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laurel00's reviews
296 reviews
Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
As expected, I loved this even more than the first! I can't get over how endearing, charming, hilarious, and genuinely kind-hearted this "murderous killing machine" is and I love it with my entire being. Its friendship with ART was such a great part of this story, they both tugged at my heart strings on multiple occasions, and even though they're technically robots, I felt like I related to them and their relationship so much. I can't wait to read the rest!
All Systems Red by Martha Wells
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I'm really excited to keep reading the rest of these, because when it comes to novella-based series, it usually takes a couple of books for me to be fully invested, and I can already tell I'm going to get deeply attached to Murderbot!
The best part of this for me was definitely the narrative voice. Murderbot is such a fun character to follow along, from its humour and sarcasm to the way it views the world around it and the way it wants to be perceived by others. The fact that it continuously claims that it feels indifferent to the members of its team, but will jump towards any danger to protect and save them is so incredibly endearing, and seeing it slowly open up to them and try to learn to be more comfortable around them was genuinely adorable. I know it's supposed to be this tall, intimidating, dangerous, daunting thing but honestly it's so... cute!
On a purely personal note, I did get kind of confused with some of the world building, and I do think that the way that Wells introduces a lot of the systems feels quite seamless, but I still had a hard time always focusing on those passages, so there's probably a lot of details I didn't quite pick up on. That being said, it's such a short story, I have no doubt that I'll understand things more and more as I continue reading the series, which will make my reading experience that much better.
The best part of this for me was definitely the narrative voice. Murderbot is such a fun character to follow along, from its humour and sarcasm to the way it views the world around it and the way it wants to be perceived by others. The fact that it continuously claims that it feels indifferent to the members of its team, but will jump towards any danger to protect and save them is so incredibly endearing, and seeing it slowly open up to them and try to learn to be more comfortable around them was genuinely adorable. I know it's supposed to be this tall, intimidating, dangerous, daunting thing but honestly it's so... cute!
On a purely personal note, I did get kind of confused with some of the world building, and I do think that the way that Wells introduces a lot of the systems feels quite seamless, but I still had a hard time always focusing on those passages, so there's probably a lot of details I didn't quite pick up on. That being said, it's such a short story, I have no doubt that I'll understand things more and more as I continue reading the series, which will make my reading experience that much better.
The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
"[He] gazed at me with a love so infinite it presented as a mad and indecipherable pattern. It was overwhelming and violent in its hunger. And even now it remains hard for me to determine how I feel about the men who had sprung from me—what to do with my deep hatred, and my bottomless love, for them."
I won't even attempt to list all of the themes that Jimenez expertly wrote about and wove together in this book, because I could never truly do his craft the justice it deserves.
I have a difficult time fully concentrating on every detail of a high fantasy novel—which probably explains why I so often get slightly lost in the world building. But my brain always wants to focus more on the plot and the characters, than the details of their environment or all the minute intricacies of the politics that are at the center of their story. However, in this book, Jimenez used one of the most unique narrative styles I have ever come across in all of the novels I've read. This forced me to pay close attention to every single word on every single page, and I admit that I was concerned at first. I worried this book would be difficult for me to fully engage with, and adding on the fact that it is more than 500 pages, I was sure I would need a month to get through it.
In the end, I loved every moment of this. Even in a considerably busy week, I found myself constantly reaching out to it, looking for moments of quiet and solitude to be able to read another 30 pages whenever I could. As daunting as the book seemed to me, it ended up being an amazing reading experience.
All the characters are so incredibly fascinating, and I became so entranced with the ways in which each of their lived experiences lead them to be the person they were at that moment. Jimenez is such a stellar author, and explores every single aspect of the human condition through these characters, which makes it all a beautiful, emotionally devastating read.
I cannot recommend this enough, it is so worth all the time and effort you have to put into it as a reader, because you are rewarded every 20 pages or so, with the feeling that you suddenly understand just a bit more about what it truly means to be human and what it means to love.
I won't even attempt to list all of the themes that Jimenez expertly wrote about and wove together in this book, because I could never truly do his craft the justice it deserves.
I have a difficult time fully concentrating on every detail of a high fantasy novel—which probably explains why I so often get slightly lost in the world building. But my brain always wants to focus more on the plot and the characters, than the details of their environment or all the minute intricacies of the politics that are at the center of their story. However, in this book, Jimenez used one of the most unique narrative styles I have ever come across in all of the novels I've read. This forced me to pay close attention to every single word on every single page, and I admit that I was concerned at first. I worried this book would be difficult for me to fully engage with, and adding on the fact that it is more than 500 pages, I was sure I would need a month to get through it.
In the end, I loved every moment of this. Even in a considerably busy week, I found myself constantly reaching out to it, looking for moments of quiet and solitude to be able to read another 30 pages whenever I could. As daunting as the book seemed to me, it ended up being an amazing reading experience.
All the characters are so incredibly fascinating, and I became so entranced with the ways in which each of their lived experiences lead them to be the person they were at that moment. Jimenez is such a stellar author, and explores every single aspect of the human condition through these characters, which makes it all a beautiful, emotionally devastating read.
I cannot recommend this enough, it is so worth all the time and effort you have to put into it as a reader, because you are rewarded every 20 pages or so, with the feeling that you suddenly understand just a bit more about what it truly means to be human and what it means to love.
Out of Place by Edward W. Said
Did not finish book. Stopped at 32%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 32%.
Library hold is expiring and I can't renew it. Might come back to this.
Beyond Chutzpah: On the Misuse of Anti-Semitism and the Abuse of History by Norman G. Finkelstein
Did not finish book. Stopped at 24%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 24%.
Library hold is expiring and I can't renew it. Will be coming back to this.
On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden
adventurous
emotional
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I have slightly mixed feelings about this, because I think it was the case of me picking up a perfect book at the wrong time. This isn't to say I didn't enjoy reading this: there were some moments in here that made me genuinely emotional, I adored the characters, I thought the world-building was well done, and there are some panels in this that have definitely stuck with me. I just kept losing steam with it, so it took me longer to get through than I was anticipating, and I can't really pinpoint any specific thing that should have been improved or done differently—I think I was simply not in the right mood for it.
That being said, as I mentioned, there are some things I really loved about this, the best of which were the character designs and personal storylines. I'm incredibly obsessed with Mia and Grace, deeply in love with Alma and Char, and wholeheartedly enamored with Jules and Elliot. It was so wonderful to explore each of their relationships with one another; a found family full of lesbians and queer people sounds like an absolute dream, and their dynamics worked so well with one another.
The romances felt very realistic yet comforting. Things weren't always sunshine and roses, but it was so heartwarming to see the way that they communicated with one another, and did things for one another with all the love and care in the world. I also liked that this was very much a story about love, without being limited to romance. It looked at platonic and familial love, and I think it was beautifully executed.
The art is truly fascinating, and there were so many landscape panels that made me feel incredibly nostalgic for a universe and a world that I will never be able to access. It was kind of bittersweet, but kudos to Walden for invoking such a strong feeling within me. I will say some of the pages got a little chaotic, to a point that it actually became difficult to understand what I was looking at. I get that it's part of Walden's style to have the panels bleed into one another, and I think some of the pages were actually really well executed. But it did happen often enough that the messiness of it all got in the way of my reading experience.
Like I said, I wish I had picked this up when I was more in the mood for it, I think I would have had a much more engaging personal experience with it. But it still is a wonderful graphic novel, that I definitely recommend to those who are looking for a queer sci-fi adventure full of soft moments of sapphic love and found family.
That being said, as I mentioned, there are some things I really loved about this, the best of which were the character designs and personal storylines. I'm incredibly obsessed with Mia and Grace, deeply in love with Alma and Char, and wholeheartedly enamored with Jules and Elliot. It was so wonderful to explore each of their relationships with one another; a found family full of lesbians and queer people sounds like an absolute dream, and their dynamics worked so well with one another.
The romances felt very realistic yet comforting. Things weren't always sunshine and roses, but it was so heartwarming to see the way that they communicated with one another, and did things for one another with all the love and care in the world. I also liked that this was very much a story about love, without being limited to romance. It looked at platonic and familial love, and I think it was beautifully executed.
The art is truly fascinating, and there were so many landscape panels that made me feel incredibly nostalgic for a universe and a world that I will never be able to access. It was kind of bittersweet, but kudos to Walden for invoking such a strong feeling within me. I will say some of the pages got a little chaotic, to a point that it actually became difficult to understand what I was looking at. I get that it's part of Walden's style to have the panels bleed into one another, and I think some of the pages were actually really well executed. But it did happen often enough that the messiness of it all got in the way of my reading experience.
Like I said, I wish I had picked this up when I was more in the mood for it, I think I would have had a much more engaging personal experience with it. But it still is a wonderful graphic novel, that I definitely recommend to those who are looking for a queer sci-fi adventure full of soft moments of sapphic love and found family.
Squire by Nadia Shammas
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
"History is, in actuality, quite personal. All narratives should be interrogated, including this one. But don't let any one story tell you who you are."
Shammas does it again (yes, I know this is her debut, but it's the second book of hers that I pick up) with a deeply heart-breaking yet beautifully hopeful story that I absolutely adored. Paired with Alfageeh's truly stellar art style, these creator have delivered an amazing graphic novel. Although this may be aimed at a YA audience, I can wholeheartedly guarantee that many adults and people of all ages will be able to learn something new and find something significant within the pages of this book.
Squire does a phenomenal job at showcasing to its readers exactly how a specific narrative can be fed to you, so as to convince you not only to work against your own interests, but also to make you, in turn, perpetuate and spread that same false narrative—all while making you believe that are you doing the right thing. It perfectly lays out the insidiousness of colonialist propaganda: the fact that it is built on bigoted and racist stereotypes, the way that it preys on the hopes and dreams of young and vulnerable people, the manner in which it rewards those who uphold its violence and punishes those who try to criticize it.
Shammas and Alfageeh did an amazing job of creating characters that are realistic and relatable, and of bringing them to life so that their readers can feel personally invested in their stories. I loved just how diverse the cast was—not just when it comes to race and ethnicity, but also with regards to class, background, mindset, personalities. All of these elements perfectly translated into the ways each of the characters experienced the collective journey that they were on, and I really appreciated that we got to touch on each of their individual stories.
I definitely recommend this! To take the words of G. Willow Wilson's blurb on the back cover: "Squire makes you want to fight for a better world."
Shammas does it again (yes, I know this is her debut, but it's the second book of hers that I pick up) with a deeply heart-breaking yet beautifully hopeful story that I absolutely adored. Paired with Alfageeh's truly stellar art style, these creator have delivered an amazing graphic novel. Although this may be aimed at a YA audience, I can wholeheartedly guarantee that many adults and people of all ages will be able to learn something new and find something significant within the pages of this book.
Squire does a phenomenal job at showcasing to its readers exactly how a specific narrative can be fed to you, so as to convince you not only to work against your own interests, but also to make you, in turn, perpetuate and spread that same false narrative—all while making you believe that are you doing the right thing. It perfectly lays out the insidiousness of colonialist propaganda: the fact that it is built on bigoted and racist stereotypes, the way that it preys on the hopes and dreams of young and vulnerable people, the manner in which it rewards those who uphold its violence and punishes those who try to criticize it.
Shammas and Alfageeh did an amazing job of creating characters that are realistic and relatable, and of bringing them to life so that their readers can feel personally invested in their stories. I loved just how diverse the cast was—not just when it comes to race and ethnicity, but also with regards to class, background, mindset, personalities. All of these elements perfectly translated into the ways each of the characters experienced the collective journey that they were on, and I really appreciated that we got to touch on each of their individual stories.
I definitely recommend this! To take the words of G. Willow Wilson's blurb on the back cover: "Squire makes you want to fight for a better world."
Nayra and the Djinn by Iasmin Omar Ata
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Overall, this definitely was a sweet story, but I don't think it quite hit the mark for me.
The best part of this graphic novel is definitely the art. The first work by Ata that I've read was their short comic Zenith, and from that very moment, I fell in love with their art style. There's something about their character designs especially that feel very cozy and heartwarming to me, and I knew I absolutely had to get my hands on their other books.
In Nayra and the Djinn, Ata upheld that beautiful art style that I was excited for, while in fact elevating their craft even further by adding in this gorgeous colour scheme. All the shades of pinks and purples worked so well together, and it made every page truly stunning to look at.
Where the book lost me is in the writing itself. I loved the idea, and even at the beginning of the story, I had a lot of hope. The set up was great and I think there was a lot of potential to write some super interesting character arcs and include some very nuanced discussions about friendship, culture, religion, bulling, and growing up as a whole. However, I think the big issue is that there were too many ideas. Everything felt a bit rushed, especially at the end, and it really took me out of the reading experience. I think there were some comedic moments that made the characters very endearing to me, but it was hard to get invested in their problems and storylines because it felt like we kept jumping from one thing to another, with very little resolution or character development.
I think I was just so greatly anticipating this, because the cover itself made me so excited to read it, but I felt just a bit disappointed. I do still want to read some of Ata's other work, so although I may not recommend this graphic novel specifically, I still really liked Zenith and I'm hoping that some of their other books resonate more with me.
The best part of this graphic novel is definitely the art. The first work by Ata that I've read was their short comic Zenith, and from that very moment, I fell in love with their art style. There's something about their character designs especially that feel very cozy and heartwarming to me, and I knew I absolutely had to get my hands on their other books.
In Nayra and the Djinn, Ata upheld that beautiful art style that I was excited for, while in fact elevating their craft even further by adding in this gorgeous colour scheme. All the shades of pinks and purples worked so well together, and it made every page truly stunning to look at.
Where the book lost me is in the writing itself. I loved the idea, and even at the beginning of the story, I had a lot of hope. The set up was great and I think there was a lot of potential to write some super interesting character arcs and include some very nuanced discussions about friendship, culture, religion, bulling, and growing up as a whole. However, I think the big issue is that there were too many ideas. Everything felt a bit rushed, especially at the end, and it really took me out of the reading experience. I think there were some comedic moments that made the characters very endearing to me, but it was hard to get invested in their problems and storylines because it felt like we kept jumping from one thing to another, with very little resolution or character development.
I think I was just so greatly anticipating this, because the cover itself made me so excited to read it, but I felt just a bit disappointed. I do still want to read some of Ata's other work, so although I may not recommend this graphic novel specifically, I still really liked Zenith and I'm hoping that some of their other books resonate more with me.
The State of Israel vs. the Jews by Sylvain Cypel
I will say, I didn't love the way that this book was organized. Maybe I'm biased as someone who follows along much easier when a situation is presented in chronological order, and I'm sure there are some people who would appreciate the separation of chapters by topics and detailed sub-headers. But it did make it a bit difficult for me to follow along, and not quite as smooth of a reading as it could have been.
Nonetheless, I definitely recommend it if you're looking to delve deeper into the insidiousness of Zionism and all its proponents.
informative
slow-paced
4.0
Another deeply informative read that I consider necessary for anyone trying to understand the true ideologies and beliefs that constitute the basis of Zionism and that are at the core of the IDF and the overall government of Israel.
I will mention that this maybe shouldn't be the very first book you pick up on the topic, especially if you're very new to political non-fiction. There were definitely some items that were not quite as easy for me to grasp, but the fact that I have been reading a decent amount on Palestine and Israel in the past few weeks, helped me understand Cypel's deeply critical rundown of Zionism and how it works.
Some of the topics in this book that I found the most eye-opening include:
I will mention that this maybe shouldn't be the very first book you pick up on the topic, especially if you're very new to political non-fiction. There were definitely some items that were not quite as easy for me to grasp, but the fact that I have been reading a decent amount on Palestine and Israel in the past few weeks, helped me understand Cypel's deeply critical rundown of Zionism and how it works.
Some of the topics in this book that I found the most eye-opening include:
- the techniques used by the IDF to dehumanize Palestinians and desensitize their new soldiers so as to convince them to uphold the violence against the Palestinian people;
- the ties held by the government of Israel with powerful white supremacist figureheads;
- the relationship between islamophobia and antisemitism and how both of these prejudices are weaponized by the government of Israel;
- the anti-Arab racism that is taught to the people of Israel and the way that left-leading Israelis that publicly support Palestine are punished for their views and actions;
- the BDS movement and the government of Israel's dire need to control any criticisms that they undergo;
- the differing outlooks between American Jews and French Jews as well as between different generations of Jewish people;
- etc.
I will say, I didn't love the way that this book was organized. Maybe I'm biased as someone who follows along much easier when a situation is presented in chronological order, and I'm sure there are some people who would appreciate the separation of chapters by topics and detailed sub-headers. But it did make it a bit difficult for me to follow along, and not quite as smooth of a reading as it could have been.
Nonetheless, I definitely recommend it if you're looking to delve deeper into the insidiousness of Zionism and all its proponents.
Now The Wind Scatters by J. Donai
Did not finish book. Stopped at 32%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 32%.
As much as I wanted to love this, I think I have to come to terms with the fact that, sadly, Greek mythology isn't a theme/genre in which I'm particularly interested. No matter how many times I tried to get back into this reading, I could never commit more than 30 min once every month or so.