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justagirlwithabook's reviews
432 reviews
The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich
challenging
emotional
informative
lighthearted
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
4.0
Dear Mr. M by Herman Koch, Sam Garrett
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I think I have more positive thoughts than negative thoughts about this one but I'm still not fully sure what to think. The premise: Mr. M is a writer whose career has slowed significantly. His greatest book was a story about a high school couple mixed up in the disappearance of a history teacher (who had been found out as having had an affair with one of his students). The book was based off a real event, but no one knows the REAL truth. There were times in reading the book that I was bored (reflections on the past or insignificant events), but then the storyline itself was really very clever and well written with an interesting ending. A bit of a mix between lit fic and "mystery/suspense" with a slow burn.
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Ah, here we go. The Review.
Lots to say about this one but probably not what you’d quite expect. I’m not in the “I’m obsessed with this book” or “Atwood is a genius” camp, nor am I in the “This book wasn’t for me” or “I just don’t get it” camp. I’m somewhere in the more contemplative middle.
Initial reflections: Was I shocked? No. Do I think Atwood a genius? No. Am I obsessed now? No. Did this book make me think? Yes. Am I glad to have read it? Yes. Is it a cautionary tale of humanity’s darkest potential? Yes. (If you disagree with me here - “But this would never happen. It’s too far-fetched.” - do some digging into NXIVM ... you’ll find it a small microcosm of The Handmaid’s Tale. Real life. Over the course of the last 20 years. It’s eerie in its similarities.)
Other thoughts:
I put this book in the same wheelhouse as The Giver, Brave New World, 1984, and similar “thinker” dystopian-based books that address really complex societal issues and force the reader to engage and ask questions. These books never end up on my personal favorites lists but, as an English teacher, I can say with certainty that they add value to the discussion. This is one of those books that opens another door to conversations about societies, our role within them, and humanity as a whole.
Personal bookish preferences:
I devour a book with a rich setting and a fast-paced plot (usually). I’ll admit that halfway through I started getting antsy (bored?) and flipped to the back a few times in hopes I could will myself to keep pressing on. The last third of the book picked up pace. Until that time though, it was slower going (but still interesting enough to continue without throwing in the towel).
Lots to say about this one but probably not what you’d quite expect. I’m not in the “I’m obsessed with this book” or “Atwood is a genius” camp, nor am I in the “This book wasn’t for me” or “I just don’t get it” camp. I’m somewhere in the more contemplative middle.
Initial reflections: Was I shocked? No. Do I think Atwood a genius? No. Am I obsessed now? No. Did this book make me think? Yes. Am I glad to have read it? Yes. Is it a cautionary tale of humanity’s darkest potential? Yes. (If you disagree with me here - “But this would never happen. It’s too far-fetched.” - do some digging into NXIVM ... you’ll find it a small microcosm of The Handmaid’s Tale. Real life. Over the course of the last 20 years. It’s eerie in its similarities.)
Other thoughts:
I put this book in the same wheelhouse as The Giver, Brave New World, 1984, and similar “thinker” dystopian-based books that address really complex societal issues and force the reader to engage and ask questions. These books never end up on my personal favorites lists but, as an English teacher, I can say with certainty that they add value to the discussion. This is one of those books that opens another door to conversations about societies, our role within them, and humanity as a whole.
Personal bookish preferences:
I devour a book with a rich setting and a fast-paced plot (usually). I’ll admit that halfway through I started getting antsy (bored?) and flipped to the back a few times in hopes I could will myself to keep pressing on. The last third of the book picked up pace. Until that time though, it was slower going (but still interesting enough to continue without throwing in the towel).
The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Oh, my heart. This book. It is in every way my type of book. It filled my heart to the brim (and there may or may not have been a few tears shed at the end). While this is a middle grade fantasy, if you love stories, good magic, sweet friendly animals that can talk and add comic relief, and books that provide an escape from the world but also make you feel like you've come home ... you have to pick this book up. Quick synopsis: A baby girl named Luna is offered as a sacrifice by the townspeople to the witch in the woods. Little do they know, the witch in the woods is a good witch, who raises Luna as her own granddaughter, and the real witch is the one living in town, right under the townspeople's dreary noses. Good things happen, then some bad things, and then more good things. And by the end, your heart will be glad to have read the story.
Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Rating: ✫✫✫✫✫/5
If you like: adult fantasy, short stories, folktale/grim-esque tales, books turned into movies or shows, fantastical creatures and monsters, stories that have those middle ages/medieval/renaissance vibes about them, a little bit magic, adventures, a bit of blurring the lines between good and evil, books in translation
Similar Reads: The jury is out on this one for now!
Another first book of a series to review! It would seem this is the year that I’ve unintentionally thrown myself into all the fantasy series (what have I done?). But it’s all okay. Let’s get to it!
‘Evil is evil, Stregobor,’ said the witcher seriously as he got up. ‘Lesser, greater, middling, it’s all the same. Proportions are negotiated, boundaries are blurred. I’m not a pious hermit, I haven’t done only good in my life. But if I’m to choose between one evil and another, then I prefer not to choose at all.’
A friend recommended reading this book series when they discovered that Netflix was putting out a show all about The Witcher. Of course after seeing that Henry Cavill would be playing the star role, I was all in. That said, I was still a bit skeptical. The books are originally written in Polish and have been translated to English (no qualms there), but they inspired the Witcher games, and I thought, “Eh, these are going to be books about monsters that are very gaming-esque, and I’m not so sure it’ll be a perfect fit.”
Well, I was wrong.
Quick Synopsis
The Last Wish introduces us to a witcher called Geralt of Rivia who is, “technically” speaking, a man but who’s always referred to as a mutant. Witchers are mutated humans who have magical powers and incredible fighting abilities that have been enhanced by years of training and the (assumed) ingestion of mutagenic elixirs. The mutation process is not a pleasant one from what I’ve gathered so far, to say the least.
So what are witchers? Witchers are hunters who hunt down and kill evil monsters within the world. This is how they make their livelihood and it seems to be their sole purpose in life. The Last Wish introduces us to Geralt, and handful of other interesting characters and strange monsters, and it provides us with some solid background on who a witcher is, what they do, and how the system of this world works, generally speaking.
What I Loved
-- Hello to a new world with new places, characters, and creatures, albeit some a bit familiar to those we’ve heard of before (striga are basically vampires, and elves are elves, etc.)
-- It’s witty, dry, sarcastic at times, and funny. “It doesn’t take itself too seriously,” as one of my teacher-friends might say. There are characters filtered throughout that add comic relief, and Geralt himself is a bit dry and sarcastic, so his reactions add a decent amount of humor. What’s not to love there?
-- It does NOT feel super ‘gamey.’ You know what I mean? I don’t know how to explain what I mean by this. If you get it, you get it.
-- The classic good vs. evil trope continues to make its appearance in these books but the lines are fairly blurred. There’s a lot of discussion about what is truly evil, what is lesser, and what is ‘middling.’ According to Geralt, it’s all the same. As the reader, I tend to ask, “Is it?”
-- Also, magic, but not too much. Magic is involved, it’s used, and the more you read the more you get to understand the powers of world that Sapkowski builds, but it’s not overwhelming and it is not the focus.
-- While I wouldn’t classify this as high fantasy, it definitely gives off those middle ages/medieval vibesthat I tend to love so much.
‘She spoke to the elf telepathically,’ muttered the bard. ‘I sensed it. I’m right, aren’t I, Geralt? After all, you can sense communication like that. Did you understand what … What she was getting across to the elf?'
‘Some of it.’
‘What was she talking about?’
‘Hope. That things renew themselves, and won’t stop doing so.’
‘Is that all?’
‘What was enough.’
Reading Order & Structure
The Last Wish is the first book (technically #0.5) of The Witcher series written by Andrzej Sapkowski. After doing some digging on the characteristics of the books and the order in which they should be read, I discovered that pretty much all of the Witcher fandom on Reddit and gaming sites feels that they should be read in the following chronological order with the exception of the newest standalone, Season of Storms:
The Last Wish (#0.5)
Sword of Destiny (#0.75)
Blood of Elves (#1)
Time of Contempt (#2)
Baptism of Fire (#3)
The Tower of the Swallow (#4)
The Lady of the Lake (#5)
Season of Storms (#0)
Couple of things to keep in mind about the first two books, The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny:
First, and in my opinion after reading The Last Wish and currently halfway through Sword of Destiny, it’s recommended that you pick up the first two purely for ‘getting situated in the world’ reasons. I thought I could jump into the Netflix show without any problems and after watching the first 10 minutes, I said to myself, “Nope! I need some background” and turned it off. Jumping into Blood of Elves as the first novel of the series might feel similarly. But at the end of the day, you do you.
Second, the first two books are technically referred to as short stories. Here’s the thing though, they’re all very interconnected. They’re not what you would think of as your usual book of shorts where each story is its own unique entity. In my opinion, these read more like a novella might, where it’s not quite as intense and stretched out as a full novel, but it’s a quick read with, what I see as, short chapters of stories leading us through the book. So, longer than a novella but with similar characteristics and the same feel of lots of stories but all interconnected.
‘People,’ Geralt turned his head, ‘like to invent monsters and monstrosities. Then they seem less monstrous themselves. When they get blind-drunk, cheat, steal, beat their wives, starve an old woman, when they kill a trapped fox with an axe or riddle the last existing unicorn with arrows, they like to think that the Bane entering cottages at daybreak is more monstrous than they are. They feel better then. They find it easier to live.’
Hopefully this review has been a bit helpful in guiding you through the start of your Witcher journey (from someone who is just starting to figure it all out herself!). Until next time, happy reading, bookworms!
If you like: adult fantasy, short stories, folktale/grim-esque tales, books turned into movies or shows, fantastical creatures and monsters, stories that have those middle ages/medieval/renaissance vibes about them, a little bit magic, adventures, a bit of blurring the lines between good and evil, books in translation
Similar Reads: The jury is out on this one for now!
Another first book of a series to review! It would seem this is the year that I’ve unintentionally thrown myself into all the fantasy series (what have I done?). But it’s all okay. Let’s get to it!
‘Evil is evil, Stregobor,’ said the witcher seriously as he got up. ‘Lesser, greater, middling, it’s all the same. Proportions are negotiated, boundaries are blurred. I’m not a pious hermit, I haven’t done only good in my life. But if I’m to choose between one evil and another, then I prefer not to choose at all.’
A friend recommended reading this book series when they discovered that Netflix was putting out a show all about The Witcher. Of course after seeing that Henry Cavill would be playing the star role, I was all in. That said, I was still a bit skeptical. The books are originally written in Polish and have been translated to English (no qualms there), but they inspired the Witcher games, and I thought, “Eh, these are going to be books about monsters that are very gaming-esque, and I’m not so sure it’ll be a perfect fit.”
Well, I was wrong.
Quick Synopsis
The Last Wish introduces us to a witcher called Geralt of Rivia who is, “technically” speaking, a man but who’s always referred to as a mutant. Witchers are mutated humans who have magical powers and incredible fighting abilities that have been enhanced by years of training and the (assumed) ingestion of mutagenic elixirs. The mutation process is not a pleasant one from what I’ve gathered so far, to say the least.
So what are witchers? Witchers are hunters who hunt down and kill evil monsters within the world. This is how they make their livelihood and it seems to be their sole purpose in life. The Last Wish introduces us to Geralt, and handful of other interesting characters and strange monsters, and it provides us with some solid background on who a witcher is, what they do, and how the system of this world works, generally speaking.
What I Loved
-- Hello to a new world with new places, characters, and creatures, albeit some a bit familiar to those we’ve heard of before (striga are basically vampires, and elves are elves, etc.)
-- It’s witty, dry, sarcastic at times, and funny. “It doesn’t take itself too seriously,” as one of my teacher-friends might say. There are characters filtered throughout that add comic relief, and Geralt himself is a bit dry and sarcastic, so his reactions add a decent amount of humor. What’s not to love there?
-- It does NOT feel super ‘gamey.’ You know what I mean? I don’t know how to explain what I mean by this. If you get it, you get it.
-- The classic good vs. evil trope continues to make its appearance in these books but the lines are fairly blurred. There’s a lot of discussion about what is truly evil, what is lesser, and what is ‘middling.’ According to Geralt, it’s all the same. As the reader, I tend to ask, “Is it?”
-- Also, magic, but not too much. Magic is involved, it’s used, and the more you read the more you get to understand the powers of world that Sapkowski builds, but it’s not overwhelming and it is not the focus.
-- While I wouldn’t classify this as high fantasy, it definitely gives off those middle ages/medieval vibesthat I tend to love so much.
‘She spoke to the elf telepathically,’ muttered the bard. ‘I sensed it. I’m right, aren’t I, Geralt? After all, you can sense communication like that. Did you understand what … What she was getting across to the elf?'
‘Some of it.’
‘What was she talking about?’
‘Hope. That things renew themselves, and won’t stop doing so.’
‘Is that all?’
‘What was enough.’
Reading Order & Structure
The Last Wish is the first book (technically #0.5) of The Witcher series written by Andrzej Sapkowski. After doing some digging on the characteristics of the books and the order in which they should be read, I discovered that pretty much all of the Witcher fandom on Reddit and gaming sites feels that they should be read in the following chronological order with the exception of the newest standalone, Season of Storms:
The Last Wish (#0.5)
Sword of Destiny (#0.75)
Blood of Elves (#1)
Time of Contempt (#2)
Baptism of Fire (#3)
The Tower of the Swallow (#4)
The Lady of the Lake (#5)
Season of Storms (#0)
Couple of things to keep in mind about the first two books, The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny:
First, and in my opinion after reading The Last Wish and currently halfway through Sword of Destiny, it’s recommended that you pick up the first two purely for ‘getting situated in the world’ reasons. I thought I could jump into the Netflix show without any problems and after watching the first 10 minutes, I said to myself, “Nope! I need some background” and turned it off. Jumping into Blood of Elves as the first novel of the series might feel similarly. But at the end of the day, you do you.
Second, the first two books are technically referred to as short stories. Here’s the thing though, they’re all very interconnected. They’re not what you would think of as your usual book of shorts where each story is its own unique entity. In my opinion, these read more like a novella might, where it’s not quite as intense and stretched out as a full novel, but it’s a quick read with, what I see as, short chapters of stories leading us through the book. So, longer than a novella but with similar characteristics and the same feel of lots of stories but all interconnected.
‘People,’ Geralt turned his head, ‘like to invent monsters and monstrosities. Then they seem less monstrous themselves. When they get blind-drunk, cheat, steal, beat their wives, starve an old woman, when they kill a trapped fox with an axe or riddle the last existing unicorn with arrows, they like to think that the Bane entering cottages at daybreak is more monstrous than they are. They feel better then. They find it easier to live.’
Hopefully this review has been a bit helpful in guiding you through the start of your Witcher journey (from someone who is just starting to figure it all out herself!). Until next time, happy reading, bookworms!
Emma by Jane Austen
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
My gosh, this one took much too long to read. Here are the basics: Emma lives with her dad and loves to play matchmaker for everyone living within her general vicinity. The first handful of chapters were as slow as molasses and a million characters were introduced. (There were lots of notes taken.) And then the chaos began: Emma setting up this person with that person, then changing her mind and encouraging a different match, then being surprised about people's feelings for each other because, though she's clever about some things, she's also entirely daft about others. A little more than halfway through I decided this story could've been told in a significantly shorter form and I just wanted it all to be over. I have a great nostalgic love for Pride & Prejudice and Jane Austen, but man, this one was brutal. I've not seen any adaptations yet but I've already decided I'll enjoy them immensely more than the book.
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Geeze Louise. Three months later.
Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0