So Jessica's Book Flopped😬 (1 Viewer)

[mysteric]

I really like the descriptor : for 14-18 yr olds, the hurt feelings of butthurt commenters seem more like childish 8 yr olds. Now i know the proper response, its not meant for ur immature age group-go read a 7-10 yr old(or watever the publishing category includes 8 yr olds) books instead.
#ReadShine

I’m going to be honest, as someone who falls in the middle of that age group, the writing does feel flat. Like,, the flow is good but it doesn’t have character.

There are plenty of books meant for even younger children (Rick Riodan in general) that has idk how to say this nicely, but better writing.

idk,, I tend to expect more sophistication from published authors in general which might be why I’m not really feeling it. I’m not really holding this against Jessica—I don’t expect her to be amazing at everything she does and that’s totally fine—but I do feel like criticism about her writing is valid.

Of course, it could just be a YA lit thing where I just feel like most stuff marketed for teen girls are super vapid with no real substance behind it. A shame really.

 

[VillageIdiot]

I think Jessica or her ghost hv forgotten wat its like to be a teenage girl. Lol. Since i was never 1, i hv no idea if Rachel or any other teenage girl in Shine, especially Leah, acts their age. Im curious in wat way u think Rachel acts younger than her age. Also, being Korean-American transplant might affect her behavior, as well as being a kpop trainee. Some ppl think she's mixed race but i dont rmbr anything in the book or Jessica's life to indicate tat. I think not referencing Asian Tiger Mom stereotype/character is missed opportunity for co-branding, tho Jessica herself may hv missed knowing abt Asia Tiger Mom phenomenon.

(Lol at you saying Jessica is rainbows n sunshine 24/7, i doubt it but maybe she is more optimistic n hides the [hopefully few] dark times we hvnt seen in her life. I rlly can only think of 930, surely no one's life can be lived for 20 yrs without more than 1 setback? Her public persona is not fake, but i think she has had bad times too-just like most of the rest of us. Just that she hid it. Just my opinion ofc.)

A lot of times Rachel came off more as a 10-12 year old girl narrating than a 17 year old. Some of the self-inserts are a bit too much and for the most part, just serve as cringe.
And there are certain differences from the ARC and final where it's clear her team just hit Find and Replace and didn't edit the parts around it to fit it. Not majoring but I know so it bothers me

Jessica's job was mainly to give her incite, which she did well but she or her writer could have done a bit better.


(Jessica has a very forced bubbly, happy image around her. Textbook toxic positivity )

 

[jasque]

nugu

 

[LoveYooShaSha]

A lot of times Rachel came off more as a 10-12 year old girl narrating than a 17 year old. Some of the self-inserts are a bit too much and for the most part, just serve as cringe.
And there are certain differences from the ARC and final where it's clear her team just hit Find and Replace and didn't edit the parts around it to fit it. Not majoring but I know so it bothers me

Jessica's job was mainly to give her incite, which she did well but she or her writer could have done a bit better.
....

Like i said earlier, iv nvr been a teenage girl-so ill take your word on the 10-12 yr old part.

I will say this tho, since shes my ult- i dont think im subjective abt her, i might forgive/excuse everything she does except maybe hurt/disappoint Krystal (yes, take this blanket statement to mean watever/however you want-no takebacks/qualifications; however part of this may be bcos i also believe she cant/wont/will never consciously or deliberately do shit im morally opposed to. Maybe tat just means she has me completely bamboozled, i subscribe to the philosophy here of fake it till you make it-in her case; i believe in her to the extent i need absolute proof b4 id unstan/be disappointed by her.) You absolutely hv the right to disagree, ofc.

Would you mind/hv time to inform me those differences? No rush, i plan to reread Shine b4 Bright is released. If u ever willing/hv time time, id be grateful 4 ur effort. Thnx.

(Jessica has a very forced bubbly, happy image around her. Textbook toxic positivity )

See my above reply to you. Lol.

Also just thot of this, in answer to the cringey bits-YA readers (research says) are typically younger age than the protaganists, eg 10-13 yr old read slightly higher 15-18 (but all this is from memory so i might b wrong); im just saying the target demographic might be eating this up n loving it (mostly). [I could also be full of BS, ofc. Idk]

 

[LoveYooShaSha]

I’m going to be honest, as someone who falls in the middle of that age group, the writing does feel flat. Like,, the flow is good but it doesn’t have character.

There are plenty of books meant for even younger children (Rick Riodan in general) that has idk how to say this nicely, but better writing.

idk,, I tend to expect more sophistication from published authors in general which might be why I’m not really feeling it. I’m not really holding this against Jessica—I don’t expect her to be amazing at everything she does and that’s totally fine—but I do feel like criticism about her writing is valid.

Of course, it could just be a YA lit thing where I just feel like most stuff marketed for teen girls are super vapid with no real substance behind it. A shame really.

Uhm, sorry read my long answer to oncloudshine if u hv the time/interest.

Also, did you read/watch Jenny Han trilogy or any other YA i mentioned here b4? (This isnt to discount ur opinion, which is valid.)
Just wanna know wat you thot if you read it/them(or any other work tat i also read/i dont recommend u read craxy rich asians tho, unless u already hv/r interested to do so).

Hv/did you browse the reading thread here tat i think bookworm or some other user created? (Tat thread is so ded now, im sorry i nvr/hardly posted there[tho i werent much interested in books/works posted abt there.) again just curious. Stay safe n well, mysteric.

 

[mysteric]

Uhm, sorry read my long answer to oncloudshine if u hv the time/interest.

Also, did you read/watch Jenny Han trilogy or any other YA i mentioned here b4? (This isnt to discount ur opinion, which is valid.)
Just wanna know wat you thot if you read it/them(or any other work tat i also read/i dont recommend u read craxy rich asians tho, unless u already hv/r interested to do so).

Hv/did you browse the reading thread here tat i think bookworm or some other user created? (Tat thread is so ded now, im sorry i nvr/hardly posted there[tho i werent much interested in books/works posted abt there.) again just curious. Stay safe n well, mysteric.

I’ve read my fair share of YA lit romcoms, skimmed through Jenny Han and hated every second of it; maybe it’s just a mysteric-hates-poorly-written-romance thing. idk, just felt really tacky to me

i used to be active in the book thread, not so much now that I’m not really reading many published physical books now, apart from school assigned stuff (Persepolis, A Doll’s House, A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich). I just finished The King’s Avatar and I’m thinking about picking up The Wandering Earth next to of balance things out a bit.

 

[LoveYooShaSha]

I’ve read my fair share of YA lit romcoms, skimmed through Jenny Han and hated every second of it; maybe it’s just a mysteric-hates-poorly-written-romance thing. idk, just felt really tacky to me

i used to be active in the book thread, not so much now that I’m not really reading many published physical books now, apart from school assigned stuff (Persepolis, A Doll’s House, A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich). I just finished The King’s Avatar and I’m thinking about picking up The Wandering Earth next to of balance things out a bit.

Of those last, iv read Persepolis long time ago, when it was still a 2-part graphic novel. Different Doll's Hse(Sandman graphic novel version).

Wandering Earth is actually more in my bailiwick cuz its science fiction but i heard its not rlly my thing/flavor cos its too hard sf, not much characterisation(since i dint read it the most famous work by this author 3-Body Problem, im not sure if true).
Ill probably watch the Netflix/disney+(not sure which) adaptation of 3BP next yr tho. Dint bother yet with TWE movie adaptation since i heard its not a good movie, n i rlly only bother with arthse chinese movies/some wuxia/eclectic or artistic (to me) asian/chinese movies.
(Theres another thread here somewhere where i expunded on movies i liked/watched).

PS ig if u read more YA , Shine might be unfavorably compared to the best(or even all the rest uv read). Since i might hv only read up to 10 in my whole life, including John Green n maybe 1 other(3 JH+1JJ+?JG+1=10?), Ill hv to take yr word for how Shine compares to the whole of YA. it was fun read 4 me tho. I wouldnt hv continued reading till the end if i hadnt been enjoying the read. doesnt bode well if the teens its aimed dont like it enuf to get bright when it comes out next yr, lol. Fans just hv to hope enuf sica stans buy it next yr to make it a success.

 

[mysteric]

Of those last, iv read Persepolis long time ago, when it was still a 2-part graphic novel. Different Doll's Hse(Sandman graphic novel version).

Wandering Earth is actually more in my bailiwick cuz its science fiction but i heard its not rlly my thing/flavor cos its too hard sf, not much characterisation(since i dint read it the most famous work by this author 3-Body Problem, im not sure if true).
Ill probably watch the Netflix/disney+(not sure which) adaptation of 3BP next yr tho. Dint bother yet with TWE movie adaptation since i heard its not a good movie, n i rlly only bother with arthse chinese movies/some wuxia/eclectic or artistic (to me) asian/chinese movies.
(Theres another thread here somewhere where i expunded on movies i liked/watched).

PS ig if u read more YA , Shine might be unfavorably compared to the best(or even all the rest uv read). Since i might hv only read up to 10 in my whole life, including John Green n maybe 1 other(3 JH+1JJ+?JG+1=10?), Ill hv to take yr word for how Shine compares to the whole of YA. it was fun read 4 me tho. I wouldnt hv continued reading till the end if i hadnt been enjoying the read. doesnt bode well if the teens its aimed dont like it enuf to get bright when it comes out next yr, lol. Fans just hv to hope enuf sica stans buy it next yr to make it a success.

yeah tbh Shine feels wattpad-y to me, but there are a ton of other published ya lit that’s in the exact same boat
it’s just that Sica is a lot more known so the expectations are a lot higher. I’m not going to say that’s she’s a super talented author, but I do agree that some of the hate is unwarranted

 

[LoveYooShaSha]

yeah tbh Shine feels wattpad-y to me, but there are a ton of other published ya lit that’s in the exact same boat
it’s just that Sica is a lot more known so the expectations are a lot higher. I’m not going to say that’s she’s a super talented author, but I do agree that some of the hate is unwarranted

I wouldnt call it unwarranted per se, in relation to the work presented in Shine as a result of her efforts/hard work, id say disproportionate instead. Its a debut work. Judge it based on tat, pls. Not as a full-fledged experienced grown-up author. Jenny Han i dont believe got any kind of criticism at this level for her debut work, rite. N look where she is now.

Especially for a YA author, who is expected to connect to a young audience- i think you shd criticise based on tat, if most or all YA readers hated it n blasted it: maybe it could be seen as the worst YA book of all time. But tats not how theyre judging it, at all. Its all abt shes shading gg, or its juvenile, unrealistic or some rubbish like that.

If an actual female teenage trainee who is korean-american n who just debuted as a kpop idol said all tat, i might accept it more than the ones who've criticised. Not you, mysteric-since you've caveated tat you skimmed thru jenny han n hated it(u monster, how could u do her dirty like tat? ). You might hv just aged out of the YA reading age, you old lady, you.

As it is, Wendy who might be closest in circumstance to Rachel hasnt said word one abt Shine, nor has Somi or Rose-nor do i ever expect them to as long as they still want to work in the industry.

Im curious if Stella Kim has/would read it tho n wat she thot/how she found it. We'll probably never know. We do know one examplar who supports it and doesnt disbelieve it ofc but shes hardly objective.

I think tat iv rlly wringed all the juice out of this topic now, unless you hv a last word. Promise i wont interrupt unless its too tempting to do so.

 

[mysteric]

I wouldnt call it unwarranted per se, in relation to the work presented in Shine as a result of her efforts/hard work, id say disproportionate instead. Its a debut work. Judge it based on tat, pls. Not as a full-fledged experienced grown-up author. Jenny Han i dont believe got any kind of criticism at this level for her debut work, rite. N look where she is now.

Especially for a YA author, who is expected to connect to a young audience- i think you shd criticise based on tat, if most or all YA readers hated it n blasted it: maybe it could be seen as the worst YA book of all time. But tats not how theyre judging it, at all. Its all abt shes shading gg, or its juvenile, unrealistic or some rubbish like that.

If an actual female teenage trainee who is korean-american n who just debuted as a kpop idol said all tat, i might accept it more than the ones who've criticised. Not you, mysteric-since you've caveated tat you skimmed thru jenny han n hated it(u monster, how could u do her dirty like tat? ). You might hv just aged out of the YA reading age, you old lady, you.

As it is, Wendy who might be closest in circumstance to Rachel hasnt said word one abt Shine, nor has Somi or Rose-nor do i ever expect them to as long as they still want to work in the industry.

Im curious if Stella Kim has/would read it tho n wat she thot/how she found it. We'll probably never know. We do know one examplar who supports it and doesnt disbelieve it ofc but shes hardly objective.

I think tat iv rlly wringed all the juice out of this topic now, unless you hv a last word. Promise i wont interrupt unless its too tempting to do so.

yeah that’s totally fair, my wording there could’ve been better

but yeah, I think I’ve never really been super into ya lit in the first place; either I was too young or too uninterested in the mega-popular books. I think it’s more of an industry thing where people think that young women are all super into the book equivalent of bubblegum movies. Maybe that’s why I never got into the genre?? Who knows. I liked The Hunger Games, but all the dystopian fiction that came after it was dumpster fire tbh. Like as much as The Maze Runner’s first book was decent, I can never get over the fact that things only start going downhill for the boys when, gasp, a girl is introduced. As my English teacher out it, that is eyebrow raising if not somewhat mysogynistic.

I am curious about your point another Stella; I feel like she’s since moved on but it would be interesting to hear her perspective

 

[LoveYooShaSha]

No more comments to you from me here, last word to you. Wanna oick this up in the book-reading thread? I kinda hv sum thots abt Hunger games/question if u hv read/would recommend the sequel. Or other grown-up books. If u want. Nw.

yeah that’s totally fair, my wording there could’ve been better

but yeah, I think I’ve never really been super into ya lit in the first place; either I was too young or too uninterested in the mega-popular books. I think it’s more of an industry thing where people think that young women are all super into the book equivalent of bubblegum movies. Maybe that’s why I never got into the genre?? Who knows. I liked The Hunger Games, but all the dystopian fiction that came after it was dumpster fire tbh. Like as much as The Maze Runner’s first book was decent, I can never get over the fact that things only start going downhill for the boys when, gasp, a girl is introduced. As my English teacher out it, that is eyebrow raising if not somewhat mysogynistic.

I am curious about your point another Stella; I feel like she’s since moved on but it would be interesting to hear her perspective

 

[QueenGirlCrush]

I've seen so many "it reads like wattpad" comments from people who don't understand it's meant for kids/teens generally unaware about kpop and Korean culture

Plus Jessica is relaying on the wave of new kpop fans to read her book to gain some inside scoop that they don't know about, 14-18 is the perfect demographic. That and the old kpop heads who want more info on Soshi and 9.30.14 lol.