Take a photo of a barcode or cover
jiayuanc's reviews
274 reviews
H.P. Lovecraft's The Shadow Over Innsmouth by Gou Tanabe
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.5
Wonderful adaptation of Lovecraft, it is so eerie to see the Innsmouth people brought to life via Gou Tanabe's creepy art. I had read the story before but seeing it on the page gave me the creeps in a far better way. The entire hotel escape sequence really had me on edge.
Hercule Poirot's Christmas: A Hercule Poirot Mystery by Agatha Christie
mysterious
fast-paced
3.0
Can see how Christie's novels influenced the murder mystery genre, this is the precursor to Knives Out surely! Great little holiday book club book, don't think too hard on the coincidences of there being three different people all trying to pretend to be someone else lol, or how everyone loved "Pilar" so much from the little they've seen of her. . Just enjoy the campy mystery for what it is.
3 stars.
3 stars.
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
Kostova writes the travelogue parts of the book beautifully but her character writing and plot needs work. It's clear she put a lot of work into the research of the history but my god it's as if she wanted to write a lore book rather than a novel with a plot.
She takes a turn towards the end of the book from subtle anti-communism to full on laying it thick. She has a character compare Stalin to Hitler (lol?) then, in case you didn't understand her the first time around, literally makes one of the good guy main characters say that the cartoonishly villainous character Ranov (who wouldn't look out of place in a parody of a communist bureaucrat man) looks like a Young Stalin. Just in case us readers didn't realise Ranov is one of the bad guys.
So much happens in this book but also nothing happens at all. Characters write ridiculously detailed letters and diary entries, complete in novel format, ending on cliffhangers and relating with photographic memory every single thing other characters had previously said to them.
I'll just end off with reminding everyone of why Kostova's comparison of Hitler and Stalin is ridiculous (quoting Domenico Losurdo):
"To place Russian communism and Nazi-fascism on the same moral place, in the measure that both are totalitarian, is superficial at best; fascism at worst. Anyone who insists on this comparison could very well be considered a democrat, but deep in their heart a fascist is already there, and naturally they will only fight fascism in a superficial and hypocritical way, while they save all their hatred for communism."
She takes a turn towards the end of the book from subtle anti-communism to full on laying it thick. She has a character compare Stalin to Hitler (lol?) then, in case you didn't understand her the first time around, literally makes one of the good guy main characters say that the cartoonishly villainous character Ranov (who wouldn't look out of place in a parody of a communist bureaucrat man) looks like a Young Stalin. Just in case us readers didn't realise Ranov is one of the bad guys.
So much happens in this book but also nothing happens at all. Characters write ridiculously detailed letters and diary entries, complete in novel format, ending on cliffhangers and relating with photographic memory every single thing other characters had previously said to them.
I'll just end off with reminding everyone of why Kostova's comparison of Hitler and Stalin is ridiculous (quoting Domenico Losurdo):
"To place Russian communism and Nazi-fascism on the same moral place, in the measure that both are totalitarian, is superficial at best; fascism at worst. Anyone who insists on this comparison could very well be considered a democrat, but deep in their heart a fascist is already there, and naturally they will only fight fascism in a superficial and hypocritical way, while they save all their hatred for communism."
Sherlock Holmes: The Novels: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle by Arthur Conan Doyle, Arthur Conan Doyle
adventurous
mysterious
2.5
This Penguin collection puts together the 4 novels of Sherlock Holmes. The novels vary in quality, I think Hounds is the best one.
I first started reading this in Dec 2022 - tried really hard to get into the writing style but it is longwinded and Conan Doyle is not great with prose. I paused this for a while and picked it back up again in Sept 2024, following along with the Stephen Fry narration on Audible. Fry's narration is excellent and made a big difference in my enjoyment.
You have to understand going into the Sherlock Holmes stories that Holmes is the superhero and we are just along for the ride. Don't try to match up with his logic or try and solve the case yourself - Doyle just doesn't give the reader all the details, only Holmes and his wild leaps of logic can solve these.
These stories show very much their age in their colonialist attitudes towards foreigners (who are usually the bad guys) as well. They are oddly written with weird leaps between the Watson POV and suddenly dumping all the background and historic parts at us in the second half of the novels.
Overall, they were enjoyable stories once I got past trying to solve anything and just let myself be taken along for the ride. I listened to the Stephen Fry narration and found it a lot easier to go along with it by listening than when trying to read it myself.
I first started reading this in Dec 2022 - tried really hard to get into the writing style but it is longwinded and Conan Doyle is not great with prose. I paused this for a while and picked it back up again in Sept 2024, following along with the Stephen Fry narration on Audible. Fry's narration is excellent and made a big difference in my enjoyment.
You have to understand going into the Sherlock Holmes stories that Holmes is the superhero and we are just along for the ride. Don't try to match up with his logic or try and solve the case yourself - Doyle just doesn't give the reader all the details, only Holmes and his wild leaps of logic can solve these.
These stories show very much their age in their colonialist attitudes towards foreigners (who are usually the bad guys) as well. They are oddly written with weird leaps between the Watson POV and suddenly dumping all the background and historic parts at us in the second half of the novels.
Overall, they were enjoyable stories once I got past trying to solve anything and just let myself be taken along for the ride. I listened to the Stephen Fry narration and found it a lot easier to go along with it by listening than when trying to read it myself.
Content Warnings
Minor: Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Murder, Classism
Batman by Grant Morrison Omnibus Vol. 1 by Grant Morrison
3.0
A fun wacky romp of stories. I especially liked the whodunnit story where Batman gets to play detective a little. I'm sure as a new batman fan I'm missing many of the references to past storylines but the few references I did spot made me really pleased. I enjoyed this one and look forward to reading the next volumes by Morrison.
A Redwall Winter's Tale by Brian Jacques
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
5.0
The Redwall series has always been comfort books as a child, now as an adult returning to the series I am so happy to say they still hold up! The art in this picture book is so cozy and makes me feel so warm... Even though it is a Winter's Tale! A lovely, short, sweet and welcome return to Redwall.
The Great Redwall Feast by Brian Jacques
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
5.0
I just adore Christopher Denise's cozy art, he captures the beauty and coziness of Brian Jacques' Redwall series so truthfully. A lovely picture book entry to one of my favourite book series of all time!
Batman: Hush by Jeph Loeb
2.0
Jim Lee's art does the heavy lifting here, not really a memorable story.
DC 52 Omnibus by Grant Morrison, Mark Waid, Geoff Johns
2.0
I am mostly a Batman and Superman reader so this was a nice way to follow the other DC characters that I don't know much about around. That said, this was a very tiring read. I enjoyed Animal Man, following Renee Montoya, The Question and Booster Gold but man oh man it was a tough read and I really had to force myself to finish reading it. Glad I finished it but I don't think this is one I will reread.