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jess_esa's reviews
512 reviews
Carmilla: The First Vampire by Amy Chu
3.5
An entertaining Carmilla retelling that blends European and Chinese vampire lore in an interesting way. The art of NY Chinatown in the 90s is so good; it is drawn beautifully, so moody, and dark. The concept of this comic is also great, so queer and sexy, with plenty of mystery — the layering of the original Carmilla text was done really well.
Unfortunately, there are some pretty unforgivable character deaths towards the end that aren’t given any emotional weight, and the whole final act feels rushed. It’s a shame because the first half is solid, and it felt like it was setting up some real psychological torment for the main character and Violet. Ultimately, that fell flat and was resolved quickly.
It seems like they are setting up for a second volume, though, and I would definitely still read it, but it’s a shame this didn't hold up.
Unfortunately, there are some pretty unforgivable character deaths towards the end that aren’t given any emotional weight, and the whole final act feels rushed. It’s a shame because the first half is solid, and it felt like it was setting up some real psychological torment for the main character and Violet. Ultimately, that fell flat and was resolved quickly.
It seems like they are setting up for a second volume, though, and I would definitely still read it, but it’s a shame this didn't hold up.
Philoctetes. the Greek Tragedy in New Translations by Carl Phillips, Diskin Clay, Sophocles
"how in the world, when
all alone, hearing
nothing but the waves always
crashing, how he managed to endure a life so full of tears"
I read this after being so taken with Philoctetes as a character when I read An Arrow's Flight recently. Unsurprisingly, this was equally as devastating.
It's such a haunting portrait of loneliness crafted around a man so relatable you can't help but feel his isolation as your own. It doesn't surprise me that this play was used as part of the Theater of War Project for veterans, has been depicted as an AIDs allegory, and resonates so strongly with the chronically ill and disabled.
It depicts the wound of being abandoned by society in a time of need so brutally that you can't help but be deeply moved by it. I'm glad I finally added this one to my read list.
all alone, hearing
nothing but the waves always
crashing, how he managed to endure a life so full of tears"
I read this after being so taken with Philoctetes as a character when I read An Arrow's Flight recently. Unsurprisingly, this was equally as devastating.
It's such a haunting portrait of loneliness crafted around a man so relatable you can't help but feel his isolation as your own. It doesn't surprise me that this play was used as part of the Theater of War Project for veterans, has been depicted as an AIDs allegory, and resonates so strongly with the chronically ill and disabled.
It depicts the wound of being abandoned by society in a time of need so brutally that you can't help but be deeply moved by it. I'm glad I finally added this one to my read list.
North Woods by Daniel Mason
medium-paced
4.5
Honestly, nothing about this book particularly drew me in except the cover, but my friend Rick insisted I would love it, and who am I to argue?
A lot has already been said about this book, and it really does live up to the hype. It's compelling enough that I kept wanting to pick it up, so it ended up being a much faster read than I imagined.
North Woods spans three centuries of life in a single house in the woods of Massachusetts, telling its story via a series of entwined short stories, poems, and vignettes rather than a linear narrative. It was always very satisfying when a character from a previous story popped up later, a mystery was solved, or a character was revealed as more integral to the tale of the house and woods than you originally thought.
The supernatural was also used sparingly and effectively throughout; some stories are genuinely chilling. I loved how present nature was at all times throughout the novel and how beautifully Mason evokes it. This really is the kind of writing where you just marvel at someone's talent at putting words to a page.
Like most collections of stories, there were some that I enjoyed a lot more than others — the second half was much less engaging than the first for me. Though, it does wrap up very satisfyingly.
A surprise winner for me, thanks Rick!
A lot has already been said about this book, and it really does live up to the hype. It's compelling enough that I kept wanting to pick it up, so it ended up being a much faster read than I imagined.
North Woods spans three centuries of life in a single house in the woods of Massachusetts, telling its story via a series of entwined short stories, poems, and vignettes rather than a linear narrative. It was always very satisfying when a character from a previous story popped up later, a mystery was solved, or a character was revealed as more integral to the tale of the house and woods than you originally thought.
The supernatural was also used sparingly and effectively throughout; some stories are genuinely chilling. I loved how present nature was at all times throughout the novel and how beautifully Mason evokes it. This really is the kind of writing where you just marvel at someone's talent at putting words to a page.
Like most collections of stories, there were some that I enjoyed a lot more than others — the second half was much less engaging than the first for me. Though, it does wrap up very satisfyingly.
A surprise winner for me, thanks Rick!
Indeterminate Inflorescence by Lee Seong-Bok
4.5
Indeterminate Inflorescence is made up of 470 beautifully translated notes from the creative writing lectures of Lee Seong-bok, one of South Korea's most prominent living poets.
You can approach reading this in so many different ways: use it for writing prompts and topics of discussion, or just reflect and be challenged by the insightful and wry ways he expresses life, poetry, and art.
<i>"Even when walking with a good friend, it's hard to walk in step when your rhythms differ. Life and pain must be accepted in their rhythms and sent off in their rhythms. All learning, like surfing, is about learning rhythm."</i>
I've been dipping in and out of these writing aphorisms for the last couple of months and, in the meantime, have already gifted it to a poet friend for their birthday and am ready to send it to another friend.
It's impossible not to want to share the wisdom in this book with others. I recommend it to anyone who writes, loves poetry, or just enjoys another's perspective on art.
You can approach reading this in so many different ways: use it for writing prompts and topics of discussion, or just reflect and be challenged by the insightful and wry ways he expresses life, poetry, and art.
<i>"Even when walking with a good friend, it's hard to walk in step when your rhythms differ. Life and pain must be accepted in their rhythms and sent off in their rhythms. All learning, like surfing, is about learning rhythm."</i>
I've been dipping in and out of these writing aphorisms for the last couple of months and, in the meantime, have already gifted it to a poet friend for their birthday and am ready to send it to another friend.
It's impossible not to want to share the wisdom in this book with others. I recommend it to anyone who writes, loves poetry, or just enjoys another's perspective on art.
The Hard Switch by Owen D. Pomery
adventurous
medium-paced
4.0
Gorgeous artwork and a solid sci-fi romp with fantastic world building. It lacked some heart, I didn’t feel the bond between the rag-tag crew as strongly as I expected. It also could have been a tad longer, the end feels rushed. I’d love to see this world and these relationships developed more over a series.
A Magical Girl Retires by Park Seolyeon
fast-paced
4.0
Admittedly, the main reasons I picked this up were the gorgeous cover and the fact Anton translated it, but I couldn’t put it down.
It’s such a fun novella with gorgeous chapter illustrations. There were also some very cute sapphic interactions which was so satisfying because I immediately shipped the characters in question and didn’t see it going that way at all. I’m low-key obsessed with the magical girl of clairvoyance Ah Roa.
I wasn’t hugely into the magical girl genre growing up, though I’ve always loved manga and anime but you don’t need to be that familiar with the tropes to enjoy this story fully. I loved how dark many of the themes and plot points were despite the very cute and magical nature of the book — it felt very real and gritty despite the overall light-heartedness.
It’s a wonderful play on the magical girl genre that will keep you guessing and fully invested until the end. I highly recommend it for a quick and very enjoyable read!
It’s such a fun novella with gorgeous chapter illustrations. There were also some very cute sapphic interactions which was so satisfying because I immediately shipped the characters in question and didn’t see it going that way at all. I’m low-key obsessed with the magical girl of clairvoyance Ah Roa.
I wasn’t hugely into the magical girl genre growing up, though I’ve always loved manga and anime but you don’t need to be that familiar with the tropes to enjoy this story fully. I loved how dark many of the themes and plot points were despite the very cute and magical nature of the book — it felt very real and gritty despite the overall light-heartedness.
It’s a wonderful play on the magical girl genre that will keep you guessing and fully invested until the end. I highly recommend it for a quick and very enjoyable read!
The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
4.5
Stuart Turton is one of those authors whose books are instant reads for me. The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle broke me out of a two-year-long reading slump and reminded me why I loved reading, so this is a very exciting release for me.
This is very different from his last two books; it is a little less like a typical whodunnit (not that his stories are ever predictable) and more of a play with multiple genres, including dystopian, sci-fi, thriller, and classic murder mystery elements. It's a mind-twisting book with multiple POV characters and one common POV, the AI Abi, who is present in all of their brains. Because Abi always knows more than each of the characters, it makes for a unique mystery, where the reveals are delivered constantly throughout the book, making it difficult to put down.
It takes a few chapters to settle into its unusual style, really finding its footing once we're mostly focused on Emory, our detective character. I found some of the characters to be less fleshed out and the world-building a little lighter than I wanted, but this was very minor as I had a lot of fun with this book.
Because Stuart Turton's books always pair so eerily well with an indie game (Evelyn Hardcastle with The Sexy Brutale, Devil and the Dark Water with Return of the Obra Dinn), I'll carry on the tradition and recommend playing Dredge with this one.
This is very different from his last two books; it is a little less like a typical whodunnit (not that his stories are ever predictable) and more of a play with multiple genres, including dystopian, sci-fi, thriller, and classic murder mystery elements. It's a mind-twisting book with multiple POV characters and one common POV, the AI Abi, who is present in all of their brains. Because Abi always knows more than each of the characters, it makes for a unique mystery, where the reveals are delivered constantly throughout the book, making it difficult to put down.
It takes a few chapters to settle into its unusual style, really finding its footing once we're mostly focused on Emory, our detective character. I found some of the characters to be less fleshed out and the world-building a little lighter than I wanted, but this was very minor as I had a lot of fun with this book.
Because Stuart Turton's books always pair so eerily well with an indie game (Evelyn Hardcastle with The Sexy Brutale, Devil and the Dark Water with Return of the Obra Dinn), I'll carry on the tradition and recommend playing Dredge with this one.
An Arrow's Flight by Mark Merlis
slow-paced
4.5
Philoctetes 💔
It's such a gorgeous and melancholy book, and it masterfully blends Greek tragedy and mythology with seventies gay culture in maybe the most interesting way I've ever seen.
I love when a retelling can stand on its own and make something new and beautiful that doesn't rely on someone knowing the original texts — though, knowing them does make you appreciate Merlis's genius. I particularly loved his interpretations of Skyros, Lemnos, and Troy and the characters' complexity as they grapple with destiny, sexuality, and legacy, particularly in Pyrrhus's case.
Like any book touching on the AIDS crisis, whether allegorically or literally, it's going to leave you pretty haunted after, but I would still highly recommend it to anyone who wants to get lost in a Greek and highly original gay story.
It's such a gorgeous and melancholy book, and it masterfully blends Greek tragedy and mythology with seventies gay culture in maybe the most interesting way I've ever seen.
I love when a retelling can stand on its own and make something new and beautiful that doesn't rely on someone knowing the original texts — though, knowing them does make you appreciate Merlis's genius. I particularly loved his interpretations of Skyros, Lemnos, and Troy and the characters' complexity as they grapple with destiny, sexuality, and legacy, particularly in Pyrrhus's case.
Like any book touching on the AIDS crisis, whether allegorically or literally, it's going to leave you pretty haunted after, but I would still highly recommend it to anyone who wants to get lost in a Greek and highly original gay story.