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mattiedancer's Reviews (126)
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Writing: 4.25⭐️/5
Much of this novel is beautifully written. I think I saved maybe 10-20 quotes throughout the book and that was without looking too hard for gorgeous passages. I do, however, draw an issue with some of the more misogynistic passages. I understand this is a part of the worldbuilding and is often used to demonstrate the bleakness of the world in which the characters live. However, these passages are often used in lieu of more interesting worldbuilding. I don’t really see the point of passively mentioning how a maid is getting SA’d and Geralt is annoyed by it. It just felt kind of lazy, but a laziness that was pretending to be clever.
Characters: 4.5⭐️/5
As far as well-written, thought-out, and developed characters go, it doesn’t get a lot of complaints from me. I would argue that several of the female characters relied heavily on tropes/stereotypes, which was a bit tiring at times as a reader given the depth of other characters. That being said, all the main characters were extremely well-fleshed out, which I really enjoyed reading.
Plot: 4.5⭐️/5
The short story format fit the material well. I found most of the plots just stunningly engaging and honestly really enjoyable. It was intriguing the way Sapkowski played off fairy tales in an entirely dark way. I really enjoyed it. This is what made it so confusing when he seemed to go out of his way to include a misogynistic side plot.
Post-Reading Rating: 4.5⭐️/5
Thoroughly enjoyable.
Who Should Read This?
- Fans of Game of Thrones
- Fans of bleak fantasy worlds
- Fans of the Witcher show/game
CW: Sexual abuse, mentions of rape, sexual assault, murder, death
Final Rating: 4.75⭐️/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
fast-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
Writing: 5⭐️/5
Hmm. How to discuss this without spoiling it or ruining the fun of reading it? I think, very plainly, I’ll say it’s some of the most technically controlled and interesting writing I’ve read in a YA novel.
Characters: 4.75⭐️/5
Again, I’m going minimal with this review. Don’t expect anything, but do understand that the characters will jump off the page.
Plot: 4.5⭐️/5
No way to talk about this one. Take the mark as it is, but go in expecting nothing.
Post-Reading Rating: 5⭐️/5
Stunning.
Who Should Read This?
- Fiction fans
- Fans of gossip girl vibes, but looking for more serious themes
- Someone looking for a well-balanced book with virtuosic writing control, well-developed characters, and an interesting plot
Final Rating: 4.75⭐️/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Writing: 3⭐️/5
Compared to this novel’s writing, the writing in the first one was tremendous. You can definitely see the weakness in the writing style personally for me. It felt like it lacked conviction for what she was describing, which is just an odd quality.
Characters: 3.5⭐️/5
The characters were a bit tired in this rendition honestly. I felt a lot of them lacked motivation and no one really stood out to me, unless they were in danger, and then it seemed like we suddenly had info/motivation for empathy, but honestly, it was a too little, too late situation for me. That being said, they were likable and – even though they lacked depth – they weren’t unrealistic or obtuse… just kind of lacklustre.
Plot: 3.75⭐️/5
*sigh* After the first one, I expected a lot more from the sequel. The world is still such a cool idea, but I honestly couldn’t really attach myself to the plot. It was fast-paced however, so if you’re looking for that, it might scratch that itch.
Post-Reading Rating: 3.5⭐️/5
Ending was okay, but felt a bit forced/convenient in some ways and just random in others. I didn’t love it, but it was fine.
Who Should Read This?
- Those who read the first
Final Rating: 3.5⭐️/5
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Writing: 3.75⭐️/5
The writing, while steady and easy to read, is not my favourite. Many of the passages focus on easy transitions and repetitive sentences and diction that made it very easy to read, but also a bit underwhelming to read.
Characters: 3.75⭐️/5
The characters were really interesting, but several of them fell flat for me. The only truly developed character felt like our MC, and even that didn’t feel like she was built, but constantly being built to reflect with our story. Overall, the characters were really fun though, if not realistic.
Plot: 4⭐️/5
I WANT to give the plot more stars because it was a fascinating read; however, the convenience plot filling felt a bit much for me. We start with an MC who is deeply in debt but whose problems are quickly and swiftly solved by our main love interest. Likewise, nearly anytime she runs into an issue, it only remains an actual problem until it’s no longer relevant to progressing the plot and then it's resolved. Also *kinda spoiler* the plot twist was a bit predictable, even if I didn’t hate it.
Post-Reading Rating: 4⭐️/5
I definitely liked it, but I don’t think it was amazing. Good enough though.
Who Should Read This?
- Fans of YA novels
- Fans of dystopian YA novels
- Fans of romance and worldbuilding over plot and characters
Final Rating: 4⭐️/5
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
Writing: 5⭐️/5
Translated books are always interesting, as you’re weighing both the original work and the translation. While I have no way of knowing how well the translation was done, the novel reads with a natural sense of voice. I’d love to believe that this is a good translation, one that distills a sense of Kawaguchi’s voice. Regardless, it’s a smooth read, with gorgeous passages that blend exposition with plot and characterization quite effortlessly.
Characters: 5⭐️/5
Everyone in this book is like a glimmer of life. The sense of personality imbued into each character – and into the cafe itself – is wonderful. Even though it's a time-travelling cafe, this location feels real. Kawaguchi brings the world to life in a way that I believe I might be able to find this cafe nestled on a busy street in a forgotten basement in Tokyo.
Plot: 5⭐️/5
The novel is divided into four sections that focus on different characters while simultaneously building off the previous “story” or section. I really enjoyed that the stories increased in intensity, with the first one feeling like it had the lowest stakes while the last two had much higher, much riskier stakes.
Post-Reading Rating: 5⭐️/5
Wonderful, beautiful, breathtaking.
Who Should Read This?
- Fans of magical realism and alternate reality fantasy
- Fans of short story anthologies
- Fans of speculative, hopeful novels
- Fans of beautiful, reposeful writing
Final Rating: 5⭐️/5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent
adventurous
sad
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
Writing: 4.25⭐️/5
The novel started off a bit rough, but it quickly cleaned up into some very clean and clear prose. She handles complex plot points with precision and foreshadows the progression clearly enough that you’re not caught off guard, even if you are still surprised.
Characters: 4.75⭐️/5
The characters were well-described and felt mostly realistic. At all times they felt complex without being overwhelming. I particularly loved her method of humanizing the gods without stripping them of their powers. They felt real, raw, and dangerous, even as they talked to humans. The antagonist, too, is a formidable opponent who, at all moments, felt dangerous and unhinged.
Plot: 5⭐️/5
The novel is described as “The Little Mermaid” inspired by West African mythology. While I think this is a great description of the opening section of the novel, I do think it sells the rest of the novel a bit short actually. The depth this plot goes to, blending the seriousness of real-life events with the levity of this magical world, is wonderful to read and an addicting page-turner.
Post-Reading Rating: 4.5⭐️/5
Slight cliff-hanger. There is a sequel, so maybe have that on hand if you like the first half of the novel.
Who Should Read This?
- Fans of The Little Mermaid
- Fantasy readers
- Young adult readers 14+
- Fans of mythology-inspired stories
Final Rating: 4.25⭐️/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, Slavery, Colonisation, Classism
Moderate: Violence
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Note: I cannot possibly review John Green’s work in a way that doesn’t sound biased, which is natural as I am biased towards it. I’ve been a fan of him since before I knew he was an author, as I used to watch his YouTube series with his brother (called Vlogbrothers) regularly.
Writing: 5⭐️/5
I love John Green’s writing, so this is a very biased review on this part. His writing style is very similar to my inner monologue at times (or how I hope my inner monologue would sound if it were an outer monologue). It reads effortlessly and smoothly, with some simply gorgeous passages. The writing is both funny, poignant, and serious when necessary, but woven with a beautiful thread of hope.
Approach: 5⭐️/5
The book itself deals with a number of different human aspects: some are funny, others series, a few trivial, and others repulsive. And yet, Green approaches it in the most stunning ways. He is direct with the content when necessary and slightly evasive at other times, yet always with a frankness that respects the review-like structure.
Content: 5⭐️/5
It’s about life. The littlest and largest aspects of life itself. If you’re unfamiliar with the work or thing being reviewed, then Green does a wonderful job of breaking it down without patronizing the audience.
Post-Reading Rating: 5⭐️/5
I cried. I laughed. I wept. Expect it all.
Who Should Read This?
- People who looking for a little hope within a realistic worldview
- Fans of John Green
- Fans of fun essays and non-fiction collections
- Nerdfighteria
Final Rating: 5⭐️/5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Grief
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Writing: 4.75⭐️/5
The writing is quite stunning. The prose is beautiful, weighted, and eloquent. There were some truly stunning standalone lines, but it also had a nice cohesion. Beyond that, it wasn’t a challenging writing style to read and was well-woven into the plot.
Characters: 4.5⭐️/5
The characters were highly motivated and flawed, which meant that they felt uniquely human to me. The characterization of the Nazi soldiers was particularly detailed and complicated, leading to moments of pathos for these villains. At times, it felt like certain characters made very weird choices, but it was usually justified later. This just led to a slower understanding of characterization than I might have liked, but it wasn’t too jarring.
Plot: 4⭐️/5
I know that this is kind of a fan-favourite book, so I’m reluctant to say this, but at times it felt like the author used trauma a bit reflexively to address human moments. Too many times did I know that a terrible scene was coming and, when it came, it was witnessed by one too many characters who we had grown to love, no matter how illogical it might be that they would have ended up witnessing it. I appreciate that this is dealing with the reality of war horrors that took place during WWII; however, at times, it just felt a bit too neat in how directly the trauma continuously happened. That being said, the overarching plot was really well done. I loved the story-within-a-story format that the grandmother at the beginning set up. Overall a solid plot with just a lot of trauma at the end.
Post-Reading Rating: 4⭐️/5
The ending felt fine: necessary and complete.
Who Should Read This?
- Fans of WWII novels
- Fans of historical fiction
- Fans of Kristin Hannah
- Fans of real-life trauma books or books focusing on horrific moments
Final Rating: 4⭐️/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, War
Moderate: Cancer, Sexual content, Police brutality, Mass/school shootings, Sexual harassment
Minor: Addiction, Chronic illness, Homophobia, Infertility, Abandonment, Alcohol
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Writing: 4.75⭐️/5
Zadie Smith’s quirky writing is always a great choice for me. Grand Union did not disappoint. This collection of short stories is fierce and witty and wonderful. She experiments a bit with various writing styles while keeping it very Zadie-Smith-esque, which I appreciated. Some of the stories dragged on a bit long and felt a touch tedious, though.
Characters: 4⭐️/5
Partly due to the fact that it’s a short story anthology, but some of the characters did feel unreal. It’s possible this was highly intentional, which is fine, but it did make some of the stories much harder to connect with. Otherwise, though, the characters were fairly well developed throughout. I particularly enjoyed Kelso Deconstructed and the character’s journey in that story. I also loved the characterization of society in Lazy River, which kind of drove that short story home for me.
Plot: 4.25⭐️/5
Each of the stories was unique in its use of plot which I heavily appreciated. I liked that I didn’t have a format I could expect and that every piece felt unique. Some of the short stories were a bit too tedious to love, but most kind of melted on your tongue once you got to the end. Very rewarding plots, for me.
Post-Reading Rating: 4.5⭐️/5
Okay, so the last story might have been one of my faves, which has pushed this rating upwards. Overall, the book’s ending was its strongest, with the last several stories working very well for me.
Who Should Read This?
- Fans who like Zadie Smith
- Short-story enthusiasts
- Someone looking for a literary read that might make you think
- Looking for theme over plot/characters.
Final Rating: 4.25⭐️/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail