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danicainpages's reviews
226 reviews
Broad Strokes: 15 Women Who Made Art and Made History (in That Order) by Bridget Quinn, Lisa Congdon
4.0
Alone With You in the Ether by Olivie Blake
4.0
First thoughts (full review soon)
As per usual, Blake's writing is gorgeous. I love how she says and shows certain things with the words she uses and how she arranges them.
I think Alone With You In The Ether is one of those books that isn't about whether you liked it or not, whether you related to it or not (although there was a lot here that I could personally relate to). Its intention is to make you think - to examine why you think you didn't like it or why you think you did. It is meant to share someone's story from a very lost and broken place. I'm using a quote Olivie Blake herself wrote in the book that I think perfectly encapsulates this story - "Art isn't about explaining s***. It's about sharing things - experiences, feelings. Art is something we do to feel human, not because we are." Blake's hypothesis for the entire story is subtle but is there from beginning to end and in my opinion, she carried it out well.
With that being said, this isn't going to be for everyone. It involves a lot of mental health issues and things associated with it. Please check trigger warnings if that is important to you.
As per usual, Blake's writing is gorgeous. I love how she says and shows certain things with the words she uses and how she arranges them.
I think Alone With You In The Ether is one of those books that isn't about whether you liked it or not, whether you related to it or not (although there was a lot here that I could personally relate to). Its intention is to make you think - to examine why you think you didn't like it or why you think you did. It is meant to share someone's story from a very lost and broken place. I'm using a quote Olivie Blake herself wrote in the book that I think perfectly encapsulates this story - "Art isn't about explaining s***. It's about sharing things - experiences, feelings. Art is something we do to feel human, not because we are." Blake's hypothesis for the entire story is subtle but is there from beginning to end and in my opinion, she carried it out well.
With that being said, this isn't going to be for everyone. It involves a lot of mental health issues and things associated with it. Please check trigger warnings if that is important to you.
And I Darken by Kiersten White
It's not you, it's me.
This story was fine - good even. I loved how Kiersten used elements of history and tweaked it to make this story work. I knew nothing going into it. All I knew was that one of the MCs, Lada, is essentially an anti-hero. She is cold, brash, and someone who is liked by only a few. Obviously, she was my favorite. Unfortunately, I wasn't too fond of one of the other characters and I dreaded reading from their POV. I didn't particularly enjoy the toxic triangle but I appreciated its uniqueness. Kiersten isn't afraid to stray away from the norm that makes YA stories palatable to more people - and I respect that. The complexity of her and her brother Radu's complicated, love-hate relationship, was beautifully written, and it might be one of my favorite aspects of the story. However, I just couldn't bear another moment reading from Radu's perspective that was so triggering. Again, it's not this author's fault, nor the story's. Me and this series just aren't a good fit.
This story was fine - good even. I loved how Kiersten used elements of history and tweaked it to make this story work. I knew nothing going into it. All I knew was that one of the MCs, Lada, is essentially an anti-hero. She is cold, brash, and someone who is liked by only a few. Obviously, she was my favorite. Unfortunately, I wasn't too fond of one of the other characters and I dreaded reading from their POV. I didn't particularly enjoy the toxic triangle but I appreciated its uniqueness. Kiersten isn't afraid to stray away from the norm that makes YA stories palatable to more people - and I respect that. The complexity of her and her brother Radu's complicated, love-hate relationship, was beautifully written, and it might be one of my favorite aspects of the story. However, I just couldn't bear another moment reading from Radu's perspective that was so triggering. Again, it's not this author's fault, nor the story's. Me and this series just aren't a good fit.
Vicious by V.E. Schwab
adventurous
dark
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0