I FINISHED KOKORO AND MY MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASE EVER

Written Before Finishing

Didn't like Kokoro by Natsume Soseki. Again, the author teases things but makes us wait so long and doesn't present it in a way that I felt warranted the wait and frustration. Sure, I have a greater understanding of some characters, have greater sympathy for them, and would occasionally pause to consider the profoundness of the writing. However, this book was so dull. 

Now for the main event.

Release by Lucy Christopher. I'm attaching this video, so you can get an idea of what the book is like.

Completely not what I wanted for a sequel. I saw the summary/synopsis months ago, was shocked, and knew what I was getting myself into. The book is even more shocking than what I expected! 

Absolute madness, unhinged, compelling writing, genuinely complex (and frustrating) characters, etc. Even if it's not what I wanted, and I wanted to shake Gemma/Kate, and I had to take many breaks because it got too wild, it's a good book in its own perverse way. 

I was entertained, and I haven't been entertained by books in a while. It's camp. Hear me out. It's so serious and earnest because Gemma/Kate wants revenge, everyone's a mess, the subject matter, etc., but some of antics and the logic, or lack thereof, are ridiculous. What's going through her mind?! This can't be real. Therefore, I consider it camp.

Yes, this book completely undoes the fantasy and idealization I have for the first book. I'll continue to reread the first book every now and then because it has a special place in my heart and shelf. I don't know if I'll ever reread it in the same way, or whether I'll ever reread Release/treat Release the same.

Written After Finishing

The book starts off with Gemma, who now goes by Kate, and she hasn't and can't moved on from her kidnapping 10 years ago. Ty, her captor, is a part of her life that she can't cut out, can't shake off. She has trouble navigating life and relationships after the experience. When she receives a letter that Ty is due to be released, she decides to take matter into her own hands, for lack of better words.

During the pages Lucy Christopher reintroduces Gemma to us again, I felt sad. Years has passed, but she hasn't been able to grow. She tries to act how people expect her to, tries to acclimate to society, but it's difficult for her. She makes questionable choices that are incredible frustrating and uncomfortable to read at times, but you want to forgive her for it once you consider everything. She's twisted, he's twisted, this whole book is twisted, but I enjoyed it. More on that later.

If you thought she was wild in London, she is unhinged in Australia. Reckless spending, criminal behavior, no inhibitions. Our problematic fave?!

Nothing compares to the sadness of reading Ty again. Completely not the person readers learned to sympathize with in the first book. In Stolen he was child-like, innocent, and idealistic. In Release he is cynical and a shell of who he used to be. I don't blame him for being like this; it's to be expected. It's the same as Gemma; I don't blame her for who she is, I just find some of her actions questionable.

It was absolutely fascinating to see who've they've become, and how the roles have changed. The deja vu and parallelism. 

It was absolutely disheartening at first to see who've they've become, but somewhere in the middle of the book, I saw glimpses of their old selves resurface, and I started crying. I'm crying as I am typing this, as I think back on it, and I don't understand why. 

Perhaps it's because Lucy Christopher (it's so awkward referring to authors in reviews) gave us what we wanted—kind of picking up where Stolen left off, where they can be together, when they began to understand each other. It's what I was rooting for, and then it happened/I got it. 

Because it made me cry, entertained me, satisfied this craving I've had since 6TH GRADE/I was 13(!), and I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, this book will be getting a HIGH rating. 

The writing is absolutely spectacular. The second person point of view is effective and nostalgic of the first book. When Gemma uses "we," it effectively showed how connected Ty is to her and how much he still affects her. I could not put this book down for the most part. It's enthralling, gripping, and sick in a good way. Sometimes it gets a little cringe-y and uncomfortable, but it's spectacular writing. 

It has a diary-like quality to it because of the dates, perhaps a callback of sorts to the epistolary format of the prequel. I liked how it was interspersed with the court case. At times, I wished those sections were longer because they were so intriguing. They whetted my appetite and I wanted more. I'm part of Gen-Z, so I love instant gratification.

Perhaps it's because I followed Depp v. Heard, I recalled that trial. The Legal Jargon was great. Loved how the author (see, using "the author" also sounds cold and awkward) crafted the closing statements, rebuttal, cross, redirect, testimonies, etc. Props to them and whoever gave them opinions/consultations.

As always, the descriptions of the bush were beautiful. I appreciated the fact that throughout the book they acknowledge the aborignals/indigenous people who first lived on the land. 

While it's not entirely what I wanted, I liked this book. I docked one star because of some questionable moments, but I'm satisfied. Everyone has grown: the characters, the author, the reader. I guess it's unrealistic for the story to be what I read when I was 13, or a continuation of that. That's what fanfiction is for! 

Final amusing thoughts that came into my head: Gemma was Girlbossing, Gaslighting, Gatekeeping.