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kingofthehillxl's reviews
131 reviews
American Whitelash: A Changing Nation and the Cost of Progress by Wesley Lowery
informative
4.0
This is somewhere very close to 5 stars for me. I think it lacked a little impact on the theory side. It is an amazing account of the modern face of white reactionism, and as a gen z, the first president I thought about in the present tense is probably Obama.
I remember his election. It isn’t the actual inauguration, or any of his heralding speeches that stuck with me though. It is the reckoning I had with politics as I got into an emotional debate with one of my then friends in the fourth grade who was CONVINCED that Obama wasn’t actually American and was instead a African Muslim immigrant in disguise would ruin our country. I remember this vividly, and even though I don’t speak of it much it often lingers in my mind. Several memories like this are what I recalled while reading this book. It is a little different to recall where you were during so much of a non fiction book. As a young person, it isn’t an experience I often have. I remember when I first saw Charlottesville on the news. I remember the racial climate during Obama’s presidency. As a black boy who lived through a lot of this book, I know the story first hand.
One of the biggest triumphs of the book for sure is the prose, it isn’t poetic but it conveys very succinctly a somewhat nebulous message about the historic trend of White backlash against racial progress. It’s when we get beyond the area of explaining the phenomenon that I think the book may falter a little.
I remember his election. It isn’t the actual inauguration, or any of his heralding speeches that stuck with me though. It is the reckoning I had with politics as I got into an emotional debate with one of my then friends in the fourth grade who was CONVINCED that Obama wasn’t actually American and was instead a African Muslim immigrant in disguise would ruin our country. I remember this vividly, and even though I don’t speak of it much it often lingers in my mind. Several memories like this are what I recalled while reading this book. It is a little different to recall where you were during so much of a non fiction book. As a young person, it isn’t an experience I often have. I remember when I first saw Charlottesville on the news. I remember the racial climate during Obama’s presidency. As a black boy who lived through a lot of this book, I know the story first hand.
One of the biggest triumphs of the book for sure is the prose, it isn’t poetic but it conveys very succinctly a somewhat nebulous message about the historic trend of White backlash against racial progress. It’s when we get beyond the area of explaining the phenomenon that I think the book may falter a little.
Babel by R.F. Kuang
tense
medium-paced
5.0
The very late Babel review no one was waiting for!
I am the target audience for this book. I think my favorite part of this book is the subtext. As soon as I found out what year it was I knew a key component of the narrative that added a weight to all of R. F. Kuang’s decisions that broke me to my core by the end. I find the things Kuang doesn’t say in relation to history to be profoundly effective. As researched as the novel is I can only imagine those certain omissions to be intentional. There’s a point in the novel when you realize there are only so many ways a novel like this with no sequel can end.
Babel is extremely transparent in it’s unflinching look at colonialism. I find that I personally appreciate a lot of the things I’ve heard other people dislike about this novel. I think the characters felt real to me. I sometimes feel characters can come across over internalized, but in Babel like I find in my real life, a lot of the nuisance lives in silence. Is Babel a perfect novel? I’m sure in time some of the criticisms might ring true to me, but for now, I think I’m comfortable saying that nothing in the book overtly bothered me. I’ve read so many books recently, that you’d think criticism to come easily, but I cannot venture one substantial. Even as I think on something like, “should there have been more magic,” to me Babel’s use its own magic system is a vehicle for the colonial crimes, so in a sense I think it uses its magic system more as a way to lift the text above what is otherwise historical fiction.
I cannot underscore how masterful I think historical background is used here. There are so many notes written throughout, yet nothing that alludes to the very real looming war that is happening in our parallel reality. It almost punctuates the ending of the novel in a way that adds an immense meaning to every conversation. This along with the way all of these contradictions come together in our main character created at times a powerful allegory for me.
Against the backdrop of recent literary rollercoaster I have to admit Babel stands out for me amongst the pack.
I am the target audience for this book. I think my favorite part of this book is the subtext. As soon as I found out what year it was I knew a key component of the narrative that added a weight to all of R. F. Kuang’s decisions that broke me to my core by the end. I find the things Kuang doesn’t say in relation to history to be profoundly effective. As researched as the novel is I can only imagine those certain omissions to be intentional. There’s a point in the novel when you realize there are only so many ways a novel like this with no sequel can end.
Babel is extremely transparent in it’s unflinching look at colonialism. I find that I personally appreciate a lot of the things I’ve heard other people dislike about this novel. I think the characters felt real to me. I sometimes feel characters can come across over internalized, but in Babel like I find in my real life, a lot of the nuisance lives in silence. Is Babel a perfect novel? I’m sure in time some of the criticisms might ring true to me, but for now, I think I’m comfortable saying that nothing in the book overtly bothered me. I’ve read so many books recently, that you’d think criticism to come easily, but I cannot venture one substantial. Even as I think on something like, “should there have been more magic,” to me Babel’s use its own magic system is a vehicle for the colonial crimes, so in a sense I think it uses its magic system more as a way to lift the text above what is otherwise historical fiction.
I cannot underscore how masterful I think historical background is used here. There are so many notes written throughout, yet nothing that alludes to the very real looming war that is happening in our parallel reality. It almost punctuates the ending of the novel in a way that adds an immense meaning to every conversation. This along with the way all of these contradictions come together in our main character created at times a powerful allegory for me.
Against the backdrop of recent literary rollercoaster I have to admit Babel stands out for me amongst the pack.
Pierce Brown's Red Rising: Sons of Ares, Vol. 1 by Rik Hoskin, Pierce Brown
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
4.0
Great Backstory
This was a really good background of Ares. I don’t know how much more two say without spoiling. I think the story does most of the heavy lifting. The landscapes and backgrounds are great, but for such an visual hierarchy I would have liked the art to be finer in its execution. I mean finer in line weight mostly. I think the idea of the art is stunning but the lining is to heavy for all the detailing they incorporate. I think the lining could have worked if the art was black and white, but it looks sloppy in color. I think I would have much preferred EITHER color or the heavy lines. Since color is such a big part of the story, the better option would have been to decrease the line weight at least for the details of the people if nothing else. It a very small change but it is a world of difference to my personal taste.
This was a really good background of Ares. I don’t know how much more two say without spoiling. I think the story does most of the heavy lifting. The landscapes and backgrounds are great, but for such an visual hierarchy I would have liked the art to be finer in its execution. I mean finer in line weight mostly. I think the idea of the art is stunning but the lining is to heavy for all the detailing they incorporate. I think the lining could have worked if the art was black and white, but it looks sloppy in color. I think I would have much preferred EITHER color or the heavy lines. Since color is such a big part of the story, the better option would have been to decrease the line weight at least for the details of the people if nothing else. It a very small change but it is a world of difference to my personal taste.
Morning Star by Pierce Brown
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
5.0
A great conclusion
Can’t decide if I like this one or Golden Son more. Both are great improvements on Red Rising. The ending of Golden Son will always be iconic, but the way this book is able to draw so many threads together is also a feat. The ability to weave the cataclysmic events of the prior novel into this one, and claw the narrative to its climax was done very carefully. I’m excited to see where we go from here and I appreciate that there is more. We don’t often get to really gestate on the new horizons that come in these series. It is the better choice to make such great strides in each novel instead of dragging one arc over a lot if book as some authors do. This trilogy will always stand on its own as a feat.
Can’t decide if I like this one or Golden Son more. Both are great improvements on Red Rising. The ending of Golden Son will always be iconic, but the way this book is able to draw so many threads together is also a feat. The ability to weave the cataclysmic events of the prior novel into this one, and claw the narrative to its climax was done very carefully. I’m excited to see where we go from here and I appreciate that there is more. We don’t often get to really gestate on the new horizons that come in these series. It is the better choice to make such great strides in each novel instead of dragging one arc over a lot if book as some authors do. This trilogy will always stand on its own as a feat.
Golden Son by Pierce Brown
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
5.0
It got me in the end
Pierce Brown evolves into the author we’ve all heard about in this novel. The previous installment may lead you to believe it was all hype, but by the end of this novel he will make a believer out of you too. I can’t wait to read the final part of this trilogy and then come back and read this novel to see what parts of the story are plussed by the completion of the arc.
I just finished, and while there were times when I was unsure if I truly was enjoying the series Pierce has a way of bringing it all home here that puts him a cut above the others. I have my small criticisms but I think I’ll save them till I get to the end.
Pierce Brown evolves into the author we’ve all heard about in this novel. The previous installment may lead you to believe it was all hype, but by the end of this novel he will make a believer out of you too. I can’t wait to read the final part of this trilogy and then come back and read this novel to see what parts of the story are plussed by the completion of the arc.
I just finished, and while there were times when I was unsure if I truly was enjoying the series Pierce has a way of bringing it all home here that puts him a cut above the others. I have my small criticisms but I think I’ll save them till I get to the end.
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
emotional
funny
medium-paced
4.5
Turn your brain off
If I was younger I might have given this 5 stars. I think it’s just about as good as could be. Just the right amount of endearing, a splash of scandal, and a whole lot of romance. It just didn’t pack that punch that I need a 5 star romance to. I think this was wonderful in every way, and will stand the rest of time especially now that it’s been made into a very successful movie. For me it’s perfect but not a favorite. That’s the best way to put it. I hear the movie is the other way around for most people so I’m excited to see how it stacks up. This book definitely exceeded expectations.
If I was younger I might have given this 5 stars. I think it’s just about as good as could be. Just the right amount of endearing, a splash of scandal, and a whole lot of romance. It just didn’t pack that punch that I need a 5 star romance to. I think this was wonderful in every way, and will stand the rest of time especially now that it’s been made into a very successful movie. For me it’s perfect but not a favorite. That’s the best way to put it. I hear the movie is the other way around for most people so I’m excited to see how it stacks up. This book definitely exceeded expectations.
B-Boy Blues: A Seriously Sexy, Fiercely Funny, Black-on-Black Love Story by James Earl Hardy
emotional
funny
medium-paced
3.5
I’m gonna keep going
It’s compulsively readable. Even though every now and then it’s a little cringey. I recommend reading with someone because I did and it definitely makes the experience better. This book is definitely a product of it’s time. Some of the conversations being had and the mindset of the main character is reminiscent of that late 90s early 00s frame where the book came out. It’s almost like a time capsule in that way.
It’s compulsively readable. Even though every now and then it’s a little cringey. I recommend reading with someone because I did and it definitely makes the experience better. This book is definitely a product of it’s time. Some of the conversations being had and the mindset of the main character is reminiscent of that late 90s early 00s frame where the book came out. It’s almost like a time capsule in that way.
Thigh High: Reiwa Hanamaru Academy Vol. 1 by Kotobuki
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.5
Cute
It’s like a collection of filler episodes minimal plot, and minor jokes. It’s really just a vehicle for the puns associated with the narrative flip that is evident from the cover. All in all it’s cute, but I was hoping for at least some sort of plot.
It’s like a collection of filler episodes minimal plot, and minor jokes. It’s really just a vehicle for the puns associated with the narrative flip that is evident from the cover. All in all it’s cute, but I was hoping for at least some sort of plot.