crybabybea's reviews
251 reviews

I just can't. Almost 50% of the way in and nothing happened and every page feels like a chore. I was so so excited for this but it just didn't work for me.

The main character is interesting but she doesn't have any internal conflict; I don't mind a character that is strong-willed and sure of themselves, but they need soooome sort of internal pressure to make them interesting. The result is that Anequs ends up serving almost as a plot device to move the other characters forward.

The plot is nonexistent, we are just at school, going to class, then going to lunch, then sometimes going out to the coffee shop or going shopping or to a party. And repeat. There are no stakes. The character's main goal is to pass the final examination to become a licensed dragoneer, and the reader never wonders if she won't be able to make it because she doesn't struggle with anything. Again, it's fine to have a character be a natural at things and be intelligent and powerful, but there's nothing that makes the plot feel intriguing.

Actually all of this would be fine but the writing style and worldbuilding is just. Ugh. We get worldbuilding via one of two sources: from sitting in a lecture or from dialogue between characters. Either way results in lengthy paragraphs of explanation that feel like reading a textbook. On top of that, the magic system is just basic chemistry with some words changed around, and the world is a fictionalized version of North America if it were colonized by Germans/Norse? There's just nothing special to make the infodumpy world-building worth it.

I know I just complained for 5000 words but fr if you liked Babel, I think you would like this. They both didn't work for me for pretty much the exact same reasons, and they both tackle similar themes of colonialism and racism in a historical time period. It was kinda like Babel but if Robin spoke his mind and slapped people every time someone was racist instead of trying to fit in.

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer

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challenging hopeful informative inspiring reflective

4.0

I'm torn because this was written really beautifully, and it worked well with the themes that the author was trying to present. It really felt like sitting around a campfire and listening to a great storyteller; the writing was poetic and lyrical and full of analogies and metaphors that really made me think. But at the same time, the writing style got in the way, especially during the middle third of the book.

For me, the beginning and end were very strong, but it slowed down in the middle where the author sort of repeated the same themes using different stories and observations. I think this would be 5 stars for me if it were just slightly less overwritten in some areas. I still took away a great deal of not only information but inspiration and a new perspective to look at the world.

Myth America: Historians Take On the Biggest Legends and Lies About Our Past by Julian E. Zelizer, Kevin M. Kruse

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informative slow-paced

3.25

I enjoyed some essays more than others, naturally. There were some that I was personally interested in and others I didn’t really care about. As with all essay collections written by multiple authors, some were better written than others. I felt like the book itself was cohesive, the essays worked well together and it made sense why certain myths were chosen. I liked the structure of “here’s a myth, here’s the truth, and here’s my evidence to back it up”.

But. I'm not really sure who this book is for. I don't think it's far-left enough that it's alienating to more moderate thinkers, but I don't think moderate or right-leaning thinkers would be inclined to pick this up, nor would it really change their minds. On the other hand, I don't think left-leaning people who have read books in similar topics will really gain a lot of, if any, new information. It’s a nice primer and it’s a cool idea to have all of the related essays collected in one place. I guess you could read this before Thanksgiving to brush up on your debate points.

All Systems Red by Martha Wells

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funny mysterious fast-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? Yes

3.75

Most easily lovable main character ever? This goes by super quick with a little bit of a mystery involved, but the star of the show is of course the rogue robot that calls itself Murderbot, and its sardonic, awkward narration. Seriously Murderbot is so shy and awkward that you can't help but love it. I felt the other characters weren't as fleshed out as they could have been, but obviously they weren't the focus of the story. A fun read with a unique narrator and voice.

Attack on Titan, Volume 1 by Hajime Isayama

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dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

3.5

Attack on Titan, Volume 2 by Hajime Isayama

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dark mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

3.75

Attack on Titan, Volume 3 by Hajime Isayama

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dark mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

3.75

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crybabybea's reviews 251 reviews

crybabybea's reviews
251 reviews