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firozah's reviews
69 reviews
Creature by Amina Cain
3.0
I wanted to read this after being blown away by Amina Cain's Indelicacy. I found this to be much more forgettable but as a reader you start to notice some of the languorous prose that Cain perfects in her subsequent novel. It was beautiful, but not very gripping.
Borne by Jeff VanderMeer
5.0
I read this book a while ago but I still fondly think about it. This is a really compelling, heart-wrenching, post-apocalyptic novel. The stakes and magnitude of a world laid to waste is brilliantly conveyed by VanderMeer. The characters, who may not always be likeable, are so convincingly human. I never imagined a wasteland and its biohazardous monsters to feel so realistic, but it's how our human characters interact with this world that informs that believability.
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
5.0
This remains my favorite book. I often tell people that I think we'd have no wars if more people read this book, and by that I mean, this book is emblematic of the idea that we can all understand each other, no matter how alien, if we really try. This is part adventure, part romance, and obviously sci-fi, but is accessible to people who normally shy away from alien stuff. There's folklore, gorgeous world-building, and a plot with twists and turns to keep you reading.
The first section, perhaps the first 100 pages, may at first seem jargon-y and tedious, and I think that's what tends to turn some people off when they begin reading this. If you have the patience to push through all the new terminology of the world Le Guin presents, you'll find yourself rewarded with a really beautiful tale. As with any sci-fi world-building, the best course of action is not to get hung up on individual terms and try to contextualize the new vocabulary as the story progresses.
The first section, perhaps the first 100 pages, may at first seem jargon-y and tedious, and I think that's what tends to turn some people off when they begin reading this. If you have the patience to push through all the new terminology of the world Le Guin presents, you'll find yourself rewarded with a really beautiful tale. As with any sci-fi world-building, the best course of action is not to get hung up on individual terms and try to contextualize the new vocabulary as the story progresses.
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
4.0
I hate Kvothe. He's an asshole.
The magic system, the epic expanse of the story, the adventures, the battles, the predicaments--all amazing and unforgettable. This is LOTR-epic, with a much less likable protagonist. Looking forward to the The Doors of Stone.
The magic system, the epic expanse of the story, the adventures, the battles, the predicaments--all amazing and unforgettable. This is LOTR-epic, with a much less likable protagonist. Looking forward to the The Doors of Stone.