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apfelkistenbuch's reviews
155 reviews
New Dragon City by Mari Mancusi
adventurous
medium-paced
4.75
amaaaazing. my only criticism would be that the dragons were written like humans (they giggled... shrugged... cried.... don't know if their anatomy would allow that lmao) BUT apart from that: amaaaaaazing.
Becoming a Queen by Dan Clay
4.75
“niemand auf dieser welt weiß, wie es ist; bis auf fast alle.”
dieses buch verspricht optisch zwar “nur” süßes queeres coming of age, überrascht dann aber mit unfassbarer tiefe, traurigkeit, behutsamkeit und nachdenklichkeit. es ist ein buch über einen queeren teenager, ja, aber es ist auch ein appell gegen die tabuisierung von trauer und eine bestätigung, dass es in ordnung ist, über manche dinge niemals hinwegzukommen. es ist so offensichtlich, dass dan clay viel von sich selbst in sein buch gesteckt hat.
ein wundervolles buch, das einen zum weinen bringt, aber auch bestärkt, verletzlicher sein zu dürfen.
<33
dieses buch verspricht optisch zwar “nur” süßes queeres coming of age, überrascht dann aber mit unfassbarer tiefe, traurigkeit, behutsamkeit und nachdenklichkeit. es ist ein buch über einen queeren teenager, ja, aber es ist auch ein appell gegen die tabuisierung von trauer und eine bestätigung, dass es in ordnung ist, über manche dinge niemals hinwegzukommen. es ist so offensichtlich, dass dan clay viel von sich selbst in sein buch gesteckt hat.
ein wundervolles buch, das einen zum weinen bringt, aber auch bestärkt, verletzlicher sein zu dürfen.
<33
Godkiller by Hannah Kaner
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
great representation of different physical disabilities, plus casual queerness <33
i really enjoyed this!
i really enjoyed this!
Girl, Goddess, Queen by Bea Fitzgerald
Did not finish book. Stopped at 38%.
*rolls eyes so hard they fall out of my skull*
this was so forceddd and cringe and the mythology aspect fell short too and it wanted to be feminist so bad but it’s like … 2015 pinterest feminism. if that makes sense. we have just discovered it and oh my god a man who agrees with it let us give him a cookie. BLERGH
plus ‘enemies to friends to lovers’ where ?? they’ve literally never been enemies it was soOoO forced
but i do think this is one for the teens i’m sure reading this just as puberty hits you hard could be thee shit
Did not finish book. Stopped at 38%.
*rolls eyes so hard they fall out of my skull*
this was so forceddd and cringe and the mythology aspect fell short too and it wanted to be feminist so bad but it’s like … 2015 pinterest feminism. if that makes sense. we have just discovered it and oh my god a man who agrees with it let us give him a cookie. BLERGH
plus ‘enemies to friends to lovers’ where ?? they’ve literally never been enemies it was soOoO forced
but i do think this is one for the teens i’m sure reading this just as puberty hits you hard could be thee shit
I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
5.0
AND IF I CRY AND SCREAM INTO THE NIGHT THEN WHAT THEN WHAT
Erinnerungen des Waldes: Auf den Spuren von Ferdinand Maulwurf by Mikaël Brun-Arnaud
4.0
WUNDERSCHÖNE ILLUSTRATIONEN !!!!
Auch sprachlich zauberhaft und sehr nostalgisch. Allerdings sehr traurig und ernst, deswegen würde ich es wirklich eher ab 8 Jahren vorlesen oder selbst lesen lassen — behandelt intensiv das Thema Demenz, auf eine sensible Art, aber es könnte trotzdem Angst machen, wenn es keinen Anlass gibt, dem Kind das Thema schon näher zu bringen. Deswegen lieber nicht für 5/6 Jahre!
Als Buchmensch war ich aber natürlich sehr glücklich über die Bookseller-Representation! Und ein Schreibclub-Hotel bei Frau Huhn! Und die Buchhandlung hat eine extra kleine Tür und extra kleine Bücher für kleine Kund:innen wie Frau Maus!
Toll. Ich ziehe ein!
Auch sprachlich zauberhaft und sehr nostalgisch. Allerdings sehr traurig und ernst, deswegen würde ich es wirklich eher ab 8 Jahren vorlesen oder selbst lesen lassen — behandelt intensiv das Thema Demenz, auf eine sensible Art, aber es könnte trotzdem Angst machen, wenn es keinen Anlass gibt, dem Kind das Thema schon näher zu bringen. Deswegen lieber nicht für 5/6 Jahre!
Als Buchmensch war ich aber natürlich sehr glücklich über die Bookseller-Representation! Und ein Schreibclub-Hotel bei Frau Huhn! Und die Buchhandlung hat eine extra kleine Tür und extra kleine Bücher für kleine Kund:innen wie Frau Maus!
Toll. Ich ziehe ein!
Catfish Rolling by Clara Kumagai
let me start my review by dividing this book in two parts.
1.
It starts off rather science-fictional; deeply philosophical with the main focus on time: What is time? What does time do to us? How do our lives change when the one reliable factor of time passing suddenly becomes subjective?
Other themes are:
I enjoyed the first part a lot, even though i didn't always quite understand the scientific gedankenspiele, i found it very innovative, interesting and surprising.
koki's and sora's relationship was good and platonic and unproblematic, i liked them a lot.
2.
now on to the second part. here is where the book lost me a little. all of a sudden, magical elements are incorporated into the story, and to me it just seemed like the science part was too complicated for the author to fix so, bam, magic and there you go, sorted. it was still well written, still enjoyable, but since the stakes were so high from how good the first bit was, i was disappointed.
also: the romance.
why?
do not get me wrong, i LOVE me some sapphic representation.
However.
it did not really work with the story, seemed insta-love-ish and out of nowhere.
since the plot was taking up so much room in the book, there was none left to develop the romance in a way that would have made it feel authentic, and so it was a bit distracting. (and i say this even though the queer romance was the reason i picked up this book!)
so ultimately i would've preferred to work with the characters already incorporated into the story instead of introducing a new love interest.
and the ending didnt convince me.
first half: 4,5 / 5
second half: 3/5
3,75
3.75
After an earthquake powerful enough to break time itself, the island of Japan is divided into different time zones: the ones where time runs faster, the ones where time runs slower, and the one where time runs just like it used to. Sora, our protagonist, wittnessed this terrible shake when she was 12 years old and has been hoping to find her mother again since - By illegally exploring and experimenting in the time zones herself. She is not alone in her interest in the zones, though. Her father, too, has been going into the zones for his work, and these trips have been leaving their mark on him - he gets confused, forgets things, seems to be lost in time. We follow along as Sora finds out more about the zones, until all of a sudden, she is missing not one, but two parents...
let me start my review by dividing this book in two parts.
1.
It starts off rather science-fictional; deeply philosophical with the main focus on time: What is time? What does time do to us? How do our lives change when the one reliable factor of time passing suddenly becomes subjective?
Other themes are:
- how to find your way after graduation and what staying home for a "gap year" is like (people telling you what to do, involuntarily taking on the role of housekeeper, etc -- DEEPLY relatable!)
- having the responsibility to care for one of your parents after a loss that affected you, too
- being read as a foreigner in either country as a person of mixed race, never quite belonging, always in-between.
I enjoyed the first part a lot, even though i didn't always quite understand the scientific gedankenspiele, i found it very innovative, interesting and surprising.
koki's and sora's relationship was good and platonic and unproblematic, i liked them a lot.
2.
now on to the second part. here is where the book lost me a little. all of a sudden, magical elements are incorporated into the story, and to me it just seemed like the science part was too complicated for the author to fix so, bam, magic and there you go, sorted. it was still well written, still enjoyable, but since the stakes were so high from how good the first bit was, i was disappointed.
also: the romance.
why?
do not get me wrong, i LOVE me some sapphic representation.
However.
it did not really work with the story, seemed insta-love-ish and out of nowhere.
since the plot was taking up so much room in the book, there was none left to develop the romance in a way that would have made it feel authentic, and so it was a bit distracting. (and i say this even though the queer romance was the reason i picked up this book!)
so ultimately i would've preferred to work with the characters already incorporated into the story instead of introducing a new love interest.
and the ending didnt convince me.
first half: 4,5 / 5
second half: 3/5
3,75
Queer. Eine deutsche Geschichte vom Kaiserreich bis heute by Benno Gammerl
Did not finish book. Stopped at 51%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 51%.
ich dachte ich weiß nicht viel über queere deutsche geschichte aber das meiste war mir schon bekannt, es hätte also etwas mehr in die tiefe gehen dürfen. ist aber natürlich dem umfang geschuldet! es ist halt ein einführungswerk.
habe nach 2. WK aufgehört, weil ich eine seminararbeit über ein sehr ähnliches thema ab diesem Zeitpunkt geschrieben habe. might pick it up again at some point!
habe nach 2. WK aufgehört, weil ich eine seminararbeit über ein sehr ähnliches thema ab diesem Zeitpunkt geschrieben habe. might pick it up again at some point!
If an Egyptian Cannot Speak English by Noor Naga
5.0
broooo. BRO !!!
this novel was SO intricately constructed, it made me need a book club so desperately (IF ANYONE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT IT WITH ME PLEASE HIT ME UP).
i wanted to dissect and analyse every thought, every perspective switch, every stylistic choice; and yet it was, at the same time, an absolute page turner ((i read it in less than 24h)) — how did naga do this?????
so artful. this is high literature.
and the surprise when i turned the page to the 3rd part and basically FOUND the book club i had been hoping for!! this really turned it all around and brought the book from being a very good one to a five star read. INsane.
you will want to keep a pencil in reach whilst reading this!
this novel was SO intricately constructed, it made me need a book club so desperately (IF ANYONE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT IT WITH ME PLEASE HIT ME UP).
i wanted to dissect and analyse every thought, every perspective switch, every stylistic choice; and yet it was, at the same time, an absolute page turner ((i read it in less than 24h)) — how did naga do this?????
so artful. this is high literature.
you will want to keep a pencil in reach whilst reading this!
Mort by Terry Pratchett
4.0
fun!!! was loving the first part , found myself wanting to finish it in the last bit, don’t know what happened there. but fun!!