sloooow summer

Every summer...the lethargy hits. Shoutout to my two book clubs because literally 2 out of the three books I read were forced upon me by them. So to make up for the lack of books read, I'll make the reviews longer. Again, shout out to my book clubs for making me take notes so I actually have something substantial to write longer reviews on.

July Book Reviews

Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture (Roxane Gay)

7/10 'Those boys killed the girl I was, but they didn't kill all of me.' This book was a hard read. If asked for my straightforward opinion, I didn't enjoy it. But objectively, it's such an important book. I didn't enjoy reading such raw experiences and emotions but the fact that those kinds of feelings weren't undercut really just shows how heavy the topic is. I probably would've preferred a more clinical tone, one that laid out the facts and included some cold hard math. But really, that's the point of the book. To take a topic that a lot of people are removed from and might avoid talking about, and lay it bare.
I initially thought it was an overall essay by Roxane Gay instead of the collection of essays by various people that it actually was. It really varied wildly in tone and writing voice, which I didn't really like as a reading style, but again was great for making a point that sexual trauma takes all kinds of forms and people experience it in many different ways. Sometimes stream of consciousness, sometimes metaphorical, and sometimes brutally methodical. It's a book that is necessary and deeply real, but it's not one I enjoyed reading. And maybe that's what it should be.

What Happened (Hillary Rodham Clinton)

7/10 Okay, I know the whole point of this book is politics....but honestly it's too much polisci for me. It's just so in depth and long, written less with a close, relatable voice and more of a political analyst on TV voice. There's also a lot of repetitiveness. Huge sections of the book, including the introduction, afterword and the re-edited versions, just seemed like rehashing much of the same ideas. I get that it makes sense since current events move so fast, but even with the re-edits, it just sounded like more or less the same. She also loves to use quotes. They're all good quotes, but it just takes away from the experience if the reader is feeling moved by someone else's words. There's honestly just too many, and it lends to the feeling of alienation. (Especially compared to Michelle Obama's Becoming, which is why I wanted to read this book to compare the two.) She also tries to address some of her decisions that she was criticized for but a bit more lightly than I would've hoped.
Still, I can still feel that she's really an amazing woman. The book certainly feels defensive, even while repeating that she doesn't want to make excuses, but given the results I think that tone can't be helped. The way she talks about policy and her own political experiences really enforces how qualified she was to hold the positions she did, and the one she hoped to get. And good god, the criticism! The sexism! The fact that she had to check herself again and again because they weren't ready for her, whether it was in her college days or her election campaign. It's really no wonder people can't seem to relate to her, she can't seem human because she's been dragged for being human, for being too much herself. And in the book you can see her trying to be 'more real', and her frustration with all of it really comes through. 'Losing is hard for everyone, but losing a race you thought you would win is devastating.' The fact that she can be hopeful, even in writing, is a commendable feat. She wants to believe in the power of the people no matter what. and losing that kind of race and 'making a bet' that voters will care about policy more than optics is hard. I think for her to be writing about herself, she does a pretty good job talking about the aspects of the election. Like from a POV that's inherently biased, she paints a clear picture.
It's not a perfect book, and it honestly wasn't a fun reading experience. But I'm really thrown by the level of hate levered at her. She's such a wildly polarizing figure to people apparently on both sides of the political spectrum and I can't really understand why. I feel like there are worst people out there, but just the amount of hate she gets is kind of incredible. She was also pretty down to earth about who she is and what people think of her in the book. It's a tough thing to come to terms too. "Moreover, I have come to terms with the fact that a lot of people - millions and millions of people -decided they just didn't like me. Imagine what that feels like. It hurts. And it's a hard thing to accept. But there's no getting around it."
In conclusion, I really won't recommend this book to people who aren't interested in politics, especially American politics. I'm not sure what I think about her in terms of 'likability'. But I think she's a strong, educated woman who's been through a crazy amount of stuff and managed to come out on her own terms. Her perspective is a needed one and her story is definitely one for the history books. "This was worth it. I will never think otherwise. This fight was worth it."

The Moon in the Palace (Weina Dai Randel)

6/10 A quick, average read. A fictionalized story of Wu Zetian, China's only empress regnant. While that definitely sounds like it would be an amazing read, this is only the first book in a duology and it covers her time as a concubine rather than a consort. Thanks to that, nothing really happens and she doesn't really do anything except fall in love with the Emperor's son. There's like a girl who pretends to be her female friend but is really only using her to get close to the Emperor but that's literally a default character in these harem plotlines. I guess they get some points for Wu Mei not hating her, and seeing her as two sides of the same coin but that's it. The heroine doesn't really even have any scenes with the emperor. I really can't help but compare these books to Chinese novels of the same subject or their drama adaptations and really...they just fall so short. Is it my bad for wanting to get the same reading experience without struggling through the Chinese language??

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the sixth cents

Halfway!!! Dare I believe it? Will I actually finish this goal?? Also...I don't even know what was up with this month. I don't even have school anymore and I read so many books this month it's like I was in a summer reading program.

June Book Reviews

The Girl With All the Gifts (M. R. Carey)

9/10 "And then like Pandora, opening the great big box of the world and not being afraid, not even caring whether what's inside is good or bad. Because it's both. Everything is always both. But you have to open it to find that out." I loved this book and I was more surprised than anyone. I read this on a recommendation so I had no idea what the premise of this book was other than 'science fiction'. Turns out it's actually zombie story, which quickly becomes apparent, but I never would've otherwise picked it up if I knew because I'm just not a fan of zombies or apocalypses. But like the above quote says, you'll never know unless you open it and I'm really glad I did this time. The main character is a force unto herself, a worthy representative of Pandora, of Eve, of Sophia, of the myth of the first woman and her disobedience that gave birth to knowledge. The supporting cast that make up the usual 'last band of humans' is by no means bland either, with believable goals and developed personalities. Both the premise and ending was a unique and refreshing twist on the zombie genre. Anyone inclined to avoid it because of its horror tag, I strongly recommend you giving this a try.

Salvation of a Saint (Keigo Higashino)

7.5/10 The second Detective Galileo I've read and it was a pretty decent one. Honestly, I don't think anything will quite match up to the setup and resolution of "The Devotion of Suspect X" but I liked reading this one too. The setting is much more mundane and the final solution is at once more commonplace as well as more fantastical than in Suspect X which is kind of strange. As a standalone story though, I really enjoyed the two main detectives especially Utsumi, as well as trying to figure out the complicated motives of the main suspect. There were some parts that surprised me a little, and other hints that I managed to catch on correctly, but nothing quite like the rollercoaster ride from Suspect X. Still, it was an enjoyable read, definitely a solid deduction style murder mystery.

Death Notice (Zhao Haohui)

6/10 I picked up this book for one reason and one reason only, the summary said it was set in Chengdu, Sichuan. I almost never get to see Chengdu featured in any English media, it's usually Beijing or Shanghai or Hong Kong. So that one singular feature made me borrow this book, the first translation of a trilogy of crime thrillers that are apparently super popular in China. So imagine my letdown when, after reading the book, I found out that in the original Chinese, it hadn't been Chengdu; they only changed it to a bigger city for the English release. No wonder, because the city itself only barely featured in the story. It named some places but the ones I recognized could've been pulled from any city and the ones that were unique I couldn't recognize. Thanks for nothing. Anyway! The story itself. Unfortunately not amazing enough to soothe the disappointment. A fairly typical police suspense thriller. It started off ok, but some of the murders towards the end got a bit too convoluted and edgy/gruesome. It did keep you guessing at some parts which was nice (at least you're always thinking) but as the first of a trilogy they don't even provide the ultimate solution. Who knows if the rest of the series will even get translated? As a crime thriller, I would've given this a decent 6.5 but because the genre isn't even my cup of tea, it gets docked half a point. 不好意思.

A Midsummer's Equation (Keigo Higashino)

6.5/10 Although the second novel, Salvation of a Saint, had a more mundane setting and premise, it felt more interesting than this one. This one had multiple players to keep track of and stretched across two cities, but it just made it harder to get into. Even though some parts of the resolution and the 'unrelated red herrings' gave it a Suspect X feel (there was, I think, even a small throwaway line referencing it: Yukawa knew better than anyone else how willing the truly devoted were to assume guilt in order to protect the ones they loved), ultimately it fell short. This book expanded a bit on the actual personality of Detective Galileo himself, but for me it was a bit of a mixed reception. I did enjoy his interactions with Kyohei, especially with the ending. I felt like the ultimate solution, especially in regards to the culprit, could've been expanded on but at least I was surprised by the final reveals.

The Library at Mount Char (Scott Hawkins)

7.5/10 I quite liked this book! It's got a female 'protagonist', mysterious powers and eldritch horror — my favorite combo. There were some twists and turns here and there, but the ending was pretty satisfying for me. I would've like them to spend less time on Steve (even his name sounds boring) and more time on the other siblings, but overall it was a varied and interesting cast of characters. The eldritch horror was juuust unobtrusive enough not to feel confusing, or at least I took it in stride. There were parts were I didn't quite like the tone but the general narrative kept my attention and there were parts where I absolutely loved it. Still, it's got the kind of tone to it where, while I liked it, I wouldn't recommend it for everyone. If you're a fan of eldritch horror though, definitely take a look.

Little Fires Everywhere (Celeste Ng)

9.5/10 Domestic fiction is usually not my cup of tea. But there are some books in a genre that are so good it doesn't matter what your usual preferences are and this book was it. It was a bit slow to get started, but once it started moving, I couldn't take my eyes away from the lives of these people. They were so vivid, so complex in their wholeness, in all of their imperfections and humanity. The clashing of different people from different walks of life, not just the main characters, but the secondary plot line as well, was so well done. I loved the running theme of 'fires' and the different ways it was brought into the story. But I especially loved the ending, because that's just how life is. It doesn't always come to a perfect conclusion, instead it's tangled threads, pieces you've left behind, pieces that others have given you, the limitless possibilities of a future both good and bad, and of course, little fires everywhere.

On Tyranny (Timothy Snyder)

5/10 It's a decent enough little book, talking about some of the political problems facing Europe and the United Status today. It mostly presents concepts and using examples from history, such as discussing the rise of fascism. While I get that it's supposed to be brief, I didn't like the overwhelming Western focus. There were some interesting notes on WWII but I would've preferred examples from other events as well. It's also presented in part as a guide on how to act in order to combat some of these problems. Although I agreed with what the book was saying here, I didn't really like the tone of it. It's all well and good to say that people should act this way, but realistically it seems improbable and tonally it sounds patronizing. There was one quote I did like though, even if it was a tall order (and frankly can be misused in a different light): "Stand out. Someone has to. It is easy to follow along. It can feel strange to do or say something different. But without that unease, there is no freedom."

The Screaming Staircase (Jonathan Stroud)

5.5/10 It's not a bad book, but there were areas that I felt were lacking. The basic premise is fine, even if it's just that, basic. The 'rules' of the fantasy setting were well put and easy to follow along. The plot was alright, I called the ending but it was a fairly decent ending. I liked the teaser at the end hinting at the protagonist's hidden abilities. I liked the protagonist well enough, but honestly I didn't really fall in love with any of the characters. They're just alright. The plot was just alright. It wasn't anything terrible, it just didn't make a really deep impression on me.

Beautiful Blue World (Suzanne LaFleur)

4.5/10 This book had potential but was way too short. It was kind of weird actually because when reading it, I didn't really feel like I was slogging through a lot of filler, but in the end I also felt like I only read the beginning of a story. I realize that because this is the first book in a series, they do need to leave something but also at least give me something to begin with. The protagonist's character also feels lacking, like I see the point of her 'special skills' but they don't seem to stand out as particularly extraordinary. The whole thing didn't really make much of an impression on me.

The Wrath & the Dawn (Renee Ahdieh)

7/10 Another YA novel that I enjoyed, but not as surprising as Three Dark Crowns. I liked that one based off all the new takes they had on the genre whereas I liked this one based off all the old classic tropes of the genre. I came in with expectations of a typical 'girl falls for enemy because he isn't as bad as he seems' romance and my expectations were fully met, but not in a bad way. Yes, they fall in love with an unrealistic speed, yes many things would've been resolved had they just talked about it, yes the girl turns out to have some magical powers she never knew about. The usual suspects, although luckily they weren't too overbearing. There's also the usual pros, like the girl being the 'honest, witty' one that surprises the system of tradition, her holding her own against enemies, etc. Of course the guy is dark and brooding and yes when he gets angry only the girl can calm him down but that's what I came for. Some pleasant pluses was I liked the B couple sideplot, there was a second love interest but they didn't tease a triangle at all, and I didn't hate the protagonist (always a surprise in a YA novel nowadays). But what I liked most about it, and what I'm disappointed they didn't spend more time on, was the Arabian Nights setting and theme. Any YA setting not in a European medieval fantasy world (even if it's still royalty themed) is always worth a second glance.


The Moth & the Flame (Renee Ahdieh)
2/10 A short story set before the first novel and good thing it was a short story because it added nothing to the actual story. It mainly details the B couple development, as well as some backstory. The backstory part I was fine with, it deepened the initial premise but definitely would've felt unwieldy if forced into the main book. But the large part of this story was on the girl of the B couple and first of all, an uninspired romance. Whatever, they could've worked some actual chemistry in for the main book. But the fact that they didn't actually work in the most interesting about the girl? I guess they didn't want to spoil the surprise in the sequel but damn, at least drop some meaningful hints. Maybe this short story could've been interesting then. (Also I read the summaries for some of the other short stories and they actually seem interesting but like ? why didn't they include them? It sure would've made the sudden romance and scene changes a lot easier to deal with.)

The Rose & the Dagger (Renee Ahdieh)

4.5/10 Alright, looks like this continues in the well honoured tradition of YA fantasy sequels always being 10x worse. They threw away what little remained of the Arabian Nights setting for some war camp scenery that could've been anywhere. They threw in even more magical power nonsense that was even more convoluted than the initial bits in the first book, including characters that literally only appeared for a paragraph before disappearing. One of the new characters had his relationship barely developed with the protagonist before he became one of her forever friends. They showed even more of the side male lead's POV even after well establishing he had no chance. Added in some manly gesturing while the protagonist lies unconscious. Added in another bland C couple while the B couple not only splits up for completely unforeshadowed reasons but also has the guy completely flip his loyalty for a girl when their relationship was barely developed. And despite all the message about the protagonist finding her wings or whatever, she had almost no agency in the events that really mattered. Oh YA fantasy romance novels, for each one that surprises me another one never fails to let me down.

Thanks for adding in that bland C couple just to kill the guy off for dramatic purposes. I know you just wanted some narrative stake but couldn't actually kill off any one really important. Also reduced the villain to someone who wasn't even a threat. Like, no tension at all for all he was built up in the first one. None of the villains were good. Also...the last battle (which wasn't even a real battle) had a winged serpent. Like just........fuck you.

The Death of Mrs.Westaway (Ruth Ware)

6.5/10 Now this might be because I was recommended this book by two separate people who claimed they didn't like her other novels but really enjoyed this one...but I didn't find it outstanding. It was a decent mystery story, don't get me wrong. I liked the twist at the end, a lot actually. But that was really the only highlight for me. The characters didn't make too much of an impression on me, especially the elderly caretaker who's only impression was that I totally called her reveal. I didn't enjoy the snippets of letters from the past, it seemed to make it too easy for both the protagonist and the reader. I didn't dislike the protagonist but I didn't love her either. The story took much too long to get to the actual meat of the story and the bit of thriller action towards the end felt average. It also felt like there was too much symbolism, like convenient tarot cards and magpies — pick one and stick with it, please. Overall, ok but underwhelming.

#NeverAgain: A New Generation Draws the Line (David Hogg, Lauren Hogg)

7/10 An absorbing read from the front lines of America's gun control debate. Written by its newest champions, young survivors of school shootings, it tells the story from an engaging first person perspective. I enjoyed the separate sections that the siblings wrote, each with their own POV of the events and especially of the other person. It's a fairly short book and it felt more like an essay or a long article but it was interesting enough that I wanted to read more, possibly from other students or survivors. The list of school shooting victims at the end of the book was a chilling surprise — I had no idea there were that many. While I liked that they listed ways to get involved, it's hard not to feel cynical looking at the stalled state the debate is still at. Still, it's definitely a must read for anyone interested the ongoing issues of gun control in the US (and it should be everyone in the US).

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may day

Five months is probably the longest I've done anything in a row

May Book Reviews

Do Not Say We Have Nothing (Madeleine Thien)

9/10 "Throughout history there have been many moments that can never be recovered, but you and I know that they existed." This novel read like one of the many symphonies it described. It began with the meeting of two people and like instruments, events and characters joined in and built up a wave of words. Historical movements, like musical movements, separated the story as we followed the lives of not just the named characters but the progression of China itself. The period of history in China from the era of Mao Zedong to the Cultural Revolution and the Tienanmen Square protests is an unbelievably complicated one in many ways. Even now in China there are mixed feelings towards the leadership during that period and its many effects can still be felt in today's government and society. I felt the story of the characters were merely a frame for the concepts it was presenting; music, math, philosophy. Rather than the story of a protagonist, the book focuses on many characters and their POVs and in doing so demonstrated that the successes and tragedies that they faced could've been the stories of any one living through that era. Overall, it was a moving, meaningful story dealing with a subject that it expressed vividly. It is more of a heavier read and slow to get started, but it gives more room for analysis. Most of all, the setting was incredibly well done and I would recommend reading it especially for anyone wanting to understand a part of China's history.

Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore (Matthew Sullivan)

5/10 A wholly underwhelming book. From the idea and title, I thought it would be an interesting, fun mystery novel. Instead it turned out to be darker, and frankly more boring, than I thought. It's not a bad book, it's just very forgettable. The characters never grew on me and I couldn't really empathize too much with the protagonist or her problems. There were a couple of ideas in there that were kinda neat, but nothing outstanding. It didn't really give clues as much as obviously false leads. The ending was fine but felt a bit anti-climatic.

The Martian (Andy Weir)

8/10 This book surprised me from the beginning, because I had never seen the movie before but knew the basic premise. Going into it I thought it would be a gritty, fight for survival type of book with lots of hard to understand scientific jumbo. But luckily, the book made clear that it wasn't going to be like that. The main character's optimistic and good-natured way of dealing with his situation is refreshing to read. The science is easily to understand; even if you don't understand the terms, the protagonist lays it out in a way that makes sense. It reminds me of xkcd a bit, which is great because I love those comics. The POV changes between the three main groups (on Mars, in space and on Earth) I liked as well as it gave a sense of actual stakes that the log format doesn't have. While a couple of the challenges the protagonist had to confront did seem contrived, in a Murphy's law of drama kind of way, and the overall ending was predictable given the tone of the book, I enjoyed reading and following along on Mark Watney's time on Mars.

The Atrocity Archives (Charles Stross)

2/10 God this book was....Maybe atrocity is too much but it wasn't pleasant either. The book dumps you in the middle of the so-called 'action' by loading on a bunch of science-magic technobabble without even trying to explain anything. You have no idea what's going on and as the story progresses, just what it's trying to achieve. The book is split up into three different arcs that are one tangentially related sentence away from three different short stories. It takes way too long to get to the main arc, and it feels unsatisfying. The last arc was just a mess. How was it even related to the middle? Why was the main female character just shoved aside for a random new woman who doesn't understand anything? And 'main female character' is a generous term for a character who showed up seemingly a genius (although with the mysterious technobabble who can even tell anyone's level of intelligence) only to be kidnapped (twice) and fall for the main character with barely any chemistry. Not to mention the protagonist with all his esoteric terms and snobby attitude towards anyone who doesn't apparently know as much as he does. What a dick. A computer programmer's wish fulfillment novel. I hate it.

The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag (Alan Bradley)

6/10 A decent follow up to the first Flavia de Luce mystery. I really enjoyed the first one, but the second one didn't really have any fresh new additions. Flavia is as same as she always is, and I do like her character. I liked the first one for involving her father since their relationship is really interesting, especially with the hints towards his past and her deceased mother. This one put her family members on the sidelines even as they introduced her aunt. It felt like it took a little too long to get the real meat of the mystery and I guessed the culprit pretty easily. Still, there were some parts of the resolution that surprised me and that's always a good sign in any mystery novel.

How the Hell Did This Happen? (P.J. O'Rourke)

4/10 I didn't really finish this book. The tone was comedic but it didn't really feel intelligent. It felt more heavy-handed, like someone trying to be funny by making fun of what was happening without really trying to make a point or address any real issues with their comedy. The author seemed to be on a kind of middle ground in the debate, making him also in the middle ground in terms of likability. And speaking of likability, halfway through the book I found that I didn't really care about all of the people involved in the 2016 elections; at least not the way they were written about here.

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on a roll

Wow two whole months of reading look at me go

February Book Reviews

Three Dark Crowns (Kendare Blake)

8/10 My first book for February and it was a solid YA fantasy novel! Consider me pleasantly surprised. I haven't really enjoyed YA Fantasy since I was in high school so I guess you could say they really know their target audience. When most plots are 'girl discovers she's the one, gets involved in drama (usually involving royalty), and there's at least two guys who fight over her', I can get pretty cynical. But the premise for this one starts out with three queens with different powers who have to fight for one throne. So I thought that well, the worst case scenario is that 'three girls discovers she's the one' and it'll still be a step up from the usual. Plus the cover looked nice. And luckily it was better than the worst case scenario! All three girls are equal protagonists with fleshed out personalities and characteristics. Their powers and backgrounds are varied enough to make it interesting, including the secondary characters around them. I wasn't even that bothered by the romance, which they didn't make integral to the plot. My favourite thing was that the book never presented you with a clear candidate to root for, and it made the book worth reading. Of course it's a YA fantasy novel so of course they have sequels (ugh), but fortunately the ending hooks weren't too 'cliffhanger' and good enough that I felt satisfied reading it. Overall a solid read, although perhaps I'd still only recommend it to people who enjoy YA fantasy or at least, people who once did.

It almost doesn't matter what happened in the beginning because Katherine's ending blew it out of the water like HOT DAMN GIRL. Crawling back from literally hell with her teeth clenched and fingernails broken, I love it. "I want my crown, and then I want my revenge." I LOVE IT. Can't say the same for Arsinoe, who was my least favourite (not that I hated her or anything), whose ending had a out of nowhere reveal that secretly she had a power all along. What kind of cliche?? Although in hindsight her name should've been a dead giveaway. It's literally like a letter away from arsenic. Mirabella I really like as well and I'm rooting for her bringing her sisters around. Rooting for that OT3 end!!

One Dark Throne (Kendare Blake)

5/10 It took everything I liked about the first book and abandoned it pretty much. It focused more on the romance, A LOT MORE, and Katherine's deal was kind of complicated and instead of the unique approach of fleshing out each of the three protagonists, it became more of a straightfoward linear story. It also focused a lot on one particular side character and while I feel the kind of 'plot twist' they have going for her, it really wasn't what I picked up this book to read about. It basically just became another average YA fantasy novel; with girls discovering she has a long lost power, guys fighting over girls...etc. Is it better because it's spread out amongst three (four?) characters? Eh, not to me. It's not bad, but it's not mindblowing. Instead of being pleasantly surprised at a refreshing take on a genre I previously considered stale and cliche, it just reinforced my prejudice.

ALSO they took my favourite thing, Katherine as hell personified and revenge deified, and MADE IT A BAD THING!! Like no!!! They were all like oh its some evil spirits possessing her and her boyfriend was totally not being evil by pushing her into a pit because that's how they were ~*raised*~ like shut up!!! And they made Arsinoe a bigger character but her character is just not unlikeable. Then the hope I had of Mirabella's sweetness managing to band the sisters together to take down the world together was......not realized. Of course making the 'real' heroine be some side character, sure that's a bold move but she's not even that compelling of a character. NOT TO mention the new side character's power is some ooh ancient power that hasn't been used in forever oooh. Ugh.

Who Thought This Was a Good Idea? And Other Questions You Should Have Answers to When You Work in the White House (Alyssa Mastromonaco)

3/10 A long-winded title and a long-winded book. I really did not enjoy this book. It may sound mean, but just reading through the first chapter and...it just sounds like a white lady wrote this. And not in a good way. I can't pin down anything specific but I disliked the author not even halfway through the book. Once again, I go back to expectations vs reality when it comes to books. I picked it up hoping it would be a thoughtful and interesting look into what it's like working closely to President Obama on Capitol Hill. Instead what I got was pages of the life and detailed health issues of some lady I've never heard of with some stories of the president in between. It really sounds mean, but I seriously do not care. I didn't come here for her biography, although I'm sure she feels like this is her biography. There's literally a chapter titled "Some Personal Shit You Should Probably Know". No, I really don't. And certainly, as woman working in a male dominated space, there should be plenty of surprising stories - or at least some that'd make you go 'hey I didn't think of that.' But other than some stuff about tampons, there really wasn't anything that jumped out at me. The only thing I took away from the book was like man I sure wish Obama was still the POTUS and I'm not even American.

The Mistletoe Murders and Other Stories (P.D. James)

6.5/10 It delivered on what was promised: short murder stories styled after the classic authors of the Golden Age of Mystery. Although none were particularly outstanding or memorable, each was pretty solid and made for a fun read. There were a couple stories that seemed more open-ended than I'd liked but on a whole I was pretty satisfied. I got what I came for. I'd recommend this book for anyone looking for a tasty bite-sized mystery. It's nothing too suspenseful, plot filled, or action-packed. I think the book's own closing remark summed it up best: "My dear Aunt Jane, I don't think I'll ever have another case like it. It was pure Agatha Christie."

Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis (J.D. Vance)

6/10 A fairly interesting and dramatic portrayal of the author's life growing up in the working class white families of America's Rust Belt. The author takes derogatory terms like 'hillbilly', 'redneck' and 'white trash' and not only illustrates their nuances but also wears them like pride. Through the retelling of his childhood growing up in Middle America, he examines the social, economic and cultural changes happening in the not insignificant portion of the population living there. Although I felt removed, again due to it being set in America with heavy emphasis on American culture, it was a thought provoking look into a vastly different way of life. However, I also felt that because his experience is so deeply personal, he tends to lean too heavily on the idea that many of the poor are poor because they choose to be. He repeats a dangerous rhetoric without fully fleshing out both sides of the argument but at the same time generalizing his experiences as a representative of his particular culture. It feels ultimately one-sided. Still, it's an absorbing read, with a dysfunctional family and a narrative about moving through class barriers to the top. But I think it's a good idea to keep in mind that it's not without its flaws and it is only one story out of countless others.

Norse Mythology (Neil Gaiman)

7/10 On the surface, this feels like a very basic introduction to Norse mythology. The major players are present and the most famous stories are included, or as many as possible in less than 300 pages. The stories are written very simply, without the typical gravitas or fantastical language usually reserved for myths and legends. There's parts of the dialogue that even sound modern, usually for comedic effect ("Thor, shut up"). I feel like it's a very good book for kids to read as their first look at Norse mythology. But despite the simplicity of it, there were certain lines and certain parts that stood out to me. I especially enjoyed the references to Ragnarok the most and they stuck with me the most. To quote the author himself, "It was the fact that the world and the story ends, and the way that it ends and is reborn, that made the gods and the frost giants and the rest of them tragic heroes, tragic villains."
Also, if you're a fan of Marvel's Thor movies, you'll probably enjoy the way Thor and Loki are written here. The uncomplicated writing style makes the characters seem very human, and it's not hard imagining Marvel's Loki and Thor in many of their exchanges like this one: “'I hope you know what you are doing.' 'Of course I do,' said Thor. But he didn’t. He was just doing whatever he felt like doing. That was what Thor did best."

Dear Ijeawele, Or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie)

6.5/10 A basic but solid introduction to feminist ideas. It doesn't go too in-depth, which I mean, what do you expect from 80 small pages? But it has some pretty good ideas for not just being feminist but generally a good human being. It's nothing too mindblowing, but I'd recommend it for people who are raising children themselves which is the premise of the book. If parents could keep some of these ideas in mind while teaching their daughters or sons, it probably wouldn't hurt.

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