I spent the last half of this month, and most of the holidays, sick so...let's just say I didn't get very far with my reading this month. Still, having read only four books means that I highly enjoyed 50% of the books I read!
December Book Reviews
Shrewed: A Wry and Closely Observed Look at the Lives of Women and Girls (Elizabeth Renzetti)
5.5/10 A collection of essays on feminism. Actually reading this kind of made me appreciate Women & Power more because honestly? I don't really like it when non-fiction feminist works get too personal. I know it sounds weird, but I'd rather read about a larger, more macro view on things, with data and research instead of personal anecdotes. And even when it is more micro examples, I prefer it to be about other subjects instead of the authors themselves. Still, this book really put the essay in collection of essay because it had a ton of references. I'd say it's a good book for people either wanting to expand more on their feminist bibliography, or someone who's already pretty well-read and can enjoy seeing someone putting it all together.
Circe (Madeline Miller)
9/10 "I cannot bear this world a moment longer." "Then, child, make another." I loved this book, and I loved Circe. The style of writing is absolutely my kind of thing, and mythology is even more my kind of thing. It was really great seeing all these famous figures of mythology and how they tied together. Honestly, it was really kind of amusing seeing just how related everyone is in Greek mythology when I had only heard of them in their separate stories. Unsurprisingly, I loved all the female characters. They were well-written, complex, with each their own stories and motivations. It kind of reflected on the real world, how even with all their powers, much of their world is also determined by men, usually with even more power. But the story goes on to show that women have their ways of living within that world, and outside of it too. I think my only complaints are kind of conflicting. On one hand, there were points where I wished she could show off her power a little more and do more, but on the other, the whole 'witch' thing felt a little like a special protagonist power. I understand why they use this trope but I can't help but see it as a trope. Still, I really enjoyed the story that came from all these different myths and the narratives it took. And above all, I was just deeply absorbed in Circe's life, this goddess witch who was daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, lover, wife and legend. "I will eat these herbs. Then whatever is truly in me, let it be out, at last."
Text Me When You Get Home: The Evolution and Triumph of Modern Female Friendship (Kayleen Schaefer)
3/10 This was a whole book of talking a lot but not really saying anything. I thought there was going to be a lot more focus on the title premise, of a society where women have to create their own support networks, where women do this naturally because there are real concerns that a woman might not get home safely. The book barely touched on this. Instead it was more about brunches and Sex and the City. Like it's fine as a short opinion piece or whatever, but an entire book about female friendships as experienced by young, upper middle class, white women?? It's pretty disappointing. In the first place, I was hoping for, again, a lot more empirical writing instead of anecdotes from various people that I could not care less about. This is even worse than "Shrewed" because at least the anecdotes were from prominent people that the journalist author was interviewing. This one was just people the author knew like, privately. The whole 'evolution' is just comparing her friends to her mom's friends. What is the point? This could make it as 280 word post on Tumblr but not as a published book thanks.
Strange the Dreamer (Laini Taylor)
8/10 This was a fairly long book and while the plot moved a bit slowly, I never got bored of it. I really enjoyed the world building in this. The idea of framing the city of Weep as a fantastical legend ironically made it seem more believable. It's easier to accept its strange features when the characters in the story also react in a believable way. Speaking of characters, I really liked the mix of them. I would've liked to see a little more of everyone else on both sides, but the main characters were fairly well developed. I liked Strange and Sarai but I also liked Thyron acting as a foil, though he seemed to be in a weird grey area of being a POV character but only a little bit? My least favourite part is probably the romance. It's just such a typical idea, and I know it had to be rushed and implemented in order to further the plot and eventually the ending/sequel but I felt like the book was just telling me they were madly, deeply in love. Like I get it...they're super into each other...they'd die for each other...they're soulmates...I GET IT. I enjoyed the overall story and mood of the book and I'm kind of interested in the sequel. Not so much for the burning mystery of those missing godchildren, but how the main godspawn and the rest of the outsider party react to Lazlo's new powers. Fingers crossed!
November was kind of weird for me. I read like four books in a row then barely read anything for the rest of the month. A kind of average month.
November Book Reviews
Pachinko (Min Jin Lee)
8.5/10 In all honesty, this should've been a 9+ book for me. It had everything I loved; themes of family and identity, a sweeping narrative that takes us through 70 years of history and four generations, thoughtful in-depth looks at social issues...and don't get me wrong. All of that was great. But unlike similar books like Homegoing, it didn't leave as much as an impact. The later generations failed to grab me as much as the earlier ones, and there were parts that seemed rushed or not elaborated on enough. Still, I really appreciated how it highlighted the social issues of the time, which still echo down today. The issues of race, identity and homelands is of course at the forefront, but also interesting to me was the casual way the misogyny of the times were portrayed. I really liked how natural it felt, that things were expected of women and no one really questioned it, especially the women. The ordinary way it was a part of the world made it even more extraordinary and I really appreciated the lowkey approach. While it still was a good book, it just lacked that extra factor for me to consider it one of my favs.
The Adventure Zone: Here Be Gerblins (Clint McElroy)
8/10 A solid adaption of a well-loved (and well-deserved) D&D podcast! I've listened to the first arc of this podcast before, which is what this volume is based on. The two things I really appreciated about TAZ were the humor, and the unconventional ways they change up the typical high fantasy D&D environment. I thought this graphic novel managed to convey both rather well! I especially liked the colorful, almost casual comic style. It works for their style of humor by having comedic expressions and exaggerated scenes rather than detailed fantasy artwork. I also liked how they incorporated the fourth wall breaking DM comments. I'll be on the outlook for their next arc!
Women Talking (Miriam Toews)
4.5/10 I can definitely see where the value of this book comes from. The set up is a prime metaphor for women's issues as well as the role religion plays in those issues. There's a lot of discussion to be had about the characters, the choices they make and how that reflects on society today. But...I did not enjoy reading this book. Honestly, if I was forced to write on essay on it for a class I might have appreciated this book more. But as a reader, the writing felt unbearably tedious and rigid, the topics repetitive and dull...and all this with its short length too. The worst part of it is, (and this might too be a metaphor) the POV for this women's conversation is a man. And such an annoying one too, I really could not stand his random facts. I went back and gave Animal Farm a higher score after reading this because both of them seem like they'd be really good study topics but at least Animal Farm was way more engaging to read.
Women & Power (Mary Beard)
6/10 I feel like this book might have been way more compelling as an actual lecture or even better, a TED talk. It's an interesting angle she takes by comparing the treatment of women in Greco-Roman historical context to that of Western society today, especially with the influence that the culture had on Western civilization. Still, this book didn't really present anything mind blowing. There were some points that I thought were interesting and I still remember, such as points on Medusa and the fashion choices of women in power both in the past and today. But there were other points where I felt like the references she was making felt a little forced, or weren't as unique and memorable. Even the topics that I did like, the entire thing was a bit too short for her to go in-depth and expand on them. Overall, it was an alright read but not exactly epiphanic for me.
A Murder in Time (Julie McElwain)
5.5/10 Alright, so this book could've been half as long and it would've been twice as good. Honestly, it's not a bad concept: FBI agent slips back into time, solves a murder, flirts with a handsome marquise. What's not to love? But the book has so much goddamn filler. The intro and build ups take way too long. Like saying "and he'll murder again!" once as a chapter closing is fine but when they do it 5 times it just ends up with me going "bitch I hope the fuck you do". The protagonist is also way too much of a Mary Sue. It's not enough that's a top FBI agent in a male dominated world, she's also got some BS backstory about her being a superbaby (and therefore also parental figure issues? I don't know). She's got all the spunk and sass of a 21st century gal! While some of the characters are presented as having a 'modern' attitude, most of them are just there to make the protagonist look good by saying dumb, presumably historically accurate things. It's just too unbelievable sometimes. And speaking of unbelievable, the almost non existent build up for the main couple. Still, despite all my complaints, it was easy to read and good in a fanfiction standard kind of way. I'm sort of curious how the story will continue from this book. Like I said, it's a neat concept and it could be fun as a mystery series with the MC solving cases in the past. Now if all of them could just be...shorter.
Undead Girl Gang (Lily Anderson)
8/10 I actually really enjoyed this book! It does have all the trappings of a typical high school YA fic, the stereotypical cliques, the loner 'outcast' protagonist, but it also manages to turn some of them around. I really like the concept to begin with and I liked the blend of mystery novel with a hint of urban fantasy. What I loved most about the whole Wicca and spells element of the book was that it didn't try to push the idea that it was all real and everyone can do it as long as they buy the right ingredients from their local New Age/Occult shop. "Spells are just prayers with more steps and a name that scares people." I expected it to go the other way considering the premise is literally about a spell that succeeds in bringing people back to life, but I'm pleasantly surprised. I liked the cast of characters and the female friendship theme. At the heart of it, that's really what a lot of the appeal is with witches and Wicca and covens, especially for teenagers. We're all just trying to be a little less lonely.
PLUS I was actually surprised at the ending. I thought it gonna be a typical YA ending where they solve the case, grow up a little, and the girl gets the hot guy. But damn...that was hardcore. I mean, a little too crazy, especially with the whole setting a house on fire and dying in it, but still. Did NOT expect that.
The real terror is not reading a single book I definitively loved. That and my ever growing pile of books to read while I do anything but read them.
October Book Reviews
Meddling Kids (Edgar Cantero)
5.5/10 This book had its highs and lows for me. I liked the concept of a Scooby gang-esque group reuniting after they grow up and re-investigating an old case only to discover that there was real supernatural forces involved. The kids themselves though...didn't really grow on me. Andy especially, her whole character was built around her crush on Kerri, to the point where it was getting kind of overbearing. Like girl, you're not a teenager anymore, keep it together!! My favorite character was honestly probably the dog. The beginning took way, way too long and I really struggled to keep going. The high point was definitely the last few chapters when they returned to the house and the action really kicked in. While it had plenty of nods to Lovecraft canon, the vibe itself was nowhere near actual Lovecraft stories. I was also thrown off by the writing style changes but really loved the twists at the end. Overall, it was fine but it could've been better.
Split Tooth (Tanya Tagaq)
1.5/10 Um. Let's just say I'm not a fan of this style of writing. I get that it's supposed to be poetic, but it just threw me off. The random events, the random poetry, the random New Age spiritualism, the random animal sex, listen...I just. It's just not my thing. You could call it 'a mystical journey of the relationship between man and nature, a look at the shamanistic rituals of the past' and I could call it 'a woman giving a fox a blowjob'. You could call it 'weaving a line between reality and invention, an ancient myth reborn in the present' and I could call it 'a bad acid trip'. Let's agree to disagree and never speak of this book again.
The Perfect Girlfriend (Karen Hamilton)
4/10 I'm not a fan of domestic thrillers and unfortunately this book didn't change my mind. It wasn't exactly bad, it was just more of a genre I'm not particularly into. There were some parts, especially in the beginning, where I was interested in where the plot was going or what the protagonist was going to do next. But after the climax, I felt that it had less direction and the main character didn't impress me as much, instead growing more far-fetched and crazy in a mental kind of way than realistically sinister. While the ending with the 'twist' reveal was fun, I wasn't so much surprised at her final actions as I thought she would've done it sooner. It was easy to read through, I'll give it that, but it didn't do too much for me.
Lovecraft Country (Mat Ruff)
7.5/10"But even the talk of magic wasn't that peculiar, for most of them spoke of it as they would of money, or politics or any other means of bending the world to their will." It was an interesting read, and there were definitely some high points, but overall it failed to really pull me in and the story seemed vaguely disjointed. Rather than an overarching story with a clear focus, it kind of jumps around POVs (albeit with the same underlying plot), and I had a hard time really getting in and focusing on finishing the book. Still, it had some neat ideas and great moments. The Lovecraft part of the title is more of an homage to his themes than anything stylistically or tonally similar. Still, I'll give it props because it touched upon the one theme that so many other works inspired by Lovecraft have failed to address: the racism. It really added an unique quality and the setting of the American Midwest during the Jim Crowe era isn't a common location for horror which was great too. A story with its highs and 'meh's but it wasn't bad.
Also I almost want to give it a 8 score just for Letitia managing to strongarm a grumpy old white man's ghost by threatening to haunt him if he kills her. Like what a BAMF, chilling with ghosts, casually playing chess with him. I'd be down just to see more of her, hopefully the TV show gives her the screentime she deserves.
How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings (Sarah Cooper)
7.5/10 A hilarious, fun to read, but not anything groundbreaking or fresh. It's pretty much what the internet has said and pointed out countless times, the sexism that women face in the workplace. There's multitudes of similar stuff on social media that talk about double standards and man-splaining. None of the things she says is particularly standout but it was still funny to read. The layout and formatting of the book was great, the stuff it talks about is definitely real and I like that it didn't try to go too heavy. It was light on subsistence but sometimes that what you need, just some humor to help point out the ridiculous. It's definitely a fun book and I think it'd make a fantastic present for all the HBIC.
Monstress, Vol.1: Awakening (Marjorie Liu)
5/10 Monstress has some amazing art, incredibly detailed, the world is beautifully imagined and the character designs are gorgeous. I like its mix of Western and Eastern art style, so it doesn't come off as completely one or the other. However, it falls short in terms of introducing you to the setting itself. It's a pretty high fantasy world, with various factions, races and histories. But the story just throws you in media res, there's no time to fully grasp what's going on at all. There seems to be two groups fighting a war? People with animal ears? The main character has some monster thing inside her? There are two kinds of talking cats??? While mildly intriguing, it's way too confusing for me to actually be invested in the story.
Alice (Christina Henry)
4.5/10 Ehhh...so this book is supposed to be dark, gritty re-imagining of Alice in Wonderland. First of all, like there isn't enough of those but I'm the one who decided to read it so we'll let it pass for now. But even with that common premise, there's nothing too much to differentiate it. Like we start off with Alice in an asylum! Wow! Groundbreaking. The characters in the story are humans in this one, like okay. There's some random love interest who's older than her and she like loves him immediately with almost zero buildup? A lot of the 'darkness' feels like it comes from a need to be edgy rather than actually making it sinister. The ending was so anticlimactic
like okay getting rid one of the Big Bads with zero effort but both?
but I guess it added a mild bit of individuality. Like I want to say that this book had good ideas but didn't go anywhere with them but...did it even have any good ideas? Ehh....
Seeing as how its almost time to Inktober, it makes me think about last year's Inktober, which I didn't finish, which then makes me think what a miracle it was that my reading goal lasted this long.
September Book Reviews
The Lost City of the Monkey God (Douglas Preston)
6.5/10 A fairly interesting read about an archaeological expedition into Honduras' jungles to find evidence of a 'lost city'. While the draw and basic premise is centered around journeying into this lost city, said expedition only took like two days and was over in less than a third of the book. That being said, the rest of the book wasn't bad. I enjoyed learning about the world of archaeology, whether it was cultural debates or technological progresses. The book also devoted a significant chunk of time to a disease the author contracted, which for me was still okay as he went into the history of the devastating effects of European disease on the Americas. He also offered this explanation as to why the city was abandoned in the first place. In short, this book did go off on tangents that I didn't sign up for but at least the tangents were still informative and engaging enough to read.
Sleeping Giants (Sylvain Neuvel)
8/10 What might have been an otherwise standard sci-fi premise, it was elevated by the writing style the author chose to tell it in. The story is told entirely through various interview logs and personal journal transcripts entirely. Usually for high concept writing styles it's either great or the worst. Luckily for this book, it was the former. Although all the information and events are presented to us through conversations, I felt like I could easily pick up on what happened without their dialogue seeming forced. The characters all had very distinct personalities that made it easy to differentiate as well. The story, mixing mystery and sci-fi while showing off an interesting array of character dynamics, solidly kept me reading. While I never got a sense of anticipation for what happens next, I did manage to enjoy the events that were happening.
Shadow of The Wind (Carlos Ruiz Zafron)
4.5/10 Listen, I don't know what it is about well-rated books named [Blank] of the Wind that just don't seem to have good affinity with me. This book is super highly rated and the premise seemed interesting enough so I was excited to read it. But upon actually reading it I was just...bored. The language, while it can be incredibly evocative and spellbinding, also felt overly effusive and flowery. The purple prose made it hard to concentrate on the plot of the book and made it feel like it was moving really slowly. Although the little bits of mystery was alright, in the end everything was cleared up through one woman's unbelievably novel-like, chapters long letter and several flashback scenes. The protagonist barely felt like a protagonist and every time he, or any of the other characters, started talking about ONE romantic love like it was the be all and end all it just made me frustrated. I didn't particularly like any of the characters, and laid bare of the elaborate language, the plot fell rather flat. I mean, the book ends was nice? Idk maybe I should just stay off books talking about the wind for now.
Annihilation (Jeff VanderMeer)
8/10 So apparently opinions are pretty divided about this book, but I have to say I enjoyed it. I liked being dropped in the middle of the story because the confusion just added to the atmospheric, almost maddening darkness. I liked the surreal yet scientific ways the main character reacted to thinks. Most of all, I liked the mystery of it. I liked having no true explanation, how at no point in the story did I feel like I knew completely what was going on. It made the imposing setting of Area X that much more...more. But at the same time, I can tell why people didn't like it. There wasn't too much of a coherent plot, with the character's motivations being just as incoherent as the random words. Some parts could've been shorter, some reveals less jarring. Not everyone is a fan of Lovecraft, whose brand of cosmic horror this story embraced and transformed for a modern era. Still, that sense of unease, that overwhelming mystery of the beginning without any answers, I loved it.
Museum of Broken Relationships (Olinka Vištica, Drazen Grubisic)
8/10 Literally better than any modern poetry book I've read (or flipped through). I think the problem I have with lots of those is that they sound pretentious. When reading endless poems about love and life, but in the voice of a young adult who wrote some sentences without punctuation then added paragraph breaks, I just can't take it seriously (part of this is ironic reflection on myself). But with this book, the proof is real. Tangible, real objects that seem to ground each story behind it. It becomes more than a random person hinting at a vague relationship. And the diversity of it! How in subtle ways the geographic origins of an item changes both it and our understanding of it. The multitude of relationships with different kinds of love. The many ways they end and the many ways their stories are told — proving that sometimes life is a better writer than any published author. A museum to "the rich and chaotic variety of the human experience" (Terry Pratchett, 1996)
Beartown (Fredrik Backman)
9/10 Listen....this book destroyed me. I honestly had only heard the vaguest of things about this author and I thought it was going to be some touching yet whimsical feelgood tale about communities coming together and bonding over a sport. I was really fucking wrong. The stark and unapologetic portrayal of people in response to what happens is gut-wrenching, and all the more so because you can picture it happening anywhere. While the POV jumps around with almost no warning, you never lose track of anything and the writing continually lays out and subverts your expectations. The themes of community, of loyalty and bonds, are pulled apart and laid bare for what it is: both good and bad. Hockey is the focus of the story but the things the author tells with it goes beyond the sport itself. It becomes reflection and study of society today, of the underprivileged, of minorities, of women. Much like the game, this book was intense, powerful and vividly absorbing.
Ah yes the Sunday of summer, it's only fitting that I only somehow read the last three books in like a week.
August Book Reviews
The Dead Husband Project (Sarah Meehan Sirk)
5.5/10 Another series of short stories, although I liked this one more than The Dark and Other Love Stories. The titular short story was probably my favorite and the one that made the most impression on me. I really liked how the whole thing played out. For the other stories, the ambiguity of many of them were interesting. Some were just vague enough to be intriguing but others just pushed it to confusing. I'd say my other favorites would be 'Ozk', 'Inters ection' and 'Moonman'. Overall, I feel that while I did like reading it, especially because of the easiness of consuming short pieces, I don't really feel like you would miss out on anything major if you didn't read this.
Coraline (Neil Gaiman)
7.5/10 I really loved the Laika movie based off this book and happened to pick this one up and I'm glad to say I wasn't disappointed! I love the classic fairy tale vibe of the story, less Disney princess and more Hansel and Gretel. Think deep dark woods and cautionary tales. I really loved Coraline's character and I actually really loved the cat too (to no one's surprise). It's a short novella, but it's perfect for kids. I also liked it because it made me appreciate the movie a lot more too. The stylistic choices were super on point, and I even liked some of the changes they added in. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for just a bit of dark fantasy.
Soundless (Richelle Mead)
5/10 It was average at best. I've seen fanfiction that are about this quality, with no disrespect to fanfiction at all. The setting is at least somewhat different and the premise sounded great but the story took far too long into getting into the real action. The idea that everyone in this isolated village is deaf and one day this girl suddenly hears sound for the first time is intriguing but the explanation as to why was a weird mix of science and fantasy that seemed at odds at each other. The resolution of the story seemed a bit deus ex machina and many actual problems weren't completely resolved or seemed rushed through. I might as well have read fanfiction, at least they'd have characters I'm already invested in.
A Tale for the Time Being (Ruth Ozeki)
9/10"If you do decide to read on, then guess what? You're my kind of time being and together we'll make magic!" It was a story that slowly eased you in but once inside, it seems almost impossible to put down. Interweaving two POVs yet the switch is seamless. The length and style is just engaging enough that you pick up the two threads without a stutter. I absolutely loved the way they talked about themes of philosophy, death and time without seeming overly pretentious or forced. I cared about both timelines — both Ruth's drifting, isolated existence and Nao's battered, crowded fate. There was just enough mystery and a hint of the supernatural that made it intriguing without losing the sense of realism to either of their stories. The little details about both of their lives grounded them but the larger story lifted them into something bigger. A tale for not only the time being, but the time to come as well.
The Mars Room (Rachel Kushner)
2.5/10 A story centered around lives in California prisons, this failed to meet expectations. While it certainly seems that the author did her research while writing this piece, I felt like that research would've been better served by a different kind of writing style, or even a nonfiction book instead. The themes and topics it concerns is undoubtedly important: the state of incarceration in the United States, morality and the justice system, transphobia and gender issues in prison. Yet this book fails to deliver the due gravitas to any of them, due to its nonlinear timeline, shifting perspectives, multiple POVs, and stream of consciousness style of writing. None of the characters failed to capture my attention, and the fictional element made it seem like the darker themes were gritty for the sake of being gritty rather than a reflection on some of the realities of imprisonment. It was hard to get through not because it was depressing, but because it was boring. It had potential, but ultimately went nowhere.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Mark Haddon)
6.5/10 I can see why this book would be assigned reading. The writing style, done in the point of view of its autistic protagonist, didn't feel forced or theatrical at all. Every thought and action felt natural and logical when seen in the protagonist perspective, a feat that should be appreciated. I also enjoyed the dynamics of the family, managing to portray the complex factors involved in a family whose child is autistic. More importantly, it kept both parents as flawed, human characters. There was no clear choice, at least from our understanding, which parent is better and that in turn made the characters seem more real. However, while it is a good book and I can see the value of it, I wouldn't say I loved reading it. The ending felt a little rushed but overall it's just not my type of book. Still, I'm glad I did read it.
What a lethargic summer...I barely read any compared to last month and none of them I really liked.
July Book Reviews
Hidden Figures (Margot Lee Shetterly)
4.5/10 I wanted to like this book, I really did. The history it's recounting and the message it's trying to say are all really great. But unfortunately those are the only things that kept me going through this book. The writing was just so dry to me. It felt like reading a Wikipedia article except without editing out the superfluous descriptions. It was hard to keep track of the primary figures in the book, which wasn't helped by their intertwining storylines. The book also starts out in the middle of WWII and while I agree it's important to set down the precedent for the birth of NASA, it took much too long to actually get there. I felt like I was almost near the end of the book before NASA actually came into existence. Even when the women were making history, the writing style ironically seemed to mute the emotional impact of it. Still, there were a couple of moving moments and I enjoyed the ending. I'd recommend just watching the movie though.
The Dark and Other Love Stories (Deborah Willis)
5/10 I have mixed feelings about this collection of short stories. I feel like I can see why other people might enjoy it, but for me it doesn't quite manage it. There are some stories where I appreciated the premise, especially 'Girlfriend on Mars'. I also appreciate that it's set mostly in the Lower Mainland. The ambiguity of many of these stories, there are some that I felt worked well, other's that fell short. While reading this I just couldn't shake the feeling that the writing style seemed constructed to try and elicit some emotional reaction from me rather than doing so organically. I can't tell if it's because I'm too young (and not experienced enough) or too old (and experienced in the wrong ways). It's like one of those popular 'tumblr-style' poetry books; I can see the appeal in it but it's not for me.
Name of the Wind (Patrick Rothfuss)
6/10 Okay. So, this book was highly recommended to me by two different people, not to mention a plethora of 5 star reviews. So what I'm about to say might be controversial. It was alright. It was...an adult high fantasy novel. The protagonist is a dude who's really good at stuff. He's a child prodigy with a tragic backstory. The antagonists are bullies and mean teachers. He embarrasses them in public. Two women are interested in him. The main one is an incomparable, mysterious beauty who despite the multiple men she dates, enjoys his companionship the most. He slays, a dragon. CAN I MAKE IT ANYMORE OBVIOUS. I don't really care for any of the characters right now, Bast is kind of interesting? But the protagonist is a dumbass like oh my god. The story is moving at a snail's pace and most of the pace seems to be spent on talking about the various ways he tries to secure student loans. Now, I gave it a 6 because despite my disappointed expectations, it's not a bad novel. It just wasn't a mindblowing one. I liked the format of the story and how it interweaves two timelines. (Although I have to say, they keep using the format to set up 'I was so happy...little did I know how wrong I was' type endings. Like it's fine and ominous the first few times but when they keep fucking doing it holy shit it's so annoying like I get it!!! Life sucks!!) Although it's typical fantasy novel dense, most of the time it kept me interested enough to keep reading. While they use all the usual fancy fantasy descriptors, there were a couple of lines that were nicely written and quite memorable. Still on the whole, I have to say it's really not my cup of tea. Don't @ me.
One Day We'll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter (Scaachi Koul)
4.5/10 I was intrigued by the summary of this book, promising a humorous book dealing with personal experiences in a 'land of ice and casual racism'. Because of my personal experiences in said land, and also because it's a pretty funny line, I checked it out. Unfortunately, the editor who wrote the summary deserves an award because that single line is pretty much the only memorable one. The author talks about her experiences as an overweight woman, a woman working on the internet and the child of Indian immigrants. While those can make for interesting anecdotes, there was nothing about any of the stories that seemed to stand out. Adding insult to injury, the purported razor sharp humor was either nowhere to be found or not my style because I didn't really find the entire thing to be funny. I could tell it was written in a 'comedic style' but not one that made me laugh. Overall, a fairly forgettable book.
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).
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.
I've all but abandoned every other monthly goal except for this one so fingers crossed
April Book Reviews
The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories (HP Lovecraft)
6/10 GODDAMN this was hard to get through. Not necessarily because it was bad, but just the dated tone combined with his own writing style made it difficult to process all the information. This was the first book this year that I had to renew to be able to finish it. Overall, because most of his stories are first hand accounts of events that happened in the past, the tense over the protagonists' survival is pretty much lost. A lot of the horror still feels informed, like it might we that we're too used to images of Cthulhu but reading about characters freaking out and tripping balls then having it described as a squid dragon...doesn't really have the intended effect. My favorite parts are the world building and the horror of humanity rather than the unknown. My least favorite is the dumb curiosity killed the cat characters and, you know, the racism. But I'm gonna get my library card's worth and review every single goddamn eldritch story. (italics are my reccs)
Dagon: Unremarkable, the usual Lovecraft setup, only notable in a footnote that informs us how much Lovecraft hated the smell of fish. 4/10
The Statement of Randolph Carter: I actually really liked the stinger line at the end, that was pretty great. 6/10
Facts Concerning the Late Arthur Jermyn and His Family: Again, the ending was kinda cool, but the intro took way too long to get there. 4.5/10
Celephais: Interesting in that the horror element is missing, had some cool world building in this one but not much plot. 4.5/10
Nyarlathotep: I didn't know dude was Egyptian. 3/10
The Picture in the House: I just find it funny how he writes the 'reveal twist' sentence in italics every time like it's meant to surprise us but we've already seen it coming a mile away. 3/10
The Outsider: A different concept, even if it is, again, one we saw coming. 4.5/10 Herbert West-Reanimator: A longer story of connected events and it pays off. Even if you question why at the end of each story the narrator reaffirms how aghast he is, he keeps showing up in the next one - like get out man. 7.5/10
The Hound: Another story about how white man's inability to resist shiny things destroys us all. 4/10 The Rats in the Walls: An actual bit of ghoulishness in the reveal (because of course, people are the real monsters) and a great ending. 7/10
The Festival: All I can think of is people riding crocodiles. 3/10
He: That sure is him alright. Unremarkable aside from all the racism, which at this point is overt in enough of his stories that it too is pretty much unremarkable. 4/10
Cool Air: While it was pretty obvious from the start, it was decent and at least memorable for the different concept it used. 5/10 The Call of Cthulhu: The titular story and while it didn't blow my mind, it was solid. It also has my favorite line: "The stars were right again, and what an age-old cult had failed to do by design, a band of innocent sailors had done by accident." 7/10
The Color Out of Space: An overall enjoyable read, and I liked that there wasn't too much description of the eldritch horror in this one but did drag on a bit. 5/10 The Whisperer in Darkness: It was good but I felt like it had potential to be greater. First of all, hard to take monsters seriously when you start describing them as crabs. Second of all, protagonist is dumb af and seriously is so blind to any sense of horror convention that it could only be a middle class white guy. Third, the concept of monsters mimicking humans and having human allies is pretty unique among his stories but I felt like it didn't take full advantage of it. Still, 7/10
The Shadow Over Innsmouth: A scene with actual tension takes place in this one, incredible. The origin story was pretty interesting to read too. 6/10
The Haunter of the Dark: Unremarkable, typical Lovecraft set up, typical white guy screwing over everyone else because he has too much free time on his hands.
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Alan Bradley)
7.5/10 A solid, fun mystery novel! The main character can sometimes be a little annoying as a precocious pre-teen brat, but the brilliance is that that's exactly what she is! An 11 year old written so that she really feels like one, aside from her prodigious interest in chemistry. She makes mistakes and takes actions that feel expected from an 11 year old. The story and plot, especially with a subject as seemingly dull as stamps, kept things rolling and made me invested in what happens next. The ending was a little predictable, but what led up to it was fun to follow as the protagonist connected the dots between all the clues we were given in the beginning.
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (Rachel Joyce)
7/10 I have the feeling that this is a 'good' book but it's not really for me. The main character is an old man who reflects on his life as he walks on the titular pilgrimage. There are themes of regret, the passing of time, missed opportunities, different kinds of love and how they change. It's well written, but I feel that these are things that you can really appreciate a lot more if you've gone through lots of experiences already. I enjoyed how they wrote the point of view from the wife's perspective a lot. Overall, it's not a book that changed my life but it's one I can see changing others'.
Homegoing (Yaa Gyasi)
9.5/10 What an experience to read this. The book begins with two sisters separated by colonialism, one who stayed in her home in Ghana and one sold into slavery. As they continue to follow generations of that split, it takes us through decades of history on two different continents. Although the main character of each generation only takes the spotlight for the length of a short story, you can really feel that each of them has a story to tell worth listening to. Not every story has a happy ending or really even an ending, but that's what makes it feel like the stories of real people. Even with those brief looks, the impacts of colonialism, history of slavery and institutional racism on two different continents are brilliantly portrayed. It's not something that you feel the book is preaching to you either, rather, like real life, it's something in the background that you only connect to those issues if you have an understanding of them. Above all, the constant theme of family both ancestral and domestic is something anyone can relate to. This novel was a journey in very sense of the word and one I recommend anyone to take.
Educated (Tara Westover)
7.5/10 This was a fairly interesting book to read in many ways. I compared it a lot with Hillbilly Elegy as both books are focused on children growing up in isolated, rural areas who go on to higher education at prestigious schools. There are lots of differences of course, especially religion and upbringing, but I did end up enjoying this one more. Although there were some points where I wanted more empirical explanations or scientific studies of economics and mental illnesses like the ones in Hillbilly Elegy, I realized that by not having them made the story seem more human. Most of all I liked that the book didn't even slightly try to generalize her story and it was much more emotional and introspective. It also benefited from not being solely centered on the American culture & experience like Hillbilly was. Still, I think this book is better served if treated like a fiction novel rather than a nonfiction memoir, as it loses its realism for its humanity. It also suffers from parts that seem to repeat and events that are similar to each other but don't seem to have too much of an impact. Of course the repetitive and disjointed events are reflective of memories, and we feel manage to feel the progress or lack of it that much more because of it. It's not quite a streamlined narrative to be a fully fleshed out fiction but too full of logical holes to be a satisfying nonfiction. But again, a world that seems so far removed from the norm is a pretty fascinating read and I enjoyed it.
I know it's only March but still this is probably the only New Year's Resolution that's lasted this long
March Book Reviews
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (Alexander McCall Smith)
7/10 An interesting concept for a mystery novel, although I have mixed feelings on the execution. I liked the uniqueness of the setting, which really came to life in the novel; Botswana with its cattle herds and dusty roads. I also enjoyed the vivacious personality of the novel's leading lady, Precious Ramotswe. She's no-nonsense, a good observer of human nature, but not always confident nor infallible. A truly refreshing stand out from the calm armchair detectives and the tough hardboiled private eyes. What I didn't like was the editing style of the novel. It jumped from case to case without a clear timeline, sometimes even interrupting an ongoing case with another, then inserting flashbacks and POVs about both Ramotswe and the people around her without much connection to any story. Although I was a little bothered by it, Mma Ramotswe and her beloved Botswana was fresh enough to keep me entertained.
Swimming Lessons (Claire Fuller)
4/10 Listen, I can understand why other people might like this book. I can see the appeal, but I am not the audience it's trying to appeal to. I did not like this book at all. The premise about a mother's disappearance, and clues being revealed through scraps and letters hidden in books seems straightforward and intriguing enough. But instead what I got was a main character that seemed out of it most of the time, a first half that didn't do much with the concept, a disappearance that seemed so devoid of mystery that you wonder why there was anything to ask about. The 'letters' themselves were supposedly written by the mother, but it was written pretty much exactly like a novel. I think they tried to justify it by saying she was in a creative writing course but seriously, no one writes letters like that. I just couldn't bring myself to care about this family or any of their experiences, nor did I care for the artsy literary references like I get it...you read books.
Tortall (Tamora Pierce)
4/10 I'm pretty disappointed by this book. I loved the Tortall series of books by the same author, who wrote such well-rounded, complex heroines each with her own different but genuine and memorable coming of age stories all set in a world that was vibrant and exciting. But I couldn't find that in this companion book. It's not even about the fact that the original characters barely show up, but that regardless of if they do or don't the stories just fall flat. The tone of the stories just felt so different from main series that I felt like it was only the names connecting the worlds together. Even when the original characters make an appearance they just don't have the same impression. This compared to when predecessor characters show up in subsequent novels in the main storyline and they feel completely natural. If anything, I'd just take the chance to recommend everyone to please read original series because they're all really good, just pretend this one never existed.
Angry Optimist: The Life and Times of Jon Stewart (Lisa Rogak)
5/10 A pretty average book overall tbh. Not too bad but nothing mindblowing. I liked that the author gathered opinions from both people who praised and criticized Jon Stewart. But I didn't finish reading the book and feel like I had gained some newfound insight into the man, or even an interesting summary of his life. For people looking to know a little more about him, I'd recommend just reading his Wikipedia page, and for fans who already know the man, I'd recommend uh, I guess just re-watching old Daily Show clips.
The Girl Who Married a Lion: And Other Tales from Africa (Alexander McCall Smith)
6/10 I enjoyed this! My favourite part of his detective series was the setting and these were all stories born from it, even if the nature of these stories made it much more fantastical. I generally like reading fairy tales and myth from all over the world, so I liked being introduced to some new ones. Most of the time they came off as a little bare but I appreciated them being deeply connected to the land they're from. They're stories that couldn't have come from any other place, from the witch doctors to the flora and fauna of the Savannah. I liked that some of them didn't really have a moral or lesson to tell but I also liked the ones that did. A nice, short read about folklore I haven't seen much of before, even if it was a bit simplistic.
Orange is the New Black (Piper Kerman)
6.5/10 Not a bad read on a world that seems so foreign to me that it's no wonder it got adapted into a TV series. The closed off, literally and figuratively, world of the female prison system is brought to life in this autobiographical book featuring a victim of the war on drugs. The book highlights many of the problems with prison systems as well as humanizing the people in those systems. I enjoyed seeing the different personalities around her and the spirit of female camaraderie surrounding her. Of course, her experiences are colored by her own thoughts and opinions, as well as by virtue of being an upper middle class white woman. Nonetheless, because the setting is so engaging, the book was an entertaining read.
Take Me With You (Andrea Gibson)
3/10 Listen, I'll be frank. I don't like the trendy new poetry books. I'm a snobbish elite, an old person ranting about the established but that's my goddamn opinion. So I don't care for poems that are just run-on sentences, or even worse, just sentences but with space breaks in between. I don't like poems written by young adults where love is talked about like the greatest and worst thing on earth. It's fine if I see it on tumblr, but when it's a published book of poetry it just seems too much. There are a couple of verses and poems I like in here, but more than less I like it in the same sense I would click like on Instagram and move on.
The Hidden Life of Trees (Peter Wohlleben)
8.5/10 After reading his Hidden Life of Animals and really not having too high of an opinion of it, I was curious about the author's first work that made him notable in the first place. And after reading this one, I would totally agree with the general opinion. Unlike his Animals one, which I felt mainly provided anecdotes to concepts that were pretty widely agreed upon, this one actually provided some new knowledge. It's not groundbreaking to suggest that animals treasure their families and have human concepts of community, but it is interesting to have those ideas applied to trees and plants. Not to mention, this book provides far more scientific information to accompany the presentation. It briefly made me even want to go outside to look at real trees while reading this and any book that can make me even entertain the thought of hiking, however briefly, is a formidable one.
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.
Still reading!! I guess you could call me a bookworm :)) In that I consume books without truly understanding or appreciating anything.
January Book Reviews
The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
7.5/10 First book for my New Years resolution of one book per month! I picked it because It was less than 200 pages and I mean, might as well start off with one goal accomplished right? This book is pretty much like The Little Prince. It reads kind of like a children's fairytale but makes it pretty obvious that everything is a metaphor for life. Follow your dreams! The world works in mysterious ways! Listen to your heart! I might sound sarcastic but it is actually a lovely little story. I don't think it matches up to The Little Prince, but it's not a bad read.
Bellevue Square (Michael Redhill)
2/10 Emboldened by my success at finishing a 200 page book, I tried reading another one and I HATED IT. The two points were pity points. Okay, maybe some points for the initial premise which sounded promising and interesting enough to make me pick it up. That and it was a Giller Prize Winner and people kept asking for it. I mean, if people are willing to pay money for it without knowing anything then I can at least try it out right? Well, I'm right but there's no heartwarming ending where it's a lesson of taking chances or whatever because I totally hated this book. It started out alright and moving forward with the blurb I read it was pretty good. Then it started getting...weird...and trippy...and confusing and totally threw me for a loop but not in a good way. It wasn't like wow what a rollercoaster of a ride, it was more like drinking something at a party and finding out it was spiked with drugs. I expected a little unusualness but it just threw out reality and didn't even resolve any of the questions it raised at the end. In summary: I hate having to suggest this book just because it was the grand prize winner. Down with the system!!
I was already pretty much lost on this book but when she stole a plane and flew it to some random town then starting burning down the tent that her doppelganger was giving a speech on about her book which was about her........like........calm down.
The Inner Life of Animals (Peter Wohlleben)
5/10 After the mind-fuck mess that was Bellevue Square, I decided to read a book in the totally opposite direction: a non-fiction book about animals and the natural world. And you know what, there is a heartwarming ending in which I learned a lesson and that lesson is: no matter how different the genre, there are going to be books that I dislike no matter what. Isn't that great? Granted, it wasn't a book that I hated but I don't particularly care for it. A lot of the book is just the author saying 'do animals really [human emotion]? It can never be proven by science but here's some anecdotal stories that say yes!' Which was really not what I picked up this book for. I mean, animals are great and there are lots of chicken soup for the soul stories that attest to the incredible complexity of animals. But I could find those on the internet! I just felt like I finished reading this book and learned almost nothing new or interesting, except for the fact that apparently the author is against the treatment of pigs raised as livestock. So. There's that.
Modern Romance (Aziz Ansari)
9/10 FINALLY!! After the disappointment of the previous two books I was like man I feel down, maybe I should pick a lighthearted humour book instead. And finally a book that delivered on my expectations. It was indeed, a light-hearted humour book. And not only that, I did learn a lot of new things! I can't speak for how reliable the research was except that it seemed legit but I did like how they covered the topic of romance in the modern age. They complied both hard numbers and collected anecdotes and complied them all with funny commentary to give a pretty interesting look at romance between now and then as well as in the US and other places of the world. It wasn't a laugh a minute type deal, but mixed the data with the comedy in an easy to read way and the writing was clever in some parts. The thing I appreciated the most about this book, and what I feared would be its biggest failing, was that they never took sides. They showed the ups and downs of dating whether it was in the pre-internet age or on Tinder; whether it's arranged marriages or meeting in a bar. It never tried to say which way was 'right' but stressed that it depended on the person, and how willing you are to work for a relationship that really makes it or breaks it. And I'd say just that conclusion alone is worth a read.
Ascent of Women: A New Age is Dawning for Every Mother's Daughter (Sally Armstrong)
6.5/10 A pretty good look at the rise of feminism in all parts of the world, although it's marred by a few drawbacks that prevent it from being a truly remarkable piece of work. I enjoyed that they didn't focus entirely on Western feminism and its rise in developed countries. Instead, most of the book contained stories and events happening in places that most people would consider the last place for women's rights: Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and parts of Southeast Asia. That focus also made some parts the hardest to get through, not because of the writing, but of some of the truly terrible things happening. It's definitely an eye opener for those who tend gloss over the horrifying details behind words like rape and female genital mutilation. While it's filled with stories of optimism, the author also does her best not to neglect to mention the overwhelming challenges and barriers still in place before anything can be really celebrated, which I appreciated. One of the biggest drawbacks is that in a world that's rapidly and constantly changing, the 2013 book is already outdated. It's hard reading about the women's roles in the Arab Spring and knowing the political situation in Egypt right now, but the book serves as a good reminder of things that are possible, no matter how small, that can be accomplished by women no matter where they are.
Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Irin Carmon, Shana Knizhnik)
8/10 A surprsingly good read about a figure I really didn't know a lot about! The book lost a bit of relevancy for me because I'm Canadian so I still feel a bit detached from the drama of the US court system. But even with that, the book managed to portray a portrait of a woman who quietly persisted and patiently fought for what she deserved. Through her 80 years of challenges and successes, we could also see some of them reflected in the progress of feminism in the US as well. Although it does provide a limited view, that of mostly middle class, Caucasian women, but an interesting view nontheless. What I like most about RBG is that she's not an explosive, revolutionary figure. In her own words, she didn't like to 'rock the boat'. But it also didn't mean she went along with whatever people said. When it came down to the things that mattered to her, she took a stand in her own way. An enjoyable read about an impressive woman (and just a bit of a messed up political/justice situation).
Summer Book Reviews (a.k.a that time on a two day train ride without internet)
Animal Farm (George Orwell)
7/10 I don't really know what to tell you. I mean, I guess I can tell why it's super famous and literary but it's not exactly a book that fills me with enthusiasm. It was easy to read and intensely heavy-handed with the communism metaphor. Like it could not be more transparent if it tried. Like 'oooh I wonder what subtle meaning is behind these pigs trying to seize the means of production'. It ain't that deep fam. But I gotta admit, the ending scene *SPOILER ALERT I guess? Who cares??* where the animals can't distinguish between the pigs and the humans & the scene where the crow reads the commandments was pretty good. 7/10 for its re-readability but 10/10 would make high schoolers write essays on.
At the Mountains of Madness (HP Lovecraft)
6/10 I gotta say, for my first HP Lovecraft novel, it kind of let me down. I mean, Lovecraft's name is pretty much synonymous with horror but at no point did I feel scared reading this book. I've read creepypastas that left me with deeper impressions. I mean part of it could be the way I read. It's written in a fairly dry and almost scientific tone with lots of long descriptions that usually lose me. It's one of those books you need to pay attention to so you can fully visualize the full imagery and effect. I enjoyed the eventual 'twist' but I thought most of the horror seemed informed, like the narrator keeps telling us how scary it is and how his tale is meant to warn people never to go there but tbh I'm like it sounds pretty cool. It ain't an Antarctica tour until you see some six foot tall albino blind penguins.
The Girl on the Train (Paula Hawkins)
4.5/10"Beautiful sunshine, cloudless skies, no one to play with, nothing to do. Living like this, the way I'm living at the moment, is harder in the summer when there is so much daylight, so little cover of darkness, when everyone is out and about, being flagrantly, aggressively, happy." Honestly, for such a popular book, I really didn't enjoy it all that much. Sure there was some tension and mystery but it mostly stemmed from the unreliable narrator. And I did not like the narrator. Her lives, and the other lives of the other characters in the story didn't interest me all too much. Neither one of the POV characters captured my attention with their various issues with their marriages. The only thing that was memorable and that I enjoyed was the brief moment of understanding between the two women that came at the very end. But although the ending was alright, the rest of the book was not worth the slog through to get to it.
The Handmaiden's Tale (Margaret Atwood)
6.5/10 I'm not a huge fan of dystopia settings but this book did a pretty good job of the set up. It had an interesting premise and solid world building. But that's pretty much it. I felt like most of its appeal comes from the idea of it rather than what little plot actually happened in the book. Also I always appreciate metaphors for women supporting women and taking control of their bodies and their lives. I also enjoyed the faux academic epilogue and the flashback mixed with present style narration.
Appointment with Death (Agatha Christie)
3/10 My main draw towards Christie's works is that they're usually short and contained, like a completed meal made by a solid English housekeeper (as a person who's read lots of her books but is a terrible writer might say). But this book just dragged on and on. I felt like I was the one getting heat stroke in the desert heat instead of the characters. I really stopped caring who was the murderer halfway through. The ending was cute though, as happy endings usually are or it could've been my relief at it finally ending.
At Bertram's Hotel (Agatha Christie)
4/10 You can't just say it's a Miss Marple mystery and just have her play a role that amounts to a cameo. She wasn't even a secondary character, more like a third. Also a story that dragged on and the lack of my favourite elderly detective just made it worse. I ultimately liked the whole web connecting the various mysteries but I didn't really care about each mystery enough to do anything other than just wait for the solution to be presented to me.
By the Pricking of My Thumbs (Agatha Christie)
3/10 I'll be honest, I don't like any of her Tommy and Tuppence mysteries. The only reason why I even read it was because I'm working through her entire bibliography. I...don't even remember what happened in this one. I'm just giving it a rating to seem kind. I'm sorry I'm the worst reader.
Points and Lines (Seicho Matsumoto)
5/10 A decent mystery novel and by decent I truly mean it. It was so standard decent mystery novel that it could've been used as an example of mystery novels in an encyclopedia. A smug suspect, an 'airtight' alibi, the determined detective, the one weak point, the real murderer - THERE IS ONLY ONE TRUTH!! I might of liked it more if the alibi didn't depend entirely on the schedules of the Japanese subway system. If Victim A left the Atami station at 8:34 and Suspect A got on at the Keirinjo-Mae station at 9:27 and it only takes 8 minutes and 14 seconds to travel to Shizuoka then using non-linear algebra calculate WHO WAS PHONE?? Did I say this novel could be in an encyclopedia? I lied. This is the weirdest math book I've ever read.
To the Sky Kingdom (Tang Qi)
6.5/10 I'm so weak for shoujo sometimes. I read it because I enjoyed the Chinese drama (Three Lives, Three Worlds: Ten Miles Peach Blossoms) based off the book a lot. But I'm the first to admit even the drama wasn't exactly a masterpiece. This ain't no Nirvana in Fire. But it is sugary, typical, fantasy shoujo with the standard power-ups, villainous side ladies, misunderstandings and true loves. I gotta say, I enjoyed the drama more because they added a lot more filler to the MC's time in the mortal world. Normally filler is the devil's work and it's the worst part of any series and this was even true in this drama towards the ending. But! The exception is her life as a mortal because it was hands down my favourite part of the entire series. I just love that angst so much. Unfortunately the original work kept that part relatively short compared to the rest. On the plus side, they also didn't have the entire filler relationship between two side characters that started out okay and just........Anyway, a relatively easy read.
