You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
jstilts's reviews
119 reviews
Concrete, Volume 1: Depths by Paul Chadwick
adventurous
lighthearted
reflective
sad
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
4.0
Imagine if you were "The Thing" from the Fantastic Four, but living in our world with no supervillains and world-breaking peril. What would you do? How would you live? How would the world treat you?
"Concrete" is a study in social awkwardness as a shy introverted man finds he can no longer hide from the world - but trapped in a giant rocky body he is ever more subject to the world's ridicule and contempt (even if he is only imagining it half the time).
But also his innate sense of adventure is finally given the body he needed to have the confidence to explore and follow in the footsteps of his childhood heroes.
In this first volume we find out how Concrete came to be and his embarassing oversaturated rise to fame - but the best moments by far are those where we get to see the world anew through his exceptional eyes, in this instance mostly in the sea.
Funny, awkward, awe-inspiring - and at times heart-wrenching.
"Concrete" is a study in social awkwardness as a shy introverted man finds he can no longer hide from the world - but trapped in a giant rocky body he is ever more subject to the world's ridicule and contempt (even if he is only imagining it half the time).
But also his innate sense of adventure is finally given the body he needed to have the confidence to explore and follow in the footsteps of his childhood heroes.
In this first volume we find out how Concrete came to be and his embarassing oversaturated rise to fame - but the best moments by far are those where we get to see the world anew through his exceptional eyes, in this instance mostly in the sea.
Funny, awkward, awe-inspiring - and at times heart-wrenching.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content
Death of a Lake by Arthur Upfield
adventurous
mysterious
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A really great entry in the Detective-Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte mystery series - possibly my favourite so far!
Bony is - as I prefer - is undercover again, posing as a horse breaker out on a sheep station where a lottery-winning station hand disappeared one night, allegedly out for a swim in the now fast-evaporating titular lake.
Filled with sharp observations on human behaviour, poetic passages and a few chapters set in a heatwave that will make any reader swear, Boney quietly watches, prods and pokes around to solve the mystery.
As I've mentioned in other reviews, this book has a few (though in this instance VERY few) moments that may offend due to the commonplace racist and sexist attitudes of the era it was written in. However, considering that era this is in fact a staggeringly progressive book for it's time to the point that some Australians would still find it too progressive today.
Highly recommended, and if you've never read a Boney book before this - it's is a great one to start with.
Bony is - as I prefer - is undercover again, posing as a horse breaker out on a sheep station where a lottery-winning station hand disappeared one night, allegedly out for a swim in the now fast-evaporating titular lake.
Filled with sharp observations on human behaviour, poetic passages and a few chapters set in a heatwave that will make any reader swear, Boney quietly watches, prods and pokes around to solve the mystery.
As I've mentioned in other reviews, this book has a few (though in this instance VERY few) moments that may offend due to the commonplace racist and sexist attitudes of the era it was written in. However, considering that era this is in fact a staggeringly progressive book for it's time to the point that some Australians would still find it too progressive today.
Highly recommended, and if you've never read a Boney book before this - it's is a great one to start with.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Death and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexism, and Grief
This Kingdom of Dust by David Dyer
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
"Magnificent Desolation!" - Buzz Aldrin's first words as he stepped on the moon are a good description of this book, describing the moon itself and the emotional state of the astronauts, their wives, and the journalists tasked with capturing this historic event into words.
The historic event, however, goes wrong in this novel which see's Neil and Buzz stranded on the moon with little time to either make their peace or figure out a way to get home.
Swapping each chapter between the antiseptically heroic astronauts and the poisonously poetical journalist keeps tension and interest going.
Buzz's hidden doubts and uncertainties anathema to his training are undoubtedly the highlight of this novel, keeping you guessing which way the plot is going to jump.
My only quibble is with the epilogue, which throws more doubt onto the already uncertain ending which is itself an alternate history - did it really need muddying even further?
The historic event, however, goes wrong in this novel which see's Neil and Buzz stranded on the moon with little time to either make their peace or figure out a way to get home.
Swapping each chapter between the antiseptically heroic astronauts and the poisonously poetical journalist keeps tension and interest going.
Buzz's hidden doubts and uncertainties anathema to his training are undoubtedly the highlight of this novel, keeping you guessing which way the plot is going to jump.
My only quibble is with the epilogue, which throws more doubt onto the already uncertain ending which is itself an alternate history - did it really need muddying even further?
The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A loosely 1600s historical high-concept mystery set on the high seas, with an almost Holmes-and-Watson pairing but the Holmes of this story (Sammy Pipps) is imprisoned for the voyage while the Watson (Arent Hayes), a not-so-gentle giant, teams up with a nobleman's battered wife (Sara Haan) are left to try and solve the mystery of who is threatening to sink the ship they are on.
This book is an absolute blast - the prose is amazingly balanced: concise enough that the pace is fast, while evocative enough that it paints a picture in your mind. It's quite the page-turner and yet a book you will want to cherish every chapter - luckily most chapters are so exhilarating they are highly satisfying!
The mystery is extremely compelling, hard (for me) to solve and I'm thankful that's the case as the revelations are satisfying and compelling. The author plays fair - in retrospect I can see the clues laid down clearly, but subtle misdirection stops you from seeing it.
It absolutely sticks the landing, while still having an unexpected ending! 100% recommend this book.
This book is an absolute blast - the prose is amazingly balanced: concise enough that the pace is fast, while evocative enough that it paints a picture in your mind. It's quite the page-turner and yet a book you will want to cherish every chapter - luckily most chapters are so exhilarating they are highly satisfying!
The mystery is extremely compelling, hard (for me) to solve and I'm thankful that's the case as the revelations are satisfying and compelling. The author plays fair - in retrospect I can see the clues laid down clearly, but subtle misdirection stops you from seeing it.
It absolutely sticks the landing, while still having an unexpected ending! 100% recommend this book.
The Cookbook Club: A Novel of Food and Friendship by Beth Harbison
emotional
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Predictable, slightly annoying, but an easy read.
Essentially three stories with slight crossover, each is about a privileged woman who falls on hard times only to stumble into a moneyed-up relationship that solves their problems. Their idea of "hard times" is more like an opportunity of a lifetime to most, which grates.
The title - which pulled me in - is a bit of a misnomer as the cookbook club meetings occur between chapters, off the page.
Essentially three stories with slight crossover, each is about a privileged woman who falls on hard times only to stumble into a moneyed-up relationship that solves their problems. Their idea of "hard times" is more like an opportunity of a lifetime to most, which grates.
The title - which pulled me in - is a bit of a misnomer as the cookbook club meetings occur between chapters, off the page.
Power Pack: The Powers That Be by Ryan North, Ryan North, Nico Leon
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.5
I've been revisiting 1980s "Power Pack" from my childhood in 3 collected editions (see my other reviews) in the lead-up to reading this revival graphic novel from 2020.
It's a very different beast - irreverent where it was once sincere, but with a similar underlying sense of fun. It's written by Ryan North, so that's to be expected (in the best possible way).
While it sadly doesn't go too deeply into exploring childhood issues (which is what Power Pack was perfectly designed for) I guess it's conversely nice to see they have grown to be more self confident, less anxious, with more banter and less bicker.
Slight but fun.
It's a very different beast - irreverent where it was once sincere, but with a similar underlying sense of fun. It's written by Ryan North, so that's to be expected (in the best possible way).
While it sadly doesn't go too deeply into exploring childhood issues (which is what Power Pack was perfectly designed for) I guess it's conversely nice to see they have grown to be more self confident, less anxious, with more banter and less bicker.
Slight but fun.
The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
A strange slow Japanese magical realism tale of obsession and loneliness (with shades of David Lynch's "Twin Peaks"). The slow meandering style takes some getting used to - but if you give it the time you may find it utterly absorbing as I did. I'm not sure I'm keen on the ending, but that may be because I didn't want it to end.
The plot, which I won't spoil, is very much open to interpretation - how much of it is real, and what "real" even means is all up for grabs. One word of advice - in magical realism books it's easy to take any given opinion as fact on how the world you're reading about works, but that's not the case here: trust your gut instead and it will make a lot more sense.
The plot, which I won't spoil, is very much open to interpretation - how much of it is real, and what "real" even means is all up for grabs. One word of advice - in magical realism books it's easy to take any given opinion as fact on how the world you're reading about works, but that's not the case here: trust your gut instead and it will make a lot more sense.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Grief
Illegal by Andrew Donkin, Eoin Colfer
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
4.0
A very accessible and deeply moving graphic novel that follows a young boy's attempt to cross Africa and find refuge in Europe, following his brother and sister in a dangerous series of trials and journeys across desert and sea, at the mercy of both the elements and those that would exploit desperate people.
It's a powerful tale - and despite the tension and peril and poverty it is never quite grim, as young Ebo's determination, spirit and positivity are infectious.
It's a powerful tale - and despite the tension and peril and poverty it is never quite grim, as young Ebo's determination, spirit and positivity are infectious.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Trafficking
Wonder Woman: Odyssey, Vol. 1 by Phil Hester, J. Michael Straczynski
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Sigh. Another comic book "volume 1" that is missing the start of the story. Touted as a.new beginning for the character, Diana begins by stating she doesn't know who she is, where she came from - only that people are trying to kill her. Intriguing, but a third of the way through this book she returns to her home full of friends, comrades and mentors who she clearly knows well and hangs out with on the regular, and they have a clear mission - so what was all that about?
Turns out her story began elsewhere, but who can say as there's no "volume zero" and the scattershot storylines in this that rise from nowhere and end just as quickly with no clear through-line don't entice me to seek out further volumes, let alone trying to work out what the previous one was.
Turns out her story began elsewhere, but who can say as there's no "volume zero" and the scattershot storylines in this that rise from nowhere and end just as quickly with no clear through-line don't entice me to seek out further volumes, let alone trying to work out what the previous one was.
The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Dull. A tale of people whose lives are stuck in a rut discovering a pop-up cafe run by cats who read their astrological charts to fix their lives. Which sounds more interesting than it is.
The writing is leaden, the astrological sections in p rticular an absolute chore - and the people's problems very mundane.
The epilogue is more satisfying - a little poetic framework for the previous chapters to hang on, hinting that this book could perhaps have been more interesting and magical than it ended up being.
Disappointing.
The writing is leaden, the astrological sections in p rticular an absolute chore - and the people's problems very mundane.
The epilogue is more satisfying - a little poetic framework for the previous chapters to hang on, hinting that this book could perhaps have been more interesting and magical than it ended up being.
Disappointing.