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All That She Can See
The Top Three Sunday Times bestselling novel from Carrie Hope Fletcher, the author of On the Other Side. A story of love, food and a little bit of magic, All That She Can See is an enchanting and beautiful novel that's guaranteed to be the most magical story you'll read all year.
Feelings are part of life - feelings are life. If you take away what people feel, you take away anything meaningful. Wanting to diminish the evil in this world is a good cause, one I have fought for the majority of my life, but not like this . . .
Cherry has a hidden talent. She can see things other people can't and she decided a long time ago to use this skill to help others. As far as the rest of the town is concerned she's simply the kind-hearted young woman who runs the local bakery, but in private she uses her gift to add something special to her cakes so that after just one mouthful the townspeople start to feel better about their lives. They don't know why they're drawn to Cherry's bakery - they just know that they're safe there and that's how Cherry likes it. She can help them in secret and no one will ever need to know the truth behind her gift.
And then Chase turns up and threatens to undo all the good Cherry has done. Because it turns out she's not the only one who can see what she sees . . .
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 13, 2017
211 people are currently reading
5496 people want to read
About the author
Carrie Hope Fletcher
19 books5,709 followersCarrie Hope Fletcher is an English actress, author and singer-songwriter.
She played Eponine in the West End production of Les Miserables at the Queen's Theatre until February 13th 2016. She is the first actress to have played both young Eponine and older Eponine. In 2019, she returned to Les Miserables as Fantine.
Fletcher played Truly Scrumptious in the UK touring production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Wednesday Addams in the UK touring production of The Addams Family. She then starred as Veronica Sawyer in the UK production of Heathers: The Musical.
Her debut book, All I Know Now: Wonderings and Reflections on Growing Up Gracefully was published in May 2015. Her first fiction novel, On the Other Side was published in July 2016.
Fletcher is well known for her YouTube channel where she shares videos about her life and her work as an actress and author.
She played Eponine in the West End production of Les Miserables at the Queen's Theatre until February 13th 2016. She is the first actress to have played both young Eponine and older Eponine. In 2019, she returned to Les Miserables as Fantine.
Fletcher played Truly Scrumptious in the UK touring production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Wednesday Addams in the UK touring production of The Addams Family. She then starred as Veronica Sawyer in the UK production of Heathers: The Musical.
Her debut book, All I Know Now: Wonderings and Reflections on Growing Up Gracefully was published in May 2015. Her first fiction novel, On the Other Side was published in July 2016.
Fletcher is well known for her YouTube channel where she shares videos about her life and her work as an actress and author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 824 reviews
November 6, 2017
All That She Can See is the weirdest train wreck of a book, and it's so hard to explain without summarising the plot as briefly as possible. I'll let my abridged version speak for itself:
Act 1 (Bad version of Pushing Daisies):
The book starts out as a cheesy, Disney-esque, cutesy book with a weird concept: A girl who basically has the power to see people's bad feels opens a bakery, infusing her food with good feels so that all the townspeople are happy. When she's mostly satisfied with a town, she moves on to the next town, and starts the process again. There's also a whole bunch of filler about her Dad being dead and some other irrelevant stuff like her getting on social media and taking her first selfie. The book continues with her moving to her next town/project: Plymouth. Here she starts a bakery, has some boring interactions with some boring people, and a slightly more interesting interaction with an asshole named Chase, who has the ability to see people's good feels. They have a rivalry for like 3 seconds and Chase seems like he's gonna be the villain but then nope, they decide saving the world together (with some kissing on the side) sounds like a better idea instead. End of Act 1.
Act 2 (Bad version of X-Men):
Act 2 starts with this weird chick codenamed 'Happy' (yes, seriously) turning up and announcing to Cherry and Chase that they have broken some unspoken rules laid down by the 'Guild of Feelers' (yes, SERIOUSLY) and if they don't stop making anti-emo cakes they're gonna go to jail. She gives them pills to restore the townspeople to normal. Chase comes up with the brilliant idea of going to his Mum and Aunt (who, by the way, are two crazy money-hungry psychics who have been cheating the Plymouth locals out of their cash for years) and convincing them that the pills actually make people believe any lies they are told. The plan works! And so the psychics decide to have an event for the whole town, handing out free tea with the crushed pills in them. Chase also gives his psychic relatives champagne spiked with a dash of honesty, causing them to reveal their lying ways to the town. This results in Chase getting taken off to jail by the Guild of Feelers! Oh no!!! Cherry then runs off to find her childhood friend Peter who she briefly saw during the psychic event thingo, who conveniently was captured by the Guild years ago but escaped! He gives her a bit of info on the place and Cherry gets herself captured so she can get Chase out. A whole bunch of crap happens and it's all a bit ridiculous and complicated but they eventually escape and the book ends with letters from both Peter and his last minute love interest, and Cherry and Chase, who are now living life on the run from the Guild.
...And, that's it. There's a bunch of other weird plot things that happen, but this book really should have stuck with one of these ideas, and preferably the first one (which, whilst cheesy, at least made more sense). If you think my summary was confusing, try reading the actual book and making sense of it all, because I promise you, it will give you an even larger headache.
Other thoughts I had whilst reading this undoubtable train wreck:
-Did anybody edit this book at all? It is so incredibly clunky, the concept is weird and confusing, the rules don't make sense, and often, the grammar is atrocious - see: "She wouldn't ever see Peter again" (p28).
-The book reads like a children's picture book, minus the pictures
-Feelings having flavours such as cat hair or phlegm is fairly disgusting, honestly
-The magical realism is just as ridiculous in All That She Can See as it was in On The Other Side... see p38, in which our protagonist, Cherry, uses a variety of methods to collect 'ingredients' for her cakes:
-The fact that Cherry doesn't own a mobile or laptop, thinks they're only for celebs and jumps at the startup noise... this girl is actually from another planet. (see around p68-70)
-Plot points are cheesy, clunky and leave me saying, "well OF COURSE" very sarcastically after reading each chapter...
-It says a lot about a book when even the actual author is inconsistent with the writing of her characters... for eg, Cherry claims later on she has a love for reading (p113) and yet at the start of the book she claims she got into baking because she had zero hobbies, only reading 'the books she was told to read at school, nothing more.' There are other inconsistencies, most notably with Chase, who essentially becomes a whole other character just because he catches the feelzies for Cherry...
-This whole plot about the Guild of Feelers literally comes out of nowhere about halfway into the book and everything goes nuts
-All That She Can See is the definition of 'Well, that escalated quickly...'
-Cheesy af quotes like this:
There's so many more cheesy quotes just like those, but if I have to think about this book for even one more second, I'm going to lose my mind. The easiest 1 star I've ever given.
Act 1 (Bad version of Pushing Daisies):
The book starts out as a cheesy, Disney-esque, cutesy book with a weird concept: A girl who basically has the power to see people's bad feels opens a bakery, infusing her food with good feels so that all the townspeople are happy. When she's mostly satisfied with a town, she moves on to the next town, and starts the process again. There's also a whole bunch of filler about her Dad being dead and some other irrelevant stuff like her getting on social media and taking her first selfie. The book continues with her moving to her next town/project: Plymouth. Here she starts a bakery, has some boring interactions with some boring people, and a slightly more interesting interaction with an asshole named Chase, who has the ability to see people's good feels. They have a rivalry for like 3 seconds and Chase seems like he's gonna be the villain but then nope, they decide saving the world together (with some kissing on the side) sounds like a better idea instead. End of Act 1.
Act 2 (Bad version of X-Men):
Act 2 starts with this weird chick codenamed 'Happy' (yes, seriously) turning up and announcing to Cherry and Chase that they have broken some unspoken rules laid down by the 'Guild of Feelers' (yes, SERIOUSLY) and if they don't stop making anti-emo cakes they're gonna go to jail. She gives them pills to restore the townspeople to normal. Chase comes up with the brilliant idea of going to his Mum and Aunt (who, by the way, are two crazy money-hungry psychics who have been cheating the Plymouth locals out of their cash for years) and convincing them that the pills actually make people believe any lies they are told. The plan works! And so the psychics decide to have an event for the whole town, handing out free tea with the crushed pills in them. Chase also gives his psychic relatives champagne spiked with a dash of honesty, causing them to reveal their lying ways to the town. This results in Chase getting taken off to jail by the Guild of Feelers! Oh no!!! Cherry then runs off to find her childhood friend Peter who she briefly saw during the psychic event thingo, who conveniently was captured by the Guild years ago but escaped! He gives her a bit of info on the place and Cherry gets herself captured so she can get Chase out. A whole bunch of crap happens and it's all a bit ridiculous and complicated but they eventually escape and the book ends with letters from both Peter and his last minute love interest, and Cherry and Chase, who are now living life on the run from the Guild.
...And, that's it. There's a bunch of other weird plot things that happen, but this book really should have stuck with one of these ideas, and preferably the first one (which, whilst cheesy, at least made more sense). If you think my summary was confusing, try reading the actual book and making sense of it all, because I promise you, it will give you an even larger headache.
Other thoughts I had whilst reading this undoubtable train wreck:
-Did anybody edit this book at all? It is so incredibly clunky, the concept is weird and confusing, the rules don't make sense, and often, the grammar is atrocious - see: "She wouldn't ever see Peter again" (p28).
-The book reads like a children's picture book, minus the pictures
-Feelings having flavours such as cat hair or phlegm is fairly disgusting, honestly
-The magical realism is just as ridiculous in All That She Can See as it was in On The Other Side... see p38, in which our protagonist, Cherry, uses a variety of methods to collect 'ingredients' for her cakes:
She watched one feel-good movie after another and cried Happy Tears into a jar. She slept with fresh fruit in her bed to infuse them with a Good Night's Sleep. Cherry even spent hours cuddling a chocolate bar so it absorbed her Tender Loving Care.Honestly, this is just ridiculous, and raises questions as to how on earth you would get 'ingredients' for other sorts of feelings...
-The fact that Cherry doesn't own a mobile or laptop, thinks they're only for celebs and jumps at the startup noise... this girl is actually from another planet. (see around p68-70)
-Plot points are cheesy, clunky and leave me saying, "well OF COURSE" very sarcastically after reading each chapter...
-It says a lot about a book when even the actual author is inconsistent with the writing of her characters... for eg, Cherry claims later on she has a love for reading (p113) and yet at the start of the book she claims she got into baking because she had zero hobbies, only reading 'the books she was told to read at school, nothing more.' There are other inconsistencies, most notably with Chase, who essentially becomes a whole other character just because he catches the feelzies for Cherry...
-This whole plot about the Guild of Feelers literally comes out of nowhere about halfway into the book and everything goes nuts
-All That She Can See is the definition of 'Well, that escalated quickly...'
-Cheesy af quotes like this:
Cherry hadn't laid out a single baked good. How could she when her baking was so personal? Each item had to be hand-selected for its recipient otherwise she'd be handing out Chocolate Charms to already charming Charlies and doling out Don't Doubt Yourself Danishes to undoubtedly independent Danielles!Or, this:
George's face was kind. Beautiful but kind and Cherry hoped he felt that brotherly vibe towards her as much as she felt that sibling-like attachment to him.AND THIS ONE:
'Plenty of people who were once anxious manage to get themselves out of the house and talking to people.'
'True, but they're rare as unicorns and out of all of them, Margie met you. You're her unicorn and now she wants to be a unicorn too.'
There's so many more cheesy quotes just like those, but if I have to think about this book for even one more second, I'm going to lose my mind. The easiest 1 star I've ever given.
July 14, 2017
First of all I want to apologise for my English, i havent used them for a review in a while. Secondly, i want to remind everyone that this is my opinion. It isnt open for a discussion nor is it wrong or right- it's simply my opinion. If you want to talk about the book, do it respectfully!
I love reading books. Literature is my anti depressant, my anti anxiety medication. When i can home from a long day at work all i want to do is a) scream and b) read. So, i expect a lot from my books.
It's not that i am hoping for a masterpiece every time I open a new book but I hope that i will be able to get something out of it- something i'll be able to burry in my mnd and hopefully something nice grows later on.
I have known Carrie since her start in Les Mis and I have followed her career because I really like her as a persona, an actor and a singer. When she announced she is writing a book i was very sceptical. I am affraid my fears became true.
I dont think i like her very much as a writer, she is not my cup of tea.
There is one big flaw in this particular book- it irks me personally a lot. She has chosen an easy way of laying out this story. She is telling us instead of showing us. Now, this is where the true artisty is hidden, in the writer's ability to create a scene etc that will be able to convey to us the emotions of the characters without the writer telling us what they are. She needs to work on that, literature is an art form and it needs to be perfected through hard work. Not writing for a living, but living to write. Her writing is pretty basic, it lacks the flourish (does that even make sense?) i love in a book. She writes her books, like she writes her blog posts. Which is fine but i think she needs to take it a step further. READ READ READ, reading a lot makes someone a better writer. Stephen King says that.
In the start i was not captivated, the pace was fast, the storytelling full of info but none explanation. As it progressed the rythm settled down, the reading became more comfortablee. There are two parts in this book: the lighter one which is the first and a darker one later on. I thought the story was interesting but not excetuted correctly, it lacked depth, i believe. I felt like certain things where put there just so they are present in the book. Like Cherry's two dads for instance.
Her fans will love this book, like any other book of her that will get published in the future. So i have no fear that she will her mart, whatever that will be, in the literary world.
This is my messy review!
I love reading books. Literature is my anti depressant, my anti anxiety medication. When i can home from a long day at work all i want to do is a) scream and b) read. So, i expect a lot from my books.
It's not that i am hoping for a masterpiece every time I open a new book but I hope that i will be able to get something out of it- something i'll be able to burry in my mnd and hopefully something nice grows later on.
I have known Carrie since her start in Les Mis and I have followed her career because I really like her as a persona, an actor and a singer. When she announced she is writing a book i was very sceptical. I am affraid my fears became true.
I dont think i like her very much as a writer, she is not my cup of tea.
There is one big flaw in this particular book- it irks me personally a lot. She has chosen an easy way of laying out this story. She is telling us instead of showing us. Now, this is where the true artisty is hidden, in the writer's ability to create a scene etc that will be able to convey to us the emotions of the characters without the writer telling us what they are. She needs to work on that, literature is an art form and it needs to be perfected through hard work. Not writing for a living, but living to write. Her writing is pretty basic, it lacks the flourish (does that even make sense?) i love in a book. She writes her books, like she writes her blog posts. Which is fine but i think she needs to take it a step further. READ READ READ, reading a lot makes someone a better writer. Stephen King says that.
In the start i was not captivated, the pace was fast, the storytelling full of info but none explanation. As it progressed the rythm settled down, the reading became more comfortablee. There are two parts in this book: the lighter one which is the first and a darker one later on. I thought the story was interesting but not excetuted correctly, it lacked depth, i believe. I felt like certain things where put there just so they are present in the book. Like Cherry's two dads for instance.
Her fans will love this book, like any other book of her that will get published in the future. So i have no fear that she will her mart, whatever that will be, in the literary world.
This is my messy review!
September 7, 2019
2.5
La primera mitad del libro la disfruté muchísimo. La narrativa, los personajes, la construcción del mundo. Todo pintaba a que sería realismo mágico/fantasía. Hacia la segunda mitad donde todo se vuelve más ciencia ficción/distopía fue donde me empezó a perder.
Los personajes me encantan, en especial Cherry, es fácil enamorarse de ella como todos los pueblos que va visitando con su panadería lo hacen.
Carrie escribe precioso y no puedo esperar a leer otro de sus libros!
La primera mitad del libro la disfruté muchísimo. La narrativa, los personajes, la construcción del mundo. Todo pintaba a que sería realismo mágico/fantasía. Hacia la segunda mitad donde todo se vuelve más ciencia ficción/distopía fue donde me empezó a perder.
Los personajes me encantan, en especial Cherry, es fácil enamorarse de ella como todos los pueblos que va visitando con su panadería lo hacen.
Carrie escribe precioso y no puedo esperar a leer otro de sus libros!
August 2, 2017
No, no, no! Ugh... This is so hard. I can't even find the words to express my frustration and dissapointment. First things first, I loved Carrie's debut novel and consider it one of my favorites and one of the best I read last year. Therefore, I had anticipated the release of this book and as soon as it became available I purchased it.
I enjoyed the first half of the book, but the other half turned batshit crazy in no time. Enemies became lovers in the blink of an eye (which I think is unrealistic) and the details about a secret organization just turned this book into something I can't even name: Romance? Sci-fi? YA? Apocalyptic? Horror? Suspense? Potter, is that you?
I felt that the premise of the book was lost by the second half and I felt that I wasn't even reading the same book that I started about a lovely girl who baked and could see other people's feelings. By the time I was reading the last few chapters I cringed almost covering my eyes. Still, I wanted to know the end, but was hugely dissapointed at how rushed and full of nonsense this book became, making me wonder how it was even published or if it was aimed at a younger audience.
But not all is lost and I hope other works of this autor keep getting better with time.
I enjoyed the first half of the book, but the other half turned batshit crazy in no time. Enemies became lovers in the blink of an eye (which I think is unrealistic) and the details about a secret organization just turned this book into something I can't even name: Romance? Sci-fi? YA? Apocalyptic? Horror? Suspense? Potter, is that you?
I felt that the premise of the book was lost by the second half and I felt that I wasn't even reading the same book that I started about a lovely girl who baked and could see other people's feelings. By the time I was reading the last few chapters I cringed almost covering my eyes. Still, I wanted to know the end, but was hugely dissapointed at how rushed and full of nonsense this book became, making me wonder how it was even published or if it was aimed at a younger audience.
But not all is lost and I hope other works of this autor keep getting better with time.
October 18, 2017
Carrie is a star. She is fantastically talented and I love the way her mind works.
I read On the Other Side last year, and whilst in that case I LOVED THE CONCEPT, the simplicity of the writing, the 'tropeyness' of the characters and the convenience of the magic did bug me a little. I did manage to resolve that the book was a kind of fairytale and so that compensated the negativity a little.
However, in All That She Can See, again I LOVED THE CONCEPT, it was more ambitious but it wasn't supported in the narrative (especially in the second half).
Overall I could really feel Carrie's loves and passions in this book. It felt like a mix between Chocolat, Inside Out, The Night Circus (though not nearly as ambitious or complex), The Princess and the Frog, The Help, Digimon and Howl's Moving Castle (the Ghibli film) - Loneliness reminded me of Calcifer - for some reason - and the evil sisters reminded me of the Aunts in Kubo and the Two Strings - which was quaint, whimsical and lovely - and then suddenly the tone bizarrely changes into a kind of strange mix of The Host and the Maze Runner.
(Spoilers below)
I felt the love story happened a bit too quickly for me to process, but then I'm all for a slow burn... lol. Also, I have a problem with the characters again - they become a bit black and white. Very stock character, not much light and shade. The bad were bad and the good were good- no one fell in between.
I couldn't see any legitimate reason for the militarisation and brutality of the second half, I didn't quite believe why it got quite so violent.
Finally, I'm not sure if Carrie intends on writing a sequel but I found the topic of Cherry- a black woman being raised by two gay white men pretty interesting- if not problematic. I know she was raised in a family full of love, but she didn't seem to have any interest in finding out about her heritage- which seemed strange, especially when she found out that her powers had been passed down by her mother. It didn't seem to have affected her in any way, shape or form, which seems a little unbelievable.
If you like Carrie, then go ahead and read this book. I do enjoy feeling Carrie's personality on the page, and I know she is insanely busy bringing the house down with that absolutely spellbinding voice of hers, but I wish she would make the books a little longer, probe a little deeper, take a little longer to get places, give me a little bit more character, build the relationships a bit more.
But for a quick holiday read there's some lovely ideas, it just needs a little more finesse in the execution! <3
I read On the Other Side last year, and whilst in that case I LOVED THE CONCEPT, the simplicity of the writing, the 'tropeyness' of the characters and the convenience of the magic did bug me a little. I did manage to resolve that the book was a kind of fairytale and so that compensated the negativity a little.
However, in All That She Can See, again I LOVED THE CONCEPT, it was more ambitious but it wasn't supported in the narrative (especially in the second half).
Overall I could really feel Carrie's loves and passions in this book. It felt like a mix between Chocolat, Inside Out, The Night Circus (though not nearly as ambitious or complex), The Princess and the Frog, The Help, Digimon and Howl's Moving Castle (the Ghibli film) - Loneliness reminded me of Calcifer - for some reason - and the evil sisters reminded me of the Aunts in Kubo and the Two Strings - which was quaint, whimsical and lovely - and then suddenly the tone bizarrely changes into a kind of strange mix of The Host and the Maze Runner.
(Spoilers below)
I felt the love story happened a bit too quickly for me to process, but then I'm all for a slow burn... lol. Also, I have a problem with the characters again - they become a bit black and white. Very stock character, not much light and shade. The bad were bad and the good were good- no one fell in between.
I couldn't see any legitimate reason for the militarisation and brutality of the second half, I didn't quite believe why it got quite so violent.
Finally, I'm not sure if Carrie intends on writing a sequel but I found the topic of Cherry- a black woman being raised by two gay white men pretty interesting- if not problematic. I know she was raised in a family full of love, but she didn't seem to have any interest in finding out about her heritage- which seemed strange, especially when she found out that her powers had been passed down by her mother. It didn't seem to have affected her in any way, shape or form, which seems a little unbelievable.
If you like Carrie, then go ahead and read this book. I do enjoy feeling Carrie's personality on the page, and I know she is insanely busy bringing the house down with that absolutely spellbinding voice of hers, but I wish she would make the books a little longer, probe a little deeper, take a little longer to get places, give me a little bit more character, build the relationships a bit more.
But for a quick holiday read there's some lovely ideas, it just needs a little more finesse in the execution! <3
May 31, 2019
I hoped that this would be a cute, feel-good book, maybe not a 5-star read but still enjoyable. Unfortunately, it wasn't.
We follow Cherry who can see people's bad feelings, their loneliness, anxiety, or grief. To counteract those negative feelings she bakes things infused with good feelings and sells them in her bakery. This way she travels from place to place to help out people. The premise sounded really imaginative and cute to me, like Inside Out meets Pushing Daisies. Unfortunately I found the execution more than lacking.
At first, there were a few minor annoyances like the way Cherry named all her creations as alliterations (Confidence Cookies etc.) or how painfully naive she is. But some people may find this charming, so this wasn't something that made me really dislike the book. There was also a lot of telling and not much showing. Characters are introduced and the narrative straight up tells you "this is such and such and he has this problem because X happened to him as a child". That means I didn't feel any kind of emotional connection to any of them. In a book about feelings, this could count as a bit of a graver mistake, but it was still an okay read.
And then it went truly downhill for me. We are introduced to the love interest who can see good feelings but is very bitter. His interactions with Cherry mainly consist of insults on his part and her punching him in the face. But about 10 pages later they're in love. How? I don't know. They have hardly talked or had any kind of friendly interaction, but fate?? I guess?
There are also two separate "adventure/action" plots, one involving the town and one about a secrety agency who monitors people with those abilities. Both plots were extremely rushed and didn't make any sense to me. The antagonists are mustache-twirling charicatures who are evil because they are evil. But most of the other characters turned into flat charicatures as well. Actions were not properly explained and character "development" happened within the blink of an eye. For the last 50 pages, I had to put the book down every other page because I grew so frustrated.
So, overall this was a major disappointment.
We follow Cherry who can see people's bad feelings, their loneliness, anxiety, or grief. To counteract those negative feelings she bakes things infused with good feelings and sells them in her bakery. This way she travels from place to place to help out people. The premise sounded really imaginative and cute to me, like Inside Out meets Pushing Daisies. Unfortunately I found the execution more than lacking.
At first, there were a few minor annoyances like the way Cherry named all her creations as alliterations (Confidence Cookies etc.) or how painfully naive she is. But some people may find this charming, so this wasn't something that made me really dislike the book. There was also a lot of telling and not much showing. Characters are introduced and the narrative straight up tells you "this is such and such and he has this problem because X happened to him as a child". That means I didn't feel any kind of emotional connection to any of them. In a book about feelings, this could count as a bit of a graver mistake, but it was still an okay read.
And then it went truly downhill for me. We are introduced to the love interest who can see good feelings but is very bitter. His interactions with Cherry mainly consist of insults on his part and her punching him in the face. But about 10 pages later they're in love. How? I don't know. They have hardly talked or had any kind of friendly interaction, but fate?? I guess?
There are also two separate "adventure/action" plots, one involving the town and one about a secrety agency who monitors people with those abilities. Both plots were extremely rushed and didn't make any sense to me. The antagonists are mustache-twirling charicatures who are evil because they are evil. But most of the other characters turned into flat charicatures as well. Actions were not properly explained and character "development" happened within the blink of an eye. For the last 50 pages, I had to put the book down every other page because I grew so frustrated.
So, overall this was a major disappointment.
July 18, 2017
I'm... not sure how I feel about this book. Before I go into why, I do want to say that I love Carrie and I know how much effort went into this book and how deeply she cares about writing. I think she's a great writer; 'On the Other Side', her previous novel, had me in floods of tears for most of the second half.
But as for 'all that she can see'? It wasn't what I expected, and I don't know if that made me like or dislike the story more. I adore the premise: the Meddlums being semi-physical, almost spectre-like manifestations of your worst feelings that only a few people can see. I loved the idea of Cherry, our protagonist, using her own feelings to bake treat(ments) for her friends and loved ones. And what I expected from this novel was a slow burn, and charmingly quaint, love story set against a magical backdrop. And yes, maybe that would have made it too similar to 'On the Other Side', but it was what I was expecting to read.
What I got, however, felt more like a dystopian YA novel, somewhat akin to The Hunger Games or Divergent. And this is not necessarily a bad thing, I just personally feel that the whole "let's take down the evil cooperation with monsters oh I guess we're fugitives now" plot in the second half didn't mesh very well with the bakery turf wars in a seaside town thing the first half had going on.
Aside from the plot making me unsure of whether I was actually enjoying the book or not, I found the characters agreeable. Cherry is a decent protagonist, and while I cannot say I adore her, I did enjoy her narrative and her quirks. I also liked Margie, Peter, and Sally, but I confess I found most of the other secondary and background characters forgettable (I cannot remember all of Cherry's friends' names fifteen minutes after reading the book oops).
As for Chase, dare I say it, I found him a tad bland. There didn't seem to be much to his personality after his snap-character-arc from bastard to boyfriend material. But maybe that's just me.
I did however, grow to really like Lonliness. For the embodiment of such a horrid feeling, I could not help myself but be in awe of it, and Cherry's realisation that she had an impact on it like it did on her was beautiful. As was the fist bump. Bros.
Adding a quick side note to the characters, Cherry and Chase fell in love at the drop of a hat, and I found that annoying (especially as I was expecting a slow burn and then 'whoop! They're kissing now'). In 'On the Other Side' Evie and Vincent's romance built quickly but it felt suitable for the pace of their story. Cherry and Chase went from being rivals to lovers very quickly, and I would have liked to have seen their romance drawn out a little more; maybe mutual pining building up to a passionate kiss just as they made their daring escape?
And my final little niggle with 'all that she can see' would be the inconsistent narration. I remember 'On the Other Side' having this same feature too, but it didn't feel quite so prominent as that story was very much shared with Evie's nearest and dearest. 'All that she can see' is very much Cherry's story and yet we are still given half a chapter, or a paragraph, or even a line or two of narrative from another character's perspective. The most standout offences were Chase's backstory, Peter's backstory, and one scene (which I can't quite put my finger on) where the POV switches from Cherry to her antagonist for one or two lines during an intense scene. The first two could have been dealt with in heart-to-hearts with Cherry (helping to strengthen her bonds with both of them) and the third just seemed a little unnecessary. It's made the prose feel a little jumpy; perhaps in the future a split POV would be an interesting way to incorporate this feature more smoothly (but I'm not a writer so I shouldn't really try my hand at telling one what to do, it's just my opinion).
And yet, despite these little niggles I have, I think I did enjoy reading this book. I must have if I consumed the whole thing within 12 hours. And while it didn't not make me an emotional wreck like 'On the Other Side' did, there was one moment where Cherry was trying to convince Chase to escape the Guild with her that tugged my core. I may not have loved the plot but I can't deny I loved the message it sent out: negative emotions aren't bad by default, you can live with them and coexist and still grow as a person. And while I may not adore this book I wholeheartedly appreciate the universe Carrie has created (aside from the Guild) and the messages this books conveys. Perhaps in a year or two I'll revisit this book and enjoy it more, now that I know what the plot entails.
But as for 'all that she can see'? It wasn't what I expected, and I don't know if that made me like or dislike the story more. I adore the premise: the Meddlums being semi-physical, almost spectre-like manifestations of your worst feelings that only a few people can see. I loved the idea of Cherry, our protagonist, using her own feelings to bake treat(ments) for her friends and loved ones. And what I expected from this novel was a slow burn, and charmingly quaint, love story set against a magical backdrop. And yes, maybe that would have made it too similar to 'On the Other Side', but it was what I was expecting to read.
What I got, however, felt more like a dystopian YA novel, somewhat akin to The Hunger Games or Divergent. And this is not necessarily a bad thing, I just personally feel that the whole "let's take down the evil cooperation with monsters oh I guess we're fugitives now" plot in the second half didn't mesh very well with the bakery turf wars in a seaside town thing the first half had going on.
Aside from the plot making me unsure of whether I was actually enjoying the book or not, I found the characters agreeable. Cherry is a decent protagonist, and while I cannot say I adore her, I did enjoy her narrative and her quirks. I also liked Margie, Peter, and Sally, but I confess I found most of the other secondary and background characters forgettable (I cannot remember all of Cherry's friends' names fifteen minutes after reading the book oops).
As for Chase, dare I say it, I found him a tad bland. There didn't seem to be much to his personality after his snap-character-arc from bastard to boyfriend material. But maybe that's just me.
I did however, grow to really like Lonliness. For the embodiment of such a horrid feeling, I could not help myself but be in awe of it, and Cherry's realisation that she had an impact on it like it did on her was beautiful. As was the fist bump. Bros.
Adding a quick side note to the characters, Cherry and Chase fell in love at the drop of a hat, and I found that annoying (especially as I was expecting a slow burn and then 'whoop! They're kissing now'). In 'On the Other Side' Evie and Vincent's romance built quickly but it felt suitable for the pace of their story. Cherry and Chase went from being rivals to lovers very quickly, and I would have liked to have seen their romance drawn out a little more; maybe mutual pining building up to a passionate kiss just as they made their daring escape?
And my final little niggle with 'all that she can see' would be the inconsistent narration. I remember 'On the Other Side' having this same feature too, but it didn't feel quite so prominent as that story was very much shared with Evie's nearest and dearest. 'All that she can see' is very much Cherry's story and yet we are still given half a chapter, or a paragraph, or even a line or two of narrative from another character's perspective. The most standout offences were Chase's backstory, Peter's backstory, and one scene (which I can't quite put my finger on) where the POV switches from Cherry to her antagonist for one or two lines during an intense scene. The first two could have been dealt with in heart-to-hearts with Cherry (helping to strengthen her bonds with both of them) and the third just seemed a little unnecessary. It's made the prose feel a little jumpy; perhaps in the future a split POV would be an interesting way to incorporate this feature more smoothly (but I'm not a writer so I shouldn't really try my hand at telling one what to do, it's just my opinion).
And yet, despite these little niggles I have, I think I did enjoy reading this book. I must have if I consumed the whole thing within 12 hours. And while it didn't not make me an emotional wreck like 'On the Other Side' did, there was one moment where Cherry was trying to convince Chase to escape the Guild with her that tugged my core. I may not have loved the plot but I can't deny I loved the message it sent out: negative emotions aren't bad by default, you can live with them and coexist and still grow as a person. And while I may not adore this book I wholeheartedly appreciate the universe Carrie has created (aside from the Guild) and the messages this books conveys. Perhaps in a year or two I'll revisit this book and enjoy it more, now that I know what the plot entails.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2018
To be honest this was a rather disappointing read. I feel that The author has tried to hard To make this book as extraordinary and As unusual As possible. It hasn’t worked , Plot is very confusing.
I couldn’t take to the characters, they were very one-sided and not of much interest especially when Writing about the Psychic world.
I did not like the two aunts and I felt that this supposed love of Chase and cherry was too forced and didn’t feel right.
This book was just too far-fetched to be good and for that reason I can only give it two stars.
I couldn’t take to the characters, they were very one-sided and not of much interest especially when Writing about the Psychic world.
I did not like the two aunts and I felt that this supposed love of Chase and cherry was too forced and didn’t feel right.
This book was just too far-fetched to be good and for that reason I can only give it two stars.
June 5, 2020
3.8 stars? I found the concept of this story really intriguing and the plot of this story that unravelled was much different to what I thought I would happen... but it was still interesting. My only issue was the writing style and how it's just not my thing... and I felt certain people befriended each other too quickly, as is the way in contemporary novels haha
It was an interesting idea and topic to explore and write about, and fun at times too!
It was an interesting idea and topic to explore and write about, and fun at times too!
July 12, 2017
OMG I LOVED THIS SO MUCH! It was a big improvement from her debut and you can really tell Carrie is getting better. I just loved the story, the characters and it was such an interesting concept. That people can see feelings and what would happen if they got rid of them. I think I may have to film a review for this!
July 20, 2017
Really disappointed by this book given how much I liked Carries first fiction book. 😕
May 20, 2018
After being a big fan of On The Other Side, I could not wait to see what Carrie Hope Fletcher would come up with next. I think her creativity knows almost no boundaries and her stories are very unique.
I appreciate the idea for this novel but I think it tried to do too much and because of that it wasn't enough.
I really enjoyed the beginning of this novel. I think the idea and moral that Fletcher had for this story was great. There's a lot of interesting, loveable characters, although I have to say the main character fell a little flat for me overall.There were lots of great side characters though and I think even though Cherry is the clear protagonist of this story, it works best as an ensemble story.
As in On The Other Side, Fletcher is able to seamlessly include diversity. This comes from the perspective of a queer white woman though, so I am definitely gonna look out for reviews by women of colour in particular. In general if you feel like something in this novel is harmful or problematic, please let me know! But I thought that once again, everything just felt very natural. Cherry is a woman of colour and she has two dads There's no racism at all and in the course of the story she is in an interracial relationship which is also never questioned by anyone.
Now as far as the actual plot goes, I thought it was well done up to a certain point. There is an introduction to Cherry as a character, her past and where she is in life. Then there is a conflict and a resolution. For me, this is absolutely where this novel could have ended, even if that would have meant that the novel would have been less than 300 pages.
Instead the story shifts to something that goes way deeper and could have been interesting but just fell flat due to the length of this and it being a standalone. So this is what I mean when I say it tried to do too much and wasn't enough at the same time.
The last 70-ish pages just felt like the beginning to a Science Fiction/Dystopian trilogy. And the fact that there is no real conclusion to the actual "villain" of this story made this even more apparent. It was a satisfying story up to that point but then it adds a whole new layer that Fletcher just wasn't able to fill.
You could clearly tell that she was pouring all of her ideas into this and it really burst with creativity but it was simply all over the place. There wasn't a clear structure, not nearly enough explanations or world building. The "villain" never really gets established. There's no back story to how it happened or developed. And as I said - there is absolutely no conclusion to this. Not every story has to have a conclusion, obviously. But there is just such a huge chunk missing at the end of this story. I mostly felt upset about it because it was such an intriguing concept but I wish there had been more time to explore it.
Overall, I still had an enjoyable reading experience. It just left me wanting more. It was definitely no lie when Carrie Hope Fletcher mentioned that her novels will get darker and weirder - this was an indicator for that. I hope in her next novel she is able to establish the world a lot more.
I appreciate the idea for this novel but I think it tried to do too much and because of that it wasn't enough.
I really enjoyed the beginning of this novel. I think the idea and moral that Fletcher had for this story was great. There's a lot of interesting, loveable characters, although I have to say the main character fell a little flat for me overall.There were lots of great side characters though and I think even though Cherry is the clear protagonist of this story, it works best as an ensemble story.
As in On The Other Side, Fletcher is able to seamlessly include diversity. This comes from the perspective of a queer white woman though, so I am definitely gonna look out for reviews by women of colour in particular. In general if you feel like something in this novel is harmful or problematic, please let me know! But I thought that once again, everything just felt very natural. Cherry is a woman of colour and she has two dads There's no racism at all and in the course of the story she is in an interracial relationship which is also never questioned by anyone.
Now as far as the actual plot goes, I thought it was well done up to a certain point. There is an introduction to Cherry as a character, her past and where she is in life. Then there is a conflict and a resolution. For me, this is absolutely where this novel could have ended, even if that would have meant that the novel would have been less than 300 pages.
Instead the story shifts to something that goes way deeper and could have been interesting but just fell flat due to the length of this and it being a standalone. So this is what I mean when I say it tried to do too much and wasn't enough at the same time.
The last 70-ish pages just felt like the beginning to a Science Fiction/Dystopian trilogy. And the fact that there is no real conclusion to the actual "villain" of this story made this even more apparent. It was a satisfying story up to that point but then it adds a whole new layer that Fletcher just wasn't able to fill.
You could clearly tell that she was pouring all of her ideas into this and it really burst with creativity but it was simply all over the place. There wasn't a clear structure, not nearly enough explanations or world building. The "villain" never really gets established. There's no back story to how it happened or developed. And as I said - there is absolutely no conclusion to this. Not every story has to have a conclusion, obviously. But there is just such a huge chunk missing at the end of this story. I mostly felt upset about it because it was such an intriguing concept but I wish there had been more time to explore it.
Overall, I still had an enjoyable reading experience. It just left me wanting more. It was definitely no lie when Carrie Hope Fletcher mentioned that her novels will get darker and weirder - this was an indicator for that. I hope in her next novel she is able to establish the world a lot more.
November 21, 2019
I just finished this book a few minutes ago so my thoughts are very raw and fresh. I think the main two emotions I'm feeling after reading this book are confusion and delight.
I adored the first half of this book, Carrie's books have this inexplicable charm to them that almost reminds me of pre-teen fiction but for adults. I fell in love with the premise, it's incredibly clever, interesting and authentic. Carrie's writing style is very similar to On The Other Side in which it is quaint, imaginative and bursting with colour and emotion. Her characters in my opinion are her strongest points and you can clearly see Carrie's development of her writing skills. The plot was well paced, it's interesting and fun to read. I finished it in a few sittings. It's quite difficult to explain but her stories just have this feel to them that makes you feel warm as she pays so much attention to each and every character and not one is left out and they're all so unique. I am just really confused after reading it, I'm finding it hard to articulate my thoughts.
The first half made me feel delight until the second half evoked confusion.
The premise of the second book felt like a cross between Divergent and 1984 while still being a contemporary/magical realism/women's fiction novel, plus Anthem 'vibes' and it felt strange. The second half was dark while still being the contemporary book that it is which is what confused me. I still enjoyed it nevertheless but it felt odd and almost like the book switched genre completely that the story before that felt diminished and out of place. It didn't feel like a story about Cherry Redgrave; a kind baker with a secret, it suddenly turned into a dark and sinister sci-fi/dystopia. I like these aspects of the story separately but I did not feel like they gelled well together in one book. Then again I still liked that portion of the book, it's so incredibly imaginative and reminds me of crazy stories I used to make up when I was younger and still often do. Far fetched ideas are sometimes the best ideas. So, I did like this book but it just left me confused. It's almost like reading a contemporary romance story and suddenly they're put into a unique totalitarian regime.
I'm just really confused. However, I did love it, the overall message of this book and I liked how the premise of the book carries throughout the entire story, I just don't know how to feel about the contrast between the two parts, but I really did enjoy it.
Overall consensus: confused but really loved it.
Maybe I have to mull over my thoughts a bit.
I adored the first half of this book, Carrie's books have this inexplicable charm to them that almost reminds me of pre-teen fiction but for adults. I fell in love with the premise, it's incredibly clever, interesting and authentic. Carrie's writing style is very similar to On The Other Side in which it is quaint, imaginative and bursting with colour and emotion. Her characters in my opinion are her strongest points and you can clearly see Carrie's development of her writing skills. The plot was well paced, it's interesting and fun to read. I finished it in a few sittings. It's quite difficult to explain but her stories just have this feel to them that makes you feel warm as she pays so much attention to each and every character and not one is left out and they're all so unique. I am just really confused after reading it, I'm finding it hard to articulate my thoughts.
The first half made me feel delight until the second half evoked confusion.
The premise of the second book felt like a cross between Divergent and 1984 while still being a contemporary/magical realism/women's fiction novel, plus Anthem 'vibes' and it felt strange. The second half was dark while still being the contemporary book that it is which is what confused me. I still enjoyed it nevertheless but it felt odd and almost like the book switched genre completely that the story before that felt diminished and out of place. It didn't feel like a story about Cherry Redgrave; a kind baker with a secret, it suddenly turned into a dark and sinister sci-fi/dystopia. I like these aspects of the story separately but I did not feel like they gelled well together in one book. Then again I still liked that portion of the book, it's so incredibly imaginative and reminds me of crazy stories I used to make up when I was younger and still often do. Far fetched ideas are sometimes the best ideas. So, I did like this book but it just left me confused. It's almost like reading a contemporary romance story and suddenly they're put into a unique totalitarian regime.
I'm just really confused. However, I did love it, the overall message of this book and I liked how the premise of the book carries throughout the entire story, I just don't know how to feel about the contrast between the two parts, but I really did enjoy it.
Overall consensus: confused but really loved it.
Maybe I have to mull over my thoughts a bit.
March 11, 2021
4.5/5
I really enjoyed this book! Dont really know what makes it YA tho lmao other than 2 swear words. Hmm... yeah its not really YA but I still enjoyed it nonetheless!! The idea and plot was very interesting, but I think what made me relate more to the story, and the reason I gave it a good review is because I felt like I relate to the character for like her I love baking and its a different world for me where I feel relaxed and baking is just my safe home. Also. I feel like I also share the same negative emotions like Cherry but I hide it all through a mask. Like I feel lonely most of the time, and sad, but I hide it so no one knows, and I prefer comforting friends than myself.... 🥺
Ok so basically this book is about a girl called Cherry who has powers that only 100 people on Earth have. AKA she is 1 in a 100. She can see the bad personalities and negative emotions of a person. Cherry also loves to bake so she uses her power to help everyone around her through her baking. One day, she moves to a new town to help them but Chase threatens to destroy her years of work. none of them know that the Guild is seeking them, working to destroy every good deed they have done, and working to destroy them, the one of a 100. The only ones with those powers. Now here's a catch. Chase sees the good emotions of a person... 😵🙃
No if this does not persuade you then 💀 GOOD NIGHT
I really enjoyed this book. Despite the writing being kinda middle grade, it was really good and interesting. The emotions that this book portrays, and the way it describes emotions like hate and happiness it amazing. They are described as monsters and I can really imagine them in real life. And the story plot was amazing!! If you are looking for a book that will make you cry then I AM SORRY!! This is not the book. This books is so adventures!! And so overwhelming!! If you like action then yes!! this is the book for you. Also if you want a short read and just a cool of then this is cool! But I dont recommend if u looking for YA... Its not YA'sh
Other than that!! It is still a great read and I enjoyed it!! Its a good cool off and a nice cup of tea makes it all the more better.... and cookies.... and brownies
I really enjoyed this book! Dont really know what makes it YA tho lmao other than 2 swear words. Hmm... yeah its not really YA but I still enjoyed it nonetheless!! The idea and plot was very interesting, but I think what made me relate more to the story, and the reason I gave it a good review is because I felt like I relate to the character for like her I love baking and its a different world for me where I feel relaxed and baking is just my safe home. Also. I feel like I also share the same negative emotions like Cherry but I hide it all through a mask. Like I feel lonely most of the time, and sad, but I hide it so no one knows, and I prefer comforting friends than myself.... 🥺
Ok so basically this book is about a girl called Cherry who has powers that only 100 people on Earth have. AKA she is 1 in a 100. She can see the bad personalities and negative emotions of a person. Cherry also loves to bake so she uses her power to help everyone around her through her baking. One day, she moves to a new town to help them but Chase threatens to destroy her years of work. none of them know that the Guild is seeking them, working to destroy every good deed they have done, and working to destroy them, the one of a 100. The only ones with those powers. Now here's a catch. Chase sees the good emotions of a person... 😵🙃
No if this does not persuade you then 💀 GOOD NIGHT
I really enjoyed this book. Despite the writing being kinda middle grade, it was really good and interesting. The emotions that this book portrays, and the way it describes emotions like hate and happiness it amazing. They are described as monsters and I can really imagine them in real life. And the story plot was amazing!! If you are looking for a book that will make you cry then I AM SORRY!! This is not the book. This books is so adventures!! And so overwhelming!! If you like action then yes!! this is the book for you. Also if you want a short read and just a cool of then this is cool! But I dont recommend if u looking for YA... Its not YA'sh
Other than that!! It is still a great read and I enjoyed it!! Its a good cool off and a nice cup of tea makes it all the more better.... and cookies.... and brownies
July 18, 2017
So. It's better than On The Other Side. The essence of a good writer is there, beneath the whimsy and the insane exposition. Like with On The Other Side, it feels too juvenile to be fully categorised as women's fiction yet people keep telling me it's not YA.
The premise was interesting but the bizarre tonal shift lost me entirely. It became two stories meshed into one and felt incredibly rushed. An easy read, though, and I'm sure nothing will deter Carrie's many fans from continuing to support her book career. I just wish she'd take a writing course or two.
The premise was interesting but the bizarre tonal shift lost me entirely. It became two stories meshed into one and felt incredibly rushed. An easy read, though, and I'm sure nothing will deter Carrie's many fans from continuing to support her book career. I just wish she'd take a writing course or two.
July 22, 2017
I really wanted to like this book. I'm a big fan of Carrie's stage work so was intrigued to see what this was like. The style was jarring, flitting between sweet, simple - almost child-book style - language to then suddenly using the word fuck five times on a page and a character mentioning his "bare balls." Kept you guessing but not in a good way, too many twists and turns that made no sense and I couldn't wait for it to end.
September 10, 2017
A heartwarming story. I flew through it.
Carrie's style of writing is so easy to read and so beautiful.
I will definitely read more books from her
Carrie's style of writing is so easy to read and so beautiful.
I will definitely read more books from her
June 8, 2018
lmao what
July 28, 2020
Browsing through my shelf I'm lowering this to 3 stars because in comparison definitely not worth more...and I also do not love Carrie that much any more so that bonus is gone...
___________
First of all: I love Carrie.
And I really really want to love her books, too. The underlying idea always sounds so good. But like her first novel I just don't like the book as much as I want to. I like it, I do. But that's it and that kind of disappoints me. I feel like Carrie has so many (mostly great) ideas and tries to fit too many in too few pages. So maybe a longer book? For me a bit more of getting to know the characters and bit more world building would have been nice. I liked the characters and I love that Carrie creates them so diverse and mostly with a background and with flaws. I just didn't get really attached to them like there was a tiny little bit missing to make me care about them as much as I basically want to. I love the idea of people being able to see the worst of our emotions and there is so much potential to build on that and Carrie did it in a way. But there could have been more. I mean, in the end there is such a powerful message in the book about tempering with our emotions.
And for me the end of the book was a bit abrupt. Suddenly everything was happening so fast (and yes I am familiar with the concept of tension and climax) and then suddenly it was over. So again: Longer book? More? Maybe all I need is just more. I definitely need more of Carrie's.
In the end I still give the 4 stars. Because I liked the book. And I just love Carrie.
___________
First of all: I love Carrie.
And I really really want to love her books, too. The underlying idea always sounds so good. But like her first novel I just don't like the book as much as I want to. I like it, I do. But that's it and that kind of disappoints me. I feel like Carrie has so many (mostly great) ideas and tries to fit too many in too few pages. So maybe a longer book? For me a bit more of getting to know the characters and bit more world building would have been nice. I liked the characters and I love that Carrie creates them so diverse and mostly with a background and with flaws. I just didn't get really attached to them like there was a tiny little bit missing to make me care about them as much as I basically want to. I love the idea of people being able to see the worst of our emotions and there is so much potential to build on that and Carrie did it in a way. But there could have been more. I mean, in the end there is such a powerful message in the book about tempering with our emotions.
And for me the end of the book was a bit abrupt. Suddenly everything was happening so fast (and yes I am familiar with the concept of tension and climax) and then suddenly it was over. So again: Longer book? More? Maybe all I need is just more. I definitely need more of Carrie's.
In the end I still give the 4 stars. Because I liked the book. And I just love Carrie.
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March 30, 2018Qué... ha pasado... aquí..........
El libro empieza genial. De verdad. Me parece una idea buenísima y el concepto de los meddlums es brillante, sobre todo para hablar de los sentimientos buenos y malos y cómo afectan o no a las personas. Hasta ahí, todo guay. Sin embargo, en la página 160 Carrie tomó una decisión que, para mí, ha sido un error. Es como si hubiera soñado el resto del libro, pero en plan mal, como si de repente me hubiera ido a dormir muy borracha y hubiera tenido pesadillas trambólikas con el resto de la historia. No voy a hacer spoiler, pero ¿por qué decide la autora tirar por donde tira? Ni idea. Ni me encaja ni me parece buena idea, sobre todo teniendo en cuenta el tono que había conseguido crear y lo bien encaminada que iba la historia. Jo, es que acabo de terminarlo y estoy hasta cabreada, de verdad. Creía que estaba yendo todo muy por el camino de On The Other Side, su otra novela, y lo estaba gozando porque me parece preciosa la forma que tiene Carrie de usar el realismo mágico a su favor (dios de verdad es que lo estaba haciendo TAN BIEN hasta que Happy aparece....), pero de repente debió darle un chungo muy raro a Carrie y PUM, a tomar por saco todo lo construido. La historia no sólo se vuelve loquísima, sino rápida y para mí un poco agobiante. Yo qué sé, con la ideaca que tuvo y el setting tan bueno que me había hecho me cabrea/apena que la cosa haya tirado por ahí, pero lo borraré de mi mente y fingiré que las cosas siguen en la misma línea en mi cabeza... So glad de que existan los fanfics, de verdad.
El libro empieza genial. De verdad. Me parece una idea buenísima y el concepto de los meddlums es brillante, sobre todo para hablar de los sentimientos buenos y malos y cómo afectan o no a las personas. Hasta ahí, todo guay. Sin embargo, en la página 160 Carrie tomó una decisión que, para mí, ha sido un error. Es como si hubiera soñado el resto del libro, pero en plan mal, como si de repente me hubiera ido a dormir muy borracha y hubiera tenido pesadillas trambólikas con el resto de la historia. No voy a hacer spoiler, pero ¿por qué decide la autora tirar por donde tira? Ni idea. Ni me encaja ni me parece buena idea, sobre todo teniendo en cuenta el tono que había conseguido crear y lo bien encaminada que iba la historia. Jo, es que acabo de terminarlo y estoy hasta cabreada, de verdad. Creía que estaba yendo todo muy por el camino de On The Other Side, su otra novela, y lo estaba gozando porque me parece preciosa la forma que tiene Carrie de usar el realismo mágico a su favor (dios de verdad es que lo estaba haciendo TAN BIEN hasta que Happy aparece....), pero de repente debió darle un chungo muy raro a Carrie y PUM, a tomar por saco todo lo construido. La historia no sólo se vuelve loquísima, sino rápida y para mí un poco agobiante. Yo qué sé, con la ideaca que tuvo y el setting tan bueno que me había hecho me cabrea/apena que la cosa haya tirado por ahí, pero lo borraré de mi mente y fingiré que las cosas siguen en la misma línea en mi cabeza... So glad de que existan los fanfics, de verdad.
February 3, 2021
I really enjoyed the premise; I found the visual representation of our feelings and emotions extremely soothing and also thought provoking; I found the ‘moral’ of the story to be actually very relevant and important. It’s not that I disliked the book, not at all. Perhaps it was rushed in places, and certain elements skimmed over so I didn’t feel quite so attached to certain things as I should.
It was an enjoyable read, however, and I certainly feel a little more in tune with my ‘meddlums’ right now.
It was an enjoyable read, however, and I certainly feel a little more in tune with my ‘meddlums’ right now.
July 26, 2017
4.5
I can see a definite improvement from her debut novel. This was wonderful read it really quickly and kept my interest different from anything ive ever read.
Had so much fun i love how unique and the quirkiness of it, the characters were a delight.
Also well done to the cover designers its is stunning
I can see a definite improvement from her debut novel. This was wonderful read it really quickly and kept my interest different from anything ive ever read.
Had so much fun i love how unique and the quirkiness of it, the characters were a delight.
Also well done to the cover designers its is stunning
August 5, 2017
Really loved this book. Ending dragged but apart from that it is a lovely story to read.
July 20, 2017
First posted on beawareofbooksblogs.wordpress.com
I genuinely had no idea what to expect when I ordered this book. I had my suspicions and thoughts about what the plot of the story may be and to an extent I was right but I was also surprised and honestly, a little disappointed. I really wanted to love this book, I honestly did but I have a few issues. Fortunately, I also have some praise for this book so let's get into my thoughts...
'Feeling are part of life - feelings are life. If you take away what people feel, you take away anything meaningful. Wanting to diminish the evil in this world is a good cause, one I have fought for the majority of my life, but not like this...
Cherry has a hidden talent. She can see things other people can't, and she decided a long time ago to use this skill to help others. As far as the rest of the town is concerned she's simply the kind-hearted young woman who runs the local bakery, but in private she uses her gift to add something special to her cakes so that after just one mouthful the townspeople start to feel better about their lives. They don't know why they're drawn into Cherry's bakery - they just know that they're safe there, and that's how Cherry likes it. She can help them in secret and no one will ever need to know the truth behind her gift.
And then Chase turns up and threatens to undo all the good Cherry has done. Because it turns out she's not the only one who can see what she sees...'
This book left me feeling a little confused and honestly, a little disappointed. I'm definitely not saying that I dislike it, but I don't love it either. Often after I've had time to digest a book, my opinions change or solidify and for this, I was just underwhelmed. For me personally, it's not memorable, it does however have such an important message behind it.
For me, the plot was the part of the book which disappointed me the most. When this book was announced and I knew the basic premise, I was excited and intriged to see where this book would go. However, about half-way through the story it felt as though this book shifted from a cute romance novel (which I had prepared myself for) to a YA fantasy/dystopian book and whilst I don't mind those genres of novel and I didn't necessarily dislike it, it left me as a reader confused.
When it comes to the characters in this book, I had no problems. Cherry Redgrave is a good protagonist who is quirky, a woman of colour and means to do good things and whilst I enjoyed reading about her, at times I found her a little frustrating. The other character to note is Chase and I didn't find him disagreeable, he was fine. In fact, it's fair to say that the majority of the characters in this book are okay, just not particularly memorable and whilst I could see the effort to develop some characters, I just didn't get that personally. On the subject on characters, one of my praises for this book is the representation. Our protagonist is a woman of colour and there is some representation of the LGBT+ spectrum and I genuinely appreciate that.
The writing is where my biggest issue springs up. For me the pacing of the book did not sit quite right. Put simply, the beginning felt a little too slow for my liking and the ending too quick. As soon as the novel appeared to head into a different direction, it all felt a little rushed. Even the romance in the novel felt a tad rushed, suddenly Cherry was in love with the man she'd been arguing with only a few chapters beforehand and it just didn't fit with the pace of the novel. At times the narrative jumped to different points of view and to be honest as a reader I don't have massive issues with it as I definitely think it can work and as a reader, I can imagine myself getting bored reading from one single perspective for 300+ pages of a book.
My favourite thing about this book however is the message it sends out, so much as that I have marked some quotes in the book for future reference. The message of this book is something that I am a strong believer in anyway and that is that although negative feelings can be seen as bad, that isn't necessarily the way as they can build us as people, develop our very own character and we can and do exist with them. Something I feel like everyone needs reminding from time to time and this book had a beautiful way in which doing it.
Rated: 3 stars.
I genuinely had no idea what to expect when I ordered this book. I had my suspicions and thoughts about what the plot of the story may be and to an extent I was right but I was also surprised and honestly, a little disappointed. I really wanted to love this book, I honestly did but I have a few issues. Fortunately, I also have some praise for this book so let's get into my thoughts...
Goodreads Link | Book Depository Link
'Feeling are part of life - feelings are life. If you take away what people feel, you take away anything meaningful. Wanting to diminish the evil in this world is a good cause, one I have fought for the majority of my life, but not like this...
Cherry has a hidden talent. She can see things other people can't, and she decided a long time ago to use this skill to help others. As far as the rest of the town is concerned she's simply the kind-hearted young woman who runs the local bakery, but in private she uses her gift to add something special to her cakes so that after just one mouthful the townspeople start to feel better about their lives. They don't know why they're drawn into Cherry's bakery - they just know that they're safe there, and that's how Cherry likes it. She can help them in secret and no one will ever need to know the truth behind her gift.
And then Chase turns up and threatens to undo all the good Cherry has done. Because it turns out she's not the only one who can see what she sees...'
This book left me feeling a little confused and honestly, a little disappointed. I'm definitely not saying that I dislike it, but I don't love it either. Often after I've had time to digest a book, my opinions change or solidify and for this, I was just underwhelmed. For me personally, it's not memorable, it does however have such an important message behind it.
For me, the plot was the part of the book which disappointed me the most. When this book was announced and I knew the basic premise, I was excited and intriged to see where this book would go. However, about half-way through the story it felt as though this book shifted from a cute romance novel (which I had prepared myself for) to a YA fantasy/dystopian book and whilst I don't mind those genres of novel and I didn't necessarily dislike it, it left me as a reader confused.
When it comes to the characters in this book, I had no problems. Cherry Redgrave is a good protagonist who is quirky, a woman of colour and means to do good things and whilst I enjoyed reading about her, at times I found her a little frustrating. The other character to note is Chase and I didn't find him disagreeable, he was fine. In fact, it's fair to say that the majority of the characters in this book are okay, just not particularly memorable and whilst I could see the effort to develop some characters, I just didn't get that personally. On the subject on characters, one of my praises for this book is the representation. Our protagonist is a woman of colour and there is some representation of the LGBT+ spectrum and I genuinely appreciate that.
The writing is where my biggest issue springs up. For me the pacing of the book did not sit quite right. Put simply, the beginning felt a little too slow for my liking and the ending too quick. As soon as the novel appeared to head into a different direction, it all felt a little rushed. Even the romance in the novel felt a tad rushed, suddenly Cherry was in love with the man she'd been arguing with only a few chapters beforehand and it just didn't fit with the pace of the novel. At times the narrative jumped to different points of view and to be honest as a reader I don't have massive issues with it as I definitely think it can work and as a reader, I can imagine myself getting bored reading from one single perspective for 300+ pages of a book.
My favourite thing about this book however is the message it sends out, so much as that I have marked some quotes in the book for future reference. The message of this book is something that I am a strong believer in anyway and that is that although negative feelings can be seen as bad, that isn't necessarily the way as they can build us as people, develop our very own character and we can and do exist with them. Something I feel like everyone needs reminding from time to time and this book had a beautiful way in which doing it.
Rated: 3 stars.
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November 12, 2019I loved On the other side and had mixed feelings about When the curtain falls although, overall, I quite enjoyed it.
I have mixed feelings about this one too, but didn't enjoy it quite as much.
The issue I had with it is that it covered almost too many ideas, or even too many genres, and so I got lost and confused. It's very hard to describe.
I liked the characters and the first half of the story, but I wasn't really swept off my feet in the end.
I have mixed feelings about this one too, but didn't enjoy it quite as much.
The issue I had with it is that it covered almost too many ideas, or even too many genres, and so I got lost and confused. It's very hard to describe.
I liked the characters and the first half of the story, but I wasn't really swept off my feet in the end.
May 2, 2025
dnf pg. 200
July 21, 2017
Carrie Hope Fletcher showed us again what an amazing mind she has. In All That She Can See she turned such a realistic thing of our everyday life into something magical. The book is about Cherry Redgrave, who is a baker, but she is not a normal baker, she has a gift. As a baker, she starts to help people and travels around the UK and opens several bakeries. In one city, she meets Chase and discovers that he has a gift as well and both start a kind of turf war.
First, I must say that I absolutely love this book. It is so magical but so real at the same time. I instantly fell in love with the characters, especially Cherry. I related very much to her, she is someone who just want to help people as best as she can. For me she is kind of like Mary Poppins and Nanny McPhee! The quote from Nanny McPhee: "When you need me, but don't want me I must stay. When you want me, but no longer need me, then I have to go." reminds me a lot of Cherry. When she thinks her work in one City is done and she can't help anymore she leaves and helps another city. For me she is such a kind soul!
I did not like Chase that much to be honest. He is just not such a nice guy in my opinion, but luckily, he changed and knew that he had done things wrong.
Also the other friends Cherry made, Sally and Margie and all the others were so nice.
Some things were kind of surreal for me, like they did not fit into the book to well. The Guild was a bit out of place and appeared so quickly and took a big part in the story. But in the end, it was okay again. I can't really describe it very well, but in the end, it turned out pretty okay.
Also the romantic relationship between Cherry and Chase jumped right out of the nowhere to be honest. Both were fighting against each other and suddenly they fell deeply in love. I mean they belong to each other but it happened so quickly.
It's very nice to have such a everyday topic turned into a magical thing. Cherry is a heroine for me, she shows that kind acts (even when she does a bit of magic too) can help a lot of people with their feelings/problems. A very good book. I loved it.
First, I must say that I absolutely love this book. It is so magical but so real at the same time. I instantly fell in love with the characters, especially Cherry. I related very much to her, she is someone who just want to help people as best as she can. For me she is kind of like Mary Poppins and Nanny McPhee! The quote from Nanny McPhee: "When you need me, but don't want me I must stay. When you want me, but no longer need me, then I have to go." reminds me a lot of Cherry. When she thinks her work in one City is done and she can't help anymore she leaves and helps another city. For me she is such a kind soul!
I did not like Chase that much to be honest. He is just not such a nice guy in my opinion, but luckily, he changed and knew that he had done things wrong.
Also the other friends Cherry made, Sally and Margie and all the others were so nice.
Some things were kind of surreal for me, like they did not fit into the book to well. The Guild was a bit out of place and appeared so quickly and took a big part in the story. But in the end, it was okay again. I can't really describe it very well, but in the end, it turned out pretty okay.
Also the romantic relationship between Cherry and Chase jumped right out of the nowhere to be honest. Both were fighting against each other and suddenly they fell deeply in love. I mean they belong to each other but it happened so quickly.
It's very nice to have such a everyday topic turned into a magical thing. Cherry is a heroine for me, she shows that kind acts (even when she does a bit of magic too) can help a lot of people with their feelings/problems. A very good book. I loved it.
August 19, 2020
I really resent having to give this book such a low rating. Because truly, I went into this book absolutely loving it. I recommended it to my friends without even being a hundred pages in. It was saccharine, cheery and I used the phrase 'THIS CURED MY DEPRESSION' multiple times whilst discussing it with other people. Unfortunately, the latter half of the book just became something I completely wasn't prepared for. I almost wish I could rate the first and second half differently. The initial story of an optimistic, adorable baker conquering small-town evil and falling in love in the process was something I was all too eager to get behind. The ideas behind her powers were clever, and I was pleasantly surprised to find we had a black main character who'd been raised by two men. Even the background cast of characters were so sweet, so lovable! Sadly, I found myself rushing through the last 100 or so pages to get it over with. I don't know what happened, and without spoiling anything, it went in a really odd direction I just couldn't get behind.
July 24, 2017
This was a bit of a disappointment for me.
Don't get me wrong, the story and concept was amazing! It has a beautiful look on the world, which warms my heart.
But it all felt very flat. In Carries previous book I really liked how the characters were build and how relationships developed, this one absolutely not.
Even though it is supposed to be Women's fiction, it felt more childlike. The characters were viewed as either good or bad, there wasn't an in-between. The story had some very obvious villains who were seen as purely evil and Cherry who felt to be as only good. The characters had no depth which made the development of relationships feel to rushed and out of the blue. To me, some of the relationships didn't make any sense.
It is truly a shame to me, as I really loved her first book and had high hopes for this one. I can't give it less than 3 stars as I did really like the concept and the way Carrie kept surprising me with the plot.
Don't get me wrong, the story and concept was amazing! It has a beautiful look on the world, which warms my heart.
But it all felt very flat. In Carries previous book I really liked how the characters were build and how relationships developed, this one absolutely not.
Even though it is supposed to be Women's fiction, it felt more childlike. The characters were viewed as either good or bad, there wasn't an in-between. The story had some very obvious villains who were seen as purely evil and Cherry who felt to be as only good. The characters had no depth which made the development of relationships feel to rushed and out of the blue. To me, some of the relationships didn't make any sense.
It is truly a shame to me, as I really loved her first book and had high hopes for this one. I can't give it less than 3 stars as I did really like the concept and the way Carrie kept surprising me with the plot.
June 8, 2018
Right. Let me start off by saying that this book had a lot of potential. It did. It was a really intriguing idea, a wonderful concept that could have been utterly beautiful. I'm a big fan of Carrie, personally, so I definitely don't want to jump in and start slating her, not by any means. Knowing that she's a Disney and a Doctor Who fan – and, obviously, this might be a little bit of a stretch and me just seeing these things because *i'm* a fan of those things – I noticed a slight link to the movie 'Inside Out', as well as the concept of Cybermen from Doctor Who, the removal of all emotions, and so on and so forth. The concept behind Inside Out, for example, was really beautifully done, and is by far one of my favourite movies, and I really appreciated the way that it approached depression in a way that could reach both children and adults, by showing us a physical manifestation of each emotion, and how the good and the bad balance us out as human, and just how desperately we need even our negative emotions. The same, I suppose, can be said for Doctor Who, in a lot of ways. Season 2 (New Who), exhibits a fair few episodes revolving around the Cyberman, for example the two-part story Rise of the Cybermen & Age of Steel. In this story, in particular. The Doctor states that he is proud of his emotions, that he has known Grief, and Rage, and Pain, that they hurt, and that all the same, he might as well be dead without them. In the two part finale, Army of Ghosts & Doomsday, he notes that he quite likes Hope. I'm rambling a little, maybe veering slightly off course, but the point I'm trying to make here is that I noticed a lot of parallels to both of these stories, and a much similar sentiment, in the pages of this book. That was easily an aspect of the story that drew me in the most! Of course, it might not have been exactly what inspired Carrie, but it's a connection that I made and especially appreciated, and overall the incentive behind this story gripped me right from the very start.
Now, let's talk about Cherry. Cherry Redgrave is the main character, and in spite of all the parts of this book that I didn't enjoy, Cherry wasn't one of them. I thought she was a great main character. To start off which, you're handed with a Black female protagonist, which isn't always an option. In addition to that, you soon learn of her two fathers, inserting some representation into the pages of the book without it being a defining factor behind any of the characters, and without it directly impacting the story. Cherry was an incredibly relatable character, and I can only imagine that she would resonate with a lot of people for the kind of person that she was. She was cheerful and sweet, full of passion and ambition, and an unapologetic desire to help those in need. She had a warm, full heart, and was always itching to do some good. Behind that sugary sweet smile, however, was a girl fighting her own demons. From a terribly young age she felt lonely, that feeling doubling tenfold with each passing day, much like it does for a lot of people. She fought with grief, anxiety, and depression, and I will admit to being impressed with how Carrie handled it. You can see truth in her words, in the way that Cherry (and other characters, too) would often retreat into herself, hiding away beneath her quilt, or behind a mask, so as not to have to confront the problems she was facing. The existence of the meddlums, and the way that they showed the way that our emotions, both good and bad, can cling onto us, and they can whisper in our ear and warp the way that our mind works, was a very telling example of how our emotions can be so conflicting and a lot to handle. The introduction of Chase, indeed, was a great addition and allowed us to view these emotions in a different light, giving us new insight into how they work, and how both good and bad people can manifest the exact same feelings but in completely different ways. As well, I thought it was very much true to life in a lot of people that Cherry always thought the best solution to overcoming her own problems was to ignore them, and to help others with theirs. It proved that, while her actions weren't always sensible or right, she went in with good intentions, and that she was battling with something far deeper than a lot of people initially realised, given how drastically she would shove her own feelings aside for the sake of others.
The communities and friendships built within the book were lovely, I thought, and it was nice to see so many of the characters overcome their demons (for example Margie) and see the way that Cherry's influence, in spite of everything that unfolded, impacted them, but above all the way that they could influence themselves. While it's vital that we all have enough compassion inside of us to look out for others and support them, self-care is equally as important and it's a necessary part of life. To be able to look within and realise when enough is enough, and when to take a stand – whether that stand is against a bully or yourself – takes a lot of courage and strength, and it's something that isn't always given the deserved attention.
Other things that I enjoyed:
Meddlums. Just, the way that they got their name. I thought it was a fun, playful take on words, and was equally reflective of a child's imagination (having come from Peter when he was younger), and it was definitely catchy too.
Chase and Cherry. I thought their relationship was quite fun, and definitely an aspect of the book that I would have been happy to focus more on, as opposed to the direction the story did take. I liked the opposite attract aspect, as well as Cherry's bewilderment to his aversion to 'seeing the good'. The insight given into why it was so difficult for him, and how each emotion is so raw and so different, was very clever.
Panic and anxiety attacks. Nobody likes these things, but they are very real. The fact that, despite being a very cheerful person on the outside, we saw Cherry deal with both of these things and have to suffer through them felt very true to life (a phrase i've definitely overused in this review) and a great reflection of how not everything is always as it seems. Humans are complex, as are emotions.
Now, the not so fun stuff. I've said it enough already, but I will say it again: I think this book had great potential. I think, though I wasn't a huge fan of the direction the story took, I do understand why. In fact, I don't even necessarily think that it's a bad thing that it went in such a drastic direction, but moreso I have an issue with the way that it was executed. With a story like this, you're in a bit of a dilemma. On one hand, Carrie could have stuck to the same, sugary-sweet content that she started out with, and we could have had a genuine and sweet story about a flourishing moment about two very different people, while still dealing with the importance of balance and understanding ones own emotions, and the way that our actions and thoughts – however well intended – can impact ourselves and the lives of others. And, while the cynics of the world may have found issue with that, I would have been quite happy with just that. Then, on the other hand, you have Carrie, relatively new to writing for all intents and purposes, and wanting things to go out on a bang. Everybody wants that huge plot twist that leaves you reeling, that has you ranting and raving for days, weeks, and years. And it absolutely could have been! It could have been a story that took you on a rollercoaster, left you gasping and screaming at all of your friends to pick this book up immediately, 'cause you'll never guess what happened! But, unfortunately, it just didn't.
The first 100 pages of this book were great. I loved the style of writing, the cliches and the overly cheesy tropes. I enjoyed Cherry, and I was happy to be a part of her story. Another 100 or so pages, and I was still enjoying it, absolutely, just not nearly as much. We hadn't entirely lost the cheese or the campy nature that the book had first presented itself with, but things were taking a turn for the worst. Slowly but surely, things were getting a little... odd. In fact, as the book went on, it felt like another story altogether. The style and the tone didn't switch in a particularly convincing fashion, but instead felt like someone had slammed my book shut half way through, and shoved another in my nose and asked me to read that, while also insisting I had to start about 250 pages in, with no context whatsoever.
The biggest warning sign for me personally, and the moment at which I started to feel a little uneasy with the direction the book was taking, was the introduction to a young woman named Orla. Orla seemed perfectly sweet and, much like all of the other characters, was dealing with some issues of her own. There were a few hints here and there as to what might have been ailing Orla, but never anything that was explicitly pushed upon – not right away, anyway. As Orla got to know Cherry, and vaguely confided in her, the implications that perhaps she'd experienced something traumatising were fairly rife. The impression that I had gotten from reading those brief bits of dialogue was that Orla had, perhaps, experienced her fair share of sexual harassment, or perhaps something more. The issue was never touched upon again, and we never truly found out what had happened to Orla, as though her experiences were just some throwaway, irrelevant plot device. Then, of course, she returned. Now, here's where it gets tricky. I understand what Carrie was trying to do, really, I do. I'm not trying to be as brutal as i'm probably coming across – especially as I am a huge fan of Carrie myself – but this was immediately something that left a sour taste in my mouth, forcing me to put my book down for a while, leaving me tentative to pick it back up again. Carrie needed some sort of catalyst, this we know, to show us that Cherry had gone too far. There needed to be some sort of dramatic, horrifying event, to show that things had taken an enormous turn for the worst, and that something horrible was coming. This could have been absolutely anything at all, and yet Carrie opted for a very lazy, and somewhat offensive, portrayal of sexual assault. With all the townsfolk drugged up and not in the right frame of mind, Chase draws our attentions to the middle of the room, in which a doped up Orla is being visibly groped and manhandled in front of everyone. Completely drunk on Cherry's baked goods, and with no control over her own emotions or actions, Orla is smiling away and oblivious to what is happening to her – completely stripped of her agency, she is merely being assaulted, with no means to end it, and even seemingly enjoying it – which, of course she IS NOT. She's not happy with what is happening to her, and no doubt it's an event that will leave a scar, but she has absolutely no say in the events, and is completely void of all emotion in the moment. That's not to say that she won't remember (as if that makes it any better), but that she'll just have to live with this knowledge. Now, not only was this horrifying to read – it took me 2 or 3 reads to even understand what had just happened, and I felt sick upon the realisation – but it was also never addressed again. Nobody was apprehended for what happened, and Carrie saw no reason to mention Orla again, to worry about her wellbeing or what she'd just been subjected to and we, the readers, were left to deal with the utter horror of what had just unfolded. I have no doubt in my mind that Carrie's intentions were good. She was looking for a means to progress the story, to show just how grave things had turned, and to do so she needed a dramatic turn of events: this was not the way to do it. Sexual harassment, assault, and abuse are all so consistently used as a plot device in both classic and modern media. Belittling and degrading women, and reducing them to nothing but a sexual object, is so common that people often don't question it. It isn't acceptable and it shouldn't be the case. This felt like another instance in which the situation was not only completely unnecessary and, for me, didn't impact the story in any capacity, but was a scenario that should have been given the correct love and care when being written. It wasn't, and I didn't enjoy it, and it certainly hindered my feelings towards the story and the characters, and was impossible to forget as I pushed onwards.
Now, the Guild. There's really not a lot that I can say about the Guild. The story obviously took a dark turn, and Carrie wanted to show us how necessary our emotions are, and how even the bad things are a part of us and allow us to remain human. I respect that, I do, but the execution was poor, and I couldn't get on board with it. Every time that I felt like things were taking an intriguing turn, something happened that just left me so beyond bewildered. Also, as nervous as I am to admit it, I felt as though as the book progressed, the writing started to deteriorate. It felt as though what started out as nice and easy reading, became jumbled and nonsensical. So often, so many things were happening, and it felt as though Carrie wanted to push too much into her story, and wanted to include a whole multitude of new and exciting twists, that she didn't take enough time to appropriately explore and handle them, or give them the attention they deserved. Instead, what unfolded was a rushed ending that left a lot to be desired, and a lot of questions left unanswered.
I've rambled enough, now, so I'll leave it at that, I think. I did have a lot more thoughts throughout the whole book, but I think i've said my piece. Overall, I didn't enjoy this book nearly as much as I wanted to. I think it could have been something special, but it left me disappointed. That isn't to deny Carrie's talent, nor her passion or her imagination – not by any means, she's a very gifted girl – but this story only handed me disappointment after disappointment, after such a promising premise! It's sad to say, but maybe I'll have better luck next time with another one of her books.
2.5 / 5
Now, let's talk about Cherry. Cherry Redgrave is the main character, and in spite of all the parts of this book that I didn't enjoy, Cherry wasn't one of them. I thought she was a great main character. To start off which, you're handed with a Black female protagonist, which isn't always an option. In addition to that, you soon learn of her two fathers, inserting some representation into the pages of the book without it being a defining factor behind any of the characters, and without it directly impacting the story. Cherry was an incredibly relatable character, and I can only imagine that she would resonate with a lot of people for the kind of person that she was. She was cheerful and sweet, full of passion and ambition, and an unapologetic desire to help those in need. She had a warm, full heart, and was always itching to do some good. Behind that sugary sweet smile, however, was a girl fighting her own demons. From a terribly young age she felt lonely, that feeling doubling tenfold with each passing day, much like it does for a lot of people. She fought with grief, anxiety, and depression, and I will admit to being impressed with how Carrie handled it. You can see truth in her words, in the way that Cherry (and other characters, too) would often retreat into herself, hiding away beneath her quilt, or behind a mask, so as not to have to confront the problems she was facing. The existence of the meddlums, and the way that they showed the way that our emotions, both good and bad, can cling onto us, and they can whisper in our ear and warp the way that our mind works, was a very telling example of how our emotions can be so conflicting and a lot to handle. The introduction of Chase, indeed, was a great addition and allowed us to view these emotions in a different light, giving us new insight into how they work, and how both good and bad people can manifest the exact same feelings but in completely different ways. As well, I thought it was very much true to life in a lot of people that Cherry always thought the best solution to overcoming her own problems was to ignore them, and to help others with theirs. It proved that, while her actions weren't always sensible or right, she went in with good intentions, and that she was battling with something far deeper than a lot of people initially realised, given how drastically she would shove her own feelings aside for the sake of others.
The communities and friendships built within the book were lovely, I thought, and it was nice to see so many of the characters overcome their demons (for example Margie) and see the way that Cherry's influence, in spite of everything that unfolded, impacted them, but above all the way that they could influence themselves. While it's vital that we all have enough compassion inside of us to look out for others and support them, self-care is equally as important and it's a necessary part of life. To be able to look within and realise when enough is enough, and when to take a stand – whether that stand is against a bully or yourself – takes a lot of courage and strength, and it's something that isn't always given the deserved attention.
Other things that I enjoyed:
Meddlums. Just, the way that they got their name. I thought it was a fun, playful take on words, and was equally reflective of a child's imagination (having come from Peter when he was younger), and it was definitely catchy too.
Chase and Cherry. I thought their relationship was quite fun, and definitely an aspect of the book that I would have been happy to focus more on, as opposed to the direction the story did take. I liked the opposite attract aspect, as well as Cherry's bewilderment to his aversion to 'seeing the good'. The insight given into why it was so difficult for him, and how each emotion is so raw and so different, was very clever.
Panic and anxiety attacks. Nobody likes these things, but they are very real. The fact that, despite being a very cheerful person on the outside, we saw Cherry deal with both of these things and have to suffer through them felt very true to life (a phrase i've definitely overused in this review) and a great reflection of how not everything is always as it seems. Humans are complex, as are emotions.
Now, the not so fun stuff. I've said it enough already, but I will say it again: I think this book had great potential. I think, though I wasn't a huge fan of the direction the story took, I do understand why. In fact, I don't even necessarily think that it's a bad thing that it went in such a drastic direction, but moreso I have an issue with the way that it was executed. With a story like this, you're in a bit of a dilemma. On one hand, Carrie could have stuck to the same, sugary-sweet content that she started out with, and we could have had a genuine and sweet story about a flourishing moment about two very different people, while still dealing with the importance of balance and understanding ones own emotions, and the way that our actions and thoughts – however well intended – can impact ourselves and the lives of others. And, while the cynics of the world may have found issue with that, I would have been quite happy with just that. Then, on the other hand, you have Carrie, relatively new to writing for all intents and purposes, and wanting things to go out on a bang. Everybody wants that huge plot twist that leaves you reeling, that has you ranting and raving for days, weeks, and years. And it absolutely could have been! It could have been a story that took you on a rollercoaster, left you gasping and screaming at all of your friends to pick this book up immediately, 'cause you'll never guess what happened! But, unfortunately, it just didn't.
The first 100 pages of this book were great. I loved the style of writing, the cliches and the overly cheesy tropes. I enjoyed Cherry, and I was happy to be a part of her story. Another 100 or so pages, and I was still enjoying it, absolutely, just not nearly as much. We hadn't entirely lost the cheese or the campy nature that the book had first presented itself with, but things were taking a turn for the worst. Slowly but surely, things were getting a little... odd. In fact, as the book went on, it felt like another story altogether. The style and the tone didn't switch in a particularly convincing fashion, but instead felt like someone had slammed my book shut half way through, and shoved another in my nose and asked me to read that, while also insisting I had to start about 250 pages in, with no context whatsoever.
The biggest warning sign for me personally, and the moment at which I started to feel a little uneasy with the direction the book was taking, was the introduction to a young woman named Orla. Orla seemed perfectly sweet and, much like all of the other characters, was dealing with some issues of her own. There were a few hints here and there as to what might have been ailing Orla, but never anything that was explicitly pushed upon – not right away, anyway. As Orla got to know Cherry, and vaguely confided in her, the implications that perhaps she'd experienced something traumatising were fairly rife. The impression that I had gotten from reading those brief bits of dialogue was that Orla had, perhaps, experienced her fair share of sexual harassment, or perhaps something more. The issue was never touched upon again, and we never truly found out what had happened to Orla, as though her experiences were just some throwaway, irrelevant plot device. Then, of course, she returned. Now, here's where it gets tricky. I understand what Carrie was trying to do, really, I do. I'm not trying to be as brutal as i'm probably coming across – especially as I am a huge fan of Carrie myself – but this was immediately something that left a sour taste in my mouth, forcing me to put my book down for a while, leaving me tentative to pick it back up again. Carrie needed some sort of catalyst, this we know, to show us that Cherry had gone too far. There needed to be some sort of dramatic, horrifying event, to show that things had taken an enormous turn for the worst, and that something horrible was coming. This could have been absolutely anything at all, and yet Carrie opted for a very lazy, and somewhat offensive, portrayal of sexual assault. With all the townsfolk drugged up and not in the right frame of mind, Chase draws our attentions to the middle of the room, in which a doped up Orla is being visibly groped and manhandled in front of everyone. Completely drunk on Cherry's baked goods, and with no control over her own emotions or actions, Orla is smiling away and oblivious to what is happening to her – completely stripped of her agency, she is merely being assaulted, with no means to end it, and even seemingly enjoying it – which, of course she IS NOT. She's not happy with what is happening to her, and no doubt it's an event that will leave a scar, but she has absolutely no say in the events, and is completely void of all emotion in the moment. That's not to say that she won't remember (as if that makes it any better), but that she'll just have to live with this knowledge. Now, not only was this horrifying to read – it took me 2 or 3 reads to even understand what had just happened, and I felt sick upon the realisation – but it was also never addressed again. Nobody was apprehended for what happened, and Carrie saw no reason to mention Orla again, to worry about her wellbeing or what she'd just been subjected to and we, the readers, were left to deal with the utter horror of what had just unfolded. I have no doubt in my mind that Carrie's intentions were good. She was looking for a means to progress the story, to show just how grave things had turned, and to do so she needed a dramatic turn of events: this was not the way to do it. Sexual harassment, assault, and abuse are all so consistently used as a plot device in both classic and modern media. Belittling and degrading women, and reducing them to nothing but a sexual object, is so common that people often don't question it. It isn't acceptable and it shouldn't be the case. This felt like another instance in which the situation was not only completely unnecessary and, for me, didn't impact the story in any capacity, but was a scenario that should have been given the correct love and care when being written. It wasn't, and I didn't enjoy it, and it certainly hindered my feelings towards the story and the characters, and was impossible to forget as I pushed onwards.
Now, the Guild. There's really not a lot that I can say about the Guild. The story obviously took a dark turn, and Carrie wanted to show us how necessary our emotions are, and how even the bad things are a part of us and allow us to remain human. I respect that, I do, but the execution was poor, and I couldn't get on board with it. Every time that I felt like things were taking an intriguing turn, something happened that just left me so beyond bewildered. Also, as nervous as I am to admit it, I felt as though as the book progressed, the writing started to deteriorate. It felt as though what started out as nice and easy reading, became jumbled and nonsensical. So often, so many things were happening, and it felt as though Carrie wanted to push too much into her story, and wanted to include a whole multitude of new and exciting twists, that she didn't take enough time to appropriately explore and handle them, or give them the attention they deserved. Instead, what unfolded was a rushed ending that left a lot to be desired, and a lot of questions left unanswered.
I've rambled enough, now, so I'll leave it at that, I think. I did have a lot more thoughts throughout the whole book, but I think i've said my piece. Overall, I didn't enjoy this book nearly as much as I wanted to. I think it could have been something special, but it left me disappointed. That isn't to deny Carrie's talent, nor her passion or her imagination – not by any means, she's a very gifted girl – but this story only handed me disappointment after disappointment, after such a promising premise! It's sad to say, but maybe I'll have better luck next time with another one of her books.
2.5 / 5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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