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The Thousandth Floor #3
Torenhoog
De zinderende finale van de heerlijke Duizend hoog-trilogie!
New York, 2119. Leda, Watt, Rylin, Avery en Calliope leven in de toren en hebben allemaal zo hun eigen problemen. Een onbereikbare liefde, een politieonderzoek, bedrog, listen en leugens... Wie weet zich staande te houden in deze duizend verdiepingen tellende toren?
480 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 28, 2018
529 people are currently reading
14567 people want to read
About the author
Katharine McGee
22 books6,517 followersKatharine McGee is the New York Times bestselling author of American Royals and The Thousandth Floor trilogy. She studied English and French literature at Princeton University and has an MBA from Stanford. She lives in her hometown of Houston, TX with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,502 reviews
December 26, 2018
This was a fun trilogy. Not super deep or anything, but the perfect bit of escape reading. I might also say that it is a bit of guilty pleasure in that it is obviously not written with my demographic in mind, but I still enjoyed it immensely. I recommended this series to my wife after the first book, and she ended up finishing it before I did. Every time I started “squealing” with each gossipy reveal or cheesy hookup, I am pretty sure she was amused.
I will say one thing, and I have said it before (and maybe it was about the books earlier in this series), it really isn’t a guilty pleasure because I AM NOT ASHAMED! Bring on the syrupy teen drama, backstabbing, and romance!
I am giving this one 5 stars because I loved the series as a whole. This one by itself felt more like a 4 to 4.5 – mainly because it felt a little bit like things were being drug out to make the book a little bit bigger. Perhaps this is a side effect of the seeming need for every series to be a trilogy whether or not there is actually three full books of content? Not sure, but it is only a minor criticism – not enough to warn people away.
One thing I can say that should prove how readable this book is is how quickly I got through the last couple hundred pages. I am trying to finish up all the books I am in the middle of before the end of the year and that will sometimes lead to some extra reading time. If I am not really into a book that I am trying to rush to finish I will end up falling asleep or at least lose interest quickly and need to switch to a different book (something to cleanse the palate, if you will). This was not the case with this one! The pages just flew by – I read about 90 in an hour!
READ this series if you like cheesy teen romance/thriller stories laden with gossip, misunderstandings, and young adults thinking they know what’s best right before they do something really stupid.
DON’T READ this series if you don’t like that stuff – simple math!
I will say one thing, and I have said it before (and maybe it was about the books earlier in this series), it really isn’t a guilty pleasure because I AM NOT ASHAMED! Bring on the syrupy teen drama, backstabbing, and romance!
I am giving this one 5 stars because I loved the series as a whole. This one by itself felt more like a 4 to 4.5 – mainly because it felt a little bit like things were being drug out to make the book a little bit bigger. Perhaps this is a side effect of the seeming need for every series to be a trilogy whether or not there is actually three full books of content? Not sure, but it is only a minor criticism – not enough to warn people away.
One thing I can say that should prove how readable this book is is how quickly I got through the last couple hundred pages. I am trying to finish up all the books I am in the middle of before the end of the year and that will sometimes lead to some extra reading time. If I am not really into a book that I am trying to rush to finish I will end up falling asleep or at least lose interest quickly and need to switch to a different book (something to cleanse the palate, if you will). This was not the case with this one! The pages just flew by – I read about 90 in an hour!
READ this series if you like cheesy teen romance/thriller stories laden with gossip, misunderstandings, and young adults thinking they know what’s best right before they do something really stupid.
DON’T READ this series if you don’t like that stuff – simple math!
January 6, 2019
I LOVED THIS SERIES SO MUCH WHAT A GREAT CONCLUSION👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
November 2, 2018
Gonna miss this drama filled world
Mini Review:
This was a great conclusion to an awesome trilogy. This last book was a little slow in the middle and the ending was more predictable than the first two, but I still really loved the world and all the technology. The drama filled plot was highly entertaining. The writing was also very easy to get immersed in. It almost felt like a real place with real characters. The main characters were all flawed without being unlikable to the point where the story wasnt enjoyable anymore. Each perspective had its own unique voice so it was easy to tell which character I was following.
Mini Review:
This was a great conclusion to an awesome trilogy. This last book was a little slow in the middle and the ending was more predictable than the first two, but I still really loved the world and all the technology. The drama filled plot was highly entertaining. The writing was also very easy to get immersed in. It almost felt like a real place with real characters. The main characters were all flawed without being unlikable to the point where the story wasnt enjoyable anymore. Each perspective had its own unique voice so it was easy to tell which character I was following.
October 23, 2018
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Towering Sky is the third and final instalment of futuristic teen series ‘The Thousandth Floor’. Following in the same vein as the previous books, we see our privileged and beautiful narrators as they navigate the fall out of various secrets finally coming to light, mixed in with a little teen angst and drama.
This instalment is really all about Avery and her relationship with adopted brother Atlas, as well as being the ‘darling’ of the New York scene and the travails this incurs. I like Avery. She’s described as a genetically designed perfect individual, but she never sees herself as this. In fact, she’s deeply insecure, constantly comparing herself to her friends while remaining deeply loyal to the end. She comes across as a genuinely good character, who exudes a warmth while remaining charismatic and interesting. This can be hard to do in novels like this, where most characters appear vapid with little substance to them. Avery is more complex than this, and I would say she’s well developed.
Leda is another well developed character, troubled by her unpredictable nature and struggling with her past actions. It was nice to see her interactions with Avery and Watt, although I did find the conclusion to her storyline a little too ‘neat’. I would have liked to have seen her interact with the other narrators a bit more too. Especially Rylin, who she shares a lot in common with.
The weakest character was Calliope. I found her storyline unnecessary, and she comes across as more of an enigma. We don’t know much about her history, and I found myself not really caring. Her story also isn’t linked in anyway to the main plot, and aside from a brief interaction with Avery she doesn’t communicate with any of the other characters - making her a little redundant. I could have done without her to be honest, and felt that as a whole her character had an air of ‘missed opportunity’ about it. She could have been very handy to have around as Avery’s world decends into chaos. I also found Rylin a bit of an accessory, and her storyline was rather bland and predictable.
I found this very similar in tone to the other novels in the series. It’s a total guilty pleasure that is very easy to read, and flows reasonably well. It’s nevr going to win literary awards for the writing style. It’s simplistic, and very ‘young’ in tone - but this suits the overall feel of the novel. I will say that I was disappointed in certain plot points that petered out and didn’t conclude to my satisfaction - such as the murder mystery element that started well, and then was sort of forgotten about only to be hurriedly concluded. I also found certain reveals of secrets that have been built up over the course of the three novels to fall rather flat, which was disappointing. I wanted to see more the fallout, rather than the rushed ending that I got. I wanted more of the trauma, and less of the fairy tale.
That said, this was entertaining and a rather enjoyable light read after some heavy nonfiction. Would recommend.
The Towering Sky is the third and final instalment of futuristic teen series ‘The Thousandth Floor’. Following in the same vein as the previous books, we see our privileged and beautiful narrators as they navigate the fall out of various secrets finally coming to light, mixed in with a little teen angst and drama.
This instalment is really all about Avery and her relationship with adopted brother Atlas, as well as being the ‘darling’ of the New York scene and the travails this incurs. I like Avery. She’s described as a genetically designed perfect individual, but she never sees herself as this. In fact, she’s deeply insecure, constantly comparing herself to her friends while remaining deeply loyal to the end. She comes across as a genuinely good character, who exudes a warmth while remaining charismatic and interesting. This can be hard to do in novels like this, where most characters appear vapid with little substance to them. Avery is more complex than this, and I would say she’s well developed.
Leda is another well developed character, troubled by her unpredictable nature and struggling with her past actions. It was nice to see her interactions with Avery and Watt, although I did find the conclusion to her storyline a little too ‘neat’. I would have liked to have seen her interact with the other narrators a bit more too. Especially Rylin, who she shares a lot in common with.
The weakest character was Calliope. I found her storyline unnecessary, and she comes across as more of an enigma. We don’t know much about her history, and I found myself not really caring. Her story also isn’t linked in anyway to the main plot, and aside from a brief interaction with Avery she doesn’t communicate with any of the other characters - making her a little redundant. I could have done without her to be honest, and felt that as a whole her character had an air of ‘missed opportunity’ about it. She could have been very handy to have around as Avery’s world decends into chaos. I also found Rylin a bit of an accessory, and her storyline was rather bland and predictable.
I found this very similar in tone to the other novels in the series. It’s a total guilty pleasure that is very easy to read, and flows reasonably well. It’s nevr going to win literary awards for the writing style. It’s simplistic, and very ‘young’ in tone - but this suits the overall feel of the novel. I will say that I was disappointed in certain plot points that petered out and didn’t conclude to my satisfaction - such as the murder mystery element that started well, and then was sort of forgotten about only to be hurriedly concluded. I also found certain reveals of secrets that have been built up over the course of the three novels to fall rather flat, which was disappointing. I wanted to see more the fallout, rather than the rushed ending that I got. I wanted more of the trauma, and less of the fairy tale.
That said, this was entertaining and a rather enjoyable light read after some heavy nonfiction. Would recommend.
July 3, 2025
Y llegué al final de esta trilogía.
Debo decir que me encariñé bastante con la historia, los personajes y ese mundo futurista tan atrapante que construyó la autora. Me lo devoré en menos de dos semanas, los tres libros seguidos, sin poder soltar ninguno. Su forma de narrar es ligera, ágil, llena de drama y emoción, perfecta porque me enganchó desde la primera página.
En esta última entrega, todo explotó. Las verdades salen a la luz, los personajes enfrentan las consecuencias de sus decisiones, y se nota muchísimo cómo han crecido desde el primer libro. Cada uno carga con culpas, secretos y deseos tan humanos que es imposible no sufrir con ellos. Me encantó ver cómo Leda se transforma, cómo Rylin busca su lugar, cómo Watt intenta encontrar una redención, y cómo Avery, aún viviendo en la cima, no tiene la vida perfecta que todos creen.
Me ha encantado. Amé todo. Recordaré esta historia con mucho cariño. 🥺💘
Debo decir que me encariñé bastante con la historia, los personajes y ese mundo futurista tan atrapante que construyó la autora. Me lo devoré en menos de dos semanas, los tres libros seguidos, sin poder soltar ninguno. Su forma de narrar es ligera, ágil, llena de drama y emoción, perfecta porque me enganchó desde la primera página.
En esta última entrega, todo explotó. Las verdades salen a la luz, los personajes enfrentan las consecuencias de sus decisiones, y se nota muchísimo cómo han crecido desde el primer libro. Cada uno carga con culpas, secretos y deseos tan humanos que es imposible no sufrir con ellos. Me encantó ver cómo Leda se transforma, cómo Rylin busca su lugar, cómo Watt intenta encontrar una redención, y cómo Avery, aún viviendo en la cima, no tiene la vida perfecta que todos creen.
Me ha encantado. Amé todo. Recordaré esta historia con mucho cariño. 🥺💘
September 9, 2018
I was satisfied with the ending, it was perfect. But I can’t justify giving this book 5 stars because the book was pretty stretched out, repetitive and boring from the 20% mark to the 75% mark. I also feel like this was an opportunity to develop Brice to the fullest extent, but that opportunity wasn’t used. All I know is that he is sometimes a creep and sometimes a knight in shining armour. I really loved this trilogy, and will definitely be reading anything McGee puts out in the future.
UPDATE 09/12: OH MY LORD WHAT IS THIS WHY IS THIS SO GORGEOUS THIS COVER HAS DEFINITELY SATISFIED ALL MY NEEDS IN LIFE! My dream is to own all of these in hardcover. Ms. McGee PLEASE DO NOT EVER CHANGE YOUR COVER DESIGNER NOBODY CAN BEAT THIS.
I cannot wait for this cover reveal, I think it's going to satisfy all my needs in life.
UPDATE 09/12: OH MY LORD WHAT IS THIS WHY IS THIS SO GORGEOUS THIS COVER HAS DEFINITELY SATISFIED ALL MY NEEDS IN LIFE! My dream is to own all of these in hardcover. Ms. McGee PLEASE DO NOT EVER CHANGE YOUR COVER DESIGNER NOBODY CAN BEAT THIS.
I cannot wait for this cover reveal, I think it's going to satisfy all my needs in life.
October 16, 2018
Star Rating: 4.5 Stars
Well.. I didn't see that coming.
I f'ing love this series.
I don't watch reality TV so this book is basically my bad TV. I know its rotting my brain, but I'm addicted to it.
Well.. I didn't see that coming.
I f'ing love this series.
I don't watch reality TV so this book is basically my bad TV. I know its rotting my brain, but I'm addicted to it.
October 1, 2018
The third and final book in The Thousandth Floor trilogy by Katharine McGee. The characters (Leda, Rylin, Calliope, Watt, and Avery) are all back with an exciting conclusion to the series.
Leda is the most intriguing and complex character in the book. Rylin is my favorite character, but Cord, her boyfriend, is kind of lame. Calliope still seems pointless. Watt is still too smart for his own good. Avery has major drama, and, really, deserves better than Atlas.
This book nicely wraps up the various stories. Fun, gossipy, and entertaining.
Leda is the most intriguing and complex character in the book. Rylin is my favorite character, but Cord, her boyfriend, is kind of lame. Calliope still seems pointless. Watt is still too smart for his own good. Avery has major drama, and, really, deserves better than Atlas.
This book nicely wraps up the various stories. Fun, gossipy, and entertaining.
April 18, 2019
Fantastic! This was definitely much quieter than the first two in the series, but it still delivered. I was still intrigued and super invested in the characters. And the last 150 pages or so were just... ahhhhhh! Lol!
Anyway it's currently 130am and I have to work in the morning so I should go to bed.
But yes. excellent.
The entire trilogy is really solid in my opinion. Def recommend.
Anyway it's currently 130am and I have to work in the morning so I should go to bed.
But yes. excellent.
The entire trilogy is really solid in my opinion. Def recommend.
October 16, 2020
Was this my favorite in the trilogy? No, I think I still like The Dazzling Heights a bit more, but The Towering Sky is a close second. It's probably because of how depressing this book got towards the end :)
Okay, I can't think. I can't think. Can you believe this is the end of the trilogy? I love Katharine McGee. Her writing just flows with me so well. It's easy and fun to read. I think the best part of her writing I've read so far is the characters, though. I'm gonna talk about that later.
characters - there's SO MANY main POV characters (not to mention non-POV main characters) that I don't even want to do an in depth review of each of them. Just read my reviews for the last two books if you really want it (which I'm sure you don't)
Avery- perfect. White girl, blonde hair, blue eyes, genetically perfect. Literally. A cruel victim of incest (haha she should read The Mortal Instruments; she probably can relate to Clary lol), she starts to spiral downhill in this book. I'm glad she got the ending she got though; I feel that's exactly what she needed. I did feel awful for her in this book, and my heart broke multiple times for her. POV character.
Atlas- *adopted* brother of Avery. The other half of the Fuller Incest Duo™. I said in my other reviews that I hated Atlas, and for good reason. He was so annoying, vanilla, and cruel. But... I forgive him in this book, especially after that ending. Not a POV character.
Leda- our anti-villain of the first book. Was *formerly* a drug addict, but I honestly think Leda had one of the best character arcs throughout the entire trilogy. From this angry, drug addict, family hating girl to someone who we've seen grow and blossom into an amazing character at the end of this story. Also, her and Watt were just *insert french chef's kiss*. Their coupling was genius on McGee's side, if you ask me. POV character.
Watt- the super smart hacker boy. Half of his personality was him, and the other half was Nadia, his quantum computer imbedded in his brain. I really liked his story too, though. It's not everyday you see a character come along with an actual computer embedded in his brain. I really liked his character arc and relationship with Leda as well. I love all of these characters, but Watt honestly really stands out for me (not that they all don't stand out :) POV character.
Rylin- poor girl central. She had to grow up early, so I feel for Rylin. She did get a little self-centered in this book in comparison to the first and second books, but her and Cord make up for that hehe! Also, the fact that she was half-korean shocked me. I actually didn't know she was half-korean, all white really, and I don't think it was mentioned before, so I'm just confused about that. I NEED FANART FOR THIS SERIES! POV character.
Cord- rich boy central. I really liked Cord, honestly. Yes, he's a bit toxic. Yes, he can be rude. But he loves Rylin, so everything else is forgived. They were the sweetest couple in the whole book, no matter what the crazy crap they went through, and I will fight you on that. I LOVE YOU, CORD! Not a POV character.
Calliope- yes, I still think of her as Eris's replacement. But it's okay. We really got to see a new side of Calliope. She really did have a great character arc in The Towering Sky, and we went really deep into her character. She and Brice are great together, though. POV character.
Brice- didn't get to know him much. But I loved him and Calliope together :) Def not as big of a character as the others but I still liked him okay. Not a POV character.
also, as a side note- Hiral and Max deserved better. I 100% ship our characters with who they ended up with at the end, but they deserved so much better than they got, at least Max did for sure.
Relationships - I'm just gonna rate them-
Avery-Atlas- 5/5 very toxic and incest BUT STILL I love them together
Leda-Watt- 1000000000/5 get second place in my book. Just amazing together, really
Rylin-Cord- 1000000000000/5 my favorite couple! Toxic af but we still ship them for life <3
Eris-Mariel- 6/5 our only gay couple (who are both, coincidentally, dead) but were so great together
Calliope-Brice- 4/5 could have used a lot more of them and their character development but still a great couple
Leda-Avery- literal definition of toxic bffs but some of their moments were great, especially their last scene together, so I like their friendship a lot
none of the other relationships I feel are really that relevant for me to list them here, but as a side note- I think all the parents in this series were sucky EXCEPT for Elise, Calliope's mom and Caroline, Eris's mom haha
Representation - I'm sorry to say, but the representation, like always, isn't strong in this book. Apparently Rylin was half-Korean this whole time??? I always remembered her to be a pure white girl, but apparently not. It was hard for me to reimagine her lol and what made it worse was that there was no fanart to look at :( people read this series! Y'all will have a gala of a time with it :)
Okay, so we have Watt, a boy of middle-eastern descent, the smart hacker boy. Not much else. This is, obviously, in my opinion, very cliche of the author to do that. But I liked Watt and his personality, just not his cliche-ness basic outline of a character. Leda Cole, our anti-villain of the first book. The only black girl in the whole story, which again, cliche, but I liked Leda a lot too, so I'm biased. Eris and Mariel, our only gay/bi characters had already died within the first two books, so I'm not impressed with that either at all. Just like in the past two books, the representation game is NOT strong at all in this book.
Plot - the plot just went down down down down up up down up up up down down down down then rock bottom so it was a wild but amazing ride :) I literally flew through the book and didn't notice how quickly I was reading it until I finished lol. It's fun, gossipy, scandalous, everything you want in a drama like this.
World-Building - Just read my other reviews. Like always, I really love this world. No ones dying (actually quite a few people die in this so :), no crazy government (crazy parents, tho), just fun and scandalous gossip and plots. Just being in the Tower is really so fun, and I think it adds a very interesting and unique element to the entire trilogy.
Overall Review - I love this series so much. Really, I do. It's super underrated, honestly, and deserves so much more hype. It's 1000% my guilty pleasure series, and is probably going in my all-time faves list :) or at least at the top of my 2020 list :)
Also, can I just mention how beautiful these covers are??? Definitely going into my all-time favorite book covers just because of how stunning they are (not the ones with people on them, of course; those are kind of ugly and gives off mid-2000s vibes, which I do NOT like). Just... *sigh*. The book spines put together are just fabulous too!
excuse me, Katharine McGee, if you're reading this (which you're probably not)- PLEASE WRITE A SEQUEL SERIES ABOUT THESE CHARACTERS' CHILDREN PLEASE AND THANK YOU!!!
honestly this series was MADE for a tv show or movie, so please make a TV show or movie series based on this series :)
5 stars, and excuse me while I go jump into The Winner's Curse so I don't have to think about that ending any longer and torture myself over it :)
Okay, I can't think. I can't think. Can you believe this is the end of the trilogy? I love Katharine McGee. Her writing just flows with me so well. It's easy and fun to read. I think the best part of her writing I've read so far is the characters, though. I'm gonna talk about that later.
characters - there's SO MANY main POV characters (not to mention non-POV main characters) that I don't even want to do an in depth review of each of them. Just read my reviews for the last two books if you really want it (which I'm sure you don't)
Avery- perfect. White girl, blonde hair, blue eyes, genetically perfect. Literally. A cruel victim of incest (haha she should read The Mortal Instruments; she probably can relate to Clary lol), she starts to spiral downhill in this book. I'm glad she got the ending she got though; I feel that's exactly what she needed. I did feel awful for her in this book, and my heart broke multiple times for her. POV character.
Atlas- *adopted* brother of Avery. The other half of the Fuller Incest Duo™. I said in my other reviews that I hated Atlas, and for good reason. He was so annoying, vanilla, and cruel. But... I forgive him in this book, especially after that ending. Not a POV character.
Leda- our anti-villain of the first book. Was *formerly* a drug addict, but I honestly think Leda had one of the best character arcs throughout the entire trilogy. From this angry, drug addict, family hating girl to someone who we've seen grow and blossom into an amazing character at the end of this story. Also, her and Watt were just *insert french chef's kiss*. Their coupling was genius on McGee's side, if you ask me. POV character.
Watt- the super smart hacker boy. Half of his personality was him, and the other half was Nadia, his quantum computer imbedded in his brain. I really liked his story too, though. It's not everyday you see a character come along with an actual computer embedded in his brain. I really liked his character arc and relationship with Leda as well. I love all of these characters, but Watt honestly really stands out for me (not that they all don't stand out :) POV character.
Rylin- poor girl central. She had to grow up early, so I feel for Rylin. She did get a little self-centered in this book in comparison to the first and second books, but her and Cord make up for that hehe! Also, the fact that she was half-korean shocked me. I actually didn't know she was half-korean, all white really, and I don't think it was mentioned before, so I'm just confused about that. I NEED FANART FOR THIS SERIES! POV character.
Cord- rich boy central. I really liked Cord, honestly. Yes, he's a bit toxic. Yes, he can be rude. But he loves Rylin, so everything else is forgived. They were the sweetest couple in the whole book, no matter what the crazy crap they went through, and I will fight you on that. I LOVE YOU, CORD! Not a POV character.
Calliope- yes, I still think of her as Eris's replacement. But it's okay. We really got to see a new side of Calliope. She really did have a great character arc in The Towering Sky, and we went really deep into her character. She and Brice are great together, though. POV character.
Brice- didn't get to know him much. But I loved him and Calliope together :) Def not as big of a character as the others but I still liked him okay. Not a POV character.
also, as a side note- Hiral and Max deserved better. I 100% ship our characters with who they ended up with at the end, but they deserved so much better than they got, at least Max did for sure.
Relationships - I'm just gonna rate them-
Avery-Atlas- 5/5 very toxic and incest BUT STILL I love them together
Leda-Watt- 1000000000/5 get second place in my book. Just amazing together, really
Rylin-Cord- 1000000000000/5 my favorite couple! Toxic af but we still ship them for life <3
Eris-Mariel- 6/5 our only gay couple (who are both, coincidentally, dead) but were so great together
Calliope-Brice- 4/5 could have used a lot more of them and their character development but still a great couple
Leda-Avery- literal definition of toxic bffs but some of their moments were great, especially their last scene together, so I like their friendship a lot
none of the other relationships I feel are really that relevant for me to list them here, but as a side note- I think all the parents in this series were sucky EXCEPT for Elise, Calliope's mom and Caroline, Eris's mom haha
Representation - I'm sorry to say, but the representation, like always, isn't strong in this book. Apparently Rylin was half-Korean this whole time??? I always remembered her to be a pure white girl, but apparently not. It was hard for me to reimagine her lol and what made it worse was that there was no fanart to look at :( people read this series! Y'all will have a gala of a time with it :)
Okay, so we have Watt, a boy of middle-eastern descent, the smart hacker boy. Not much else. This is, obviously, in my opinion, very cliche of the author to do that. But I liked Watt and his personality, just not his cliche-ness basic outline of a character. Leda Cole, our anti-villain of the first book. The only black girl in the whole story, which again, cliche, but I liked Leda a lot too, so I'm biased. Eris and Mariel, our only gay/bi characters had already died within the first two books, so I'm not impressed with that either at all. Just like in the past two books, the representation game is NOT strong at all in this book.
Plot - the plot just went down down down down up up down up up up down down down down then rock bottom so it was a wild but amazing ride :) I literally flew through the book and didn't notice how quickly I was reading it until I finished lol. It's fun, gossipy, scandalous, everything you want in a drama like this.
World-Building - Just read my other reviews. Like always, I really love this world. No ones dying (actually quite a few people die in this so :), no crazy government (crazy parents, tho), just fun and scandalous gossip and plots. Just being in the Tower is really so fun, and I think it adds a very interesting and unique element to the entire trilogy.
Overall Review - I love this series so much. Really, I do. It's super underrated, honestly, and deserves so much more hype. It's 1000% my guilty pleasure series, and is probably going in my all-time faves list :) or at least at the top of my 2020 list :)
Also, can I just mention how beautiful these covers are??? Definitely going into my all-time favorite book covers just because of how stunning they are (not the ones with people on them, of course; those are kind of ugly and gives off mid-2000s vibes, which I do NOT like). Just... *sigh*. The book spines put together are just fabulous too!
excuse me, Katharine McGee, if you're reading this (which you're probably not)- PLEASE WRITE A SEQUEL SERIES ABOUT THESE CHARACTERS' CHILDREN PLEASE AND THANK YOU!!!
honestly this series was MADE for a tv show or movie, so please make a TV show or movie series based on this series :)
5 stars, and excuse me while I go jump into The Winner's Curse so I don't have to think about that ending any longer and torture myself over it :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2019
The first book made me think that the author was edgy and had balls like GRRM. Not that I particularly liked the first book, but the taboo themes the author was trying to tackle showed balls of steel, because it's very hard to make characters that get involved in incest, murder, blackmail, dealing, and so on, likable and relatable.
I was wrong. So wrong. Because the author was not trying to tackle these themes at all. If she was, I really dislike the point she's trying to make.
Like Rylin says into her essay (which, as a a filmmaking student, I actually liked), real life is messy and we want things to be neat. Real life is chaos, while stories are not. Stories are supposed to be uplifting and we want them to be uplifting to make ourselves feel better about life.
This book does not make me feel better about life.
It makes me feel worse.
When GRRM creates a flawed character that acts stupid, they don't get a reward. They get punished. In the worst possible way.
This author gives them a reward.
And that pissed me off.
In book 2, I was sad to see that the Calliope character never paid off. I thought she would get involved in the general plot somehow - find out who killed Eris, and all the other secrets that the golden foursome were keeping, but no. She just had dirt on Avery, decided that this allowed her to stay in New York, and that was it.
Which meant that Calliope's character was completely unnecessary in this book. Her storyline never connected with the other storylines, and her newfound family drama was ridiculous. So, Calliope's adoptive sister is overbearing and overprotective. Okay. But she was also a goody two shoes. You're telling me that Livya (or whatever her name was), never tried to rebel against her father's ridiculous no-going-out rules? Come on. And the way the truth about Calliope and her mom came out... really? You're telling me that these two con artists couldn't get away with lying? Elise could have totally gotten out of that particular situation (not that I wanted her to), and it made no sense that she would have chosen that particular moment to stammer and be honest?
There was a low key familial abuse there, between Calliope and Elise, that never came into light, or a bigger light, at least. For me, their story was the story of a selfish mother who didn't mind physically harming her daughter to achieve her own goals, and this continued in this novel, because Elise's mother was still selfish. Calliope thought her mom stayed to see the con through because of her, but it turns out, Elise fell in love. Aw.
Not.
Also, was it supposed to be refreshing that there was really no drama between Calliope and Brice? He knew or suspected everything this whole time, and he was fine with it? After making Rylin go away in the first book for being a possible gold digger/theaf, now he's fine dating a real one?
Ah well. Not to mention that Brice was such a periphery character. Everyone said how Brice and Cord were close. I never saw it.
Rylin. She was yet another miss in this book, because she was so detached from the rest of the group, and the rest of the plot too. Her drama revolved fully around Cord and Hiral, and it irked me how she went all 'woe is me' because the 'boys in her life never let her make any of the decisions' even though she makes ALL the decisions. Also, excuse me Rylin, but even when you're in a relationship with someone, you don't get to dictate his life. I was fine with Hiral wanting to leave - he had a record and a crappy life, so I could totally see the guy trying to get out of it, with or without her. And he did ask nicely if she wanted to leave New York, however, it was obvious she wasn't, because after all, she needed to take care of Chrissa. But it was Rylin who kissed Cord two days later, not Cord. Cord was simply in love with her. Although, this wasn't really shown. Cord was in love with the idea of Rylin, but he never really tried to know her more in this book. And when Rylin mentions her mother, and Cord is all uninterested, it struck me as wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Rylin should have ended up alone, not with Hiral and not with Cord either.
Maybe then she would have realized that she was making her decisions all along, she just didn't care about the consequences. That, does not deserve a reward.
Leda: Finally, we get to see what Leda does after learning the truth about Eris. Predictably, she goes on a bender, ends up in rehab, again, and then is trying to pick up the pieces. Again. I felt for Leda, I had no doubt that she did not kill Mariel, but I also did not think that Leda deserved her ending. You killed your sister. Unintentionally or not, you did. And you did not come clean, you blackmailed people to keep it hush hush. Leda deserved punishment. No, not her own punishment, but a real world punishment. Her parents finding out and looking at her with disgust, her classmates calling her a murderer, everything. Instead, she got off clean and free to live her life. Poor Eris.
Watt: I suppose it was obvious who killed Mariel, but even that was a bit too clean for my taste. It would have been so interesting if Watt had been the one to experience blackouts, if Nadia was revealed to have taken over Watt's consciousness and body to do it, not just through hacking a cleaning bot to push Mariel into the river. Then maybe Watt would have understood that it was Nadia who killed Mariel, it was himself. His hands. I suppose though, that murder-by-proxy was enough to make him at least as guilty as Leda, so they have even more in common now?
I was not sad that he let go of Nadia. I was not surprised that this was his ending.
I WAS LIVID that he was rewarded in the end. He didn't deserve that reward, just as neither of the characters deserved their rewards. They did not save the world, after all. Also, I thought the point of Watt's story was for him to learn that there are dark sides to quantum computers. I expected that he would at least NOT get into MIT, and not be sorry about it because he learned his lesson about quantum computing.
But, that didn't happen.
Avery: I mean, Cersei. There was something ridiculous about her storyline. Especially with Max. Max was like this perfect boyfriend who got the fat end of the club. He bought an apartment for them! Although, I still don't understand how a 20-year-old, more or less, could afford an apartment with money he had "saved up." I mean, it would have made sense if Avery could afford it, but Max of the rumpled clothes and academic family having enough money to buy an apartment was ridiculous to me. And why wasn't there a final showdown between him and Avery? He sees Avery and Atlas and just..disappears.
Okay. Whatever.
It's as if the author suddenly started shying away from drama and confrontations.
But let's talk about princess Avery. (Also, I think I see where the author got the idea to write her next novel, American Royals, because the seeds were obviously strewn in this novel with the way Avery was dubbed the Princess of New York). Excuse me while I go barf a little.
And Atlas. Oh my God, Atlas. He was ridiculous. That stint he pulled off when their parents find out about Avery and Atlas' incestuous relationship (HENTAI anyone?) was so pathetic, it was funny. So, let's see here. This person adopted you, gave you a home, and a ridiculously well-paying job running his Dubai branch, and you end up fucking his daughter. And was their Dad supposed to accept this and help them? I loved the reaction of their mother, the barfing and the tears, because yeah. But Atlas falling on his knees and begging them for their help... it just showed that they felt no remorse about any of what happened. Not Atlas, and not Avery either.
And Avery. Oh God, Avery. While I felt for her frustration at having her whole life dictated by her parents: from her genetically engineered beauty to her lovely clothes, I don't think she would have minded at any of that if her parents "allowed" her to have Atlas (if nothing, at least in private). I mean, it would have been a worse ending if their parents sued the tabloid, but allowed these two to be together in secret, secreting them off around the world and out of New York's prying eyes, but what happened was somehow even worse. So, Avery takes the fall for everything, even Mariel, when, no matter how deep the police dug, they wouldn't have found out who killed her. However, Avery, the ever-spoiled one, snaps at not being allowed to have Atlas. So she burns down her home.
Go Avery! Not.
So not.
I thought these novels could be/would be edgy, and show some important - albeit dark - lessons about life, the universe, and everything. But that never happened. If the author was trying to tackle themes, her reasoning is that it's a pretty good thing in life to be rich. When you're rich, you can:
- get away with involuntary manslaughter
- have an incestuous relationship with your adoptive brother (ugh and ewww)
- steal and sell drugs
- create a murderous AI
- hurt countless people by conning them
- Burn your parents' house
- blackmail people
You can get away with everything. Literally. No, you'll not only get away, you will be REWARDED.
I am wondering, how did this thing get even published? I am trying to understand. It's not about being PC and whatnot, it's about the actual messages that these novels send out into the world, into the minds of children because this is still YA, and teenagers are still children. I don't really mind the edgy stuff of the novel, I really don't, I mean, Game of Thrones is a hit, and it's as edgy as you can, revealing the darkest sides of human nature. But here, I am supposed to believe that these teenagers are all good - deep down? They just make mistakes? What happens when Leda goes to visit Watt at MIT and realizes a girl is crushing on her man, and her man is really interested? Will another girl accidentally fall from the top of a building again?
I'm starting to think yes.
I was wrong. So wrong. Because the author was not trying to tackle these themes at all. If she was, I really dislike the point she's trying to make.
Like Rylin says into her essay (which, as a a filmmaking student, I actually liked), real life is messy and we want things to be neat. Real life is chaos, while stories are not. Stories are supposed to be uplifting and we want them to be uplifting to make ourselves feel better about life.
This book does not make me feel better about life.
It makes me feel worse.
When GRRM creates a flawed character that acts stupid, they don't get a reward. They get punished. In the worst possible way.
This author gives them a reward.
And that pissed me off.
In book 2, I was sad to see that the Calliope character never paid off. I thought she would get involved in the general plot somehow - find out who killed Eris, and all the other secrets that the golden foursome were keeping, but no. She just had dirt on Avery, decided that this allowed her to stay in New York, and that was it.
Which meant that Calliope's character was completely unnecessary in this book. Her storyline never connected with the other storylines, and her newfound family drama was ridiculous. So, Calliope's adoptive sister is overbearing and overprotective. Okay. But she was also a goody two shoes. You're telling me that Livya (or whatever her name was), never tried to rebel against her father's ridiculous no-going-out rules? Come on. And the way the truth about Calliope and her mom came out... really? You're telling me that these two con artists couldn't get away with lying? Elise could have totally gotten out of that particular situation (not that I wanted her to), and it made no sense that she would have chosen that particular moment to stammer and be honest?
There was a low key familial abuse there, between Calliope and Elise, that never came into light, or a bigger light, at least. For me, their story was the story of a selfish mother who didn't mind physically harming her daughter to achieve her own goals, and this continued in this novel, because Elise's mother was still selfish. Calliope thought her mom stayed to see the con through because of her, but it turns out, Elise fell in love. Aw.
Not.
Also, was it supposed to be refreshing that there was really no drama between Calliope and Brice? He knew or suspected everything this whole time, and he was fine with it? After making Rylin go away in the first book for being a possible gold digger/theaf, now he's fine dating a real one?
Ah well. Not to mention that Brice was such a periphery character. Everyone said how Brice and Cord were close. I never saw it.
Rylin. She was yet another miss in this book, because she was so detached from the rest of the group, and the rest of the plot too. Her drama revolved fully around Cord and Hiral, and it irked me how she went all 'woe is me' because the 'boys in her life never let her make any of the decisions' even though she makes ALL the decisions. Also, excuse me Rylin, but even when you're in a relationship with someone, you don't get to dictate his life. I was fine with Hiral wanting to leave - he had a record and a crappy life, so I could totally see the guy trying to get out of it, with or without her. And he did ask nicely if she wanted to leave New York, however, it was obvious she wasn't, because after all, she needed to take care of Chrissa. But it was Rylin who kissed Cord two days later, not Cord. Cord was simply in love with her. Although, this wasn't really shown. Cord was in love with the idea of Rylin, but he never really tried to know her more in this book. And when Rylin mentions her mother, and Cord is all uninterested, it struck me as wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Rylin should have ended up alone, not with Hiral and not with Cord either.
Maybe then she would have realized that she was making her decisions all along, she just didn't care about the consequences. That, does not deserve a reward.
Leda: Finally, we get to see what Leda does after learning the truth about Eris. Predictably, she goes on a bender, ends up in rehab, again, and then is trying to pick up the pieces. Again. I felt for Leda, I had no doubt that she did not kill Mariel, but I also did not think that Leda deserved her ending. You killed your sister. Unintentionally or not, you did. And you did not come clean, you blackmailed people to keep it hush hush. Leda deserved punishment. No, not her own punishment, but a real world punishment. Her parents finding out and looking at her with disgust, her classmates calling her a murderer, everything. Instead, she got off clean and free to live her life. Poor Eris.
Watt: I suppose it was obvious who killed Mariel, but even that was a bit too clean for my taste. It would have been so interesting if Watt had been the one to experience blackouts, if Nadia was revealed to have taken over Watt's consciousness and body to do it, not just through hacking a cleaning bot to push Mariel into the river. Then maybe Watt would have understood that it was Nadia who killed Mariel, it was himself. His hands. I suppose though, that murder-by-proxy was enough to make him at least as guilty as Leda, so they have even more in common now?
I was not sad that he let go of Nadia. I was not surprised that this was his ending.
I WAS LIVID that he was rewarded in the end. He didn't deserve that reward, just as neither of the characters deserved their rewards. They did not save the world, after all. Also, I thought the point of Watt's story was for him to learn that there are dark sides to quantum computers. I expected that he would at least NOT get into MIT, and not be sorry about it because he learned his lesson about quantum computing.
But, that didn't happen.
Avery: I mean, Cersei. There was something ridiculous about her storyline. Especially with Max. Max was like this perfect boyfriend who got the fat end of the club. He bought an apartment for them! Although, I still don't understand how a 20-year-old, more or less, could afford an apartment with money he had "saved up." I mean, it would have made sense if Avery could afford it, but Max of the rumpled clothes and academic family having enough money to buy an apartment was ridiculous to me. And why wasn't there a final showdown between him and Avery? He sees Avery and Atlas and just..disappears.
Okay. Whatever.
It's as if the author suddenly started shying away from drama and confrontations.
But let's talk about princess Avery. (Also, I think I see where the author got the idea to write her next novel, American Royals, because the seeds were obviously strewn in this novel with the way Avery was dubbed the Princess of New York). Excuse me while I go barf a little.
And Atlas. Oh my God, Atlas. He was ridiculous. That stint he pulled off when their parents find out about Avery and Atlas' incestuous relationship (HENTAI anyone?) was so pathetic, it was funny. So, let's see here. This person adopted you, gave you a home, and a ridiculously well-paying job running his Dubai branch, and you end up fucking his daughter. And was their Dad supposed to accept this and help them? I loved the reaction of their mother, the barfing and the tears, because yeah. But Atlas falling on his knees and begging them for their help... it just showed that they felt no remorse about any of what happened. Not Atlas, and not Avery either.
And Avery. Oh God, Avery. While I felt for her frustration at having her whole life dictated by her parents: from her genetically engineered beauty to her lovely clothes, I don't think she would have minded at any of that if her parents "allowed" her to have Atlas (if nothing, at least in private). I mean, it would have been a worse ending if their parents sued the tabloid, but allowed these two to be together in secret, secreting them off around the world and out of New York's prying eyes, but what happened was somehow even worse. So, Avery takes the fall for everything, even Mariel, when, no matter how deep the police dug, they wouldn't have found out who killed her. However, Avery, the ever-spoiled one, snaps at not being allowed to have Atlas. So she burns down her home.
Go Avery! Not.
So not.
I thought these novels could be/would be edgy, and show some important - albeit dark - lessons about life, the universe, and everything. But that never happened. If the author was trying to tackle themes, her reasoning is that it's a pretty good thing in life to be rich. When you're rich, you can:
- get away with involuntary manslaughter
- have an incestuous relationship with your adoptive brother (ugh and ewww)
- steal and sell drugs
- create a murderous AI
- hurt countless people by conning them
- Burn your parents' house
- blackmail people
You can get away with everything. Literally. No, you'll not only get away, you will be REWARDED.
I am wondering, how did this thing get even published? I am trying to understand. It's not about being PC and whatnot, it's about the actual messages that these novels send out into the world, into the minds of children because this is still YA, and teenagers are still children. I don't really mind the edgy stuff of the novel, I really don't, I mean, Game of Thrones is a hit, and it's as edgy as you can, revealing the darkest sides of human nature. But here, I am supposed to believe that these teenagers are all good - deep down? They just make mistakes? What happens when Leda goes to visit Watt at MIT and realizes a girl is crushing on her man, and her man is really interested? Will another girl accidentally fall from the top of a building again?
I'm starting to think yes.
October 5, 2018
Reseña completa: http://elcaosliterario.blogspot.com/2...
Dos años después de leer "Vértigo", llegó el momento de despedirme de esta trilogía con la lectura de "Cielo infinito", un libro que ha estado a la altura de los dos anteriores y con un final que me ha dejado bastante satisfecho.
Una vez más solo puedo destacar la increíble pluma de Katharine McGee y felicitar a Raúl García Campos por el excelente trabajo que ha hecho como traductor. Ademas, es uno de esos libros que tiene algo que engancha en sus tramas y es agradable de leer.
Respecto a su sinopsis prefiero no deciros nada porque haría spoilers de los dos libros anteriores (tranquilos porque en la que he puesto arriba de todo no hay ningún spoiler), pero lo que sí os puedo decir, es que esta trilogía mezcla misterio, ciencia ficción, drama y un sin fin de géneros diferentes en varias historias que se conectan entre sí.
Dado que "Vértigo" lo había leído hace un año, no recordaba todo lo que había pasado y en qué situación habían quedado las tramas de los diferentes personajes. Esto no ha sido un problema, ya que en las primeras apariciones de los personajes se hacía referencia a su situación actual y lo que les había llevado a actuar de una determinada manera.
Como aspecto negativo quizá destacaría que el comienzo se me hizo un poco lento en comparación a los dos libros anteriores. Probablemente con 100 páginas menos hubiese sido un cierre de trilogía perfecto.
En resumen: ha sido una trilogía que me ha gustado muchísimo por su variedad en las tramas y la forma en que está escrita. Unos personajes que esconden muchos secretos y que son muy diferentes entre sí. Estaré muy pendiente de los próximos proyectos de esta autora.
Dos años después de leer "Vértigo", llegó el momento de despedirme de esta trilogía con la lectura de "Cielo infinito", un libro que ha estado a la altura de los dos anteriores y con un final que me ha dejado bastante satisfecho.
Una vez más solo puedo destacar la increíble pluma de Katharine McGee y felicitar a Raúl García Campos por el excelente trabajo que ha hecho como traductor. Ademas, es uno de esos libros que tiene algo que engancha en sus tramas y es agradable de leer.
Respecto a su sinopsis prefiero no deciros nada porque haría spoilers de los dos libros anteriores (tranquilos porque en la que he puesto arriba de todo no hay ningún spoiler), pero lo que sí os puedo decir, es que esta trilogía mezcla misterio, ciencia ficción, drama y un sin fin de géneros diferentes en varias historias que se conectan entre sí.
Dado que "Vértigo" lo había leído hace un año, no recordaba todo lo que había pasado y en qué situación habían quedado las tramas de los diferentes personajes. Esto no ha sido un problema, ya que en las primeras apariciones de los personajes se hacía referencia a su situación actual y lo que les había llevado a actuar de una determinada manera.
Como aspecto negativo quizá destacaría que el comienzo se me hizo un poco lento en comparación a los dos libros anteriores. Probablemente con 100 páginas menos hubiese sido un cierre de trilogía perfecto.
En resumen: ha sido una trilogía que me ha gustado muchísimo por su variedad en las tramas y la forma en que está escrita. Unos personajes que esconden muchos secretos y que son muy diferentes entre sí. Estaré muy pendiente de los próximos proyectos de esta autora.
November 29, 2018
I expected a lot more from this book but it did not deliver.
I really enjoyed the first two books but certainly not this one. The story in this one could have ended a lot earlier but it was stretched and dragged out instead. It felt like the characters were forced to separate in the first half of the book and then brought back together. We knew their lives were intertwined to begin with so why force them to ignore that part? Don’t get me wrong I still enjoyed it but it was a little frustrating.
I liked Avery. She has never wanted to be in the spotlight. She has everything but the thing she wants the most. Tough the relationship still grosses me out, I felt so sad for her. But I like the way her story ended. She can finally be free.
My love for Leda only grew. Yes, of course it annoyed me how she was trying to push everyone away at first but it all ended well. She is troubled and unpredictable. It was so good to see her changing for the better. Watt and her interactions were still my favorite. I adore them.
Rylin's story in the beginning when she was with Hiral did not sit well with me. It definitely felt fake. And then the next half of her story felt too rushed. She is one of my favorite characters in the book and I felt her story did not get justice.
The one character that I still didn’t like is Calliope. Her story isn’t linked with the others and felt unnecessary. Did not care for her.
Honestly, I was a fun read though I wanted more form the book. I wasn’t satisfied with a lot of plot points and it felt rather flat at some points. It was still an entertaining read.
I really enjoyed the first two books but certainly not this one. The story in this one could have ended a lot earlier but it was stretched and dragged out instead. It felt like the characters were forced to separate in the first half of the book and then brought back together. We knew their lives were intertwined to begin with so why force them to ignore that part? Don’t get me wrong I still enjoyed it but it was a little frustrating.
I liked Avery. She has never wanted to be in the spotlight. She has everything but the thing she wants the most. Tough the relationship still grosses me out, I felt so sad for her. But I like the way her story ended. She can finally be free.
My love for Leda only grew. Yes, of course it annoyed me how she was trying to push everyone away at first but it all ended well. She is troubled and unpredictable. It was so good to see her changing for the better. Watt and her interactions were still my favorite. I adore them.
Rylin's story in the beginning when she was with Hiral did not sit well with me. It definitely felt fake. And then the next half of her story felt too rushed. She is one of my favorite characters in the book and I felt her story did not get justice.
The one character that I still didn’t like is Calliope. Her story isn’t linked with the others and felt unnecessary. Did not care for her.
Honestly, I was a fun read though I wanted more form the book. I wasn’t satisfied with a lot of plot points and it felt rather flat at some points. It was still an entertaining read.
November 30, 2018
WOW! I didn’t expect that kind of ending but at the same time I’m happy it happened??
So in this final installment, I think it’s the last? Dunno but it’s bitterswet!, well you see the gang. Not everyone knows of the death that happened at the end in book 2. However, the police are trying to figure out who did it. I had my theories and I was so happy that my #1 suspect was it! I mean, I was still shocked and shit but really happy because my detective skills are getting better!
A lot happened in this book though. Secrets came out and it was about god damn time. However, I feel like the characters didn’t grow much in this book. Except for Avery because at the end of the book she wasn’t a whiny little bitch anymore. Not my favorite character but she was tolerable at the end.
I thought there was going to be another mysterious death, and the person I thought was gonna die..kind of frustrated me. It was for a dumb reason that they were bringing this dramatic death to my ears (this was an audio btw) and I was just rolling my eyes. I get it. It was dramatic but kind of unnecessary.
In the end, I still loved this book. I was so happy with the outcome. I secretly still hope for another book. If not, I will dive into another book from this author.
So in this final installment, I think it’s the last? Dunno but it’s bitterswet!, well you see the gang. Not everyone knows of the death that happened at the end in book 2. However, the police are trying to figure out who did it. I had my theories and I was so happy that my #1 suspect was it! I mean, I was still shocked and shit but really happy because my detective skills are getting better!
A lot happened in this book though. Secrets came out and it was about god damn time. However, I feel like the characters didn’t grow much in this book. Except for Avery because at the end of the book she wasn’t a whiny little bitch anymore. Not my favorite character but she was tolerable at the end.
I thought there was going to be another mysterious death, and the person I thought was gonna die..kind of frustrated me. It was for a dumb reason that they were bringing this dramatic death to my ears (this was an audio btw) and I was just rolling my eyes. I get it. It was dramatic but kind of unnecessary.
In the end, I still loved this book. I was so happy with the outcome. I secretly still hope for another book. If not, I will dive into another book from this author.
January 7, 2024
MAMITA QUERIDA QUE FINAL… siendo sincera la primera mitad me pareció que no pasaba nada, recién casi al final arranca a ponerse buena la cosa
hubo dos personajes que no me importaron en lo más mínimo y sentí que su parte no sumaba nada a la historia
me encanto completamente el mundo de esta distopía me da mucha lastima que se haya terminado… 😢
hubo dos personajes que no me importaron en lo más mínimo y sentí que su parte no sumaba nada a la historia
me encanto completamente el mundo de esta distopía me da mucha lastima que se haya terminado… 😢
Want to Read
March 3, 2020Me waiting for August right now:
September 12, 2018
Uggggghhhhhhhhh.
Listen. NOTHING happens in this book until, let's say, 75% in. Truly. There's a lot of recapping - which, tbh, was helpful because some stuff/people I forgot - and a hell of a lot of thinking. In the second book I had started to like some of the characters and some I still liked but others... nah.
Here's some specific and/or vague thoughts on each section:
Leda: Despite obviously not Loving her in the first book I warmed up to her much more in the second one. This one she is also okay, probably the best we've seen her. She's finally coming to terms with what she did and how she can't handle her issues with drugs anymore, and I can see some real strides in her character. (That scene with her dad was good as well.)
Avery: Girl. GIRL. She's a mess. Every single section of hers is a MESS. Stop wanting to fuck your brother!!!! I know he's not your blood-relative but you GREW UP TOGETHER. AS SIBLINGS. That makes it not cool!!! If you'd met at like 16 maybe we can talk! But you grEW UP TOGETHER!!!!
Watt: Boring af. I liked seeing him demolished by the admissions dean.
Rylin: Her entire plotline in this book was about her romance/love-triangle. That's it. A couple of throaway lines about wanting to become a holo-maker was not good enough. Literally every section was about her and her relationship with either Hiral or Cord.
Calliope: Not massively a fan of hers and was super annoyed her story had nothing to do with the overall plot of the novel. I get she had a part to play in the second book but this one she literally was sad/annoyed about having to be a "good" girl and going to secret dates with Brice. Why was she even here? Her storyline took up space/pages and was literally useless to the plot.
The good:
- The characters talked about their issues/problems to other characters, which was a breath of fresh air. I hate when a book leans on miscommunication as the main plot device and thankfully this book didn't do that.
- Avery and Leda's friendship felt nice and I wish there was way more of that and way less of Avery's overthinking about her brother. Also Avery's boyfriend was nice (and I felt bad for him).
- Everything wrapped up nicely at the end and I DO NOT need a spin-off (do you hear me, McGee? Do you? I will not read a story about what you left open at the end. I won't.)
- The reveal on who killed Mariel. That was good. I wish there was more explained, maybe shown, instead of just the two pages it got, but I definitely didn't see it coming.
The bad:
- Avery's whole storyline, as usual
- Calliope's entire existence (and her Annoying As Hell family/step-family, good god I wanted to smack Livya)
- The writing felt weirdly juvenile. I think maybe it was rushed and that made it come across as younger sounding. There was also the problem of the writing telling me what other characters thought. So for example if we're in Leda's section and Watt says something, the text would say "Watt says, obviously meaning that he _____" or whatever. Like maybe have dialogue that tells me what they think instead of constantly saying "[blank] says, clearly thinking ____" Like, stop.
The medium:
- The ending. Was it obvious what happened? Yes. Was it a good ending? I guess?
McGee's next book looks interesting and this trilogy wasn't as terrible as my reviews make it out to be so I'll definitely be looking into it.
Listen. NOTHING happens in this book until, let's say, 75% in. Truly. There's a lot of recapping - which, tbh, was helpful because some stuff/people I forgot - and a hell of a lot of thinking. In the second book I had started to like some of the characters and some I still liked but others... nah.
Here's some specific and/or vague thoughts on each section:
Leda: Despite obviously not Loving her in the first book I warmed up to her much more in the second one. This one she is also okay, probably the best we've seen her. She's finally coming to terms with what she did and how she can't handle her issues with drugs anymore, and I can see some real strides in her character. (That scene with her dad was good as well.)
Avery: Girl. GIRL. She's a mess. Every single section of hers is a MESS. Stop wanting to fuck your brother!!!! I know he's not your blood-relative but you GREW UP TOGETHER. AS SIBLINGS. That makes it not cool!!! If you'd met at like 16 maybe we can talk! But you grEW UP TOGETHER!!!!
Watt: Boring af. I liked seeing him demolished by the admissions dean.
Rylin: Her entire plotline in this book was about her romance/love-triangle. That's it. A couple of throaway lines about wanting to become a holo-maker was not good enough. Literally every section was about her and her relationship with either Hiral or Cord.
Calliope: Not massively a fan of hers and was super annoyed her story had nothing to do with the overall plot of the novel. I get she had a part to play in the second book but this one she literally was sad/annoyed about having to be a "good" girl and going to secret dates with Brice. Why was she even here? Her storyline took up space/pages and was literally useless to the plot.
The good:
- The characters talked about their issues/problems to other characters, which was a breath of fresh air. I hate when a book leans on miscommunication as the main plot device and thankfully this book didn't do that.
- Avery and Leda's friendship felt nice and I wish there was way more of that and way less of Avery's overthinking about her brother. Also Avery's boyfriend was nice (and I felt bad for him).
- Everything wrapped up nicely at the end and I DO NOT need a spin-off (do you hear me, McGee? Do you? I will not read a story about what you left open at the end. I won't.)
- The reveal on who killed Mariel. That was good. I wish there was more explained, maybe shown, instead of just the two pages it got, but I definitely didn't see it coming.
The bad:
- Avery's whole storyline, as usual
- Calliope's entire existence (and her Annoying As Hell family/step-family, good god I wanted to smack Livya)
- The writing felt weirdly juvenile. I think maybe it was rushed and that made it come across as younger sounding. There was also the problem of the writing telling me what other characters thought. So for example if we're in Leda's section and Watt says something, the text would say "Watt says, obviously meaning that he _____" or whatever. Like maybe have dialogue that tells me what they think instead of constantly saying "[blank] says, clearly thinking ____" Like, stop.
The medium:
- The ending. Was it obvious what happened? Yes. Was it a good ending? I guess?
McGee's next book looks interesting and this trilogy wasn't as terrible as my reviews make it out to be so I'll definitely be looking into it.
March 16, 2019
Just happily filing myself into the trash-for-trash category because of my love of this series.
Rich Kid Drama is like my new fave sub-genre. Is it new though? Or has this series just finally awakened a part of me that has been sleeping since I got bored with Gossip Girl 2? Either way, I'm beginning to embrace the fact that I love me some Rich Kid Drama.
True to the format of the previous two novels, this book begins with its ending. Very dramatic. I made sense of it pretty quick but the journey to get there was a lot of fun. Less scandalous than I hoped for, but still plenty of drama so I'm happy.
Our favourite couples (and not so favourite couples *coughaveryandatlascough*) have taken some time off from each other after the dramatic scenes at Dubai towards the end of book 2. But after the suspicious circumstances of that cliffhanger they're all thrown back together and emotions are suddenly running hot again.
My favourite drama queen, Leda, is less mischievous this time around which, I'll admit, was slightly disappointing, but she's still pretty cool. Watt's persistence really makes her stubborn streak shine. Avery is once again the shining star in her father's very public life and she's got some new arm candy whom I did not warm to at all because he's all about shunning the lifestyles of the rich and famous. YOU DON'T EVEN GO HERE. Please save your awkward charm for the next John Green novel.
Not that I was ready to be forced to root for Avery and Atlas again. But no matter how much that forbidden romance makes me want to vomit it does allow for some satisfying scandalous moments. Plus hello making me question my moral judgement. Am I a terrible person for not approving of their love? They're not related by blood so it's entirely a rebellion against societal norm that has me struggling. Does that make me a jerk? I am uncomfortable with this line of questioning.
Totally backing the Anderton boys though. Mmmhmm. I thought Brice was kind of a jerk in the first book but look at him over here winning my heart. I wish he and Calliope had gotten a little more wild together, though. They're both such rebels. And then romantic Cord back at his pining for Rylin. *happy sigh* Damnnnn this book turned on the love hard.
Make no mistake - this book is full of ridiculous coincidences, firework touches and all-consuming teenage love, set in a world of fancy dresses and overdecorated scenes that take place outside of school far too often for a book driven by school-aged teens. There's some fun sci-fi gadgets and technology etc but overall it's pretty classic high school drama for its futuristic setting. (I think that's a little bit the point, though - it doesn't matter how much you change the world around you, people will still be driven by the same basic needs and emotions.)
I just can't help but love it, though. I don't care if it's full of chance meetings that are highly unlikely. I need those meetings to fuel up my Rich Kid Drama Meter. I LIVE FOR THE DRAMA.
So in conclusion, I am sad this is a conclusion. :( I am here for the Next Gen stories 110%.
Rich Kid Drama is like my new fave sub-genre. Is it new though? Or has this series just finally awakened a part of me that has been sleeping since I got bored with Gossip Girl 2? Either way, I'm beginning to embrace the fact that I love me some Rich Kid Drama.
True to the format of the previous two novels, this book begins with its ending. Very dramatic. I made sense of it pretty quick but the journey to get there was a lot of fun. Less scandalous than I hoped for, but still plenty of drama so I'm happy.
Our favourite couples (and not so favourite couples *coughaveryandatlascough*) have taken some time off from each other after the dramatic scenes at Dubai towards the end of book 2. But after the suspicious circumstances of that cliffhanger they're all thrown back together and emotions are suddenly running hot again.
My favourite drama queen, Leda, is less mischievous this time around which, I'll admit, was slightly disappointing, but she's still pretty cool. Watt's persistence really makes her stubborn streak shine. Avery is once again the shining star in her father's very public life and she's got some new arm candy whom I did not warm to at all because he's all about shunning the lifestyles of the rich and famous. YOU DON'T EVEN GO HERE. Please save your awkward charm for the next John Green novel.
Not that I was ready to be forced to root for Avery and Atlas again. But no matter how much that forbidden romance makes me want to vomit it does allow for some satisfying scandalous moments. Plus hello making me question my moral judgement. Am I a terrible person for not approving of their love? They're not related by blood so it's entirely a rebellion against societal norm that has me struggling. Does that make me a jerk? I am uncomfortable with this line of questioning.
Totally backing the Anderton boys though. Mmmhmm. I thought Brice was kind of a jerk in the first book but look at him over here winning my heart. I wish he and Calliope had gotten a little more wild together, though. They're both such rebels. And then romantic Cord back at his pining for Rylin. *happy sigh* Damnnnn this book turned on the love hard.
Make no mistake - this book is full of ridiculous coincidences, firework touches and all-consuming teenage love, set in a world of fancy dresses and overdecorated scenes that take place outside of school far too often for a book driven by school-aged teens. There's some fun sci-fi gadgets and technology etc but overall it's pretty classic high school drama for its futuristic setting. (I think that's a little bit the point, though - it doesn't matter how much you change the world around you, people will still be driven by the same basic needs and emotions.)
I just can't help but love it, though. I don't care if it's full of chance meetings that are highly unlikely. I need those meetings to fuel up my Rich Kid Drama Meter. I LIVE FOR THE DRAMA.
So in conclusion, I am sad this is a conclusion. :( I am here for the Next Gen stories 110%.
September 9, 2018
Actual rating 3.5/5 stars. This is the third and final instalment in The Thousandth Floor trilogy.
Set in the futuristic thousand-floor skyscraper that dominates the Manhattan skyline, this follows all of the drama that comes with the territory of being one of the building's wealthy 'highliers'. The multiple perspectives means an array of stories are continually revolving around the central plot-line and they all converge in a drama-filled and explosive fashion!
Just like the former series instalments, I found this to be such a fun and enjoyable read, which provided an almost voyeuristic insight into the life of the rich, young and fabulous. I did, however, find this to be the most romantically-inclined and angst-heavy of the three and found myself yearning for the seeming simplicity of the others.
The sci-fi setting has always been light on details, which I did not mind, but I found this to have the most contemporary feel of them all, which was perhaps fuelled by the ending. Some characters seemed to have their stories too neatly concluded and it felt a little inauthentic: many relationships were created or re-converged in the final quarter, meaning almost every character was coupled off. Others had little details provided, and these were my favourites, were I could envisage their lives continuing on after I had turned the final page.
In all, this still maintains the fun, escapist vibe the series previously had and, although not my favourite of the three, concluded a series I would love to see stretched and a world I would love to re-immerse myself in, in the future.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Katharine McGee, and the publisher, Harper Collins, for this opportunity.
Set in the futuristic thousand-floor skyscraper that dominates the Manhattan skyline, this follows all of the drama that comes with the territory of being one of the building's wealthy 'highliers'. The multiple perspectives means an array of stories are continually revolving around the central plot-line and they all converge in a drama-filled and explosive fashion!
Just like the former series instalments, I found this to be such a fun and enjoyable read, which provided an almost voyeuristic insight into the life of the rich, young and fabulous. I did, however, find this to be the most romantically-inclined and angst-heavy of the three and found myself yearning for the seeming simplicity of the others.
The sci-fi setting has always been light on details, which I did not mind, but I found this to have the most contemporary feel of them all, which was perhaps fuelled by the ending. Some characters seemed to have their stories too neatly concluded and it felt a little inauthentic: many relationships were created or re-converged in the final quarter, meaning almost every character was coupled off. Others had little details provided, and these were my favourites, were I could envisage their lives continuing on after I had turned the final page.
In all, this still maintains the fun, escapist vibe the series previously had and, although not my favourite of the three, concluded a series I would love to see stretched and a world I would love to re-immerse myself in, in the future.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Katharine McGee, and the publisher, Harper Collins, for this opportunity.
October 31, 2018
rounding up my rating because even thought nothing really happens in this installment, im still walking away from this book (and series) with a generally positive opinion.
to me, there really wasnt a plot. this was essentially a wrap of everything that happened in the first two books. no new events, no new characters. just tying together loose ends and creating a conclusion. how that managed to be 450 pages worth, i will never know. but i never really found myself bored throughout, which amazes me.
still, this is totally a guilty please series, and a dang good one at that. this is definitely something where you dont have to think too much, and can just sit back and enjoy all the high-stakes drama and thrills.
↠ 3.5 stars
to me, there really wasnt a plot. this was essentially a wrap of everything that happened in the first two books. no new events, no new characters. just tying together loose ends and creating a conclusion. how that managed to be 450 pages worth, i will never know. but i never really found myself bored throughout, which amazes me.
still, this is totally a guilty please series, and a dang good one at that. this is definitely something where you dont have to think too much, and can just sit back and enjoy all the high-stakes drama and thrills.
↠ 3.5 stars
December 17, 2018
5 Towering Stars!! .
“Some secrets are better buried.”
Clapping and crying.... sad that its over!!!
What a fantastic ending to this amazing addictive series. I loved this series so hard!! I don't think I could have asked for a better conclusion. I think McGee did a phenomenal job tying up all the loose ends in this finale. She kept her characters and story line just as fast paced and addictive as the first two. I will miss this world so much! What an amazing ride. I can not recommend it enough if you're in need of a secret filled, drama fest! This one is sure to fill your appetite.
“Some secrets are better buried.”
Clapping and crying.... sad that its over!!!
What a fantastic ending to this amazing addictive series. I loved this series so hard!! I don't think I could have asked for a better conclusion. I think McGee did a phenomenal job tying up all the loose ends in this finale. She kept her characters and story line just as fast paced and addictive as the first two. I will miss this world so much! What an amazing ride. I can not recommend it enough if you're in need of a secret filled, drama fest! This one is sure to fill your appetite.
April 18, 2020
Ein wirklich gutes Finale. Wurde auch endlich mal Zeit nach dem ewigen hin und her, das war schon ganz schön nervenaufreibend zwischendurch 😅
Aber auch spannend und die Charaktere wachsen einem mit der Zeit auch ans Herz 🧡
Ich mochte die Reihe insgesamt gerne. Sie ist nicht perfekt, aber sie wird mir trotzdem positiv in Erinnerung bleiben 😊
Aber auch spannend und die Charaktere wachsen einem mit der Zeit auch ans Herz 🧡
Ich mochte die Reihe insgesamt gerne. Sie ist nicht perfekt, aber sie wird mir trotzdem positiv in Erinnerung bleiben 😊
Want to Read
August 20, 2018eight more dayyyyyssss until release!!!!!!!!!!
September 23, 2018
this series is amazing i’m so sad it’s over
October 31, 2018
Me ha gustado aunque muchos de los capítulos de Calliope se me han hecho un poco cuesta arriba. Buena resolución final para esta trilogía.
January 1, 2019
I finally finished a book!! And it was excellent!
October 4, 2018
This book was so good! I definitely enjoyed it a lot more than the previous two books in the trilogy. I don't know why, because there was definitely as much drama as before, but I think because the story was finally coming together. Also, this ending, definitely didn't see that one coming, but I'm totally content with it!
December 2, 2018
A good final book but not that good to be rated with 5 stars. This book's biggest problems were repetition and lack of drama, the main reason I read this trilogy. It had some good character development but some other characters were not given enough time for the reader to learn about them and discover some depth in them. What actually saved this book was the ending.
This was Avery's book. She really shined in this one and showed us her true worth. She is by no means one of my favorite characters and she annoyed me a lot of times in the previous books, especially when she was whining about Atlas and their forbidden romance, which was just ew, but that doesn't mean that I don't see her development in this book. She found who she truly is and her ending was just fitting her story.
Surprisingly, I liked Leda's chapters very much. Her battle with her mental illness gave her much more depth. Her relationship with Watt was something I anticipated to see in this book and their scenes were some of the most amazing scenes in the book.
Rylin's plot was nonexistent. I was looking forward to read Rylin's chapters only to see that her only plot revolved around Cord and their relationship. She interacted with the rest of the main characters only once and that disappointed so much.
Calliope's appearance in this book was unreasonable. Her chapters were boring at best and her romance with Brice appeared out of nowhere. And don't get me started on Brice. He had a lot of opportunities to develop as a character and he instead was just there.
The ending of this book was most probably the best thing in the whole trilogy. It added a lot of layers of depth to Avery and it made me appreciate her more as a character. It was also a nice change from the endings of the previous book.
Overall, this book lacked at some areas and it succeeded at some others. Even though it wasn't as good as the previous two books, it wrapped nicely the whole trilogy.
This was Avery's book. She really shined in this one and showed us her true worth. She is by no means one of my favorite characters and she annoyed me a lot of times in the previous books, especially when she was whining about Atlas and their forbidden romance, which was just ew, but that doesn't mean that I don't see her development in this book. She found who she truly is and her ending was just fitting her story.
Surprisingly, I liked Leda's chapters very much. Her battle with her mental illness gave her much more depth. Her relationship with Watt was something I anticipated to see in this book and their scenes were some of the most amazing scenes in the book.
Rylin's plot was nonexistent. I was looking forward to read Rylin's chapters only to see that her only plot revolved around Cord and their relationship. She interacted with the rest of the main characters only once and that disappointed so much.
Calliope's appearance in this book was unreasonable. Her chapters were boring at best and her romance with Brice appeared out of nowhere. And don't get me started on Brice. He had a lot of opportunities to develop as a character and he instead was just there.
The ending of this book was most probably the best thing in the whole trilogy. It added a lot of layers of depth to Avery and it made me appreciate her more as a character. It was also a nice change from the endings of the previous book.
Overall, this book lacked at some areas and it succeeded at some others. Even though it wasn't as good as the previous two books, it wrapped nicely the whole trilogy.
September 1, 2018
Okay a few things. First, this book assumes that I care about Leda way more than I actually do. This book did not convince me that Leda is a sympathetic character. She in a drug induced state killed her half-sister and then blackmailed a bunch of people to keep it. She is the worst and she should have gone to jail for it.
Second, Avery. Oh boy, Avery. First, I really liked Max. He is so cute and deserved better. I hate that he was just thrown away after it’s discovered that Avery and Atlas were a thing. He was such a fun and wonderful character. But he was just a pawn. Then Avery taking the fall for Leda. That is some bullshit. Leda should have faced the consequences of her actions. Then I wasn’t really rooting for Avery and Atlas. I still liked Avery and Watt or even Avery and Max. Those two pairings had more chemistry. And Avery is such a dick to her parents. Yes her parents are controlling and aren’t really listening to what Avery wants to but to fake her own death is such an asshole thing to do. She should know how much Eris’s death is effecting Eris’s parents and how heartbroken they are. Then to do this to her parents is just the worst thing to do. Yes, I know this is a soap opera and not to talk to it too seriously but damn that is just a really shit thing to do.
Rylin feelings like such a subplot. The only thing she had going on was her love triangle with Hiral and Cord. I knew that she and Cord were going to get back together and I was happy. I think there was a bit forced drama but it was fine. Watt also took a backseat to Avery’s drama. But finding out that Nadia had killed Mariel was amazing and questioning if Leda had done it. That was legitimately good and kind of saved this book? I wish this book was focused more on the Mariel mystery. Oh, yeah Calliope was there. It was sad that her mom left but I guess Brice got some more character? Real character MVP was Max von Strauss.
Overall, I had fun with this book until the end and Avery’s whole storyline. I wish that she had just moved on from Atlas. Ah well. Can’t all be winners.
Second, Avery. Oh boy, Avery. First, I really liked Max. He is so cute and deserved better. I hate that he was just thrown away after it’s discovered that Avery and Atlas were a thing. He was such a fun and wonderful character. But he was just a pawn. Then Avery taking the fall for Leda. That is some bullshit. Leda should have faced the consequences of her actions. Then I wasn’t really rooting for Avery and Atlas. I still liked Avery and Watt or even Avery and Max. Those two pairings had more chemistry. And Avery is such a dick to her parents. Yes her parents are controlling and aren’t really listening to what Avery wants to but to fake her own death is such an asshole thing to do. She should know how much Eris’s death is effecting Eris’s parents and how heartbroken they are. Then to do this to her parents is just the worst thing to do. Yes, I know this is a soap opera and not to talk to it too seriously but damn that is just a really shit thing to do.
Rylin feelings like such a subplot. The only thing she had going on was her love triangle with Hiral and Cord. I knew that she and Cord were going to get back together and I was happy. I think there was a bit forced drama but it was fine. Watt also took a backseat to Avery’s drama. But finding out that Nadia had killed Mariel was amazing and questioning if Leda had done it. That was legitimately good and kind of saved this book? I wish this book was focused more on the Mariel mystery. Oh, yeah Calliope was there. It was sad that her mom left but I guess Brice got some more character? Real character MVP was Max von Strauss.
Overall, I had fun with this book until the end and Avery’s whole storyline. I wish that she had just moved on from Atlas. Ah well. Can’t all be winners.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2020
I am very happy to say that my checklist was well checked ☺️
Will probably write a full review soon!
- - -
What I need from this book:
Leda and Wyatt to be happy. I'm honestly confused by the synopsis because at the end of the second book it seemed like despite his deception they were still together. So what happened that he now has to win her back?
Rylin and Cord back together. I mean seriously Avery needs to stop using Cord, just because Atlas sucks doesn't mean she should drag Cord into her mess when she does not feel anything romantic for him. Cord deserves better. Boy deserves his own POV honestly. I actually care about him, which is way more than I can say about Calliope.
Speaking of Calliope, let's have way less of her please. I do not care about her all. Unless...we put her Brice. Because idk what it is about the Anderton boys but I like them. I was pissed when he threatened Rylin into breaking up with Cord, but a lot the characters done a lot worse. So I’ll forgive it.
Okay that's my wish list, hopefully once I get the book in my hands in the next few days the list can be properly checked off.
Will probably write a full review soon!
- - -
What I need from this book:
Leda and Wyatt to be happy. I'm honestly confused by the synopsis because at the end of the second book it seemed like despite his deception they were still together. So what happened that he now has to win her back?
Rylin and Cord back together. I mean seriously Avery needs to stop using Cord, just because Atlas sucks doesn't mean she should drag Cord into her mess when she does not feel anything romantic for him. Cord deserves better. Boy deserves his own POV honestly. I actually care about him, which is way more than I can say about Calliope.
Speaking of Calliope, let's have way less of her please. I do not care about her all. Unless...we put her Brice. Because idk what it is about the Anderton boys but I like them. I was pissed when he threatened Rylin into breaking up with Cord, but a lot the characters done a lot worse. So I’ll forgive it.
Okay that's my wish list, hopefully once I get the book in my hands in the next few days the list can be properly checked off.
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