Once again, Miéville has created a fascinating world that blends a grimy urban setting with the horrors of war and the human unconsciousness. I listened to the audiobook, and therefore did not have the notes to accompany each piece - which seem to have hindered other people's reading of the book, so perhaps I lucked out (my 2 cents are, you don't need your hand held. You can picture the arc de Triomphe pissing without needing to know every surrealist artist there ever was) - I found the plot a little confusing however, I wasn't quite sure how Thibaut and Sam were getting from A to B and it seemed that every conflict was resolved by a McGuffin. Still, the world held up, and it was clear (at least in my view) what Miéville was getting at with the art and nazi control, and that seemed more important to him than a massively intricate plot. If you're interested in art id recommend this book!

Frontier by Grace Curtis

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adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

An amazing take on the western, done with clear love for the genre. All the characters, even the villains, were super engaging and I loved following each section of the narrative. Curtis builds and employs her own tropes in a way that is exciting and fresh - how will the Stranger appear in each part of the story? The world building is super fun and creative, without feeling dense to read. There were times when I stumbled across a few typos, or a section that I felt was in the wrong place, but these didn't massively hinder my reading. A joyful and easy read that tackles big themes. I can't wait to see what Curtis does next.

Kiki's Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono

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adventurous inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.5

A fun, delightful book that I'd have loved to been read as a kid. Kiki and Jiji are loveable, and this coming of age story is unique. I think everyone can find themselves in this little witch.

The Story of Silence by Alex Myers

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

A brilliant book, and as a trans/non-binary reader I felt that Myers' tale was affirming and captivating. It is incredible to see old texts being adapted and reinterpreted in a way that recognises an audience that may not have been previously acknowledged, while also being a faithful adaptation. Knowing a little bit of mediaeval romance, this book fits into the canon well.

The characters are loveable, complicated, and engaging. The landscape is gorgeous and the pacing is phenomenal. The bardic framing is super exciting, especially to listen to as an audiobook.

I have one, slight issue with the book but it's a major spoiler.

I have mixed feelings about the bard's ending. I think I get it, the bard's edit allows Silence to live their life seperate to their tale, and it turns them into a work of in-world fiction as a form of protection. I also understand that it speaks to the multitudes and flux of gender. But as a trans reader who saw myself very much within Silence, I couldn't help but feel like this was backpedaling. The bard accepted Silence and then misgenders then and slots them back into the critique. For some reason, when I was listening to the end my headphones switched off midway through the last paragraph, ending on 'caught' and I thought how brilliant it was for the book to end mid sentence. Then I realised my mistake, went back and listened, and found myself let down. It was much too late in the book to reassert the binaries of this society, but I don't believe this was the intention. So, I've opted to go for my first (but actually later) interpretation, that this was an act of protection.

Otherwise, love love love it.

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

This is a brilliant read, and a horrifying spin on the speculative genre. Solomon's world building is incredible, and I was always excited to hear more of the terrifying Matilda. I felt I left with more questions about Matilda than I began with, and I would've loved to have known the history of this world a little more. However, Solomon's compelling characters and intense action drives this novel forward. Aster's voice is so strong, and so needed.

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claireskies's reviews 21 reviews

claireskies's reviews
21 reviews