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loiscc's Reviews (313)
tw: child abuse & beatings, abandonment, violence, death of a parent
Set in the walled land of Kos, Beasts Made of Night is a Nigerian inspired high fantasy about deeply reviled beings called Aki, who feed on Sin. Spiritual leaders called Mages use their power to extract a person's sins which then materialise into fearsome beasts and its an Aki's job to defeat the creature and consume it. In this setting we meet the main character Taj, a detached and highly talented Aki whose skills have earned him the attention of the Royal Kayas, supposedly the purest beings in Kos.
With such an intricate magic system I appreciated the simple structure of this story and the natural execution of the world-building and the exposition, two things I find it's very easy to get wrong in any fantasy novel. I was impressed by the way in which Onyebuchi crafted this fantasy world, it was extremely detailed but with digestible prose and easy dialogue. I thought it was interesting how the story draws upon different cultural sources from Nigerian mythology and food to Islamic practices such as prayer and the Arabic language to create a richly reimagined world.
On the other hand I thought the main villain, Izu, lacked substance, he seemed very one-dimensional. Also, despite how much I loved the action throughout the story, the ending felt very frenzied to the point of disconnect. To it's credit though, I enjoyed the feeling of high stakes the action scenes gave me and because of my overall enjoyment of this novel I've awarded it 4 stars!
Set in the walled land of Kos, Beasts Made of Night is a Nigerian inspired high fantasy about deeply reviled beings called Aki, who feed on Sin. Spiritual leaders called Mages use their power to extract a person's sins which then materialise into fearsome beasts and its an Aki's job to defeat the creature and consume it. In this setting we meet the main character Taj, a detached and highly talented Aki whose skills have earned him the attention of the Royal Kayas, supposedly the purest beings in Kos.
With such an intricate magic system I appreciated the simple structure of this story and the natural execution of the world-building and the exposition, two things I find it's very easy to get wrong in any fantasy novel. I was impressed by the way in which Onyebuchi crafted this fantasy world, it was extremely detailed but with digestible prose and easy dialogue. I thought it was interesting how the story draws upon different cultural sources from Nigerian mythology and food to Islamic practices such as prayer and the Arabic language to create a richly reimagined world.
On the other hand I thought the main villain, Izu, lacked substance, he seemed very one-dimensional. Also, despite how much I loved the action throughout the story, the ending felt very frenzied to the point of disconnect. To it's credit though, I enjoyed the feeling of high stakes the action scenes gave me and because of my overall enjoyment of this novel I've awarded it 4 stars!
2.5 ⭐ Set in Lagos, Nigeria, Lagoon is a blood-pumping, sci-fi, alien invasion novel that is jampacked with so much action, satire and drama that it left me feeling breathless.
I enjoyed the sci-fi elements of the story and its screenplay-like structure with all the scene jumps, the dynamism of which kept me engaged in its Nollywood-style dramedy.
But overall I was disappointed by this book because it started so well and had me truly hooked but the latter part of the story became too frenetic and completely unhinged.
I enjoyed the sci-fi elements of the story and its screenplay-like structure with all the scene jumps, the dynamism of which kept me engaged in its Nollywood-style dramedy.
But overall I was disappointed by this book because it started so well and had me truly hooked but the latter part of the story became too frenetic and completely unhinged.
Loud Black Girls is a collection of 20 different essays written by a remarkable group of African and Caribbean British women, all slaying in their respective professions as writers, producers, musicians, fashion editors and online influencers.
Their powerfully vocal essays are such motivating pieces covering a variety of pressing issues including systemic racism, the tiring expectation of Black excellence, financial stability, the negative stereotyping of Black women, motherhood and even cultural cuisine.
Certain essays stood out to me more than others* but altogether I love the ideology behind this book, that of collaboration and building each other up but most importantly giving Black women the freedom and the space to be their loud, proud selves.
Finally the foreword, written by my favourite author Bernadine Evaristo, was FIRE. That woman is the master of words!
**********************
*Essays that stood out to me:
1) Finding Myself in Britain by Abiola Oni - a simply relatable rumination over being a second-generation Nigerian immigrant in Britain.
2) The 'Shuri' Effect: The Age of #Blackexcellence, the Falsehood of Black Mediocrity and the Absence of the Black Middle by Elisabeth Fapuro - such an eloquent and well-argued essay about the pressure on Black people to be the very best in order to succeed.
3) Why It's Time to Get Your Finance in Formation by Fiona Rutherford - this hit me on a personal level
4) Eating Britain's Racism by Kuba Shand-Baptiste - This essay is about how Black cuisine is viewed as 'unhealthy' in Britain and how the writer got back to a place where she once again fell in love with Caribbean food.
5) The Quandary of Securing the Bag by Paula Akpan - An essay discussing the discrimination that Black women disproportionately face in online spaces and the need to maintain authenticity within the 'influencer' bubble.
6) 'Who built it and with what wood?; A Black Feminist 10-point (ish) Programme for Transformation by Siana Bangura - A brilliant, rousing manifesto essay that makes you want to envision the world Bangura intelligently argues is possible.
7) Building Peace: The Case for Centring Healing in our Approach to Address Violence by Temi Mwale - This essay made me simultaneously angry and also deeply moved. It argues the need for a healing system when dealing with youth violence in Black communities rather than a punitive one which compounds the problem even further
8) Homecoming by Yemisi Adegoke - A much needed essay dispelling the myths attached to Nigerian (and by extension, African) life. This essay looks at how 'returnees' moving back to Nigeria often do so with a superiority saviour complex and how collaborating with Nigerians rather than trying to save them is the best way forward.
Their powerfully vocal essays are such motivating pieces covering a variety of pressing issues including systemic racism, the tiring expectation of Black excellence, financial stability, the negative stereotyping of Black women, motherhood and even cultural cuisine.
Certain essays stood out to me more than others* but altogether I love the ideology behind this book, that of collaboration and building each other up but most importantly giving Black women the freedom and the space to be their loud, proud selves.
Finally the foreword, written by my favourite author Bernadine Evaristo, was FIRE. That woman is the master of words!
**********************
*Essays that stood out to me:
1) Finding Myself in Britain by Abiola Oni - a simply relatable rumination over being a second-generation Nigerian immigrant in Britain.
2) The 'Shuri' Effect: The Age of #Blackexcellence, the Falsehood of Black Mediocrity and the Absence of the Black Middle by Elisabeth Fapuro - such an eloquent and well-argued essay about the pressure on Black people to be the very best in order to succeed.
3) Why It's Time to Get Your Finance in Formation by Fiona Rutherford - this hit me on a personal level
4) Eating Britain's Racism by Kuba Shand-Baptiste - This essay is about how Black cuisine is viewed as 'unhealthy' in Britain and how the writer got back to a place where she once again fell in love with Caribbean food.
5) The Quandary of Securing the Bag by Paula Akpan - An essay discussing the discrimination that Black women disproportionately face in online spaces and the need to maintain authenticity within the 'influencer' bubble.
6) 'Who built it and with what wood?; A Black Feminist 10-point (ish) Programme for Transformation by Siana Bangura - A brilliant, rousing manifesto essay that makes you want to envision the world Bangura intelligently argues is possible.
7) Building Peace: The Case for Centring Healing in our Approach to Address Violence by Temi Mwale - This essay made me simultaneously angry and also deeply moved. It argues the need for a healing system when dealing with youth violence in Black communities rather than a punitive one which compounds the problem even further
8) Homecoming by Yemisi Adegoke - A much needed essay dispelling the myths attached to Nigerian (and by extension, African) life. This essay looks at how 'returnees' moving back to Nigeria often do so with a superiority saviour complex and how collaborating with Nigerians rather than trying to save them is the best way forward.
I'm not really into sporty manga but this was a lot of fun and superbly illustrated, especially those in-play moments. If you're a fan of the enemies turned friends storyline, Haikyuu certainly delivers.
Frankly in Love is about a high school senior called Frank Li (pun intended) who constantly feels at odds with his dual Korean American heritage, especially when it comes to dating.
Like any eighteen-year-old teenager, he has to face the adolescent pressures of SAT scores and college prep but there's also the pressure of appeasing Mom'n'Dad who only want him to date Korean girls. His childhood friend, Joy Song, also of Korean descent is in the same predicament, so the two decide to start 'fake dating' as a cover for their own secret relationships.
This book is a swoonworthy teen drama, complete with all the breaking-up, making-up and precociousness, synonymous with adolescence. It was a lighthearted easy read that I completed in a weekend and felt like something I could enjoy as an indulgent guilty pleasure read.
Like any eighteen-year-old teenager, he has to face the adolescent pressures of SAT scores and college prep but there's also the pressure of appeasing Mom'n'Dad who only want him to date Korean girls. His childhood friend, Joy Song, also of Korean descent is in the same predicament, so the two decide to start 'fake dating' as a cover for their own secret relationships.
This book is a swoonworthy teen drama, complete with all the breaking-up, making-up and precociousness, synonymous with adolescence. It was a lighthearted easy read that I completed in a weekend and felt like something I could enjoy as an indulgent guilty pleasure read.
Mexican Gothic is set in 1950s Mexico City and felt reminiscent of 19th century Gothic English literature. It starts off with lush prose and an compelling air of mystery like something's definitely amiss but around chapter 19 onwards things take a horrifyingly gruesome turn with moments that will be sure to make your skin crawl. I prefer more ghostly horrors but this book definitely brought the gloom and the decay plus I was satisfied with the ending and I was definitely taken by Noemí, a headstrong and winning protagonist.
I enjoyed reading Maggie Nelson's deep ruminations on the interpretations of language, child philosophy, family-making and her relationship with a gender fluid academic. I also thought the way the narrative was presented was messy in a good way, it clearly had a sense of intent behind it if at times a challenge to read.
The Last Wish is an adult high fantasy novel set in a medieval world about a brooding Witcher called Geralt of Rivia. Witchers are mutant humans who slay monsters but are also seen as unnatural monstrosities themselves. On his travels, Geralt faces fearsome beasts born of incest, scheming wizards, genies, witty demons and a powerful sorceress whom few could stand against.
I loved how vivid and mythical and magical this novel was. I don't usually enjoy overly expository writing but there's something about the way Sapkowski does it that is genuinely interesting and doesn't feel cumbersome or too heavy-handed with the world-building.
The writing also has a sharp wittiness and clever dialogue that I really enjoyed reading even if it was at times overly cynical and a bit convoluted, I still could appreciate these ripostes;
"Nevertheless there's been no lack of fools racing to the palace for the chance of joining the royal family. Two apprentice shoemakers, to be precise. Why are shoemakers so foolish, Geralt?
"I had that wreck insured for a massive sum!"
"Does the policy cover magical and supernatural events?"
"Of course."
"I'll thump my head against the pine tree and render myself helpless. Will that grant you satisfaction?"
Of course this is an escapist fantasy novel but it's also quite political so then reading this book politically from the perspective of a black female, I can't overlook all the negative connotations to blackness and womanhood throughout the story which was incredibly disappointing given how much I enjoyed everything else.
But otherwise, a deeply enthralling, deeply riveting and humorous book. Would recommend
I loved how vivid and mythical and magical this novel was. I don't usually enjoy overly expository writing but there's something about the way Sapkowski does it that is genuinely interesting and doesn't feel cumbersome or too heavy-handed with the world-building.
The writing also has a sharp wittiness and clever dialogue that I really enjoyed reading even if it was at times overly cynical and a bit convoluted, I still could appreciate these ripostes;
"Nevertheless there's been no lack of fools racing to the palace for the chance of joining the royal family. Two apprentice shoemakers, to be precise. Why are shoemakers so foolish, Geralt?
"I had that wreck insured for a massive sum!"
"Does the policy cover magical and supernatural events?"
"Of course."
"I'll thump my head against the pine tree and render myself helpless. Will that grant you satisfaction?"
Of course this is an escapist fantasy novel but it's also quite political so then reading this book politically from the perspective of a black female, I can't overlook all the negative connotations to blackness and womanhood throughout the story which was incredibly disappointing given how much I enjoyed everything else.
But otherwise, a deeply enthralling, deeply riveting and humorous book. Would recommend