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jstilts's reviews
62 reviews
Heartstopper Volume 5 by Alice Oseman
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
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
3.25
The fifth volume of Hearstopper is another sweet tale that deftly balances the dramatic potential of teenage romance with delivering a wholesome insightful plot that would be a valuable read to anyone facing through similar experiences.
This is again a continuation that manages to stand on it's own (is it all the odd-numbered volumes?) as Charlie and Nick consider taking their relationship to a more intimate level while also facing the prospect of Nick leaving town for University a year before Charlie.
The themes also explore the idea of couples being too dependant on each other, the need to have your own space to develop - and the need to grow up from beneath your parents control while also (somewhat) acknowledging that parents have been through similar experiences and might have valuable insight.
Not quite as good as the best Hearstoppers, but a very worthy addition - and I'm keen for the final volume to be published!
This is again a continuation that manages to stand on it's own (is it all the odd-numbered volumes?) as Charlie and Nick consider taking their relationship to a more intimate level while also facing the prospect of Nick leaving town for University a year before Charlie.
The themes also explore the idea of couples being too dependant on each other, the need to have your own space to develop - and the need to grow up from beneath your parents control while also (somewhat) acknowledging that parents have been through similar experiences and might have valuable insight.
Not quite as good as the best Hearstoppers, but a very worthy addition - and I'm keen for the final volume to be published!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Body shaming, and Sexual content
Minor: Eating disorder and Mental illness
Sherlock Holmes: Crime Alleys by Sylvain Cordurie
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
To start with the good stuff: the art in this graphic novel is great if you like a more realistic style, which suits the Victorian Era nicely with puffy thugs bruised and brawny, and people down on their luck visibly suffering from their unfortunate lifestyle. I do have issue with the speech bubbles and lettering though, it implies everyone is raspy - but a minor niggle
The story however does let the art down. We start promisingly enough with a younger pre-Watson Holmes investigating the disappearance of his current roommate (a nice deviation from the norm). However - and my personal bias shows here - I am exceptionally tired of modern Holmes tales that pin their mysterys on either a) nefarious steampunk science that is outside Holmes' ken, rendering his methods useless b) the supernatural, which has the same effect but doubly so, and c) his nemesis Moriarty to whom which Holmes' methods are also somewhat negated. Why write Holmes if you can't write a coherent mystery worthy of challenging him without sidestepping him?
Unfortunately, this graphic novel decides to do *all three* with mind-swapping devices, vampires and Moriarty. Two Moriartys in fact, and on top of that this also yet another "how Holmes first met Moriarty" tale. In a book as overstuffed as this with villainy there was little time for Holmes to acually do much deducting, and it was unfortunately unable to reach a satisfying conclusion for every aspect. As a result it looks like this is a series - but one I definitely won't be following.
The story however does let the art down. We start promisingly enough with a younger pre-Watson Holmes investigating the disappearance of his current roommate (a nice deviation from the norm). However - and my personal bias shows here - I am exceptionally tired of modern Holmes tales that pin their mysterys on either a) nefarious steampunk science that is outside Holmes' ken, rendering his methods useless b) the supernatural, which has the same effect but doubly so, and c) his nemesis Moriarty to whom which Holmes' methods are also somewhat negated. Why write Holmes if you can't write a coherent mystery worthy of challenging him without sidestepping him?
Unfortunately, this graphic novel decides to do *all three* with mind-swapping devices, vampires and Moriarty. Two Moriartys in fact, and on top of that this also yet another "how Holmes first met Moriarty" tale. In a book as overstuffed as this with villainy there was little time for Holmes to acually do much deducting, and it was unfortunately unable to reach a satisfying conclusion for every aspect. As a result it looks like this is a series - but one I definitely won't be following.
The Missing of Clairdelune by Christelle Dabos
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Considering this is the second book in a series and absolutely does not stand on it's own, I'm surprised to find myself enjoying it even more than the first, which isn't like me at all!
Whereas the first book struck me as a Jane Austen novel gone deliciously wrong with a streak of somewhat unnecessary fantasy trappings to give it pizzazz, this continuation of the story leans much more heavily on the fantasy in that you would be very hard pressed to tell the story without it - and it's a very compelling tale that justifies the slow setup.
Briefly, Ophelia now finds herself very much out of the shadows as she thrusts herself fully into court life, grabbing the impossible-to-hold attention of this societies ruler-come-deity, a prospect as useful as it is dangerous. While we explore this new world and Opehlia's ever-changing status within it, mysteries sneak up unexpectedly (rather neatly done) as the book unfolds.
This sequel has a more satisfying, less rushed ending than the first book - although this time it's one more of plot than emotional journey, although my goodness Ophelia develops massively over this volume.
Bring on the next one!
Whereas the first book struck me as a Jane Austen novel gone deliciously wrong with a streak of somewhat unnecessary fantasy trappings to give it pizzazz, this continuation of the story leans much more heavily on the fantasy in that you would be very hard pressed to tell the story without it - and it's a very compelling tale that justifies the slow setup.
Briefly, Ophelia now finds herself very much out of the shadows as she thrusts herself fully into court life, grabbing the impossible-to-hold attention of this societies ruler-come-deity, a prospect as useful as it is dangerous. While we explore this new world and Opehlia's ever-changing status within it, mysteries sneak up unexpectedly (rather neatly done) as the book unfolds.
This sequel has a more satisfying, less rushed ending than the first book - although this time it's one more of plot than emotional journey, although my goodness Ophelia develops massively over this volume.
Bring on the next one!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Confinement, Classism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, and Police brutality
Minor: Violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Suicide, Murder, Dementia, and Forced institutionalization
Heartstopper Volume 4 by Alice Oseman
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Another essential volume of Heart stopper, it's nevertheless not quite as good as the first and third volumes which stood on their own really well. We further explore Nick coming out to his family, Charlie's mental health journey and milestones in their relationship both large and small.
Charting Charlie's mental health is particularly well done - it strikes a fine balance between not sugar-coating the issues yet neither does it mine them for grim drama. It's a smacks a little of a "public information announcement" but frankly if you know someone who needs help but isn't seeking help, putting this sort of wholesome and fact-based examination of a journey towards recovery into their hands would be a good move.
Again this book ends well enough that it would be a satisfying ending to the series - and for once I don't really know what's likely to be covered in the already announced Volume 5. I plan to find out!
Charting Charlie's mental health is particularly well done - it strikes a fine balance between not sugar-coating the issues yet neither does it mine them for grim drama. It's a smacks a little of a "public information announcement" but frankly if you know someone who needs help but isn't seeking help, putting this sort of wholesome and fact-based examination of a journey towards recovery into their hands would be a good move.
Again this book ends well enough that it would be a satisfying ending to the series - and for once I don't really know what's likely to be covered in the already announced Volume 5. I plan to find out!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder
Moderate: Homophobia, Mental illness, Self harm, and Toxic relationship
A Winter's Promise by Christelle Dabos
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The first part in a series, this book nevertheless is just about satisfying for the emotional/confidence journey it takes the lead upon (albeit slightly rushed at the end but I carries through well enough in book 2). I won't recap the plot as that would remove the tension, but this book is basically about an arranged marriage between two countries - but our lead character has been kept in the dark about how much danger this marriage will expose her to, to the point where she has to spend half the book in disguise amongst those who wish her dead. It's an interesting mix of fantasy and what could have been a period drama (almost a Jane Austen romance but one gone deliciously wrong). It probably wouldn't have been enough to be one or the other, but both genres combined lift this into a compelling tale of intrigue as she tries to survive the world she has been thrust into, and rise above the limited role she is being forced to play.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Classism, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Racism, and Bullying
Minor: Animal death, Infidelity, Drug use, Abandonment, Alcohol, Murder, Violence, and Miscarriage
The Sands Of Windee by Arthur Upfield
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
A great piece of detective fiction with an extraordinary main character - and historically fascinating for it's unintended unique insight into racism against Aboriginal Australians at it's time of publication - 1931. Furthermore this book inspired a real-life copycat murder, most incredibly discovered after publication but determined to have occured *before* it's publication - which must have caused the author Arthur Upfield to first experience a peak in sales and then experience trouble with the police once it was ascertained he also knew the victims personally!
But that's another story, back to this work of fiction. We'll talk racism in a moment (it's prevalent yet fascinating) but that aside: this book sees the very slow unraveling of a cold-case of a missing persons case that the main character alone - Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte - believes to be murder. He quits his job to go undercover, only to discover no trace of a corpse exists - making for a crime almost impossible to prosecute. We see through his eyes and others what life was like in the many roles needed to run a vast outback sheep station, the racism Bony is subjected to as a (to use the terms of the early twentieth century) half-caste Aboriginal, we experience the horrors of bushfire, and we watch him untangle numerous crimes and scandals as he hunts for the killers and potential accomplices without revealing his true intentions. I rate this book and others in Arthur Upfield's series of novels about Detective-Inspector Napoleon "Bony" Bonaparte highly enough I'd describe him as the Australian Agatha Christie, and Bony is his Poirot.
Now, racism - and why this book is worth reading despite it. Be warned this book is very much a product of the 1930s and contains racist concepts and uses racist terms that are offensive and hard to read - and is guilty of both cultural appropriation and of speaking on behalf of Aboriginal people rather than allowing them their voice. What makes this book and others in the series fascinating is the author (a white Englishman) is absolutely not intending to cause offence: his lead character is an Aboriginal Australian who as a Detective-Inspector of the Queensland Police is the intellectual, moral and cultural superior of everyone in the book, his white colleagues are in awe of him because he is *so* impressive, he has never failed in a case - his only failing is his pride and vanity in knowing all this to be true. The author includes passages on how Aboriginal Australians are the superior culture to all others in the world, including this quote "the black fellow possessed culture when the white man ate raw flesh because he did not know how to make a fire" which is something white Australians struggle admitting to this day, let alone a hundred years ago in the 1920s and 1930s! There is no way the author is trying to be racist - but because this work still manages to be massively racist throughout is why I find it so fascinating: it reveals the type of and the extent of ingrained racist thoughts and concepts prevelant in Australia at the time, including the author, who doubtless thought himself as not only not racist but also a friend, an ally, a champion of Aboriginal Australians (which for a 1920s/1930s author hoping to sell books is frankly astonishing).
It is good to reflect on how we may perhaps consider ourselves as indviduals to be not racist, or perhaps to be allies of LGBTIQ+ and yet still be unknowingly failing to do our best now, and how we may cringe in the future when we look back upon our thoughts, words and actions - or how history may consider us.
But that's another story, back to this work of fiction. We'll talk racism in a moment (it's prevalent yet fascinating) but that aside: this book sees the very slow unraveling of a cold-case of a missing persons case that the main character alone - Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte - believes to be murder. He quits his job to go undercover, only to discover no trace of a corpse exists - making for a crime almost impossible to prosecute. We see through his eyes and others what life was like in the many roles needed to run a vast outback sheep station, the racism Bony is subjected to as a (to use the terms of the early twentieth century) half-caste Aboriginal, we experience the horrors of bushfire, and we watch him untangle numerous crimes and scandals as he hunts for the killers and potential accomplices without revealing his true intentions. I rate this book and others in Arthur Upfield's series of novels about Detective-Inspector Napoleon "Bony" Bonaparte highly enough I'd describe him as the Australian Agatha Christie, and Bony is his Poirot.
Now, racism - and why this book is worth reading despite it. Be warned this book is very much a product of the 1930s and contains racist concepts and uses racist terms that are offensive and hard to read - and is guilty of both cultural appropriation and of speaking on behalf of Aboriginal people rather than allowing them their voice. What makes this book and others in the series fascinating is the author (a white Englishman) is absolutely not intending to cause offence: his lead character is an Aboriginal Australian who as a Detective-Inspector of the Queensland Police is the intellectual, moral and cultural superior of everyone in the book, his white colleagues are in awe of him because he is *so* impressive, he has never failed in a case - his only failing is his pride and vanity in knowing all this to be true. The author includes passages on how Aboriginal Australians are the superior culture to all others in the world, including this quote "the black fellow possessed culture when the white man ate raw flesh because he did not know how to make a fire" which is something white Australians struggle admitting to this day, let alone a hundred years ago in the 1920s and 1930s! There is no way the author is trying to be racist - but because this work still manages to be massively racist throughout is why I find it so fascinating: it reveals the type of and the extent of ingrained racist thoughts and concepts prevelant in Australia at the time, including the author, who doubtless thought himself as not only not racist but also a friend, an ally, a champion of Aboriginal Australians (which for a 1920s/1930s author hoping to sell books is frankly astonishing).
It is good to reflect on how we may perhaps consider ourselves as indviduals to be not racist, or perhaps to be allies of LGBTIQ+ and yet still be unknowingly failing to do our best now, and how we may cringe in the future when we look back upon our thoughts, words and actions - or how history may consider us.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Kidnapping, Murder, Alcohol, Animal death, and Death
Minor: Confinement, Gun violence, Car accident, and Miscarriage
Heartstopper Volume 3 by Alice Oseman
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
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
3.75
A definite improvement over the second book, this one feels like it could stand alone if it had to while being a solid continuation of the series - the majority of this volume is set on a school trip to Paris, which gives this part of the ongoing story some individual structure. The art quality continues to improve, or the style has just fully grown on me now!
This time our characters both discover coming out as a couple isn't as straightforward as they imagined, while touching on issues of mental health that will doubtless be explored more in the future. It's another very wholesome exploration of LGBTIQ+ relationships that highlights solutions (sometimes just attitudes!) to overcoming issues rather than mining them for grim dramatic potential - but there is still drama, as this series continues to be extremely engaging, and there are a few punch-the-air moments.
Definitely looking forward to seeing the threads laid down for Volume 4 explored, but in many ways this would have been a satisfying conclusion to the series.
This time our characters both discover coming out as a couple isn't as straightforward as they imagined, while touching on issues of mental health that will doubtless be explored more in the future. It's another very wholesome exploration of LGBTIQ+ relationships that highlights solutions (sometimes just attitudes!) to overcoming issues rather than mining them for grim dramatic potential - but there is still drama, as this series continues to be extremely engaging, and there are a few punch-the-air moments.
Definitely looking forward to seeing the threads laid down for Volume 4 explored, but in many ways this would have been a satisfying conclusion to the series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Eating disorder, Homophobia, Outing, Self harm, and Alcohol
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Not as good as "The Martian", but what is? Andy Weir's latest novel is hard to review without spoiling the plot, especially as the lead is amnesiac - slowly revealing the backstory as more pressing events unfold. So comparing it to his previous work is probably the best I can do.
What I can say is compared to The Martian this is much more speculative forward-looking SciFi disaster novel that borders on the fantastical - which is fun and well done, so long as you can get past the first few chapters that may have you wondering if this is a light re-tread of The Marrian. It's not, but it's fair to say it shares similar themes of isolation and problem solving, but of a distinctly different flavour.
What I can say is compared to The Martian this is much more speculative forward-looking SciFi disaster novel that borders on the fantastical - which is fun and well done, so long as you can get past the first few chapters that may have you wondering if this is a light re-tread of The Marrian. It's not, but it's fair to say it shares similar themes of isolation and problem solving, but of a distinctly different flavour.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Kidnapping
The Goodbye Cat by Hiro Arikawa
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
This is a collection of short stories that vary in quality and interest, so a bit hard to give a useful star rating. Some of the stories are little gems, some so-so, the final story I almost skipped (but glad I didn't).
The stories all explore family life as affected by cats, usually at least partly from the cats perspective. Maybe, being a Japanese translation, the directions the stories take or fail to take are a little surprising to this western reader (the first especially so). For some reason the majority of these tales depict the fathers as being buffoons or jerks, which wears a little thin - but overall they are interesting insights into Japanese family life.
Be warned, there are a few sad tales.
The stories all explore family life as affected by cats, usually at least partly from the cats perspective. Maybe, being a Japanese translation, the directions the stories take or fail to take are a little surprising to this western reader (the first especially so). For some reason the majority of these tales depict the fathers as being buffoons or jerks, which wears a little thin - but overall they are interesting insights into Japanese family life.
Be warned, there are a few sad tales.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Animal death, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Death
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa
emotional
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Another Japanese slice-of-life book that is so gentle and slow it's hard to call it an exciting page-turner, but nevertheless I find myself utterly absorbed - and complete these books faster than any other type.
A book of two halves - so much so it's almost a novella and it's sequel - this quiet emotional book follows Takako into her uncle's bookshop as she retreats from a life that just fell to pieces.
We see her anger, we see her grieving, we see centre herself, we see her uncertainty at her ability to ever leave the cosy confines of the bookstore. I'd like to say there's a dramatic twist, but this book is very grounded in reality - life just goes on until you choose to make changes happen.
Unexpected events do occur, but it's refreshing to read a book where the characters truly are in charge of their own destiny - and the obstacles they need to overcome are usually ones from within, dictated by their personality, drives and emotions.
A book of two halves - so much so it's almost a novella and it's sequel - this quiet emotional book follows Takako into her uncle's bookshop as she retreats from a life that just fell to pieces.
We see her anger, we see her grieving, we see centre herself, we see her uncertainty at her ability to ever leave the cosy confines of the bookstore. I'd like to say there's a dramatic twist, but this book is very grounded in reality - life just goes on until you choose to make changes happen.
Unexpected events do occur, but it's refreshing to read a book where the characters truly are in charge of their own destiny - and the obstacles they need to overcome are usually ones from within, dictated by their personality, drives and emotions.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Miscarriage