ailishsreads's reviews
201 reviews

The Willows #1 by Algernon Blackwood, Nathan Carson, Sam Ford

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

This graphic novel is gorgeously drawn, but that's really it only strength. It changes the characters from male to female, but in a way that feels like incredibly performative feminism. They also keep the majority of the 1907 dialogue and prose, but occasionally interject 2017 banter, which just feels discordant. In the end, the changes they made detract heavily from the original story

So Late in the Day: Stories of Women and Men by Claire Keegan

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emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Claire Keegan is an amazing writer. As usual, her simplistic prose is gorgeous and she deeply understands her characters. The only reason this is a 4.5 instead of a 5 is because Antarctica, the last story in this collection, just slightly falls below the high standards Keegan has set for herself

The Willows by Algernon Blackwood

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adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Fantastic early atmospheric horror with rich descriptions of the Danube river (and the willows). For all the suspense and buildup, the climax was a little lackluster, but the final line of the book more than makes up for it.

The Kingmaker's Daughter by Philippa Gregory

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informative slow-paced