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maises's reviews
39 reviews
Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
"They were a part of We, and I of them. Now I was alone, and I must manage without them, for to fail in this task was to lose them forever."
This Six Swans retelling was a journey, and it was definitely more than arduous, but I enjoyed it so so much. Sorcha’s entire journey was extremely difficult. Maybe it could have felt a little excessive, especially when every next struggle hit her as soon as she felt the last one, but for some reason I could ride through it because I knew how this would end from the start (I realized a bit too soon that this was a Hans Christian Anderson retelling rather than a Grimm one when there weren't any baby-eating accusations, thank u sm).
Overall, I think this retelling was an interesting exercise that reflected on suffering for a loved one. Needless suffering is huge in classics like this, since old fairy tales specifically reward suffering like penance. But every hardship Sorcha endured never really had any rhyme or reason to it, and I think that just made the payoff from her pain actually feel like a relief has been lifted from my own shoulders, just as a reader. I don’t recall feeling so enthralled at a climax I knew the exact outcome of before! Also the villain(s) were pretty villainous. I appreciate when fiction has bad guys so bad that I want to dive into the pages and choke out somebody.
Overall, I think this retelling was an interesting exercise that reflected on suffering for a loved one. Needless suffering is huge in classics like this, since old fairy tales specifically reward suffering like penance. But every hardship Sorcha endured never really had any rhyme or reason to it, and I think that just made the payoff from her pain actually feel like a relief has been lifted from my own shoulders, just as a reader. I don’t recall feeling so enthralled at a climax I knew the exact outcome of before! Also the villain(s) were pretty villainous. I appreciate when fiction has bad guys so bad that I want to dive into the pages and choke out somebody.
I was actually extremely touched at how realistic the Sevenwaters siblings felt, both as characters and in their relationships with one another. By the time Sorcha sets out on her quest to save them, it doesn’t feel at all strange that she would go through so much for their sake. There were a few times during the book that some brothers’ actions did annoy me though, but I think most of the time they were good.
Characters I really loved: Sorcha. “After all, I was but fourteen years old” and immediately I wanted to kill every man in this book. Finbar, kinda. I shed a tear when Finbar said he had a swan wife and kids he had to abandon. Let him see his bird babies! I liked Red okay but yeah she was kinda too young for him ummm… Red’s two besties were the best characters in that little town. They deserved the best and yet… And that one chef lady who stayed at Sevenwaters all that time. I liked the other brothers enough. I loved their love for each other and their sister, even if the ending spelled out the worst for a lot of them… Doomed sibs are the best. Sorry.
AND OK! I did actually gasp at Simon’s last scene with Sorcha! Sorry to be a second lead syndrome girl but they should have had a chance!!!! “Don't leave me. What cruel game had they been playing with all of us? What twisted path had we been following, like blindfold puppets in some wild dance? Had we no will? Had we no choice?” Like what was thatttttt! She nursed him to health and he only thought of her in the fairy folk world are you joking!
So I do not really think I am all that interested in the rest of the Sevenwaters books, firstly because I think this is already a strong standalone Six Swans retelling (and I think the only retelling in this series?), and secondly because I am not the biggest fan of second generation main characters… However, I do have Son of the Shadows so if it comes to that…! In any case, I may be browsing Marillier’s backlog soon to try out something else.
So I do not really think I am all that interested in the rest of the Sevenwaters books, firstly because I think this is already a strong standalone Six Swans retelling (and I think the only retelling in this series?), and secondly because I am not the biggest fan of second generation main characters… However, I do have Son of the Shadows so if it comes to that…! In any case, I may be browsing Marillier’s backlog soon to try out something else.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Sexual violence
Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
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? Yes
5.0
“[…] fear of Hell is one of many paths to it. Forget Hell and love one another.”
I don’t remember the last time I felt true trepidation or fear in reading, even better to be rewarded with bearing it at the end. It’s not an easy narrative at all, and even the small slivers of peace have something heavy-laden with it. But Between Two Fires may now be my most favorite horror I’ve read yet. It’s now my belief that in order for any fictional horror to rightly use demons and horrors of hell, having its counterpart of heaven be seriously as divine and powerful much more compelling. Having only one deeply developed without the other is weak to me. I need glowing angel wings coming out of bodies as easily as possessed saintly stone statues on all fours trying to eat you.
Most of all, Delphine and Thomas and Matthieu were my trio. I will miss them so much, despite something happening to someone of these three... I will try to let that go. The epilogue made me cry a lot, too. Sometimes you just need a found family dad and daughter duo - a daughter who also happens to be like. Christ incarnate or something. Really good stuff. I’m so glad this was my first full read of the year, which took only days to blast through because I was so enthralled.
Mind the content warnings. This novel utilizes a lot of things.
I don’t remember the last time I felt true trepidation or fear in reading, even better to be rewarded with bearing it at the end. It’s not an easy narrative at all, and even the small slivers of peace have something heavy-laden with it. But Between Two Fires may now be my most favorite horror I’ve read yet. It’s now my belief that in order for any fictional horror to rightly use demons and horrors of hell, having its counterpart of heaven be seriously as divine and powerful much more compelling. Having only one deeply developed without the other is weak to me. I need glowing angel wings coming out of bodies as easily as possessed saintly stone statues on all fours trying to eat you.
Most of all, Delphine and Thomas and Matthieu were my trio. I will miss them so much, despite something happening to someone of these three... I will try to let that go. The epilogue made me cry a lot, too. Sometimes you just need a found family dad and daughter duo - a daughter who also happens to be like. Christ incarnate or something. Really good stuff. I’m so glad this was my first full read of the year, which took only days to blast through because I was so enthralled.
Mind the content warnings. This novel utilizes a lot of things.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Homophobia, Rape, Violence, and Antisemitism
The Archive of Alternate Endings by Lindsey Drager
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
“We think of this as a story about two children abandoned in a wood by their parents and the way breadcrumbs fail to lead them home. We think of this as a story about escaping supernatural atrocities. But perhaps it is really a story about how to eat, who to fill the gut with, and why. Perhaps this is a story about the way the body aches to be satisfied, and how we call this both hunger and desire.”
All this is is about love.
All this is is about love.
I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Decided to try out the audiobook and definitely did not disappoint. Jennette’s journey has been especially hard-hitting, and her inner voice could be so familiar and comfortable, but also heart-wrenching. She has such a knack for poignant moments that I’m sure certain parts of this book will linger with me for years to come. I don’t feel comfortable starring autobiographies quite like this, so I’ll leave it unmarked. I really wish her well.
In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"I'm serious as harpy cancer."
I may be a little blinded by nostalgia here, but on this reread it went down easy as butter, so that has to mean something, especially now that YA doesn’t have its grip on me like it did as a kid. I read this story originally when it was called The Turn of the Story, published chapter by chapter (school year by year?) on the author’s personal website ages ago. I only know it's been a long time because I vividly recall reading it on desktop. I remember reading and rereading about Elliot and his adventures so often that on this first reread in adulthood I still recalled nearly every event and almost every line after all these years. Which is a little embarrassing. Even the additional extra Wings in the Morning was a part of a YA horror monster anthology or something like it which I definitely borrowed just for it. I have a lot of sweet feelings for this world and its people, so I’ll just pretend that extra star is for that reason alone!
I may be a little blinded by nostalgia here, but on this reread it went down easy as butter, so that has to mean something, especially now that YA doesn’t have its grip on me like it did as a kid. I read this story originally when it was called The Turn of the Story, published chapter by chapter (school year by year?) on the author’s personal website ages ago. I only know it's been a long time because I vividly recall reading it on desktop. I remember reading and rereading about Elliot and his adventures so often that on this first reread in adulthood I still recalled nearly every event and almost every line after all these years. Which is a little embarrassing. Even the additional extra Wings in the Morning was a part of a YA horror monster anthology or something like it which I definitely borrowed just for it. I have a lot of sweet feelings for this world and its people, so I’ll just pretend that extra star is for that reason alone!
Elliot is kind of a heart-breaking character, but it takes some time to really uncover that, which means his schemes of being annoying enough to at least bury that part of himself really worked. I think lots of young teens can see themselves in him, but he’s probably not the best role model. Or maybe he is. I liked him a lot, and I liked Luke (easiest kid to adore) and Serene (easiest elf to adore) and everyone else, but I think that’s a little too easy to talk about. I will say that I think In Other Lands is a perfect example of being able to succeed within a deconstruction of a genre only because the genre is clearly loved despite being self-aware. I’m happy to finally have a physical copy of it on my shelf for when I need it again like comfort food, even though I noted one too many punctuation errors to blink away. Please make sure your editors are alive n kicking…
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
1.0
Read for book club.
I feel like this might hit the boxes for some, but for me I didn’t feel truly invested in either Olive nor Ethan the entirety of the time, even in the two seconds they were actually on the same wavelength. I personally disliked the out-of-place two-dimensional and misogyny-based slights about her friend/cousin(?) Natalia and Ethan’s ex, which was I suppose was meant to be funny or quirky but came across a bit like reading one of my older sister’s problematic teen romances dated early 2000s. I mean to say that we should be over that by now…
I did like Olive most that chapter she and Ethan were in the outs and she was surrounded by family the entire time. It meant she wasn’t always thinking or talking to Ethan. And I did like her sister getting back at the husband by the end.
I feel like this might hit the boxes for some, but for me I didn’t feel truly invested in either Olive nor Ethan the entirety of the time, even in the two seconds they were actually on the same wavelength. I personally disliked the out-of-place two-dimensional and misogyny-based slights about her friend/cousin(?) Natalia and Ethan’s ex, which was I suppose was meant to be funny or quirky but came across a bit like reading one of my older sister’s problematic teen romances dated early 2000s. I mean to say that we should be over that by now…
I did like Olive most that chapter she and Ethan were in the outs and she was surrounded by family the entire time. It meant she wasn’t always thinking or talking to Ethan. And I did like her sister getting back at the husband by the end.
Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
“Life is not like that.”
I’ve been sitting on doing a proper review for this one for a good couple weeks. Even now, it’s still a bit difficult to really know what I want to say about all of it in particular.
I’ve been sitting on doing a proper review for this one for a good couple weeks. Even now, it’s still a bit difficult to really know what I want to say about all of it in particular.
I love a good folktale, and I love love love a good retelling, so thank you to Valente for cobbling this together so thoughtfully and beautifully. I know the obvious go-to for many to gush about is the depth of Koschei and Marya relationship, but at risk of sounding so predictable, Ivan the Fool stole the show for me. This novel was one of the first I’ve read where writing a character as a symbol was as strong as writing a character as a character; Ivan, start to finish, was a path more than a person. Albeit, still a good person, and real enough that you could hate him as much as you like him. He doubted and he made mistakes and he was the human Marya loved because of it. I think my two most emotional moments were his first meeting with Marya and his last monologue before death - the dummy fated-to-be-tragic guy with only love and love on his brain!
Thematically, having this folktale set during WWII was pretty fitting. I am not familiar at all with the original Russian myth, but having it correlate breath to breath with war felt succinct. The dialogue and the occasional monologues didn’t feel out of place because it fit well with the idea that this is a story being told, which has been told before. It made a lot of things more impactful to me.
Thematically, having this folktale set during WWII was pretty fitting. I am not familiar at all with the original Russian myth, but having it correlate breath to breath with war felt succinct. The dialogue and the occasional monologues didn’t feel out of place because it fit well with the idea that this is a story being told, which has been told before. It made a lot of things more impactful to me.
Koschei having less actual power than Marya on a psychological level was so fascinating. Sometimes he made me mad and sometimes he did something just right, but in the end I have to like the god who let himself be chained inside a basement for the human he loved. If I were more eloquent I could expand on that. And Marya herself ensured this story stay so solid. Her growth over time was spectacular and she never lost the empathy and care she had from the start, although she was tougher than those two men combined by the end. I think a lot of the reason this worked so well was her stubbornness in reason but also in kindness, something the book even begins with using a prologue-that-is-really-an-epilogue.
One thing about this novel that will stick with me is the idea that life and hardship go hand in hand, but avoiding it and its realities helps no one. You have to embrace it and love through all of it, even if there’s only death at the end of the tunnel. The tunnel is still worth traveling through.
One thing about this novel that will stick with me is the idea that life and hardship go hand in hand, but avoiding it and its realities helps no one. You have to embrace it and love through all of it, even if there’s only death at the end of the tunnel. The tunnel is still worth traveling through.
Lazarus Is Dead by Richard Beard
I’m trying to articulate why this has given me such a heavy throat. We all know how the story is supposed to go. It’s about trying to escape fate and losing. Or not trying to escape at all and still losing. It’s about loving someone desperately who loves you too, but only the same as he loves everyone else. Or so you think. Because… I mean. He wept.
Beautifully written! In love with Beard’s pacing and atmosphere, as well as the natural fallback into historical sleuthing between musings. It felt alive and beating at all times and every emotion flew off at the page at me in real time.
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
“The fate of the resurrected is uninterrupted misery, with no reason to smile for thirty years to come.”
I’m trying to articulate why this has given me such a heavy throat. We all know how the story is supposed to go. It’s about trying to escape fate and losing. Or not trying to escape at all and still losing. It’s about loving someone desperately who loves you too, but only the same as he loves everyone else. Or so you think. Because… I mean. He wept.
Beautifully written! In love with Beard’s pacing and atmosphere, as well as the natural fallback into historical sleuthing between musings. It felt alive and beating at all times and every emotion flew off at the page at me in real time.