joshwrose's reviews
317 reviews

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Hogfather by Terry Pratchett

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

"Humans are so interesting that they have even invented dullness." This is such a rich book about the evolution of humans and holiday traditions, and what it means to be a kid. Best of all, it doesn't talk down to kids.

Meditations on Middle-Earth by Karen Haber

informative reflective slow-paced

3.75

Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is probably the most realistic fantasy book I've ever read. Politics, misogynistic characters, racial tension, empowered women, and "modern" knowledge of medicine and science; if not for the magic and destiny being at the core of the story, I could see this being a political spy thriller. And thank god the illnesses weren't just another vague cold or magically induced sickness but something real!

The jumping pov of characters over uncertain time periods was unusual but not bad either. I don't think I even read a novel, but the first arc of a collection of loosely connected short stories set in chronological order, and, honestly, I'm here for it! It kept me engaged throughout. It's unlike any other fantasy novel I've read.

The Farthest Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin

adventurous emotional inspiring slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A Forest Of Vanity And Valour by A.P. Beswick

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

It's a neat concept. Take Robin Hood, put him in a fantasy setting, and start incorporating other legendary characters like King Arthur and Blackbeard into the same world. 

I found the execution wanting. I felt the pacing really slowed me down and only being on a plane with nothing else to read could dedicate my attention to it. The dialogue at times felt jarring and unnatural, or like the author didn't trust the reader to understand what was going on and then made a joke about it. Spelling errors didn't help either. The first person perspective switching between different characters threw me for a loop too. He fridges the main character's romantic interest, I felt the characterizations were inconsistent towards the end, and he didn't wrap up the ending with any sort of explanations regarding these questionable character actions.

The magic system is really neat, and it was fun trying to guess who each of the characters were based on.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Making Love with the Land by Joshua Whitehead

hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

4.0

The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. Le Guin

adventurous dark fast-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

4.0

Greenwood by Michael Christie

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I bought this book because of Canada Reads and I'm convinced that Keegan Connor Tracy did it a disservice. She mentioned after Greenwood was eliminated that she knew this book wasn't right for the competition's theme of Shifting Perspective yet defended it because she believed it was a book that all of Canada should read. Even in that regard, she spoiled some of the ending of the book, I think she truly misunderstood the characters and the ending. 

Still, this is a very good book worth reading, even if I feel that the author didn't devote enough words to give a voice to indigenous wisdom. He touches a few times about how colonization and capitalism has harmed nature, and how white people stole the land from indigenous tribes, but that was all. 

In the end, Greenwood is a "true" story about family and humanity's relationship to trees.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Addiction, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic