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A Violet, Violent Spring
Life can get quite hectic for a second year medical student who lives in central London, but Miana Mehra seems to be doing a pretty good job so far. All is well at 37 Evelyn Gardens until Mia meets her Eccentric, Asian, and definitely hiding something. Finding herself doing and saying things she normally never would, Miana is in for a strange kind of adventure.
Whether bad or good, remains to be seen.
Whether bad or good, remains to be seen.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 25, 2016
1 person is currently reading
596 people want to read
About the author
Devyani Saini
3 books25 followersDevyani lives in Singapore. Her favourite author is Terry Pratchett.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 22, 2018
Book: A Violet, Violent Spring
Author: Devyani Saini
Series: Standalone
Genre: Contemporary
My Rating: 1/5 Stars
*A Violet, Violent Spring was sent to me by the author in exchange for an honest review*
I don’t think I’ve ever given a book a one star rating, but here we are.
Mia meets her colourful and handsome next door neighbor on her way to her best friend’s wedding. It turns out his destination was the same. From there, Mia runs into him multiple more times, which prompts them to begin a relationship that could either work in their favour or fall apart completely.
I asked myself multiple times while reading this: “What is the point?” Nothing about it grabbed me. The story had no plot, no beginning, middle, and end. The characters were basic, boring, cringy, and problematic. I can go on.
So I have about three pages of notes and I believe the best way to organize them in this review is through a list of the good and the bad. Here we go…
The good:
-I like the different cultures in this story. And I like how the author clearly included things like “ohh british people apologize a lot.” I didn’t know that but it’s clear she wrote it from experience.
“British social customs were tedious indeed. Smiling and apologizing constantly! Even flower boy seemed roped in by them.”
Once in a blue moon warmth.
“London is a beauty in summer but bitter and spiteful in the winter.”
-The only times I actually enjoyed reading this book was during the prologue and epilogue. I don’t know what it was, but it gave off a different feel from the actual story. It was separate to me, and the writing intrigued me. Maybe it was because the epilogue was not in Mia’s perspective, but who knows.
–“First of all, it’s a sweater. Second of all, we are past having to categorize pieces of cloth according to gender. We are an evolved species, thank you very much."
The bad:
–SEXUAL ASSAULT WARNING PAGE 201. (That was the page in my digital copy of the book).
-No events have really grabbed my attention. It’s basic. It’s boring.
-Did not like the build-up to the romance. Like “oh of course he was her driver, of course he showed up to her apartment when she was half naked." It’s so set-up it hurts.
-Cringy wordings/descriptions. But I seem to expect it now from contemporaries.
-There is no flow.
-Mia labels and judges people. “I resisted the urge to say Thug and Emo Hick.” I feel like this is meant to be funny? But it’s not funny. It has quite the opposite effect on me actually.
-They have to travel to the same locations at the same time uncoincidentally. I get it if they run into each other but they live right next door from one another. Use that to prompt their relationship. This is too unrealistic and cringy. The first time was fine, but two times?
“Are you seriously going this way?” I laughed at us and at fate, though it seemed cheesy to say. It wasn’t like this was the first time something like this happened to us. He knew it as well as I did.”
-Also did I mention I feel nothing for these characters?
–Banter is supposed to be fun, especially between potential romantic couples, but the banter is just not working for me here.
-This is just a series of boring events and jokes that aren’t funny.
–“Smiled silently.” As opposed to what? Smiled loudly?
– ‘Nothing. Just that… most people wouldn’t comment on shoes.” YES THEY WOULD. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU WEAR BUNNY SLIPPERS. But apparently people comment on legs. IS THIS HOW SHE FLIRTS?
-Please stop fake gasping.
-Fine decline the bff but not the hot next door neighbor.
-What are the stakes?
-There are moments that have potential but are destroyed in the next sentence.
–“I imagined his vocal cords vibrating inside his larynx. The source of such a fantastic and breathless sound was literally just air rushing against two infolding’s of mucous membrane.” “… lightly pressing his thumbs against the part of my coxal bone which jutted out from beneath my skin.” I understand that Mia is studying to be some kind of nurse or doctor, but I have no words for these descriptions.
-Now let’s begin with the problematic parts:
“It’s not nothing and you’re going to tell me. It’s the least you can do after that night you took me out.”
“For the record it’s only assault if I stick my tongue down your throat.”
“Where are you going?”
To India to visit my family. During my next break.”
“You should tell me these things.”
“Why? It doesn’t concern you.”
“You are literally living with me. And you sucked my face. So yes, to an extent it does.”
“I’ll tell you everything. But not now.”
I wanted it to be not ever, but Luhan was right when he said these kinds of things were his concern, at least to an extent.
“You can’t say you didn’t like it.” [The sex from last night]
Then the sexual assault that I don’t want to quote.
-What is with this entitlement and controlling nature they have towards each other. Because we kissed, you have to tell me. And yes Mia you are acting entitled but he isn’t any better.
-I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve made a “what the hell am I reading” face.
-THIS BASICALLY SUMS UP THE BOOK: “We were just moments, at the end of it. Moments strung together by circumstance and unwound in the same way. The story thus woven is unwoven.” This book literally is just moments between them. NO PLOT.
Blog | Bookstagram
Author: Devyani Saini
Series: Standalone
Genre: Contemporary
My Rating: 1/5 Stars
*A Violet, Violent Spring was sent to me by the author in exchange for an honest review*
“What are you Miana Mehra?” I stared, searching for some witty reply before he continued, “You’re a dream. A wonderfully normal dream.”
I don’t think I’ve ever given a book a one star rating, but here we are.
Mia meets her colourful and handsome next door neighbor on her way to her best friend’s wedding. It turns out his destination was the same. From there, Mia runs into him multiple more times, which prompts them to begin a relationship that could either work in their favour or fall apart completely.
I asked myself multiple times while reading this: “What is the point?” Nothing about it grabbed me. The story had no plot, no beginning, middle, and end. The characters were basic, boring, cringy, and problematic. I can go on.
So I have about three pages of notes and I believe the best way to organize them in this review is through a list of the good and the bad. Here we go…
The good:
-I like the different cultures in this story. And I like how the author clearly included things like “ohh british people apologize a lot.” I didn’t know that but it’s clear she wrote it from experience.
“British social customs were tedious indeed. Smiling and apologizing constantly! Even flower boy seemed roped in by them.”
Once in a blue moon warmth.
“London is a beauty in summer but bitter and spiteful in the winter.”
-The only times I actually enjoyed reading this book was during the prologue and epilogue. I don’t know what it was, but it gave off a different feel from the actual story. It was separate to me, and the writing intrigued me. Maybe it was because the epilogue was not in Mia’s perspective, but who knows.
–“First of all, it’s a sweater. Second of all, we are past having to categorize pieces of cloth according to gender. We are an evolved species, thank you very much."
The bad:
–SEXUAL ASSAULT WARNING PAGE 201. (That was the page in my digital copy of the book).
-No events have really grabbed my attention. It’s basic. It’s boring.
-Did not like the build-up to the romance. Like “oh of course he was her driver, of course he showed up to her apartment when she was half naked." It’s so set-up it hurts.
-Cringy wordings/descriptions. But I seem to expect it now from contemporaries.
-There is no flow.
-Mia labels and judges people. “I resisted the urge to say Thug and Emo Hick.” I feel like this is meant to be funny? But it’s not funny. It has quite the opposite effect on me actually.
-They have to travel to the same locations at the same time uncoincidentally. I get it if they run into each other but they live right next door from one another. Use that to prompt their relationship. This is too unrealistic and cringy. The first time was fine, but two times?
“Are you seriously going this way?” I laughed at us and at fate, though it seemed cheesy to say. It wasn’t like this was the first time something like this happened to us. He knew it as well as I did.”
-Also did I mention I feel nothing for these characters?
–Banter is supposed to be fun, especially between potential romantic couples, but the banter is just not working for me here.
-This is just a series of boring events and jokes that aren’t funny.
–“Smiled silently.” As opposed to what? Smiled loudly?
– ‘Nothing. Just that… most people wouldn’t comment on shoes.” YES THEY WOULD. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU WEAR BUNNY SLIPPERS. But apparently people comment on legs. IS THIS HOW SHE FLIRTS?
-Please stop fake gasping.
-Fine decline the bff but not the hot next door neighbor.
-What are the stakes?
-There are moments that have potential but are destroyed in the next sentence.
–“I imagined his vocal cords vibrating inside his larynx. The source of such a fantastic and breathless sound was literally just air rushing against two infolding’s of mucous membrane.” “… lightly pressing his thumbs against the part of my coxal bone which jutted out from beneath my skin.” I understand that Mia is studying to be some kind of nurse or doctor, but I have no words for these descriptions.
-Now let’s begin with the problematic parts:
“It’s not nothing and you’re going to tell me. It’s the least you can do after that night you took me out.”
“For the record it’s only assault if I stick my tongue down your throat.”
“Where are you going?”
To India to visit my family. During my next break.”
“You should tell me these things.”
“Why? It doesn’t concern you.”
“You are literally living with me. And you sucked my face. So yes, to an extent it does.”
“I’ll tell you everything. But not now.”
I wanted it to be not ever, but Luhan was right when he said these kinds of things were his concern, at least to an extent.
“You can’t say you didn’t like it.” [The sex from last night]
Then the sexual assault that I don’t want to quote.
-What is with this entitlement and controlling nature they have towards each other. Because we kissed, you have to tell me. And yes Mia you are acting entitled but he isn’t any better.
-I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve made a “what the hell am I reading” face.
-THIS BASICALLY SUMS UP THE BOOK: “We were just moments, at the end of it. Moments strung together by circumstance and unwound in the same way. The story thus woven is unwoven.” This book literally is just moments between them. NO PLOT.
Blog | Bookstagram
November 25, 2016
Awesome book! Everyone should read it. I absolutely loved it!
December 2, 2017
Trigger warning for sexual assault.
I read the first 3 chapters of this book on Devyani Saini's page and I was instantly intrigued. There were a few parts I didn't enjoy so much, but of course there were the parts I loved.
I'm going to start with the protagonist, Miana/Mia. I didn't love her, I didn't hate her. If I'm quite honest, she was rather basic. I didn't feel she had much of a personality and couldn't really take to her.
Flowerboy, as we will call him as I enjoyed the mystery around his name so don't want to spoil that for you all, I liked. There was times I couldn't quite make out if I liked him or not, but I liked him a lot more than Mia. I definitely found myself preferring him at the start, not that I really found a huge problem with him at the end, but I think I just preferred his mystery at the beginning.
And while they're not a huge part of the story, I'm going to mention them anyway, and that is Amy and Josh, Mia's uni friends, as I absolutely loved these two! They are so minor but they were probably my favourite characters!
The plot is very much focused on Flowerboy and Mia's relationship as it grows with some other things added in, one event in particular which didn't feel it flowed into the story that well as it felt a bit misplaced and I can't remember anything being brought up earlier in the book about it.
The ending also felt a bit abrupt but part of me also wants to respect that this may of been Saini's choice to do this rather than it being hurried to be finished.
There was a lot of description which I thought might get annoying but I actually ended up really enjoying it. There were some points that it felt a bit over the top, but on a whole I enjoyed having them descriptions there and I didn't find them boring either, which is always good. I found they fitted in and flowed well. I also found it was fast paced, but not too fast, like everything is being rushed to get to a certain point. It felt just right, and enjoyable.
London is a very diverse area and it felt it in this book. I felt it was an accurate representation on London and while I've never lived in London myself, it definitely felt like Mia was living there and I think this is one of my favourite factors of this book.
On a whole, I did enjoy this book and did find myself intrigued and with it's fast pace, it was easy to get through.
I read the first 3 chapters of this book on Devyani Saini's page and I was instantly intrigued. There were a few parts I didn't enjoy so much, but of course there were the parts I loved.
I'm going to start with the protagonist, Miana/Mia. I didn't love her, I didn't hate her. If I'm quite honest, she was rather basic. I didn't feel she had much of a personality and couldn't really take to her.
Flowerboy, as we will call him as I enjoyed the mystery around his name so don't want to spoil that for you all, I liked. There was times I couldn't quite make out if I liked him or not, but I liked him a lot more than Mia. I definitely found myself preferring him at the start, not that I really found a huge problem with him at the end, but I think I just preferred his mystery at the beginning.
And while they're not a huge part of the story, I'm going to mention them anyway, and that is Amy and Josh, Mia's uni friends, as I absolutely loved these two! They are so minor but they were probably my favourite characters!
The plot is very much focused on Flowerboy and Mia's relationship as it grows with some other things added in, one event in particular which didn't feel it flowed into the story that well as it felt a bit misplaced and I can't remember anything being brought up earlier in the book about it.
The ending also felt a bit abrupt but part of me also wants to respect that this may of been Saini's choice to do this rather than it being hurried to be finished.
There was a lot of description which I thought might get annoying but I actually ended up really enjoying it. There were some points that it felt a bit over the top, but on a whole I enjoyed having them descriptions there and I didn't find them boring either, which is always good. I found they fitted in and flowed well. I also found it was fast paced, but not too fast, like everything is being rushed to get to a certain point. It felt just right, and enjoyable.
London is a very diverse area and it felt it in this book. I felt it was an accurate representation on London and while I've never lived in London myself, it definitely felt like Mia was living there and I think this is one of my favourite factors of this book.
On a whole, I did enjoy this book and did find myself intrigued and with it's fast pace, it was easy to get through.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews