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jamgrl's reviews
176 reviews
Babel by R.F. Kuang
adventurous
dark
reflective
slow-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Violence, and Murder
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Some of the members of my book club mentioned they weren’t so sure about the main character, Noemí, because of her vanity, particularly at the beginning of the book. This surprised me because I LOVE a vain protagonist 😂 (does this say something about me?) and I think Noemí’s character perfectly encapsulates a rich young woman who rebels against expectations through doing what she wants- dressing up and stringing along men she doesn’t want to marry and daring to care about her academic pursuits just as much as her beautiful dresses. (And I love her.) So what happens when you take this cosmopolitan woman out of Mexico City and send her to a crumbling gothic mansion in the rural mountains to find out what has gone wrong with her cousin’s fairy tale ending- and to uncover the secrets of this (“Aryan”) British family descendant from once powerful mine-owners (for whom her mixed indigenous and white heritage is a matter of interest and scrutiny).
This book grapples with colonialism and the ghosts it has left behind, both through its physical remnants and through the persistence of its ideas. It grapples with patriarchy and eugenics, and class and wealth- and how those interact with race and heritage- all weaved into the vivid gothic imagery and fantastical horror of the story. It is unsettling and scary and it is intelligent and incisive.
Some people have claimed this book is not “Mexican” enough- I find this critique very odd, especially since the inspiration for the book was very specifically Moreno-Garcia’s experience with British colonial remnants in Mexico- this book is about colonialism rooted in a specific context, what makes that not Mexican enough? If you have read or are interested in reading this book, check out the book club kit by Random House Books for some really interesting insight into the inspiration of this book from the author (plus discussion questions and paper dolls)!
This one was 5 stars for me!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book grapples with colonialism and the ghosts it has left behind, both through its physical remnants and through the persistence of its ideas. It grapples with patriarchy and eugenics, and class and wealth- and how those interact with race and heritage- all weaved into the vivid gothic imagery and fantastical horror of the story. It is unsettling and scary and it is intelligent and incisive.
Some people have claimed this book is not “Mexican” enough- I find this critique very odd, especially since the inspiration for the book was very specifically Moreno-Garcia’s experience with British colonial remnants in Mexico- this book is about colonialism rooted in a specific context, what makes that not Mexican enough? If you have read or are interested in reading this book, check out the book club kit by Random House Books for some really interesting insight into the inspiration of this book from the author (plus discussion questions and paper dolls)!
This one was 5 stars for me!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In the Country We Love: My Family Divided by Diane Guerrero
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
Como agua para chocolate by Laura Esquivel
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks by Mackenzi Lee
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I highly enjoyed listening to the third and final book in the Montague Siblings trilogy!
Not having known what to expect of this book, with Adrian being essentially a new character, I was pleasantly surprised to totally fall in love with him! I adored Adrian and really appreciated seeing his struggle with mental illness in the context of his setting. This book made for a satisfying end to the series!
(A bit more specific below)
It was wonderful to reunite with Monty and Felicity- and hard having to meet them though Adrian: I think Lee did a great job of creating tension between the characters and having them slowly open up to Adrian.
The portrayal of Adrian’s mental illness was vivid and visceral and also very believable and relatable. His adventure was captivating and emotional, as was his journey toward self-acceptance.
I also really appreciated getting a closing on our original couple from book 1 ☺️.
I have highly enjoyed this series and look forward to a reread!
Not having known what to expect of this book, with Adrian being essentially a new character, I was pleasantly surprised to totally fall in love with him! I adored Adrian and really appreciated seeing his struggle with mental illness in the context of his setting. This book made for a satisfying end to the series!
(A bit more specific below)
It was wonderful to reunite with Monty and Felicity- and hard having to meet them though Adrian: I think Lee did a great job of creating tension between the characters and having them slowly open up to Adrian.
The portrayal of Adrian’s mental illness was vivid and visceral and also very believable and relatable. His adventure was captivating and emotional, as was his journey toward self-acceptance.
I also really appreciated getting a closing on our original couple from book 1 ☺️.
I have highly enjoyed this series and look forward to a reread!
Turning Darkness Into Light by Marie Brennan
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This was a great follow up to the Lady Trent books! It was nice to get a bit of a time skip and catch up was going on in the world after the big reveal of book 5 (because what??) and I really liked Audrey, Isabella’s granddaughter (and of course, Kudshayne. And Cora was delightful, honestly).
This book stood on its own very well, not depending heavily on the earlier books and creating plenty of its own tension. (The drama with Aaron Mornette!!) It also took a lot of care to think about linguistics and translation, which I appreciated. It is an exciting audiobook since it is a mix of diary entries and letters and things like newspaper clippings: the two narrators are excellent!
This book stood on its own very well, not depending heavily on the earlier books and creating plenty of its own tension. (The drama with Aaron Mornette!!) It also took a lot of care to think about linguistics and translation, which I appreciated. It is an exciting audiobook since it is a mix of diary entries and letters and things like newspaper clippings: the two narrators are excellent!
Finding Latinx: In Search of the Voices Redefining Latino Identity by Paola Ramos
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
This book is like an extra long special interest story, which makes it really easy to read. It is perhaps not as comprehensive as the description makes it seem- there is a lot of the U.S. that she doesn’t visit, for example- but I did learn about a variety of communities I didn’t know about and it gave me a lot to think about, leaving me wanting to learn more.
The book is quite political, which I appreciated- it questions and complicates our understandings of the political leanings and influence of Latinos across the US, which is largely what it is about. The downside of the way she approaches the subject is that most people she talks to are activists/very politically active in some way, so I’m not sure we get a strong sense of less politically engaged people, but the whole book is kind of like little snapshots and does the job of reminding us not to treat “Latinx” as a political monolith. And, we also learn about groups that are often not part of the conversation when we think of “Latino” or “Hispanic”, with a strong focus on indigenous people and a lot of conversation about racism and colorism in Latinx communities.
Overall, I appreciated this book and think it is a good entry into thinking about and learning about Latinx communities around the country.
Warning: It starts out very heavy- after the first two chapters, I was nervous to continue, but it lightens up as the book goes on.
The book is quite political, which I appreciated- it questions and complicates our understandings of the political leanings and influence of Latinos across the US, which is largely what it is about. The downside of the way she approaches the subject is that most people she talks to are activists/very politically active in some way, so I’m not sure we get a strong sense of less politically engaged people, but the whole book is kind of like little snapshots and does the job of reminding us not to treat “Latinx” as a political monolith. And, we also learn about groups that are often not part of the conversation when we think of “Latino” or “Hispanic”, with a strong focus on indigenous people and a lot of conversation about racism and colorism in Latinx communities.
Overall, I appreciated this book and think it is a good entry into thinking about and learning about Latinx communities around the country.
Warning: It starts out very heavy- after the first two chapters, I was nervous to continue, but it lightens up as the book goes on.
The President and the Frog by Caro De Robertis
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
My second Carolina de Robertis book. I am now convinced I need to read all of them!
There was a moment toward the end of this book, when the future president is talking about Mr. Takata, where it hit me: Carolina de Robertis has this way of settling into the mundane and everyday, focusing in on individual humanity, pulling out its significance, even in the face of, or especially in the face of the dark political and social times she writes about, that is appealing and visceral and which makes her stories incredibly rich and hopeful and beautiful. All of that in their darkness. Small made big and big made small. I don’t quite know how to best convey the feeling of reading these books; suffice it to say they are very good.
(I must quietly admit that I did not enjoy this one as much as Cantoras, but it is thought provoking in a different way and I know this one will stick with me for a while; I’ve only just finished it and I can feel it searing into my skin.)
There was a moment toward the end of this book, when the future president is talking about Mr. Takata, where it hit me: Carolina de Robertis has this way of settling into the mundane and everyday, focusing in on individual humanity, pulling out its significance, even in the face of, or especially in the face of the dark political and social times she writes about, that is appealing and visceral and which makes her stories incredibly rich and hopeful and beautiful. All of that in their darkness. Small made big and big made small. I don’t quite know how to best convey the feeling of reading these books; suffice it to say they are very good.
(I must quietly admit that I did not enjoy this one as much as Cantoras, but it is thought provoking in a different way and I know this one will stick with me for a while; I’ve only just finished it and I can feel it searing into my skin.)
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape, Violence, and Torture
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Excellent! It is short but it packs a punch. Maybe more because of the shortness? The style also lends itself well to an audiobook since a lot of it sounds like listening to spoken word poetry, though I am curious to see how the poetry is laid out on the pages!