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lanster's reviews
109 reviews
The Deep by John Crowley
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This novel is really ambitious for how short it is. I actually wish it was a bit longer and could of explored some of the scenes or characters further.
It took me a while to warm into this book, the first 50 or so pages jumps around a lot and it's not clear what the main threads are. The prose felt slightly unnatural at first as well. But once the writing clicked the rest of the chapters flowed past.
It took me a while to warm into this book, the first 50 or so pages jumps around a lot and it's not clear what the main threads are. The prose felt slightly unnatural at first as well. But once the writing clicked the rest of the chapters flowed past.
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
fast-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
3.5
It was a pretty fun read in a pretty rare setting. The exploration of its various themes (fate, desire, gender etc) was surprisingly mature. The characters were well written and stood out.
Towards the end it became a bit too melodramatic for my tastes.
Also I didn't understand the pointfisting scene, felt completely out of tone with rest of the book and didn't add anything, especially because after that Ma & Zhu barely interact .
Towards the end it became a bit too melodramatic for my tastes.
Also I didn't understand the point
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr.
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
Towards the end I was skipping pages wishing it to be over sooner. I didn't give it enough attention to warrant a thorough critique, but on the surface I found it very tedious (probably because it reminded me of going to church).
The morals and themes explored were plain: people are stupid, god will not save you etc. The writing was simple. Little in this text challenges you.
There were some enjoyable moments however.
The morals and themes explored were plain: people are stupid, god will not save you etc. The writing was simple. Little in this text challenges you.
There were some enjoyable moments however.
Too Like the Lightning by Ada Palmer
Did not finish book. Stopped at 90%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 90%.
I rarely DNF a book, but 180 pages in I had to give up. At first it seems like a deep and novel story, but under the window-dressing it does not have much quality to offer.
When Mycroft jumped out of a window and stopped a random assault (rape?) from happening in an alley below, which read like a cheesy scene out of some superhero movie: "oh sh** its Mycroft the bad-ass, its not worth it bro lets go" I just laughed and decided to stop there. I thought this must be a joke, and part of me wondered if Mycroft is just an unreliable narrator making himself out to be something he's not in his own story, but reading other reviewers comments its just not that deep a book.
The characters are not interesting. I particularly dislike it in a novel when every character is rich, powerful and absolutely awesome. It comes across vert flat to me, for example every world leader has Mycroft on speed dial because he's so popular and awesome (bore). Or how Mycroft's friends are all world-famous bad asses (bore).
The world building feels like a childish thought experiment where all humans will happily divide themselves into one of 7 clans. Like some sort of global sorting hat from Harry Potter. One clan (of ~2 Billion people) is full of Olympic athletes who all wear doc martins that they colour in with pens? What? Absolutely everyone has migrated to this way of life (with religion being outlawed), with a hand wavy 'everyone else that disagreed died in the war'.
For how 'globe spanning' the characters and world was supposed to be it all felt like different shades of the same setting, and each character was a different shade of 'intelligent, cool, bad-ass'. It's just so detached from the reality of humans as a species that I cannot take anything the book seriously.
Its a shame because Bridger and Carlyle seemed interesting but just after they are introduced they disappear and the plot becomes much more tedious.
When Mycroft jumped out of a window and stopped a random assault (rape?) from happening in an alley below, which read like a cheesy scene out of some superhero movie: "oh sh** its Mycroft the bad-ass, its not worth it bro lets go" I just laughed and decided to stop there. I thought this must be a joke, and part of me wondered if Mycroft is just an unreliable narrator making himself out to be something he's not in his own story, but reading other reviewers comments its just not that deep a book.
The characters are not interesting. I particularly dislike it in a novel when every character is rich, powerful and absolutely awesome. It comes across vert flat to me, for example every world leader has Mycroft on speed dial because he's so popular and awesome (bore). Or how Mycroft's friends are all world-famous bad asses (bore).
The world building feels like a childish thought experiment where all humans will happily divide themselves into one of 7 clans. Like some sort of global sorting hat from Harry Potter. One clan (of ~2 Billion people) is full of Olympic athletes who all wear doc martins that they colour in with pens? What? Absolutely everyone has migrated to this way of life (with religion being outlawed), with a hand wavy 'everyone else that disagreed died in the war'.
For how 'globe spanning' the characters and world was supposed to be it all felt like different shades of the same setting, and each character was a different shade of 'intelligent, cool, bad-ass'. It's just so detached from the reality of humans as a species that I cannot take anything the book seriously.
Its a shame because Bridger and Carlyle seemed interesting but just after they are introduced they disappear and the plot becomes much more tedious.
Neom by Lavie Tidhar
2.75
Being a big fan of Central Station, I was disappointed by this novel. It felt like fan fiction in comparison, or a rushed first draft.
The writing was pretty jarring, a lot of short sentences, a lot of listing off random made up names or terms.
The book rushes to a climax that doesn't have any emotional weight. There's no real threat or drama that would make this work.
The various story lines and character arcs all converge for the sake of converging, it feels forced, but the book doesn't give enough time for any real character journeys.
It's a shame it had the makings of a good book but it felt like it didn't take itself seriously. The scene where the boy goes into the fortune tellers room was great for example.
The writing was pretty jarring, a lot of short sentences, a lot of listing off random made up names or terms.
The book rushes to a climax that doesn't have any emotional weight. There's no real threat or drama that would make this work.
The various story lines and character arcs all converge for the sake of converging, it feels forced, but the book doesn't give enough time for any real character journeys.
It's a shame it had the makings of a good book but it felt like it didn't take itself seriously. The scene where the boy goes into the fortune tellers room was great for example.
The Citadel of the Autarch by Gene Wolfe
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
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
4.75