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merrrry's reviews
368 reviews
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
emotional
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I have been wholly destroyed.
One of my major gripes with Circe were her internal monologues that we were privy to. While eloquent, it was frustrating to read from her perspective at times. Following Patroclus and experiencing the awe and sorrow he holds for Achilles was much more enthralling. As flawed as Achilles was, Patroclus’s voice softened the frustration that I would’ve undoubtedly felt if it had been through Achille’s own perspective. At times, this book reminded me of The Winter King due to the parallels between Patroclus and Derfel, and occasionally Achilles and Arthur. Obviously they were still vastly different, but I love this trope (that I have no name for because I am just now realizing its a trope). Another great example (that I also love) is The Great Gatsby. It’s such an effective way of storytelling that allows for a lot of nuance to be developed for two characters at once. I think one of its greatest strengths is its ability to maintain an air of wonder around a deeply flawed character by grounding their glow with a more relatable (and reasonable) character. This trope lends itself to beautifully complex relationships between the main characters, and produces such fascinating dynamics and storytelling. After binge reading this in essentially one day, I can confidently say I liked this more than Circe. Circe made me aware of its deliberate prose; Song of Achilles pulled at my heart with its prose in a way that made me forget the words were written by someone else. I admittedly am typically just weak for dramatic, soul-searing, doomed romances, and while this wasn’t doomed per se, Achilles and Patroclus were basically tragic heroes. Nothing hits me as hard as the inevitable fallout of unwavering loyalty to one singular mortal person. And knowing that it was going to happen did not make it hurt any less. I am both too tired and too exhilarated to write more, so I will leave it at that.
One of my major gripes with Circe were her internal monologues that we were privy to. While eloquent, it was frustrating to read from her perspective at times. Following Patroclus and experiencing the awe and sorrow he holds for Achilles was much more enthralling. As flawed as Achilles was, Patroclus’s voice softened the frustration that I would’ve undoubtedly felt if it had been through Achille’s own perspective. At times, this book reminded me of The Winter King due to the parallels between Patroclus and Derfel, and occasionally Achilles and Arthur. Obviously they were still vastly different, but I love this trope (that I have no name for because I am just now realizing its a trope). Another great example (that I also love) is The Great Gatsby. It’s such an effective way of storytelling that allows for a lot of nuance to be developed for two characters at once. I think one of its greatest strengths is its ability to maintain an air of wonder around a deeply flawed character by grounding their glow with a more relatable (and reasonable) character. This trope lends itself to beautifully complex relationships between the main characters, and produces such fascinating dynamics and storytelling. After binge reading this in essentially one day, I can confidently say I liked this more than Circe. Circe made me aware of its deliberate prose; Song of Achilles pulled at my heart with its prose in a way that made me forget the words were written by someone else. I admittedly am typically just weak for dramatic, soul-searing, doomed romances, and while this wasn’t doomed per se, Achilles and Patroclus were basically tragic heroes. Nothing hits me as hard as the inevitable fallout of unwavering loyalty to one singular mortal person. And knowing that it was going to happen did not make it hurt any less. I am both too tired and too exhilarated to write more, so I will leave it at that.
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
4.5
Listened to as an audiobook. The first maybe 60-70% of this was hands-down a 5 star read; the anecdotes, emotions, and scientific content were well balanced, and while there were calls to actions, they weren't overly aggressive while still being passionate. The chapter where Robin took her students hiking and they started singing Amazing Grace hit me straight in the feels and made me wanna cry because I realized I missed hiking and being in nature a lot. Unfortunately, shortly after that, the book became a grind to get through as Robin Kimmerer went full blast reiteration of points and intense call to action. I also was just very tired as I was listening to it so it may have been entirely my problem so take this with a grain of salt.
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
reflective
4.0
Read for a class. Surprisingly good! Went into this expecting something like Mere Christianity, and this definitely had the same succinctness and straightforward insight. As a whole, the premise of the book was fresh and was very well executed. While this was technically fiction, it read like nonfiction. The letter format made each letter feel like essay, but the overarching context kept things compelling with its loose story. While I still have my doubts about Narnia, I have no doubts about Lewis's writing skills — I'm constantly impressed by the clarity of his writing and meaningfulness of his analogies. The added voice and character of Screwtape was interesting, although there were many points that were clearly just Lewis philosophizing. He most definitely has the voice of a scholar.
The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo
emotional
reflective
4.5
I started this with a deep fried brain so every time Rabbit asked “Do you understand?”, my answer was “no??”. After finishing the novella, I knew I was missing something significant, so I went back to reread the first few chapters (because those were the ones I read while most tired). I ended up rereading the whole novella again. And it. was. beautiful. Nghi Vo writes with succinctness and subtlety, which combines with the unique form of storytelling wonderfully. Without even realizing, I became attached to the world and its characters. The weighted mundaneity of the stories told by Rabbit was a perfect fit for the overarching story, and it made the world much more real and tangible. I think this is the poster child for what show-don't-tell looks like, as well as how to trick readers into thinking there's an iceberg underneath the water (in reference to the story iceberg from Sanderson's lecture series). Nghi Vo has created a gigantic iceberg with only a very small peak above the water, and now all I want is more iceberg to be revealed. One of my favorite things about east Asian fantasy was also present: the combination of historical and vaguely fantastical. So far, the fantasy in this has felt more like magical realism but set in a historical east asian setting, which is exactly my obsession rn. The mood of this novella made me feel like I was soaking in a mystical world that is both peaceful and eerie, even though the central story is neither of those things. As much as I love eloquent winding prose waxing on and on about a plethora of things, I found the length to impact ratio of this extremely appealing and impressive. I'm very excited to read more of this series!
Berserk Deluxe Volume 1 by Kentaro Miura
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
1.5
Read most of this last year but never quite finished volume 3 because the Black Swordsman arc ends before volume 3 ends and I just never started the Golden Age arc. Um ya, so I didn’t like this. After years of hearing raving about the genius and beauty of Berserk, I decided to take the plunge after the manga 3x3 ep of trash taste. Not only were these first couple of volumes basic and cliche, I didn’t like the art style, or Guts, or the little fairy thing. I usually like unabashedly dark and explicit stories, but the way it was done here felt gaudy and purely for shock value. I have since heard that the Black Swordsman arc is generally agreed to be worse arc, and having read a bit into the next arc I already agree. I will read at least another couple volumes before I decide whether to continue the series or not.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Rape
House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
fast-paced
4.25
I'm sorry I ever doubted my past obsession with SJM. Did this drag a bit in the first third? Yes. Was the romance kinda cringey and cliché at times? Yes. Were there cheesy lines here and there? Yes. Was this a perfectly written fantasy novel with lyrical prose? No. Was I a little peeved that SJM felt the need to spell every single thing out for me? Yes. But I don't really care because I had so much fun reading this. I haven't been sucked into a book so obsessively in so long — I could not put this down. I read this in like 2–3 sittings which is crazy considering its length. The only thing holding this book back from being in the ranks of my 5 star reads (like what acomaf was for me back in the day) is Hunt. He felt a little bland for some reason? Breaking his character down on paper, he's amazing; his tragic backstory, being a reluctant guard, the mystery surrounding him, etc. would usually make him a contender to be a new favourite character, but he just wasn't. I haven't quite figured out why I don't like him yet, but part of it may be because he acts a little immature considering his age. Or maybe I'm just tired of SJM’s barrage of alpha men. I do remember liking Rowan and Rhys back when I read those books though.
If I only considered the romancey aspects of this book, this would be like a 2 or 3 star if I was feeling generous. That's not necessarily a bad thing tho because the focus on world building and plot and individual character growth was what made this book amazing. SJM came out the door real horny in the first couple chapters, but past that there was a surprising lack of sexually charged content (especially compared to some of her other books), which was greatly appreciated. I've read enough about wings and fae dick thanks. (Unrelated side note — I just kNOW that SJM is an ABO fan.)
The side characters and villains in this were fantastic. Danika, Fury, Hypaxia, even the Venom Queen and Jesiba were all very fun characters (not that Bryce wasn't cool!). The misogynists were interesting too, particularly the Autumn King and Micah. SJM really knows how to write frustratingly evil and misogynistic men in power. All the ‘hot dude’ side characters were actually pretty cool too, for example, Ruhn and the merman frat boy (Tharion?). Sandriel and Sabine were also perfectly infuriating. You know who was the most intriguing character tho? Aidas. I want more of him pls. I would read the heck out of some quality fanfic about him.
The mysteries that still swirl are exciting, and I'm actually invested in how the story is gonna go from here. I hope to see Hunt and Bryce flexing as the local half-breed power couple, more about Hunt’s dad, some Autumn court nonsense, more alliance building (aka future battle army building!), more Aidas (and Hel in general), and more Hypaxia and Fury. The second book literally just came out two days ago as I am writing this, so catch me bingeing that soon then falling into deep post book depression until the third one releases.
If I only considered the romancey aspects of this book, this would be like a 2 or 3 star if I was feeling generous. That's not necessarily a bad thing tho because the focus on world building and plot and individual character growth was what made this book amazing. SJM came out the door real horny in the first couple chapters, but past that there was a surprising lack of sexually charged content (especially compared to some of her other books), which was greatly appreciated. I've read enough about wings and fae dick thanks. (Unrelated side note — I just kNOW that SJM is an ABO fan.)
The side characters and villains in this were fantastic. Danika, Fury, Hypaxia, even the Venom Queen and Jesiba were all very fun characters (not that Bryce wasn't cool!). The misogynists were interesting too, particularly the Autumn King and Micah. SJM really knows how to write frustratingly evil and misogynistic men in power. All the ‘hot dude’ side characters were actually pretty cool too, for example, Ruhn and the merman frat boy (Tharion?). Sandriel and Sabine were also perfectly infuriating. You know who was the most intriguing character tho? Aidas. I want more of him pls. I would read the heck out of some quality fanfic about him.
The mysteries that still swirl are exciting, and I'm actually invested in how the story is gonna go from here. I hope to see Hunt and Bryce flexing as the local half-breed power couple, more about Hunt’s dad, some Autumn court nonsense, more alliance building (aka future battle army building!), more Aidas (and Hel in general), and more Hypaxia and Fury. The second book literally just came out two days ago as I am writing this, so catch me bingeing that soon then falling into deep post book depression until the third one releases.
Dune by Frank Herbert
challenging
fast-paced
3.75
This was very very slow in the first third, and was painful to get into because Frank Herbert throws you straight into this complex world and lets you figure out the rest yourself. I most certainly did not have any intent to read the appendices to figure it out, so I would constantly go back to reorient myself every time I put the book down. I read the first few chapters more than a few times to make sure I had somewhat of a grasp on the characters and political intrigue. Once I got into the flow of it though (after Duke Leto died ), I realized this was actually a very fast paced book. Pivotal things were happening back to back with nearly no breaks. Every time I was reading Dune, I enjoyed it. Every time I put it down, I did not want to pick it back up because of the sheer mental power it took to get immersed. I totally see why its such a well-respected scifi classic, but it’s just not for me. As complex and well-written the characters, world, and plot was, none of it connected with me emotionally. Yet another for my list of books I respect more than I enjoy.
Lost Boy by Brent W. Jeffs
dark
sad
tense
3.5
I’ve heard about the Mormon compounds and cults living in isolation away from society, so it was interesting and saddening to see a personal account of life in an extremist group. In general, this book felt like Brent Jeff’s way of processing everything that happened to him as a child in the FLDS then as a lost boy. It was also great to see how receptive to therapy his entire family was. What this book lacked in emotional impact, it made up for in its pacing of events. I picked this up mostly because Maia Szalavitz co-wrote it, so I hoped for some depth about childhood trauma and its effects. While it was definitely a large theme, it wasn’t really dug into. This book was presented more as a story and less of an educational thing, which is fine, just not what I went in looking for. Still a great read tho! I was genuinely cheering whenever Warren Jeffs got taken down a peg. As the main perpetrator of many people’s trauma and suffering, I found him to be the most interesting character; Manipulative, spoiled, power hungry, clever, but surprisingly cowardly. I really wonder what happened in his life to make him what he was.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales by Oliver Sacks
3.25
Good, but underwhelming. Most of this was a repeat of what you would learn in a neuropsychology class but with less scientific detail and more patient background. I probably would've liked this more if I had read it before I read Dr. Bruce Perry's books, which presented much more compelling stories, unique cases, good balance between subjective emotion and empirical data, more respectful view of patients, and overall more emotional impact. This book seemed to decrease in quality as it went. The middle got into a lot of very short, unelaborated cases, then the end went into messy philosophizing. That being said, there were some things I did really liked. In terms of chapters:
“The Dog Beneath the Skin” – a completely new case to me! I personally connect with anything to do with heightened senses for some reason, especially smell;
“The President's Speech” – I really enjoyed how different aphasias were depicted as a sort of superpower, and I generally find language processing really interesting;
“On the Level” – the old man who came up with the levelling glasses was just really endearing.
I really liked parts of the book that noted the importance of art. Parts where art connected people to the world or gave them healing really resonated with me. I also appreciate that Dr. Sacks was generally uplifting of his patients and tried to dismantle the concept of deficits and mental illnesses purely as hindrances, and showed them as differences instead. It was riveting to see how super rare neurological abnormalities can change and affect a person in ways that seem like science fiction.
“The Dog Beneath the Skin” – a completely new case to me! I personally connect with anything to do with heightened senses for some reason, especially smell;
“The President's Speech” – I really enjoyed how different aphasias were depicted as a sort of superpower, and I generally find language processing really interesting;
“On the Level” – the old man who came up with the levelling glasses was just really endearing.
I really liked parts of the book that noted the importance of art. Parts where art connected people to the world or gave them healing really resonated with me. I also appreciate that Dr. Sacks was generally uplifting of his patients and tried to dismantle the concept of deficits and mental illnesses purely as hindrances, and showed them as differences instead. It was riveting to see how super rare neurological abnormalities can change and affect a person in ways that seem like science fiction.
Highway of Tears: A True Story of Racism, Indifference and the Pursuit of Justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls by Jessica McDiarmid
informative
sad
4.0
Thoroughly researched, moving, nuanced, and horrifically organized. A beautifully written and highly informative book about a topic I cannot believe people aren't screaming about on the streets everyday. I also learned a lot of unexpected things unrelated to MMIW. From the existence of forensic entomology to the workings of the RCMP to the shortcomings of archiving in policing systems. Reading this made me realize how truly marginalized indigenous people are, and how apathetic I was towards the issues despite being somewhat aware of them. This book was a good reminder that these issues are real and harming people everyday. I definitely will be doing more reading and learning surrounding indigenous peoples in Canada.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Hate crime, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Colonisation