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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
Loved it! These “short” stories are really novellas, which I actually think works well because they’re incredibly rich and have such memorable characters! Just might not be your cup of tea if you prefer stories 25 pages or less. I loved some stories more than others but still enjoyed everything I read—some I did think could have been a bit shorter or had higher-stake plots. I also would have liked there to be a clear idea of timeline and worldbuilding of New Dawn, maybe a map? The stories felt disparate in that way of when and where. Overall, this is such a beautiful and queer and needed addition to the sci fi and fantasy genre, that I recommend everyone to give a try!
Really wanted to like this, but it was so much condensed into so few words. So much potential to be spread into many more books.
“Tell me a story you don’t want to forget.”
“Tell me a story you don’t want to forget.”
I have been thinking more about my original 3 star review and about the book in general, I feel like it definitely deserves 4 stars. I actually want to read it again with a different mind set.
absolutely incredible. what an amazing world monae has created and so many people living in different aspects of it. she is so talented and i love that there's a book to accompany one of her albums.
DNF. Read 3 of the 5 short stories. I really tried to give this book a chance because it has many elements I love to read about and that resonates with me as a person: queerness, afrofuturism, science fiction, black culture and representation of BIPOC. I can say that I very much enjoyed the music album and the short film that complete the experience. However I do not have kind words for the book so I will end my review here.
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
I love the emotion picture, Dirty Computer, and was so eager to get more from that world. I love how some stories are very directly connected and pick up where the film and album left off, but others are a bit more on the outskirts. I enjoyed getting to see more of Jane's story and different areas of life throughout this future world Monáe has created. Each story has beautiful mix of risk and hope and so many more emotions. The final story, "TimeBox Alter[ed]," felt like the perfect one to end with and I teared up several times. It felt magical and healing and hopeful. It was probably my favorite of the bunch which is meaningful as I have a bias towards librarians.
Somehow, I kept setting this down and coming back to it, but that was definitely an issue of my own that I kept getting distracted and even possibly, subconsciously trying to save a little bit of the book to come back to. I know this book may not be to everyone's tastes, but it's one I would like to recommend to everyone! I loved every moment spent reading it.
Somehow, I kept setting this down and coming back to it, but that was definitely an issue of my own that I kept getting distracted and even possibly, subconsciously trying to save a little bit of the book to come back to. I know this book may not be to everyone's tastes, but it's one I would like to recommend to everyone! I loved every moment spent reading it.
3.5 stars. A great story collection from Janelle Monae and the contributing authors. Really lovely language.
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I kinda missed the boat on this one, and plan to try again in print. Now I understand this is 5 short stories, each crafted with a different collaborator, set in the world of Monae's album, Dirty Computer.