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jurizprudence's reviews
235 reviews
A History of Touch by Erin Vance
dark
tense
3.75
eARC provided by NetGalley and Guernica Editions in exchange for an honest review.
“This is the waxen depth of unmarked women made of wire.”
Eerie and disturbing, A History of Touch paints images of women who are labeled "difficult" throughout history, told by the harsh brushstrokes of verses. The poems are as brutal as the way men and society treated and dehumanized these women, from Bridget Cleary and Rosemary Kennedy to various unnamed ones, maybe forgotten, but not without the lasting marks they left behind. Vance, with her carefully woven words, gave these women voices when they were denied of their own in their time.
Even hours after reading this, I admit that I am still at a loss for words. This collection of poems is simultaneously engrossing and revolting, in a way that I didn't know could be fitting. But I think that's the allure of it: they are compelling to read because they are off-putting in the first place—the imagery Vance paints on the readers' minds through her words is clear, profound, and blood-soaked enough that they can't help but reel away at the start. I expected the poems to be visceral, but I didn't know that there were a lot of body horrors incorporated into them along with the depiction of injustices and crimes against women. While this might interest other readers, I find that this was exactly what threw me off-guard at first, making some passages difficult for me to read. This unique allure of Vance's writing, then, is what makes or breaks the collection, depending on the readers themselves and their tastes in poetry. The individual poems center around different women, most of whom I've heard nothing of prior, and some are folkloric. The insights and contexts of the pieces were lost to me, but searching on the internet provided some understanding. It turned out that there were actually historical references and notes about the women at the end of the book, which made me see the poems in a different and clearer light than before, that I had to reread some of them just to bask in the experience. Some of my favorite pieces are "Crow Theory" and "The Purported Last Words of Ruth Blay".
“Don't let my students watch, don't let the girls see. I haven't yet taught them what it means to be a woman.” Heart-wrenching in its honesty, these lines were what fully drew me in and made me realize that this poetry collection will be haunting me for a long time.
I would say that these poems cater to a specific type of reader, so I recommend this to anyone who enjoys gothic and horror poetry.
3.75 stars rounded off to 4.
“This is the waxen depth of unmarked women made of wire.”
Eerie and disturbing, A History of Touch paints images of women who are labeled "difficult" throughout history, told by the harsh brushstrokes of verses. The poems are as brutal as the way men and society treated and dehumanized these women, from Bridget Cleary and Rosemary Kennedy to various unnamed ones, maybe forgotten, but not without the lasting marks they left behind. Vance, with her carefully woven words, gave these women voices when they were denied of their own in their time.
Even hours after reading this, I admit that I am still at a loss for words. This collection of poems is simultaneously engrossing and revolting, in a way that I didn't know could be fitting. But I think that's the allure of it: they are compelling to read because they are off-putting in the first place—the imagery Vance paints on the readers' minds through her words is clear, profound, and blood-soaked enough that they can't help but reel away at the start. I expected the poems to be visceral, but I didn't know that there were a lot of body horrors incorporated into them along with the depiction of injustices and crimes against women. While this might interest other readers, I find that this was exactly what threw me off-guard at first, making some passages difficult for me to read. This unique allure of Vance's writing, then, is what makes or breaks the collection, depending on the readers themselves and their tastes in poetry. The individual poems center around different women, most of whom I've heard nothing of prior, and some are folkloric. The insights and contexts of the pieces were lost to me, but searching on the internet provided some understanding. It turned out that there were actually historical references and notes about the women at the end of the book, which made me see the poems in a different and clearer light than before, that I had to reread some of them just to bask in the experience. Some of my favorite pieces are "Crow Theory" and "The Purported Last Words of Ruth Blay".
“Don't let my students watch, don't let the girls see. I haven't yet taught them what it means to be a woman.” Heart-wrenching in its honesty, these lines were what fully drew me in and made me realize that this poetry collection will be haunting me for a long time.
I would say that these poems cater to a specific type of reader, so I recommend this to anyone who enjoys gothic and horror poetry.
3.75 stars rounded off to 4.
Spear by Nicola Griffith
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
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? No
4.0
such a glorious, lyrical, and enthralling novella that has a lot to say about the poignant longing to belong and the much-needed poc, disability, and queer representation in legend retellings. told through the perspective of a young woman who disguises herself as a man to seek greatness in the king's court, it is written impeccably with just the right amount of folklore and mythical elements, as well as a dash of sapphic romance here and there. i loved that for under two hundred pages, the story and its origins are evidently well-researched, the characters fleshed-out and root-worthy, the prose so graceful in its storytelling. per, that sweet girl, owns my heart.
“And for now, she did not care. She cared only for the fact that she was young and strong, her love was in her arms, the fire was warm, and the tide of life was rising, rising within her.”
it's also my first arthurian retelling and it definitely set the bar high for my next ones! loved, loved the gender-bent spin on the knight percival here.
“And for now, she did not care. She cared only for the fact that she was young and strong, her love was in her arms, the fire was warm, and the tide of life was rising, rising within her.”
it's also my first arthurian retelling and it definitely set the bar high for my next ones! loved, loved the gender-bent spin on the knight percival here.
Among the Hollow by Roman Ankenbrandt
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
- 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
3.75
snarky, sapphic necromancers, you say? sounds like something i'm very fond of
i loved the egyptian-and-greek-inspired world-building and magic system of this book so much. i just wish this was longer, so i could munch on the rich details of it more. as it was, the rules of necromancy and the world were not entirely fleshed out; i would've loved to learn more about both tho, because they're sooo interesting. honestly if a book centers around necromancy i would eat it all up. the prose is immaculate, albeit not entirely perfect—there are some ungrammatical and sloppy sentences, along with a few errors, probably because this is self-published. the protagonists are loveable!! i adored both sevila and aurel, their banter, and their somewhat endearing relationship with one another. i appreciated that they're not glaringly romantic or what, if anything, they're bffs!! theirs is the strong bond that grew from a necromancer in contract with a severed soul to find their body and in the long journey, allowed them to know each other deeply than any other being could.
i know i would've enjoyed this much more if not for my hectic school schedule that rendered me unable to consume this in one-go, but still, it's a great read.
i loved the egyptian-and-greek-inspired world-building and magic system of this book so much. i just wish this was longer, so i could munch on the rich details of it more. as it was, the rules of necromancy and the world were not entirely fleshed out; i would've loved to learn more about both tho, because they're sooo interesting. honestly if a book centers around necromancy i would eat it all up. the prose is immaculate, albeit not entirely perfect—there are some ungrammatical and sloppy sentences, along with a few errors, probably because this is self-published. the protagonists are loveable!! i adored both sevila and aurel, their banter, and their somewhat endearing relationship with one another. i appreciated that they're not glaringly romantic or what, if anything, they're bffs!! theirs is the strong bond that grew from a necromancer in contract with a severed soul to find their body and in the long journey, allowed them to know each other deeply than any other being could.
i know i would've enjoyed this much more if not for my hectic school schedule that rendered me unable to consume this in one-go, but still, it's a great read.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
dark
mysterious
medium-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? Yes
1.0
it was kind of . . . underwhelming. i expected more, i guess, seeing that this is a much hyped book. there was the shock factor from the twist, but it fell flat for me. the whole story did, honestly.
edit: knocking off two stars from my previous rating weeks after finishing because it dawned on me that i hate this book with a burning passion. i couldn't shake off the uneasiness i felt while reading it, and i still couldn't two weeks after. there's not a single line written in this book that will pass the bechdel test. what is that ending. all the problematic and stereotypical tones, as well as the uncomfortable depiction of women in it overshadowed that supposedly great twist at the end, in my own opinion. i just hope the male mc isn't a reflection of the author himself, bc if he is, then that's a shame.
edit: knocking off two stars from my previous rating weeks after finishing because it dawned on me that i hate this book with a burning passion. i couldn't shake off the uneasiness i felt while reading it, and i still couldn't two weeks after. there's not a single line written in this book that will pass the bechdel test. what is that ending. all the problematic and stereotypical tones, as well as the uncomfortable depiction of women in it overshadowed that supposedly great twist at the end, in my own opinion. i just hope the male mc isn't a reflection of the author himself, bc if he is, then that's a shame.
Christabel by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
dark
mysterious
medium-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
3.0
someone needs to learn necromancy to bring back coleridge and make him finish this
The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
gyre
(v.) to move in a circle or spiral
a stubborn caver, her control freak handler, a messed-up cave system, and the ghosts of all the people that never got out alive.
this was incredibly agonizing. it felt like i was there in the cave with gyre, diving on the sumps, climbing up and down, suffering and spiraling with her. i was promised spook, but what i got were buckets of stress, frustration, hopelessness, mingled with the neverending creeping dread and overflowing tension that wrung out a few tears from me. it was very stressful and tiring the entire time but like . . . i said thank you afterwards??? because that definitely was an experience
i liked the build up of gyre and em's relationship with each other. i know it's super messy and very unideal, but at least they found what little comfort they could in one another's brokenness. they probably won't last long tho, so idk, good for them?
(v.) to move in a circle or spiral
a stubborn caver, her control freak handler, a messed-up cave system, and the ghosts of all the people that never got out alive.
this was incredibly agonizing. it felt like i was there in the cave with gyre, diving on the sumps, climbing up and down, suffering and spiraling with her. i was promised spook, but what i got were buckets of stress, frustration, hopelessness, mingled with the neverending creeping dread and overflowing tension that wrung out a few tears from me. it was very stressful and tiring the entire time but like . . . i said thank you afterwards??? because that definitely was an experience
i liked the build up of gyre and em's relationship with each other. i know it's super messy and very unideal, but at least they found what little comfort they could in one another's brokenness. they probably won't last long tho, so idk, good for them?
The Unbroken by C.L. Clark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
i'm sure touraine could get better at decision-making, but aside from that, this book is good. it tackles racism, imperialism, rebellion, identity, and one's journey on going back to her roots in a realistic, nuanced and compelling way. i just wished that instead of giving luca a point of view on the story, the author spent more time on deepening touraine's connections and relationships with the sands, her family, and friends. idk, most of them didn't really make any lasting impression on me when their demises fell upon them—this, i think, is where the book fell flat. there's not enough emotional connection between tour and her supposed bffs—but maybe that's just me. my thoughts are all over the place i need to gather my brain cells first thnx
also, loved that ending. it was hopeful—exactly what i needed and at the same time didn't expect at first from a book described as "in the vein of The Traitor Baru Cormorant". if you know what i mean
also, loved that ending. it was hopeful—exactly what i needed and at the same time didn't expect at first from a book described as "in the vein of The Traitor Baru Cormorant". if you know what i mean
Poūkahangatus by Tayi Tibble
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
3.5
eARC provided by NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.
"Tell me, am I navigating correctly? The sea our ancestors traversed stretches out farther than the stars."
Brutally honest and at times dry-humoured, Poukahangatus (pronounced as Pocahontas) is a collection of varying prose and poetry about femininity, identity, and pop culture references, cleverly spun to project what it means to be a woman of color and of indigenous roots in these times.
I tend to veer off from modern poems, because I find that they're not really up to my alley, but the cover of this book caught my eyes. What's inside, though, proved to have none of the delicacy of the outside, as Tibble wrote such frank and razor-sharp pieces that eventually grew on me as I turned the pages. Although I did not enjoy the writing style so much—I love purple prose and flowery words, and this collection do not have those in abundance—I still appreciated how it entranced me enough to keep me reading. I liked that the author switched between poems and proses, styles and lengths, interlacing her own experiences on the narrative. Some of the pieces were too personal and unique that I struggled to connect and relate with it. This might be the reason why I am partial to the paragraph proses more, for at least they offer a wider sense of scope and did not leave me grappling. Albeit it's too "insta poetry" for my tastes, I enjoyed and liked some pieces. From "Indigenous Hair Dos and Don'ts" to "Nobody in the Water" and "Vampires and Werewolves", I would say that this is an interesting and firm debut.
Easily understandable and a very short read, I would recommend this to anyone who likes the works of Lang Leav and Rupi Kaur.
"Tell me, am I navigating correctly? The sea our ancestors traversed stretches out farther than the stars."
Brutally honest and at times dry-humoured, Poukahangatus (pronounced as Pocahontas) is a collection of varying prose and poetry about femininity, identity, and pop culture references, cleverly spun to project what it means to be a woman of color and of indigenous roots in these times.
I tend to veer off from modern poems, because I find that they're not really up to my alley, but the cover of this book caught my eyes. What's inside, though, proved to have none of the delicacy of the outside, as Tibble wrote such frank and razor-sharp pieces that eventually grew on me as I turned the pages. Although I did not enjoy the writing style so much—I love purple prose and flowery words, and this collection do not have those in abundance—I still appreciated how it entranced me enough to keep me reading. I liked that the author switched between poems and proses, styles and lengths, interlacing her own experiences on the narrative. Some of the pieces were too personal and unique that I struggled to connect and relate with it. This might be the reason why I am partial to the paragraph proses more, for at least they offer a wider sense of scope and did not leave me grappling. Albeit it's too "insta poetry" for my tastes, I enjoyed and liked some pieces. From "Indigenous Hair Dos and Don'ts" to "Nobody in the Water" and "Vampires and Werewolves", I would say that this is an interesting and firm debut.
Easily understandable and a very short read, I would recommend this to anyone who likes the works of Lang Leav and Rupi Kaur.
Carmilla and Laura by S.D. Simper
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-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
i think we as a society deserve more retellings of carmilla at par with or even greater than this one
Persuasion by Jane Austen
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
my first classic, and i loved it dearly. quite surprised that i grew fond of the quiet tone and the subtle romantic themes all throughout the book. it was a bit dragging at times, but i guess the tension between anne and frederick and the letter of the latter by the end were enough pay-offs.