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anovelstart's reviews
683 reviews
Rasputin and His Russian Queen: The True Story of Grigory and Alexandra by Mickey Mayhew
slow-paced
1.0
Thank you, NetGalley for providing a copy of this book for review. My opinions are my own.
Mayhew has used a wide range of sources, from books to media sources. This is evident in the way they write.
The book was easy to follow due to its story-like structure, however, I felt that this format also gave it some downsides.
Although there are references in the book, I don’t think there are enough as many facts or statements do not have in-text references, citations, or footnotes. It is clear that the book has been thoroughly researched through a variety of sources, but I would have preferred a direct reference to each source so I could see exactly where they got it from. This makes it easier to judge the argument the historian is making and weigh its pros and cons.
Without citations, it’s hard to distinguish between fact and opinion as the book is written in a fiction-like format, reading more like a story. There are dialogues between characters that do not have a citation showing which source the evidence came from. This made me very hesitant to believe the contents of the book because there weren’t any citations to show that they did nod their heads, squeeze another person’s hands, or extinguish cigarettes.
Furthermore, for a history book, I found it lacked debate and analysis. Traditionally, when a historian puts forward an argument, they make a statement, discuss both sides of the debate as it stands, and then they give their own interpretation. Their interpretation may include further evidence towards their side of the argument. I felt that this book wasn’t structured in a way that would allow for this because it was formatted like a story. It would have broken the pacing of the book.
Overall, I rate it 1/5 stars because I cannot tell what is speculation or fact for most of the book. When I read a nonfiction book, I want to know where the argument is coming from. I like the analysis side of history books. If this were categorised as a well-researched historical fiction novel, I would have rated it 4/5 because the dialogue can be quite well thought-out. This can’t be used as an academic history book but could be useful as an outline for non-academic purposes.
Would I recommend it? No. Not unless you treat it as historical fiction or more citations are added.
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Pregnancy, Death of parent, Child death, and Death
Natural disasters
The Sixteenth Century in 100 Women by Amy Licence
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Thank you, NetGalley and Pen & Sword Books for providing a copy of this book for review. My opinions are my own.
I was surprisingly impressed by Licence’s The Sixteenth Century in 100 Women. I know that the study of women is an up-and-coming area of history. After reading this, I am so glad to see that Licence has done this area justice and it’s finally getting the attention it deserves.
I learnt about some of these women during my degree. I recognised quite a few women and was delighted to find a lot of people who were also unknown to me.
The academic side
The first thing I noticed is the range of references. Licence has thoroughly researched each woman and took into consideration the limitations of the evidence. She does this by stating what’s unlikely and doesn’t give any absolutes.
The argument is well-balanced and flows nicely from one woman to the next. Licence err’s on the side of caution in each conclusion too. This is good because we weren’t there and we will never know 100% what happened.
I really enjoyed Licence’s interpretation of sources. Not only do you learn about the women, but also about the culture and period they lived in. Where applicable, she also states the level of scientific knowledge they would have had for the case too. It was really intriguing!
I particularly liked that Licence points out the differences between morality now and back when these women lived and that the norm back then may not be the same as it would be now.
Writing style
Licence is very informative about each woman. History books can be very dry, but this is not the case here. It’s both informative, shocking, and entertaining. The pacing is very good and there was a smooth transition between the chapters.
The writing style makes you want to keep reading. She’s has struck the perfect balance between thoroughness and being concise.
Diversity
I was surprised to discover the range of people covered in this book. Firstly, although the title clearly states “women”, it covers trans, intersex, and asexuals too. LGBTQIA+ is another area of history that has very little research, so I was very pleased to see this has been taken into consideration too.
Finally, I was expecting The Sixteenth Century in 100 Women to only cover European women (and only the most notable!). This is because that’s what’s traditionally been written about. Surprisingly, it covers African, Russian, Mongol, Hindi, and even fictional women.
The diversity in this book is amazing. The care and research Licence put into the book are clear. Each case specifically states why it was important in its own right, and how it may have affected other women too. The steps every woman took, however small, had an impact on what we’re able to do as women today. It also made me have an appreciation for the struggles each woman and LGBTQIA+ had within their social limitations and cultures.
Images
As a sweetener, there are also pictures in the back of the book. I felt that this really helped me connect with the people whose stories they were about.
In conclusion
Licence is an amazing author. I’d love to read another book by her. This would be a brilliant start to a series with a book on each woman if she wished it.
I think the way Licence has written this book would make it relatively easy for future historians to continue her work. I would also feel comfortable using this as an academic book on women’s history.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely, without reservation. If you have an interest in global women’s or LGBTQIA+ history, I’d highly recommend it.
Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella
3.0
Although I thought the storyline was a brilliant idea, I expected it to be longer. The ending left me wondering a few things and I'd have preferred a more complete ending that left me feeling totally satisfied, hence the three stars.
I felt this book missed some of Kinsella's usual spark, towards the end it felt a bit rushed too. It was a very unusual storyline and I liked what she did with it, but something just wasn't there.
The characters were still developed, there's an obvious mystery to the people she met in the last three years because she doesn't remember and is getting to know them again. Her husband Eric is like a robot, which I can believe because he's the corporate type with little spare time.
To me the best part of the story was her friendship with Fi, a childhood friend who she still knows well and works with. Although Lexi has risen to the rank of director (and is technically Fi's boss), she still thinks they're friends when she wakes up. We see this transformation among Fi and her friends from thinking Lexi is a driven, no-nonsense boss to realising she's the old Lexi. There's an obvious and abrupt change when this is figured out, they stop being mean to her and pulling pranks and start helping her out a bit. I thought this was really nice as it shows not only how strong the bonds of friendship can be, but also the effect it can have on people.
The storyline about Lexi's love life didn't really grip me. It did fit into the storyline well, but something just wasn't there. I was more interested in Lexi's friends and work than her marriage and apparent secret lover. Still, it was an interesting read when you compare the two sides at the end and I feel this is one of the aspects of the story that could have been tied up a bit better.
Overall, a good and interesting read. It didn't have Kinsella's usual flair but the storyline was quite unique. What would you do if you woke up to a new life? Now that is the question...
If you'd like to read more of my reviews, please visit my blog: http://a-novel-start.blogspot.co.uk/
I felt this book missed some of Kinsella's usual spark, towards the end it felt a bit rushed too. It was a very unusual storyline and I liked what she did with it, but something just wasn't there.
The characters were still developed, there's an obvious mystery to the people she met in the last three years because she doesn't remember and is getting to know them again. Her husband Eric is like a robot, which I can believe because he's the corporate type with little spare time.
To me the best part of the story was her friendship with Fi, a childhood friend who she still knows well and works with. Although Lexi has risen to the rank of director (and is technically Fi's boss), she still thinks they're friends when she wakes up. We see this transformation among Fi and her friends from thinking Lexi is a driven, no-nonsense boss to realising she's the old Lexi. There's an obvious and abrupt change when this is figured out, they stop being mean to her and pulling pranks and start helping her out a bit. I thought this was really nice as it shows not only how strong the bonds of friendship can be, but also the effect it can have on people.
The storyline about Lexi's love life didn't really grip me. It did fit into the storyline well, but something just wasn't there. I was more interested in Lexi's friends and work than her marriage and apparent secret lover. Still, it was an interesting read when you compare the two sides at the end and I feel this is one of the aspects of the story that could have been tied up a bit better.
Overall, a good and interesting read. It didn't have Kinsella's usual flair but the storyline was quite unique. What would you do if you woke up to a new life? Now that is the question...
If you'd like to read more of my reviews, please visit my blog: http://a-novel-start.blogspot.co.uk/
Insurgent by Veronica Roth
5.0
It was a bit of a relief to get back into the swing of things with this second instalment. I've learnt to love the world Roth has created and don't want it to end with the next book; I'm already hoping there will be a prequel somewhere along the road or perhaps some more back story of the Factions in the third book.
Again, it's a gripping storyline. It's orientated around the data that Marcus and his fellow governors were trying to keep secret, its importance, and how to get hold of it. Roth knows how to create the perfect cliffhanger as there's a huge bombshell you just don't expect at the end of the book. It's the perfect ending to make you want to pick up the next instalment.
The characters that we came to love in the first book have even more flaws in this instalment. They're stricken by grief and tragedy, in some cases even heartbreak. We can see how the simulations in the last book have effected friendships and even family ties. The question is which bond is stronger: faction or blood? And can they ever understand or even forgive? One brilliant example of character flaws is Tris. She's so shaken after she kills her best friend Will during the simulation/war, that she can't pick up a gun without panicking. We see it over and over again in this book as she tries to face her demons and tries to tell herself to get over it.
Another excellent quality to the book is we get to see more of the other Factions. In the last book it mainly concentrated on Dauntless and Abnegation. We get glimpses of Erudite before the war but that's it. In this book where the Factions are at war, we see all of them. I was curious about the Amity and the Candor due to the lack of them in the first book, but thankfully their headquarters is the location for some of the scenes so we can see how their Factions act.
There's a lot more information in this book like what it is to be divergent. It also dispels a few myths too which was nice.
Overall I'd say this book was a very nice second instalment. It is action-packed and captivating throughout, as well as being packed with new information. If that's not enough there's also the bombshell at the end of the book to look forward to!
If you like my review, please visit my book blog at: http://a-novel-start.blogspot.co.uk
Again, it's a gripping storyline. It's orientated around the data that Marcus and his fellow governors were trying to keep secret, its importance, and how to get hold of it. Roth knows how to create the perfect cliffhanger as there's a huge bombshell you just don't expect at the end of the book. It's the perfect ending to make you want to pick up the next instalment.
The characters that we came to love in the first book have even more flaws in this instalment. They're stricken by grief and tragedy, in some cases even heartbreak. We can see how the simulations in the last book have effected friendships and even family ties. The question is which bond is stronger: faction or blood? And can they ever understand or even forgive? One brilliant example of character flaws is Tris. She's so shaken after she kills her best friend Will during the simulation/war, that she can't pick up a gun without panicking. We see it over and over again in this book as she tries to face her demons and tries to tell herself to get over it.
Another excellent quality to the book is we get to see more of the other Factions. In the last book it mainly concentrated on Dauntless and Abnegation. We get glimpses of Erudite before the war but that's it. In this book where the Factions are at war, we see all of them. I was curious about the Amity and the Candor due to the lack of them in the first book, but thankfully their headquarters is the location for some of the scenes so we can see how their Factions act.
There's a lot more information in this book like what it is to be divergent. It also dispels a few myths too which was nice.
Overall I'd say this book was a very nice second instalment. It is action-packed and captivating throughout, as well as being packed with new information. If that's not enough there's also the bombshell at the end of the book to look forward to!
If you like my review, please visit my book blog at: http://a-novel-start.blogspot.co.uk
Divergent by Veronica Roth
5.0
Goodreads has been trying to recommend this book to me for about two years. I've refused to read it for this long because the blurb sounded so boring! Dystopia really isn't my cup of tea, it's all doom and gloom, but after watching the movie... well, things changed. I couldn't wait to get my hands on the book, this book that Goodreads has been trying to shove at me for the past two years! Turns out Goodreads knows my tastes better than I do. It was amazing, a breath of fresh air!
The world in this book is split into factions, and there's a saying among the people "faction over blood". If you leave your family's faction and join another when you turn sixteen (you only get one chance to choose), your new faction is your family. It's like our saying, "blood is ticker than water", meaning family is closer than friends, but twisted so your faction is closer than your blood family. It's an extremely tough world to survive in, you choose your faction but they could still reject you if they don't think you fit... then that's it, you're factionless. You have no meaning, no duties, no family of any kind. It's like being homeless, all alone to fend for yourself.
The world this book is set in totally gripped me. The main faction focused on in this book is the Dauntless, the brave ones. It's core meaning has been twisted over time so rather than simple acts showing bravery, cruelty is instead. Every faction has its downsides and the book does show this very well, you're repulsed by what you read this or that faction is doing. But the Dauntless are meant to be trained soldiers, keepers of the peace! Most of it comes down to principles and morals really, which makes some parts of the book really frustrating (in a you want to yell at the characters and slap them kind of way).
I found the characters very realistic. Due to the nature of the book we see the characters evolving as they move along their initiation. I like that we're walked through this in the main storyline because it gives us a better idea of what makes the different characters tick. I like the depth Roth has put into them. I think the best books have realistic characters that are easy to relate to. In this book a very humble girl evolves into someone quite daring. Tris is intelligent and bold, but also cautious due to her upbringing.
Needless to say from all of the above, the description is enticing. It reels you in! You can't create such a realistic world and characters without having the description to back it up.
I can easily say I couldn't fault the book. The movie was good, the book was even better. It's aimed at teenagers but I still enjoyed it. It even has a romance plot weaving through the story, nothing too saucy but that makes it even better. Forget the dystopia factor in the book, if you like daring adventure novels with a twist of sci-fi, you'd love this book.
If you like my review please visit my book blog at: http://a-novel-start.blogspot.co.uk
The world in this book is split into factions, and there's a saying among the people "faction over blood". If you leave your family's faction and join another when you turn sixteen (you only get one chance to choose), your new faction is your family. It's like our saying, "blood is ticker than water", meaning family is closer than friends, but twisted so your faction is closer than your blood family. It's an extremely tough world to survive in, you choose your faction but they could still reject you if they don't think you fit... then that's it, you're factionless. You have no meaning, no duties, no family of any kind. It's like being homeless, all alone to fend for yourself.
The world this book is set in totally gripped me. The main faction focused on in this book is the Dauntless, the brave ones. It's core meaning has been twisted over time so rather than simple acts showing bravery, cruelty is instead. Every faction has its downsides and the book does show this very well, you're repulsed by what you read this or that faction is doing. But the Dauntless are meant to be trained soldiers, keepers of the peace! Most of it comes down to principles and morals really, which makes some parts of the book really frustrating (in a you want to yell at the characters and slap them kind of way).
I found the characters very realistic. Due to the nature of the book we see the characters evolving as they move along their initiation. I like that we're walked through this in the main storyline because it gives us a better idea of what makes the different characters tick. I like the depth Roth has put into them. I think the best books have realistic characters that are easy to relate to. In this book a very humble girl evolves into someone quite daring. Tris is intelligent and bold, but also cautious due to her upbringing.
Needless to say from all of the above, the description is enticing. It reels you in! You can't create such a realistic world and characters without having the description to back it up.
I can easily say I couldn't fault the book. The movie was good, the book was even better. It's aimed at teenagers but I still enjoyed it. It even has a romance plot weaving through the story, nothing too saucy but that makes it even better. Forget the dystopia factor in the book, if you like daring adventure novels with a twist of sci-fi, you'd love this book.
If you like my review please visit my book blog at: http://a-novel-start.blogspot.co.uk
Allegiant by Veronica Roth
4.0
Well, to be honest I'm not quite sure what to make of it. I know I liked the book because it went on a total tangent and had a lot of new ideas, hence the four stars... but it didn't seem as good as the other two.
First off, the first two books were only from Tris's point of view, this instalment alternates between Tris's and Tobias's view points. It does make the reader feel closer to Tobias and get to know him better rather than through another person... but he seems like another person. The Tobias we know from the previous two books doesn't let stuff get to him, he lets it wash over him and he calms himself again. 'As calm as still water' comes to mind when you think of Tobias. In the third book he's a lot more sensitive, so far as to seem needy. This could easily be explained away as inner-feelings, emotions that are usually kept under lock and key, trained out of him during his time at Dauntless or due to his traumatic childhood. Tris is pretty much Tris in her chapters, but if I'm totally honest I got a little confused between the chapters on who was talking. Is it Tris or Tobias? I had to keep either skipping backward to the first page of the chapter to remind myself (for example, each chapter starts, "Chapter 1, Tris", or keep reading until another character talked to them, e.g. "Hey, Four!". I got over it at the end of the book as it became easier but it was still pretty confusing. This is why I gave the book four stars really instead of five.
My thoughts on the outside world (beyond the fence) was as expected for a dystopia novel, world coming to an end and all. I think the problem was it didn't quite seem realistic enough. I'm comparing it to the simulation war at the end of the first book; it was intense, emotional... but the world beyond the fence seemed not close enough to home. There was effort made by involving both Tris and Tobias in incidents there, but it still didn't quite seem realistic.
I found the conclusion a little disappointing at first but after processing it (during reading) I felt that any other outcome would go against the main characters basic character and morals, so I got over it and just swung with it. Acceptance was slow and begrudging. Just because it wasn't the ending I wanted doesn't mean I'm marking down my rating! Roth did a good job at writing the ending she chose, and if I'm totally honest the ending was one of the best parts of the book.
Another thing, I was totally and utterly gripped by the last two books, I just couldn't put them down. It was a real effort of will to get up for coffee or to make lunch and so on. This last book was different. I found it easy to put the book down at the end of a chapter, as opposed to sneaking in an extra page or two when I really know I shouldn't. I didn't find it as engaging as the previous books which is another reason for the four stars. To be fair, I was struggling to decide between three and four stars, but due to the ending I marked it up, not down.
In my review for the previous book, Insurgent, I mentioned that I had a lot of questions that I was hoping would be answered in this book, the good news is they was. I'm still going to read the spin-off series about Four that Roth has written, "Four: A Divergent Story Collection, #0.1 - 0.4". I'd still recommend this trilogy to anyone who likes action-packed, fight-for-your-life drama. And I'm still secretly hoping for a prequel of some kind. I don't really care about the contents or who the main characters are, I just want more to happen in their little world with Factions ;)
If you like my review please visit my book blog at: http://a-novel-start.blogspot.co.uk
First off, the first two books were only from Tris's point of view, this instalment alternates between Tris's and Tobias's view points. It does make the reader feel closer to Tobias and get to know him better rather than through another person... but he seems like another person. The Tobias we know from the previous two books doesn't let stuff get to him, he lets it wash over him and he calms himself again. 'As calm as still water' comes to mind when you think of Tobias. In the third book he's a lot more sensitive, so far as to seem needy. This could easily be explained away as inner-feelings, emotions that are usually kept under lock and key, trained out of him during his time at Dauntless or due to his traumatic childhood. Tris is pretty much Tris in her chapters, but if I'm totally honest I got a little confused between the chapters on who was talking. Is it Tris or Tobias? I had to keep either skipping backward to the first page of the chapter to remind myself (for example, each chapter starts, "Chapter 1, Tris", or keep reading until another character talked to them, e.g. "Hey, Four!". I got over it at the end of the book as it became easier but it was still pretty confusing. This is why I gave the book four stars really instead of five.
My thoughts on the outside world (beyond the fence) was as expected for a dystopia novel, world coming to an end and all. I think the problem was it didn't quite seem realistic enough. I'm comparing it to the simulation war at the end of the first book; it was intense, emotional... but the world beyond the fence seemed not close enough to home. There was effort made by involving both Tris and Tobias in incidents there, but it still didn't quite seem realistic.
I found the conclusion a little disappointing at first but after processing it (during reading) I felt that any other outcome would go against the main characters basic character and morals, so I got over it and just swung with it. Acceptance was slow and begrudging. Just because it wasn't the ending I wanted doesn't mean I'm marking down my rating! Roth did a good job at writing the ending she chose, and if I'm totally honest the ending was one of the best parts of the book.
Another thing, I was totally and utterly gripped by the last two books, I just couldn't put them down. It was a real effort of will to get up for coffee or to make lunch and so on. This last book was different. I found it easy to put the book down at the end of a chapter, as opposed to sneaking in an extra page or two when I really know I shouldn't. I didn't find it as engaging as the previous books which is another reason for the four stars. To be fair, I was struggling to decide between three and four stars, but due to the ending I marked it up, not down.
In my review for the previous book, Insurgent, I mentioned that I had a lot of questions that I was hoping would be answered in this book, the good news is they was. I'm still going to read the spin-off series about Four that Roth has written, "Four: A Divergent Story Collection, #0.1 - 0.4". I'd still recommend this trilogy to anyone who likes action-packed, fight-for-your-life drama. And I'm still secretly hoping for a prequel of some kind. I don't really care about the contents or who the main characters are, I just want more to happen in their little world with Factions ;)
If you like my review please visit my book blog at: http://a-novel-start.blogspot.co.uk