Audrey Wild’s Reviews > Plastic, Prism, Void: Part One > Status Update

I take back what I said from my last update. Marina also sucks. Every character in this book sucks. There’s not a single person in rooting for. Main character has abandonment issues and becomes evil because all her friends are moving out. Boo hoo

I feel only sympathy for Marina. Even though most of Acrasia’s crimes are past tense in this book, seeing her behave almost exactly the same just less blatantly villainous in the present shows she’s truly learned nothing. Marina is the only reliable narrator here

I still don’t really like this book. But I can say that I experienced some genuine real catharsis in reading one of the hero side characters telling Arcasia “you think you’re so clever. You’re just mean. Anyone can be mean. You think people don’t like you because you’re smarter than them or because you’re trans or black or whatever but it’s really because you’re fucking awful to everyone…”

I want to like this book so much. I’m trying so hard to like it. I think the problem is I really love the concept. But the execution of this star crossed lovers thing as an inception of time warping flashback and present is just too much. Between the typography, and the footnotes, and the cultural references from 100 years of culture and the fourth wall breaks it just is too much. One or two would be plenty

The book becomes a million times better when the love interest forcibly hijacks the narrative and we don’t have to listen to Acrasia’s internal monologue. Then he tells her she’s too insufferable for the other nerds and artists. Hate to say I like a male lead character than the female one but part of me thinks that’s intentional (I hope)

I really really really want to like this book. But the main character is really insufferable. I think that’s supposed to be the point in a way. Going to keep chugging and hope I like it more. The artistic direction with the splicing realities shown through font changes and different colors to emphasize magical or technical concepts is really cool!

Only through the prologue and I can tell this one is going to take me a while to read despite being only about 300 pages. It’s already very witty. And very sexual and a little self indulgent. But I like those kinds of books