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mahiyaa's reviews
48 reviews
Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
The Tyrant Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation
The Sword and the Shield: The Revolutionary Lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. by Peniel E. Joseph
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
The Monster Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.5
The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
seth dickenson changed my brain chemistry. i will never be the same. my standards are forever changed. goodbye, kuye lam.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Xenophobia, and Colonisation
A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.25
The Priory of the Orange Tree is, well, complicated. At first glance, its long page count might make it seem you're in for a slow ride, with complex world-building and many shades of gray. And while the former isn't absent, persay, it isn't completely there.
(Before I go deeper: a quick note. Although the book seems huge, it isn't slow paced! If you're afraid of the daunting "200 pages of exposition before any of the action happens," don't be. You will be eased into the action, definitely, but you will be eased into it rather quickly. Still go forth with patience, however, there is some slow build up involved!)
The author definitely has a complete and complex world envisioned, but as an audience you don't get that complete depth. At first, the world seems split between two (arguably three) philosophies/religions, but the complexity of which is the truth and which isn't can be hinted to early on, with the third feeling detached from the argument entirely even when it feels like it shouldn't be. The mystery, thrill, and complexity of "finding the truth," completely falls flat, so if you're looking for a dialogue between those two faith systems, you'll be disappointed.
If you're not looking for that dialogue though, if you can look past—or even better, don't care about—the black and white of the philosophical systems, and that the fact that the evil force in this story is evil simply because it is, and it exists simply to be evil, you'll probably enjoy the book, as long as you're not looking for significant character development.
Of course, certain characters are faced with the task of grappling with the fact that their religion, their world view and assumptions, may be completely baseless. Some characters are faced with grief, loss, uncertainty. But this doesn't change who any of these characters fundamentally are. By the end of the book, I don't see any of these characters make any different decisions than what they would make in the beginning of their journey. While each of them go through superficial changes—yes even the ones who deal with following a false religion are only superficially challenged—it's all one big rollercoaster ride that ends with them where they began: on the loading platform.
That being said, the book is still an entertaining read. If you're out specifically looking for nuance, for morally gray characters and worldviews (and the lack thereof is a dealbreaker), I would suggest skipping it. If not, don't be afraid of the page count—give it a try!
(Before I go deeper: a quick note. Although the book seems huge, it isn't slow paced! If you're afraid of the daunting "200 pages of exposition before any of the action happens," don't be. You will be eased into the action, definitely, but you will be eased into it rather quickly. Still go forth with patience, however, there is some slow build up involved!)
The author definitely has a complete and complex world envisioned, but as an audience you don't get that complete depth. At first, the world seems split between two (arguably three) philosophies/religions, but the complexity of which is the truth and which isn't can be hinted to early on, with the third feeling detached from the argument entirely even when it feels like it shouldn't be. The mystery, thrill, and complexity of "finding the truth," completely falls flat, so if you're looking for a dialogue between those two faith systems, you'll be disappointed.
If you're not looking for that dialogue though, if you can look past—or even better, don't care about—the black and white of the philosophical systems, and that the fact that the evil force in this story is evil simply because it is, and it exists simply to be evil, you'll probably enjoy the book, as long as you're not looking for significant character development.
Of course, certain characters are faced with the task of grappling with the fact that their religion, their world view and assumptions, may be completely baseless. Some characters are faced with grief, loss, uncertainty. But this doesn't change who any of these characters fundamentally are. By the end of the book, I don't see any of these characters make any different decisions than what they would make in the beginning of their journey. While each of them go through superficial changes—yes even the ones who deal with following a false religion are only superficially challenged—it's all one big rollercoaster ride that ends with them where they began: on the loading platform.
That being said, the book is still an entertaining read. If you're out specifically looking for nuance, for morally gray characters and worldviews (and the lack thereof is a dealbreaker), I would suggest skipping it. If not, don't be afraid of the page count—give it a try!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage
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