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factandfables's reviews
1149 reviews
Fortune Favors the Dead by Stephen Spotswood
4.0
This was great! I really liked it although I want to see how this develops, as I think it could get even better.
Castle Waiting Vol. 1 by Linda Medley
4.0
I wanted to like this a lot more than I did - in all honesty it is probably a 3.5, but that is not because the idea is not utterly fun! It is simply that the majority of the book is a story within a story, and what I wanted was the story of the castle, not the origin story of just one character.
A Most Peculiar Malaysian Murder by Shamini Flint
3.0
This was oddly empty for what could have been an interesting book.
Ultimately, while I liked the uniqueness of the plot, Singh has no personality other than being overweight, and he isn't that good at his job either, so this wasn't really a hit for me.
Ultimately, while I liked the uniqueness of the plot, Singh has no personality other than being overweight, and he isn't that good at his job either, so this wasn't really a hit for me.
The Mistresses of Cliveden: Three Centuries of Scandal, Power and Intrigue in an English Stately Home by Natalie Livingstone
3.0
I thought this was an interesting way of telling the history of England, and really enjoyed hearing about the women and the way female power was played out in the court.
However, some of the facts and events in this book seemed rearranged to the point where I am not sure it was entirely accurate. Also, the author referenced her own relationship to Cliveden a couple of times but never actually outlined who she was or how that came about, which felt like a big missing piece.
Overall, I was interested in the history this book told, but think it could have included more in order to truly live up to the name.
However, some of the facts and events in this book seemed rearranged to the point where I am not sure it was entirely accurate. Also, the author referenced her own relationship to Cliveden a couple of times but never actually outlined who she was or how that came about, which felt like a big missing piece.
Overall, I was interested in the history this book told, but think it could have included more in order to truly live up to the name.
The Voice of the Violin by Andrea Camilleri
4.0
I like these stories a lot. The setting is fun, the food sounds divine, and overall, I like the decency of the main characters. This book in particular had an interesting plot that was fun, and twisty, and I liked the police corruption aspect especially.
One thing I have noticed in both these and the short stories however, is that the violence against women in these books is a little extreme for me, and I will likely cherry pick future books to avoid those ones in the future.
One thing I have noticed in both these and the short stories however, is that the violence against women in these books is a little extreme for me, and I will likely cherry pick future books to avoid those ones in the future.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
4.0
This is probably a 3.5 if I’m honest.
The good: Weir always has interesting set ups, and this one was fun and a little unexpected.
The “ally” twist was fun, and some of the problem - solve cycles of plot were actually gripping. Overall, I enjoyed it, and the ending was actually pretty good, and despite my frustrations below I get that it is just supposed to be fun, and I could appreciate it for the heist-y novel that it was.
The meh: No one talks and thinks like that. Like seriously.
The bad: Comments like “I feel bad calling the alien it, so it might as well be he”. Let's accept that sex and pronouns are not even universally agreed upon by humans and actually explore what that could be in a different species instead of degenerating into such a stupid, bro-y pattern. Just ask the alien.
The general idea that ruining the ecology and half the lives of a planet full of people is worth a very small possibility of saving lives and the celebration of those who make those choices. I will never accept that the only way to save humanity it to ruin the world that we live on. We do not know enough about the complexities of the ecological world to impact it in such huge ways and be confident that Earth will be inhabitable to do what Weir wants us to do in this book
The very large plot hole the exists because he is so insistent that Earth will descend into chaos but never explains how a chaotic world will. Plus the one that exists because .
This was fun and it was fine. And if you like math and engineering, it was probably accurate.
The good: Weir always has interesting set ups, and this one was fun and a little unexpected.
The “ally” twist was fun, and some of the problem - solve cycles of plot were actually gripping. Overall, I enjoyed it, and the ending was actually pretty good, and despite my frustrations below I get that it is just supposed to be fun, and I could appreciate it for the heist-y novel that it was.
The meh: No one talks and thinks like that. Like seriously.
The bad: Comments like “I feel bad calling the alien it, so it might as well be he”. Let's accept that sex and pronouns are not even universally agreed upon by humans and actually explore what that could be in a different species instead of degenerating into such a stupid, bro-y pattern. Just ask the alien.
The general idea that ruining the ecology and half the lives of a planet full of people is worth a very small possibility of saving lives and the celebration of those who make those choices. I will never accept that the only way to save humanity it to ruin the world that we live on. We do not know enough about the complexities of the ecological world to impact it in such huge ways and be confident that Earth will be inhabitable to do what Weir wants us to do in this book
The very large plot hole the exists because he is so insistent that Earth will descend into chaos but never explains how a chaotic world will
Spoiler
recognize or be able to process a tiny amount of information from the Hail Mary and even act upon itSpoiler
he states clearly at some point that the "beetles" only need to transmit information, but can possible be recovered IF Earth still has space traveling capacity, but then sends back a living organism to helpThis was fun and it was fine. And if you like math and engineering, it was probably accurate.
Turn the Ship Around! by L. David Marquet
5.0
I might end up revising this book based on putting things into practice, but I found this book to be an empowering look at how you can create bottom up change from a leadership position.
I also found it to be really helpful in breaking down the specific mechanisms involved but also at examining how and why they fail when used in isolation instead of in concert.
It was also fun to have a “organizational leadership” book that focused on running a submarine instead of a business, because it makes it just a little more interesting!
I also found it to be really helpful in breaking down the specific mechanisms involved but also at examining how and why they fail when used in isolation instead of in concert.
It was also fun to have a “organizational leadership” book that focused on running a submarine instead of a business, because it makes it just a little more interesting!