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halcyonuncoil's reviews
76 reviews
Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
This book was extremely lackluster. There was nothing inherently bad about it, but there was also nothing good about it.
It had an interesting writing style, and it was easy to follow, but the story line itself felt baseless.
The title, Remote Control, was used often throughout the book but never really explained, as the main characterkills people and electronics and doesn't control them at all . In fact, the only time the title makes any sense is during the scene with the leopard and even that is iffy. I would consider her ability more of a compass or a tazer .
Honestly it was interesting enough to read, but it didn't feel like the book went anywhere, or even really started from anywhere. Sure, it spoke of a girl who went through some shit because reasons, but there didn't seem to be a point to the story. There was character development for Sankofa but nothing extreme, she was the same entitled, socially awkward, defend herself, child she'd been in the beginning of the story as she was in the end.
And the story itself felt like a very very long "Getting from point A to point B" situation, as if the trip between the Prancing Pony and Rivendell in the Fellowship of the Ring had been the whole book.
Overall, it was a quick read, and I'd recommend others try it out to see if they had the same opinion rather than relying on mine.
It had an interesting writing style, and it was easy to follow, but the story line itself felt baseless.
The title, Remote Control, was used often throughout the book but never really explained, as the main character
Honestly it was interesting enough to read, but it didn't feel like the book went anywhere, or even really started from anywhere. Sure, it spoke of a girl who went through some shit because reasons, but there didn't seem to be a point to the story. There was character development for Sankofa but nothing extreme, she was the same entitled, socially awkward, defend herself, child she'd been in the beginning of the story as she was in the end.
And the story itself felt like a very very long "Getting from point A to point B" situation, as if the trip between the Prancing Pony and Rivendell in the Fellowship of the Ring had been the whole book.
Overall, it was a quick read, and I'd recommend others try it out to see if they had the same opinion rather than relying on mine.
Watership Down by Richard Adams
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I picked this book up when I was six years old on a camping trip and terribly homesick. I, being a small child, thought 'oh look, bunnies, it'll be like reading Redwall'.
Spoiler: It was not like reading Redwall.
I re-read this book as an adult, knowing that there was going to be gratuitous amounts of bunny fighting and possible fatality and found other reasons to love it:
The writing is whimsical enough to feel light even though the text itself is quite heavy;the fridge horror of feeding wild rabbits for meat ; the psychological warfare of having a chief rabbit who is not the strongest rabbit in the group (fluffle?) ; the value of being kind; the value of being a shifty asshole; that character dynamic though.
5/5 would read again
Spoiler: It was not like reading Redwall.
I re-read this book as an adult, knowing that there was going to be gratuitous amounts of bunny fighting and possible fatality and found other reasons to love it:
The writing is whimsical enough to feel light even though the text itself is quite heavy;
5/5 would read again
天官赐福 [Heaven Official's Blessing] by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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? Yes
5.0
This is one of the most breathtaking stories I have ever read.
Filled with character development so potent it left me breathless and reading far too late into the night, a leading couple with such overwhelming chemistry I couldn't help but to root for it and extremely fleshed out and nuanced side characters. It leaves no question unanswered and every single offhanded remark is bound to be some kind of Chekov's Gun.
I have never before read a story that was so enchanting that I raged, I cried, I laughed and I blushed and none of it felt forced. The pacing was fantastic, and the translation, though perhaps not always perfectly grammatically correct by English standards, was incredible.
The length of Heaven Official's Blessing might be a downside to some people, rounding off at an astounding 244 chapters- but as someone who hunts down fanfiction the second after finishing a book the sheer amount of screen time each character is given in a book so long fills all those needs itself.
There is so much more I want to write about this book, but I will refrain from doing so here, in part because I just want to rant over spoilers and fanboy over Mo Xiang Tong Xiu like I do every time I finish one of their books.
5/5 would read again
Filled with character development so potent it left me breathless and reading far too late into the night, a leading couple with such overwhelming chemistry I couldn't help but to root for it and extremely fleshed out and nuanced side characters. It leaves no question unanswered and every single offhanded remark is bound to be some kind of Chekov's Gun.
I have never before read a story that was so enchanting that I raged, I cried, I laughed and I blushed and none of it felt forced. The pacing was fantastic, and the translation, though perhaps not always perfectly grammatically correct by English standards, was incredible.
The length of Heaven Official's Blessing might be a downside to some people, rounding off at an astounding 244 chapters- but as someone who hunts down fanfiction the second after finishing a book the sheer amount of screen time each character is given in a book so long fills all those needs itself.
There is so much more I want to write about this book, but I will refrain from doing so here, in part because I just want to rant over spoilers and fanboy over Mo Xiang Tong Xiu like I do every time I finish one of their books.
5/5 would read again
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Blood and Self harm
Minor: Suicide
while all of the warnings are fairly graphic much of the graphic violence happens in flashback 'books' of which there are two. Each scene is a bit startling and off putting, but none exist without meaning and purpose.
The child death scene does turn out to be a fake puppet but it is very graphic.
Also, there is a scene where the main character is held down and repeated stabbed in fatal places for an obscene amount of time under threat of unleashing a plague. So that's pretty awful.
The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
emotional
funny
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
There is a fairly graphic rape scene late in the book which completely took me off guard when I read it. It is between the two main LI and everything gets cleared up fairly well (or glossed over with the implication that it will be discussed and dealt with in the future) but it definitely made me recoil.
Capt. Hook: The Adventures of a Notorious Youth by J.V. Hart, Brett Helquist
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
This is one of those books that I borrowed so often from the library they would have to gently inform me that someone else was in line to borrow it and I couldn't have it for another week. Definitely predictable but dryly witty, lighthearted, and charming.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Torture
There is a running theme of discussing James' blood since it is apparently yellow. This is generally done in florid detail and in comparison to food so that can be off putting. There is a description of a bunch of boys torturing and killing a boar Lord of the Flies style towards the beginning of the book as well.
Also, there is a moderately graphic scene of James getting whipped by a couple other boys mid book which has him dissociating so there's that.