Author: Claire Kann
Publication Date: 8 June 2021
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Page Count: 336
Reading Method: Digital ARC [ Thank you to the publisher/ Fierce Reads]
Dates Read: June 6 – 8
Synopsis:
Everyone thinks they know Jewel Van Hanen. Heiress turned actress turned social media darling who created the massively popular video-sharing app, Golden Rule.
After mysteriously disappearing for a year, Jewel makes her dramatic return with an announcement: she has chosen a few lucky Golden Rule users to spend an unforgettable weekend at her private estate. But once they arrive, Jewel ingeniously flips the script: the guests are now players in an elaborate estate-wide game. And she’s tailored every challenge and obstacle to test whether they have what it takes to win–at any cost.
Told from the perspective of three dazzling players–Nicole: the new queen of Golden Rule; Luna: Jewel’s biggest fan; and Stella: a brilliant outsider–this novel will charm its way into your heart and keep you guessing how it all ends because money isn’t the only thing at stake.
Review:
It’s been 24 hours and I’m still not entirely sure I understand what I read…
Plot:
The Marvelous follows three of the six contestants participating in the competition of a lifetime, hosted by Jewel Van Hanen, the creator of Golden Rule (a popular video sharing app).
I am not the best at riddles and solving word puzzles. I could probably figure them out if given enough time, but certainly not in a competition setting – which is exactly what our contestants are expected to do. At the beginning of the weekend they are given a nonsense recipe and told to solve it. The two winners will receive $500,000 each.
Honestly I spent the majority of the book in a state of confusion. I had vague idea of what was going on, but absolutely no idea how the characters were actually solving the riddle. Which left me open for a big surprise at the end when all is finally revealed.
I did enjoy the overall storyline. It felt Alice in Wonderland meets Willy Wonka.
Characters:
There are a handful of important characters in this one, but the story is told through the perspectives of just three: Luna, Stella, and Nicole. Nicole was my favorite of the three – famous for her skit style videos and just so caring and like a mama hen with the younger contestants. She isn’t afraid to stand up for herself or the others and has no hesitation putting the competition aside to ensure the wellbeing of the others.
Stella is a bit – intense? She’s been essentially locked up inside her house her entire life and this is her big weekend out. A chance to socialize and make friends. I’ll be honest, I struggled with Stella in the beginning. She just didn’t seem to care about anything other than seeing what kind of reactions she could get out of people. I found her personality to be a bit grating. But about halfway through, I started to warm up to her, and I was loving her by the end. She’s hard to put into words (without a whole book to do so) and there’s a lot to her character. But don’t write her off, because she’s a freaking genius and deserves all the love.
Luna is only 15. She’s one of OG members of Golden Rule and also happens to be absolutely adorable. She’s fearless and kind and her energy just vibrates through the pages. Being under age, she’s there with her best friend Alex. I loved their dynamic and thought it wasn’t too much (except one scene towards the end that seemed a bit out of place). The scene itself was fine, the timing just seemed a bit off.
Writing:
Did I mention I spent most of the book confused? I’m absolutely sure that was the point of this story, but it made it difficult for me to want to keep reading. I wish there had been more obvious hints because I definitely needed the help! But I liked the use of multiple POVs, video transcripts and riddles to add variety to the reading experience. It really helped to keep things interesting and moving along.
Overall:
The Marvelous was an intense, confusing, and fun read that did a really excellent job of exploring the ins and outs of the characters and their personalities. I wish it had been a little easier to understand, just so I could have felt like I was participating in the adventure a bit more. But overall, it was enjoyable.
