The Perks Of Being A Book Addict discussion

One of our winning group reads for September 2022 is Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro. Please discuss here and remember to use spoiler tags as needed, as everyone reads at different speeds and may start at different times.



A stunning new work of historical fantasy, J. M. Miro's Ordinary Monsters introduces readers to the dark, labyrinthe world of The Talents

England, 1882. In Victorian London, two children with mysterious powers are hunted by a figure of darkness —a man made of smoke.

Sixteen-year-old Charlie Ovid, despite a lifetime of brutality, doesn't have a scar on him. His body heals itself, whether he wants it to or not. Marlowe, a foundling from a railway freight car, shines with a strange bluish light. He can melt or mend flesh. When two grizzled detectives are recruited to escort them north to safety, they are forced to confront the nature of difference, and belonging, and the shadowy edges of the monstrous.

What follows is a journey from the gaslit streets of London, to an eerie estate outside Edinburgh, where other children with gifts—the Talents—have been gathered. Here, the world of the dead and the world of the living threaten to collide. And as secrets within the Institute unfurl, Marlowe, Charlie and the rest of the Talents will discover the truth about their abilities, and the nature of the force that is stalking them: that the worst monsters sometimes come bearing the sweetest gifts.

With lush prose, mesmerizing world-building, and a gripping plot, Ordinary Monsters presents a catastophic vision of the Victorian world—and of the gifted, broken children who must save it.

Just started - 7% of the way into the book. Off to a great start - I think this is going to be good!

Now 16% of the way in. Interested to see where this is going to go. Spooky, mystical bent so far.

I just started this and agree, it’s pretty good so far.

Started today, super excited to get in to it!

Disappointingly, this is not available through my library :(

I’m now 42% of the way in. Still enjoying it! Wondering how it will all come together.

I am 34% (Chapter 12) and I am struggling! I really want to stick with it, I don't like giving up on books but I just really hope it starts feeling more like a story then just A LOT of information! Not sure how the rest of you are feeling ??

I’m 58% of the way through. I really enjoyed the first third of the book; not enjoying the second third quote so much. I fear that I will get to the end of the book and felt the story could have been told in fewer pages but we shall see. I’m sticking it out to the end. I find that I don’t care for the two female talents as much as the two male talents we meet in the beginning of the book.

I’m about 75% through I think and is finally trying all the info that made it feel soooo slow and a bit boring for me make sense. I still think it could’ve been done with less words but at least I get it now 😂 overall I’m still enjoying reading and I’m feeling invested in what happens again. I can already tell I’m going to be angry the next book isn’t out yet when I finish this one

Hasn't come in yet from my library. Cannot believe it is over 600 pages. Not sure I will get to reading this and not seeing many resounding reviews here to convince me!

I am now 52% and I am feeling a little more invested. I’m glad to hear that the story does become clearer and starts tying things together. I now want to read it instead of just feeling like I have to get through it. So far I’m glad I’ve stuck with it !

I’m finished. So fantasy is not a genre that I’m usually drawn to, so I could be an outlier. And I really loved the first third of the book, the concept of the talents, Marlowe, Charlie, Byrne, Alice. It just went on about 200 pages too long for me, I got lost (or lost interest) all the fantasy elements and continued back/forth/fights with Henry, Marbler, the litches….and I didn’t care much for Ribs or KoKo. The book did bring the story to good conclusion while setting up for the next book in the series but I don’t think I will be continuing on.

I finally finished !! I lost my library borrow and had to wait to get another so it definitely added some time to my reading, with that being said this book took me forever to read ! I can usually get through an audio book, even this size much faster. I don’t want to completely discredit this book but as I have read in others reviews the audio version takes a lot to get through. Not sure if it was solely that or if the fact that I felt like the book gave SO MUCH information with very little actual story that I just felt like I was trudging through hoping that I would be totally invested by the end, and I wasn’t! Again I believe if your intrigued by this genre or the premise of the story it’s worth taking a chance on because there was a lot of interesting and wonderful things. There are very developed characters that I liked & interesting things that happened. I just wish for myself that it would of resonated more for me. Will I read the next installment… not sure !?

I only got 25% through the book and gave up. Just not my cup of tea. I know it was a horror book, but the gore was gratuitous. I prefer suspense I guess. I could not see where it was going.

I'm in agreement with Carol that it is a bit on the long side. I feel it could have been pared down and still been a good cohesive story. I think I am the outlier here in that I loved this book. But, I also love historical fantasy, so...I don't know?

Keli wrote: "I'm in agreement with Carol that it is a bit on the long side. I feel it could have been pared down and still been a good cohesive story. I think I am the outlier here in that I loved this book. Bu..."

I think it is great that you loved the book. We are all different, and that is what makes the discussion good!