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lifepluspreston's reviews
735 reviews
These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant
2.0
These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant--Mysterious and foreboding, this book explores the highs and lows of living alone in the woods with your child. Turns out there's a lot of lows. I never wholly got into this book, and I think a large reason for that is a large misunderstanding which clearly creates the central conflict. Once you strip that away, there's no tension, the characters aren't all that compelling, and it becomes a morality tale with a subpar ending. Thumbs down.
The Examiner by Janice Hallett
4.0
The Examiner by Janice Hallett--I saw this book on a trip to the bookstore to see my good friend who is an author and a bookstore employee. His books are great, and so is this book. The story plunges you into the position of an independent grade reviewer who is poring through messages and assignments submitted for an art class. There's an alleged death and a twist that I was delighted by, and the message fragments, class schedules, and notes make the book immersive and very fun. Thumbs up.
The Future of Geography: How power and politics in space will change our world by Tim Marshall
4.0
The Future of Geography by Tim Marshall--This is a fun ride. It's an exploration of our journey to the Moon and beyond, with an emphasis on modern day geopolitical tensions and legal loopholes that stand in the way of interplanetary exploration and commerce. At the same time, though, the author is very suspicious of China's intentions in space, making that very clear, while being surprisingly forgiving of the United States' efforts there. That's fine, but it kind of undermines his late-book vision of a world where international peace is acquired because of space exploration somehow. Despite this discrepancy, the book is fun and educational. Thumbs up.
Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte
5.0
Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte--I don't think I've read a book more plugged into the Discourse. Framed as a series of interconnected short stories, the central theme, as the title indicates, is rejection. Social rejection, romantic rejection, online rejection, it's all covered in truly pain-inducing detail. These are, by and large, not sympathetic protagonists. And yet, with that in mind, this is the first time I've read a book and audibly groaned in empathy. From the "absurdly woke" to the sexually deviant to the meta-editorial critique of an author who has taken too many liberties, there's not a single story here that I wasn't amazed by. I am both captivated and living in dread. Two thumbs up.
Prophet by Sin Blaché, Helen Macdonald
5.0
Prophet by Helen Macdonald and Sin Blaché--Science fiction (or maybe speculative fiction? I get confused) at its best, this book follows a team exploring a mysterious substance that provokes extreme nostalgia. While the plot itself is somewhat meandering, almost dreamlike, it's also one of the most impactful books I've read this year. Characterization is excellent while the story is thought-provoking. Two thumbs up.