of these names on an actual fantasy name generator but I can't remember which one.
I bought this book 2 years ago because of a Bookstagram post my friend saw, and I actually haven’t unwrapped it since. It’s still in the black wrapping on my bookshelf! Honestly sounds like something I would read on a vacation to get a laugh and take my mind off life. I appreciate actually getting to see a review about it
why does the beginning of these reminded me so much of the ever after high books i read as a kid? lmao the margins! they had these purply pink margins on the pages that looked pretty much exactly like these ones and the characters can talk to the narrator too
This box has been sitting on my shelf since literally early 2021 lmao I haven't touched it in so long that I literally forgot I even bought it. I solely bought it bc I'm a sucker for marketing & packaging & I was bamboozled by a bunch of videos of ppl opening it on TikTok
How many people did it take or how big was the budget to have this Prologue quality control-checked for every possible typo or design misalignment? Wow.
Sounds like its just a giant cash grab from a narcissistic, conceited author that couldn't get their book into stores. I'd be pissed if I bought this only to discover that this vague half assed "prologue" could have been condensed into 5 or 6 pages. What's next a 550 page book for "chapter 1"?
Is it just me, or it would actually be really interesting if she read an novel, like Omniscient reader, Lord of the Mysteries, or any other novel that is somewhat well written? Im pretty curious about what would be her opinion about it and if she would have favorite characters and all 🤔
If we’re just publishing A Dream I Once Had now (which is what this “and then this happened and then that happened and then an explosion happened” structure seems to suggest) I’m definitely going to publish the one where I was Donny Osmond’s bodyguard and ended up getting shot by a vampire in the line of duty. Also, very excited at the prospect of a new plot breakdown! I found you through your Crescent City videos, and I’m very on board for any more you feel like slinging my way.
even tho i read both cc books, your narration of the plot and characters was 🤌🤩, def had me wanting to see how you would describe other series so i’m v excited for your next plot video!! ngl part of me is hoping it’s acotar bc the content you could make from that would be peak comedy!
I actually really enjoyed this book. I understand why so many don’t like it though. For me I read it as as a prologue and and introduction to what I think promises to be an exceptional world. I have preordered the 2nd book and hope that the story unfolds
books that are this heavily designed always put me off because it smacks to me of a lack of restraint which often means sloppy, cliche, and overblown storytelling
I saw the packaging for this on booktok and it looked beautiful. I think this book would've worked better as a fantasy version of the illuminae files, to balance between the plot and characters? Then again, that book series format is very difficult to do💀
Thank you for your Review, the book poped up on pinterest and i thought "oh it looks gorgeous, interesting Name and on the Website it was like oh wow that sounds fun from the way they präsenter it" but thanks to your Review i know it's not the books i would buy. About your Review, i liked how objektive it was and how you builded up your opinion on those arguments and also those parts where you showed a little bit where and how you read it where just giving a cozy feeling. Your Video where just so natural, no forcing happy voice or expressions etc.
The concept looks so cool! But not having a blurb or a description seems a bit sketchy, specially if the book it's expensive. Luckily you read it for us, and I know I won't be buying it lol
Looks interesting. I will point out hazel wood farm has the same matt faux velvet cover shows finger prints but it you wipe it down with a soft slightly damp but dry soft cloth (like the kind for glasses) the finger marks should come off and I would caution to do so as finger oil can leave lasting marks on that material
oh man i loved this book! it definitely could’ve been better with too many characters to keep track of but as a debut (i believe lol) i really enjoyed it, it’s such a shame you didn’t! :(
sorry about the focus in the beginning, my camera apparently doesn't like my mood lighting hahah noted for the future :')
The marketing shouldn’t be the best part of the book 🤗
hahaha exactly!
I mean, if you have a bad book and want to make money off of it, having good marketing is the only way to go.
THIS!
@@ruriva4931 when it comes to money, yes, but when it comes to quality, no
It's a shame that the book is SO gorgeous and the packaging is amazing just for the contents itself to be disappointing.
Probably a problem with being just a Prologue… at least that’s my guess with any story problems. Having not read it.
Nice decoration
@@dubbingsync but it's not really a prolog if it is released as a standalone book of 450 pages. The author can't use the "it's just a prolog" to justify his bad writing.
@@doryy9360 the book looks nice, but it seemed made of cheap materials, since the golden details were already falling apart just by putting it in a bag.
This is how gimmicky books almost always are. It often feels like the author fell in love with the gimmick and then realized too late that they don't really have a compelling story. 13 Reason Why is a perfect example of that, as well as the Kayhy's Book series which I absolutely adored in theory, yet despised the actual story and characters.
The way this book is marketed/packaged in the “there’s no information available outside of what we’re controlling and we’re going to rely heavily on the hype being built up by the readers who are able to flex their ownership of it on social media to make sales” seems so elitist for something that doesn’t seem to have a good balance of plot/character-driven story or good world building 😭 I’m lowkey so glad it isn’t a must read because I definitely would’ve felt like I was selling out just to read it haha. Thanks for this Cari!
and the fact that i've never seen it available in a library :''')
Almost like we were liars 😗😗
“Oooh nothing is known about this book” because it seems there’s nothing to find!!
it seems like those "exclusive" products made for rich kids, that is actually just overpriced common products with fancy envelope.
“The prologue to a 12 part series” 👁👄👁
:'''''')
Don't worry, I've read all of a 17 part series :')
@@sadnessofwildgoats It's not the part part it's the fact that these are so hard to get and also so elusive, and they're hyped up so much but nothing happens in the first one. Spoilers, nothing happens in any of them.
So like, do people have to go buy 12 other books to read the complete story
@@harmonium5495 Yes.
400+ pages and nothing actually happens, "but it's okay because it's just the prolog" is such strong fanfiction energy. Wild to see that in a published book, instead of like, wattpad.
This feels like one of those “wizardology” books you’d always get in the elementary school library. The story was not the cool part, yes it was a glorified pop-up book but it felt special
I loved those! Dragonology was my favorite
bro spyology had a great story
Mildly unrelated but I got wizardology and dragonology at a goodwill a few months ago. I always wanted them as a kid but they were so much more expensive than my book fair budget allowed lmaoo
I found some at barnes and noble the other day and had to resist the urge to buy them just for the memories
Sounds like someone read Lemony Snicket as a kid and figured out the coolest marketing gimmick in the world without ever actually putting much effort into reverse engineering how Lemony Snicket approached tone, setting, action, or character development.
I said something similar aloud when she read the intro. How disappointing
the whole time I was thinking this reminds me of lemony snicket
Am reading the unfortunate events series for the first time as a 25 year old rn and am enjoying it so much haha, not dependent on the marketing at all it's still so good
I guess the saying "dont judge a book by its cover" is applicable here? Its a gorgeous book, one of the prettiest I have seen from modern times, but its just hiding nothing of actual value. Such a shame!
I’m not even past the point in the video where you show the “pronouncery” but I just had to comment that those names are giving “we let an AI generate fantasy character names and the results will make you LOL”
lmao it does hahahha
And yet I find that some of those names aren’t that difficult to pronounce if you just take some time to work out all the sounds without a guide.
This sounds like A Series of Unfortunate Events but instead of being inscrutable without being pretentious it is inscrutable and extremely pretentious.
"A Collection of Fortunate Happenings" but theyre all miserable to read about
Well, as an object this book is pretty incredible, including the whole buying and packaging experience. I studied book publishing in university, and this really reminds me of our projects for our Experimental Book Publishing class, you know, high concept, every detail thought out, but not necessarily great content/reading material 😂
yeah i looooved the idea behind it all but i really wanted a plot too hahaha
Maybe it would've been better if it was a shorter story, even if it wasn't very deep or complex, but just something entertaining to go with the whole experience
the way you describe this book reminds me to the fanfics I used to read/write as a teen on this Naruto forum back in the early 2000s lol. secret worlds, kidnappings, a million characters, everyone's so witty all the time, it's a 12-parter... us forum kids would eat this up.
LOL
That's exactly how I felt, the early 2000s HP crack fica.
This was a painfully accurate statement about the early days of fan fiction lol 😆 😂
LOL this is such a perfect example. we were probably on the same forum boards at that same time too lol i used to rp Naruto on this massive forum board site and it was the same sort of thing - everything was just so convoluted all of the time lol
me but i would write crossovers and make every oc a mary sue
This sounds exactly like a really long dream where you feel like everything around you is really vague and random things just happen suddenly with no explanation….but fun to watch u uncover it in video format!!
omg yes exactly like that!!!
If My Immortal was a real, published book, this is what the design of it would be
But...the purple and red highlights on the cover are must with My Chemical romance song list in the back !!!
The only time I accepted a character in a book directly communicating with the narrator was Maddie from Ever After High 😐
This book is just a BEAUTIFUL cake with no flavor on the inside. It’s just frosting.
I just don't even trust Booktok 😭😭
It's the same books repeated by different people all over again and it makes Booktok in general redundant
:''''')
I feel that. Booktoks obsession with Coleen Hover and just problematic books in general worries me.
I remember I've listened to They Both Died at the End which was a booktok book before it was a booktok book and it was so disappointing afterwards like around last year I've read Hard Boiled Wonderland and that book was epic and a masterpiece and the ending just reminded me of that book just imagine ripping off a really good book only to post the ending as your entire novel. This book judging by how far I am in this video gives me Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy vibe, A Doctor Who episode or just one of those in another world theme that Japanese light novels and manga frequently use.
Edit: I also remember reading A Good Girl's guide to murder and I didn't finish it because I felt like reading a true crime novel rather than a fictional story.
Second Edit: I also don't understand why a prologue is a whole novel generally a prologue is like one chapter building up the world and characters, this is already a book one.
Third edit: This novel is better up as a comic especially if it's dialogue heavy but even comics have problems to solve than this
@@rike1775 oh the amount of “ romanticised low key abuse” I’ve seen in some of the more “spicy” centred booktoks is a bit disturbing. Just proves that’s not my sort of thing.
Yeah. In general I've noticed a ton of booktok tends to go nuts over generally "eh" books? People were raving over The Inheritance Games, but when I read it it was just... it wasn't bad but it wasn't really good in my opinion. I think the best book i've read thanks to booktok, and the only one that's really stuck with me so far as being AMAZING, is the Six of Crows duology, and by association the Shadow and Bone trilogy and the King of Scars duology.
When you said the reviews in the back where the characters praising the author my soul left my body 💀
The cover actually reminds me of children's book. They really go all out for the kids usually, I wish we got exciting-looking books like that more often!
the whole book is so pretty :') i miss when we had illustrations and designs in books!
Agreed! We need more pretty books!
I'm surprised that physical paperback classic novels éditions still cut out the original illustrations and they're usually reserved for the editions for kids I just want printing with the original illustrations
this is 100% written by a nepotism kid i swear. the marketing screams it
The review/endorsement things being "by" the characters, praising the author...I almost spat out my tea, I was laughing so hard, and not for the reasons I think the author wants people to 😅😅😅
Bahahha
It's giving lemony snicket if he were a flop
hahah yes!
this is the best comment I’ve read all day thank you
Going into this video I legitimately thought this was gonna be some weird scam where booktokers were giving positive reviews to a book that actually did not exist and people were buying like empty books or AI written books because of it 😂
As a book designer at a big kids publisher, I’ve never had that kind of spec budget IN MY LIIIIIFE.
And maybe never will. Ain't that some sh*t.
Sounds like the author was trying to drop ideas in the book so the readers will continue this book. Bruh, if I wanted to read a bunch of ideas with no story, I will read my Scrivener doc.
LMAO
have you ever taken one of those ''what would the characters of *insert book/movie/anime* think of you'' quotev quizzes? and the quiz would start off like ''hi, i'm the author of this quiz and i'm here today with draco malfoy who wants to ask you some questions'' and they would pretend to talk to and interact with the characters throughout the quiz and have them ask you questions. it's usually really cringe and this book is giving me the exact same vibe. except it was written by an adult and not a 14 year old lol
stop because I used to make those quizzes on quotev 😭 so happy i left that stage tbh
This comment slapped me in the fucking face I had completely repressed my experience on quiz websites as a 12 year old and this brought it all back 💀💀💀
I never took those quiz but I have seen so many wattpad authors do that when I was 12. It's always so uncomfortable to read T-T
I am down bad for your long plot break down videos. Idea: do them for the Sarah J Maas books or other fantasy series with a lot of hype around them. I love your videos. You’re cool. You’re awesome. Can’t wait for that plot video.
🙏🙏🙏
I feel like I've been cornered by the author of this book at every single party I attended in college
The packaging is so cool, but I wonder if it’s a little overkill for the first edition of a book?? Unless this isn’t the first edition, idk. I just think that usually those fancy special emotions are reserved for books that do well so they make more beautiful versions of it.
Overkill is all the extra merch they're selling on their website for outrageous prices even though all that's released so far is a prologue...
the part where the characters reminds me of those poorly written fanfics back in the day on ffn or ao3 where the author has full conversations with the characters, or hyping up the author for the next chapter as an outro
When you mentioned the people in the book were talking to the author… I’m sorry but I was like “this person has a god complex” 💀
bahah i think it was more to solidify the fact that this isn't a real book, its a document from another world, but i can see that!
It's giving "early 2000s crack fanfic" 😅
@@camila_f_ I was about to say that it honestly makes me think of bad fanfiction authors' notes from 2006!
Or it’s intended lemony snicket-ish style of writing with a present narrator?
@@kasairan8492 people taking that as a negative right out of the gate sound really stuck up. Her criticism over the narrative is great and then you look at the comments and everyone is hyperfixating on the one thing that actually sounds interesting.
THOSE PLOT VIDEOS ARE MY FAVORITE EVER. I can't even understand how I listened to 5+ hours of the plot when I'm not at all interested in Crescent City, but your ability to explain things is too good. I'm so excited, now I can't wait!
LMAO THANK YOU!
Me too! Watched all 5 hours!!!
ahahah yesssssss
For some reason this book reminds me of being on tumblr in 2012. Me in my superwholock era would have probably loved this lmao
The introduction was already a level that makes me feel like this book is meant for kids.
After buying it I noticed that the only people talking about it on social media were all just showing off the cool packaging and not actually talking about the contents of the book. Turns out that is a very bad sign :(
Also those letters are such a huge scam? You basically pay for even more fancy advertising for the book itself
My best friend got me this book as a birthday present and I tried for a whole month to finish it before I DNFed it cause it was just mind-numbingly boring. Like almost 200 pages and nothing happens! There is no explanation and no intrigue to get me to keep reading the only silver lining is that the narrator is funny occasionally
yeah i was 100% reading for the funny bits and thats it :')
Okay, I actually gave in and tried to buy this a year ago and it never got shipped to me. It got shipped to my town but then was sent right back to the UK because apparently there was a mistake on my address on the shipping label. And since it was coming from the UK shipping cost more than the actual book which was WAY too expensive (but that’s what happens when you’re depressed and scrolling through tiktok at 3AM) When I contacted customer service they basically were like “sorry no refunds. You should have triple checked your address.” So I got scammed.
It's so unfortunate this book wasn't executed so well...initially it sounded like it had so much potential! 😫 Oh well...also I feel you with the reading slump Cari, I have many books I've put on hold since last year haha and many on my TBR...one of these days I'll get to them tho! Wishing you all the best, until next time ;)
right?! and ugh i hope that your reading slump ends soon, its torture!!
Thank you! Same to you :')
I must say, the book and it's packaging is very beautiful
agreed!!
I'd ordered it about a year ago or so as soon as I saw it on booktok, but found out that it's been delivered to the wrong place. Tried to get it back with no such luck, reached out, explained the situation and got a refund. And I'm so glad it happened and didn't waste my money on this book
The intrigue and witty vagueness at the beginning and especially the fourth wall breaking by talking directly to the narrator/audience really reminded me of the Lemony Snicket books, particularly the “who could that be at this hour” series. I loved those as a kid but definitely not something I would be interested in now and doesn’t seem like it would appeal very much to a more mature audience :/ kinda seems like a very big swing and a miss. But can’t wait for another big deep dive video!! 💕
definitely a less great lemony snicket vibe!
That was my exact thought when she read the first page! I was excited because I love that vibe, but it’s a shame there was nothing of substance to back it up.
@@carolineblueskies you might enjoy "Galapagos" by Kurt Vonnegut. It has that similar writing style where the narrator breaks the 4th wall, but it also has a compelling and engaging story. I really liked it.
I’ve had this book sitting on my shelf for ages, I saw it on tiktok last year and bought it cause it was so beautiful (I’m very easily influenced lol) but i never read it, don’t know if i ever will but it looks cool on the shelf 😭
😭😭😭😭😭
The story concept and marketing decisions are honestly really interesting and fascinating. The fact that it's all dialogue and there's a literal booklet to help you pronounce things is really daunting to me tho. And I have trouble with fantasy books that leave their world buidling super vague and have messy plots or literally nothing happening. I might still give it a shot. BTW great review, would've never come across this if it weren't for your video.
lol I have a note book that's the same material as the cover of this book and when cari is describing it in the beginning I immediately was like "OH ITS THE KIND THAT GETS GREASY. GREAT..."
I also knew exactly the type she meant immediately: the almost soft, matte texture feels so cool, but isn't worth the dirty appearance.
It was a pleasure to watch! In the beginning when you were unboxing the book and reading the first page I felt as a child when adults read for us to sleep or at school. So sweet and warm!! Loved your review.
heheheh glad you enjoyed!!
It feels like a book that wants to have every single possible cake and eat them too
From an artist's standpoint, I absolutely hate this book's design. The font on the front is overkill to the point of being cartoonish rather than giving off the sophistication they probably intended. The design on the pages is distracting and once again, over the top- it reminds me of those YA novels that came out in the late 2000s early 10s where one of the main characters is usually goth, edgy or "dead". I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but in an age where graphic design software is so prolific you'd think that they could provide something that gives off actual intrigue and not the juvenile equivalent.
my immortal could have the same design
I was surprised people were praising the design, it looks SO bad. The whole black page edges with the cartoonish gears? What? Is this a book for 12 year olds?
so glad someone else feels this way, it looks absolutely ridiculous to me
@@spaceapricot4855 a lot of here wish books like designed for children should be made for adults as well... 🥴 i know ppl will come at me "let ppl enjoy things" bla bla bla but i hate the infantilisation of society as a whole, and i dont need fucking cartoon edges, I am an adult, i just want good content..... but i suppose those people only (!) read ya as well....
The black designs around the pages instantly gave me flashbacks to those monster high and ever after high books that everybody was crazy about at the scholastic book fairs
Its a pity that the book doesn't back up the different marketing. I'd never heard of it, become intrigued and let down, all in one video lol
YES for the plot break down video! I'm hoping it will be for a Sarah J Maas book. Your videos explaining the plot of the Crescent City books was so entertaining to watch.
^_^
This sounds like the most pretentious book ever published.
We love an honest book review! 🌸 PS: Watching this while hanging my finished laundry. Love watching your vids while I’m doing household chores. In a way, your content make the chore a little less boring and tiring. Thanks Cari!
wahhh thank you so much, happy to help^^
This is the kind of book that I'd 100% buy at the store just because I feel in love with the cover.
I can appreciate the “mystery” aspect of this whole gimmick, like how it can’t be found in regular book stores and how it’s wrapped up, you get a letter and the book is all black and so on and so forth, like… had I known about this book when I was 15, I would’ve been salivating all over this. But it’s a shame that the ‘presentation’ seems to be the coolest part. I’d read a truly well-written and interesting book with a dull cover any day of the week.
But hey, perhaps the other 12(!) books make up for this? If the author pulls that off, this could be something truly epic. ☺️ I mean. I still think the overall gimmick is pretty neat. And we’ve seen authors improve their writing styles over the course of a series before. I dunno, I’m kind of rooting for them? 😅
This whole video I was like 'yes, yes, this is why I always skip prologues!'🤣 And I love your plot breakdown videos🥰
LOL!!!
A prologue shouldn’t be thick book, maybe a chapter or two in the beginning of the book.
I can’t imagine this 12 part series finishing, despite author’s “desire” for it.
I am so happy to see someone actually review this book. I bought into the hype but got halfway (around where you did your first vlog) and didn't finish it... It was such a task to get through, there were more questions and uncertainties than resolutions or epiphanies, and honestly it bored me. I wonder if the story is actually gonna take of in the next instalments and if there are actually going to be enough people to purchase it, in order to maintain their marketing strategy.
It would be amazing if prize winners got a special edition like this the holiday season after the winner was announced. High concept publishing for books you already know a chunk of people like
This book is the epitome of *Not all that glitters is gold*
I’m so ready for the ACOTAR plot video 😂
planning on starting to film this weekend!
I loved how you read the first page. Please record all audiobooks from now on
seconded
😂😂😂
That’s not how audiobooks work. Companies contract with professional actors or the book’s author. My cousin has been doing this for years and has a professional studio to record.
@@tananario pretty sure they're just joking and trying to compliment my reading voice lol
The whole thing feels so pretentious. At first it caught my attention because "ooh, pretty book", but when they kept saying none of it, not one of it, it got tiring.
Like, we get, Trevor. And then the characters talk to the narrator? That's a risky move that didn't pay off.
This reminds me abit of Zatanna (she's a character from DC where the likes of superman and wonder woman exist) and she met her creator, the writers of DC and literally broke a panel (a canvas of the comic per se)
omg thats sounds amazing tho!
That sounds delightful. I've always ignored the Zatanna spin off. Thanks for the lead back to Batman lore.
Maybe take every recommendation with a grain of salt. That's how I was able to appreciate The Cartographers. Yes it didn't live up to the premise but I did like the map making and the descriptions in the beginning.
yeah i loved the beginning! the ending tho...
I bought this book and it hasn’t shipped yet but now I’m rethinking my choices 😭😭 the packaging n advertisement for the book really doesn’t seem to match what it was actually about n that’s rly disappointing smh super glad I got to see u talk about it though!!
it was a fun read for at least half!! and maybe it will be a hit for you^^
And it will still look gorgeous on the shelf so win win
@@Morfeusm omg yes thts true lmaooo
HERE FOR ANOTHER SUPER LONG PLOT BREAKDOWN VIDEO!!!!!!!! so excited!!!
just hung the first set of photos today :''')
I found you through your plot breakdowns, and I’ve since subscribed to book channel and main. Best decision of my life, obviously. I’m so excited for whenever it comes out!!
thank you so much :''')
Audrian, Isaak, Isadir and Lorin seem like the only names semi-decent. Lorin is an actual name and I think Isaak is as well. There are a lot of variations of names with Aud in them and Isadir... just seems like normal fantasy... I may have a slight hobby of researching names.
The rest however look as if one took names that you would find in Welsh and Irish mythology (maybe others too.) and rearranged the spelling. Also I think I've seen all of these names on an actual fantasy name generator but I can't remember which one.
I want to buy that book purely just for the cover. It is gorgeous 🤩
i know!!
I bought this book 2 years ago because of a Bookstagram post my friend saw, and I actually haven’t unwrapped it since. It’s still in the black wrapping on my bookshelf! Honestly sounds like something I would read on a vacation to get a laugh and take my mind off life. I appreciate actually getting to see a review about it
I love a person who breaks in their book.
why does the beginning of these reminded me so much of the ever after high books i read as a kid? lmao the margins! they had these purply pink margins on the pages that looked pretty much exactly like these ones and the characters can talk to the narrator too
Love your book reviews! I am currently in a reading slump myself, but I’ve decided to start reading Piranesi by Susanna Clarke!
thank you! and good luck :') i read the hacienda (a gothic thriller) to wiggle me out of the slump but i hope piranesi does it for you!!
Oohhhh I need to know what the plot summary book is! Can’t wait! ☺️
hehehe enjoy!
This box has been sitting on my shelf since literally early 2021 lmao I haven't touched it in so long that I literally forgot I even bought it. I solely bought it bc I'm a sucker for marketing & packaging & I was bamboozled by a bunch of videos of ppl opening it on TikTok
How many people did it take or how big was the budget to have this Prologue quality control-checked for every possible typo or design misalignment? Wow.
hahaha right?!
Sounds like its just a giant cash grab from a narcissistic, conceited author that couldn't get their book into stores. I'd be pissed if I bought this only to discover that this vague half assed "prologue" could have been condensed into 5 or 6 pages. What's next a 550 page book for "chapter 1"?
I’ve had this book for over a year and it’s just been sitting on my shelf
:'''')
Why do I come running as soon as I get the notification? 🤣🤣
bahahah thank you!!!
Is it just me, or it would actually be really interesting if she read an novel, like Omniscient reader, Lord of the Mysteries, or any other novel that is somewhat well written? Im pretty curious about what would be her opinion about it and if she would have favorite characters and all 🤔
omg yes to orv!!
Ooo, it would definitely be fun if we got to see her reaction to orv
I've never heard of this book before, but it sounds really interesting! I might have to read it
hope you like it!
If we’re just publishing A Dream I Once Had now (which is what this “and then this happened and then that happened and then an explosion happened” structure seems to suggest) I’m definitely going to publish the one where I was Donny Osmond’s bodyguard and ended up getting shot by a vampire in the line of duty.
Also, very excited at the prospect of a new plot breakdown! I found you through your Crescent City videos, and I’m very on board for any more you feel like slinging my way.
My sister bought me this and while the packaging and book are amazing, beautiful, gorgeous. I can never seem to pick it up.
That book looks so stunning 😍 I wish you had liked it more! The concept seems so cool
i wish i liked it more too!
I loved the reaction about the kids when they got found :D
even tho i read both cc books, your narration of the plot and characters was 🤌🤩, def had me wanting to see how you would describe other series so i’m v excited for your next plot video!! ngl part of me is hoping it’s acotar bc the content you could make from that would be peak comedy!
I feel validated somehow :)) I never actually pronounce place names while reading (cities,worlds,etc.) :))
It’s got soft touch varnish!! 3:45
I actually really enjoyed this book. I understand why so many don’t like it though. For me I read it as as a prologue and and introduction to what I think promises to be an exceptional world. I have preordered the 2nd book and hope that the story unfolds
I really loved your setup, yellow light background. It's very very relaxing. I hope u make more videos in this setting
books that are this heavily designed always put me off because it smacks to me of a lack of restraint which often means sloppy, cliche, and overblown storytelling
OKAY but you've got another breakdown video coming omfg the hype is real
yesssss!
Hi Cari! I love your videos! I hope you have a good day, can’t wait for your next video!🧸😊
thank you^^ hope you have a great day too!!
I saw the packaging for this on booktok and it looked beautiful. I think this book would've worked better as a fantasy version of the illuminae files, to balance between the plot and characters? Then again, that book series format is very difficult to do💀
The fact that the blurbs were written by the characters of the books… it’s not giving what it’s supposed to give.
Thank you for your Review, the book poped up on pinterest and i thought "oh it looks gorgeous, interesting Name and on the Website it was like oh wow that sounds fun from the way they präsenter it" but thanks to your Review i know it's not the books i would buy. About your Review, i liked how objektive it was and how you builded up your opinion on those arguments and also those parts where you showed a little bit where and how you read it where just giving a cozy feeling. Your Video where just so natural, no forcing happy voice or expressions etc.
I need you to record an audiobook! No, really, that first page you read😧 perfect acting
The concept looks so cool! But not having a blurb or a description seems a bit sketchy, specially if the book it's expensive. Luckily you read it for us, and I know I won't be buying it lol
yeah as someone who hardly every buys books, this was such a leap of faith and :(
New book video! Let’s go!
!!!!!!!!
first, I think? can't wait for another cari video!
thank you so much :'''')
Looks interesting. I will point out hazel wood farm has the same matt faux velvet cover shows finger prints but it you wipe it down with a soft slightly damp but dry soft cloth (like the kind for glasses) the finger marks should come off and I would caution to do so as finger oil can leave lasting marks on that material
oh man i loved this book! it definitely could’ve been better with too many characters to keep track of but as a debut (i believe lol) i really enjoyed it, it’s such a shame you didn’t! :(